When the Western swimming and diving teams take on Butler at 1 p.m. Saturday, senior Stacey Schortgen will not be swimming her best event – the 1,000-yard freestyle.

In the opening meet victory over Delta State, Schortgen swam a personal best time (10:25.40) in the event and was three seconds off the school record.

Instead, Schortgen will swim the 400 individual medley. She said she doesn’t think she will win the race.

Schortgen isn’t being singled out or punished. Every swimmer will be racing in their third-strongest event, according to coach Bruce Marchionda.

“It’s a good way to see how our third or fourth event is going to be early in the season,” Schortgen said.

Schortgen said racing in their off events will provide a starting point for improvement.

Coach Bruce Marchionda is structuring the swimmers this way for several reasons. Most of all, it will be helpful later in the season and in the Sun Belt Conference Championships.

“We’re taking this opportunity to race in events we don’t normally race in,” he said.

Butler (0-1) has about 20 male and female swimmers. Marchionda said he can use this strategy because Butler lacks depth and is a relatively young program.

He said having swimmers race in their third or fourth event will make the meet a lot closer and more interesting.

Junior Travano McPhee’s best event is the 200 breaststroke, but Saturday he will be swimming the 100 butterfly.

Unlike Schortgen, McPhee said he has a chance to win his race. He said he has looked at some of Butler’s times and noticed they aren’t as strong as Western’s.

“We should win every event,” McPhee said.

The Butler meet will answer questions beyond individual events. Marchionda said he will be stacking the 200 medley and freestyle relays for both the men and women. He wants to find out who has the fastest 50-yard times to build the best relay teams for future meets.

“Almost all dual meets are preparation for what we do at the end of the year,” Marchionda said.

Reach Laura Clark at sports@wkuherald.com.