IU Wins Three Titles on Thursday Night at Big Ten Championships

Thursday, February 22

Minneapolis, MN

7:30 PM

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships - Finals

IU Wins Three Titles on Thursday Night at Big Ten Championships

2/22/2018 10:57:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 3-ranked Indiana University men's swimming and diving team won three conference titles on Thursday night at the 2018 Big Ten Championships at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Hoosiers sit in second place overall after two days of competition with 529.5 points, just nine points behind leader Michigan. Ohio State is third with a total of 407 points. IU has won the Big Ten title in five of the first seven events, including all three relays.

Indiana put on a historic showing in the 400 medley relay, as the Hoosier team of Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza and Blake Pieroni won with a school record, Big Ten record, pool record and NCAA A cut time of 3:01.30.

To put the time in perspective, the mark is the fifth-fastest time in history and is the fastest time ever posted outside a NCAA Championship meet. The Hoosiers won the race by over five seconds, beat the conference mark by two seconds and posted the fastest time in the nation by over three seconds.

All four splits for the four Hoosiers were the fastest in the event, led by Fantoni's great leadoff 100 back time of 45.17. Fantoni recorded the third-fastest 100 back of any freshman in history, behind only Ryan Murphy (44.63) and Ralf Tribuntsov (44.95). Fantoni's mark is the fourth-fastest time in school history.

In the diving well, the Hoosiers had three in the Championship Final. Both Michael Hixon and James Connor put on a show, as Hixon was able to out-duel his teammate to win the Big Ten title with a school, Big Ten and pool record score of 493.60.

Hixon's crown was the fourth of his career and the third 1-meter title for the senior. The redshirt senior is the first diver in league history to win three 1-meter championships since Hoosier alum Mike Collier (1997-99).

Connor was tremendous in winning the silver, posting a score of 477.30 that would have broken the pool record as well. Connor's score is the second-best of his illustrious career and the fourth-best mark in the storied history of IU diving.

Freshman Mory Gould was terrific for Indiana, placing seventh overall in the Championship Final with a personal-best score of 372.65. Gould's PR ranks him as the 13^th-best performer in the event in Hoosier history.

In the B-Final of the 1-meter dive, freshman Andrew Capobianco came out on top, winning to place ninth overall with a personal-best score of 414.85. Capobianco's great score ranks his as the sixth-best diver in the event in school history. Cody Coldren placed 16^th overall with a total of 339.55.

Vini Lanza successfully defended his title in the 200 IM, winning the Big Ten crown with a school record, pool record and NCAA A cut time of 1:41.34. Lanza's mark is the fourth-best in the country this year. Lanza has won four titles in the first two days of the Big Ten Championships, bringing his career total to nine.

In the B Final of the 200 IM, Wilson Beckman placed third to finish 11^th overall with a time of 1:45.57, while freshman Jacob Steele was second in the C Final to place 18^th with a personal-best time of 1:46.69.

In the Championship Final of the 50 freestyle, senior Ali Khalafalla won bronze, touching the wall third with a time of 19.23. Freshman Bruno Blaskovic was fifth in the A Final with a mark of 19.46.

Nikola Miljenic had a great swim in the B Final, winning with a personal-best time of 19.48. In the C Final, Josh Romany tied for 18^th overall with a time of 19.88, while Oliver Patrouch was 22^nd in 19.93.

Adam Destrampe posted the second-best time of his career in the Championship Final of the 500 freestyle, placing seventh overall with a NCAA B cut time of 4:19.14.

In the C Final of the 500 freestyle, the Hoosiers finished 3-4-5 to place 19^th, 20^th and 21^st overall with NCAA B cuts. Trey Hubbuch led the trio with a time of 4:22.31, while Ethan Curl was right behind him with a personal-best score of 4:22.93. Freshman Spencer Lehman touched the wall with a PR of 4:23.54.

The No. 3-ranked Hoosiers will continue competition at the 2018 Big Ten Championships on Friday morning with the prelims of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter dive. The action gets started at 12:00 p.m. ET at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men's and women's swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

500 Freestyle
7. Adam Destrampe – 4:19.14 (NCAA B Cut)
19. Trey Hubbuch – 4:22.31 (NCAA B Cut)
20. Ethan Curl – 4:22.93 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
21. Spencer Lehman – 4:23.54 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

200 IM
1. Vini Lanza – 1:41.34 (School Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)
T-4. Ian Finnerty – 1:42.94 (NCAA B Cut)
6. Blake Pieroni – 1:44.17 (NCAA B Cut)
11. Wilson Beckman – 1:45.57 (NCAA B Cut)
18. Jacob Steele – 1:46.69 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

50 Freestyle
3. Ali Khalafalla – 19.23 (NCAA B Cut)
5. Bruno Blaskovic – 19.46 (NCAA B Cut)
9. Nikola Miljenic – 19.48 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
T-18. Josh Romany – 19.88 (NCAA B Cut)
22. Oliver Patrouch – 19.93 (NCAA B Cut)

1-Meter Dive
1. Michael Hixon – 493.60 (School Record, Big Ten Record, Pool Record, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
2. James Connor – 477.30 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
7. Mory Gould – 372.65 (Personal Best, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
9. Andrew Capobianco – 414.85 (Personal Best, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
16. Cody Coldren – 339.55 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)

400 Medley Relay
1. Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza, Blake Pieroni – 3:01.30 (School Record, Big Ten Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)

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