Baxter, Tanko Dubbed Big Ten Swimmers and Divers to Watch

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, the Big Ten Conference announced senior duo Beatrix Tanko and Abby Baxter as Nebraska's swimmers and divers to watch. 

Hailing from Budapest, Hungary, Tanko put up breakout times in her junior season during the 2025-26 year. Tanko is coming off an NCAA Championships berth, where she competed in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Tanko broke the 50 and 100 free school record times midseason at the Hawkeye Invite, where she swam a 22.17 in the finals for second place, and a 48.75 for another runner-up finish in the 100 free.

Amassing 21 top-five finishes throughout the season, Tanko took 12 event titles in her junior year campaign. The Hungarian swimmer won six titles in the 100 fly throughout the season, with a notable victory at the Hawkeye Invite (52.03). 

Swimming identical times in the 100 fly prelims and finals at the Big Ten Championships in mid-February, Tanko clocked a 51.75, achieving top-eight finishes in both. 

Baxter, a diver from Coppell, Texas, found continued success last season after a sophomore year NCAA debut, earning honorable-mention All-America honors on the three-meter springboard. Her 312.15 in the B finals earned her an 11th-place finish. She also added an 18th-place finish on the one-meter board with a score of 263.75. 

Accumulating 16 top-five finishes throughout the season, Baxter leveraged consistent runner-up finishes in duals with a career-best winning score of 346.10 against Iowa State. 

Looking to improve her three school-record times from last season, Tanko will kick off her senior season with the Good Life Relays on Friday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. (CT) at the Devaney Natatorium in Lincoln, Neb. Baxter and Tanko will perform at the Scarlet and Cream Intrasquad meet the following day at 10:30 a.m. (CT) at the Devaney Center.