Hoosiers Repeat, Win 26th Big Ten Title in Program History

Saturday, February 24

Minneapolis, MN

7:30 PM

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships - Finals

Hoosiers Repeat, Win 26th Big Ten Title in Program History

2/25/2018 12:01:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving

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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The No. 3-ranked Indiana University men's swimming and diving team won five titles on Saturday night en route to winning the team championship at the 2018 Big Ten Championships at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Hoosiers earned back-to-back Big Ten Championships for the first time since winning three-straight from 1983-85. The title is the 26^th in program history.

IU also won five more titles on Saturday, pushing the team's total to 14 for the week. The 14 league crowns are the most for the team since also winning 14 in 1975.

For the week, IU won a total of 24 medals – 14 gold, seven silver and three bronze. Indiana also won four of the five relays at the Big Ten Championships for a second-straight year – a program first.

IU won the team title with a total score of 1,658 points. Michigan was second with 1,617.5 points, while Ohio State was third with 1,300.5 points. Purdue (735.5) and Minnesota (712.5) rounded out the top-five.

Vini Lanza was named Swimmer of the Championships for the second-straight year after setting a Big Ten record with seven gold medals over the course of week. The junior won gold in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 IM, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay and the 800 freestyle relay.

Michael Hixon was named Diver of the Championships for the second year in a row after winning the 1-meter dive on Thursday and winning silver in the 3-meter dive on Friday.

Joining Lanza and Hixon on the All-Big Ten First-Team were Bruno Blaskovic, Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Ali Khalafalla, Mohamed Samy and Blake Pieroni. Earning Second-Team All-Big Ten honors were Levi Brock, James Connor and Nikola Miljenic.

Mohamed Samy was the class of the 200 backstroke Championship Final, winning with a personal-best time of 1:39.68 to claim the conference crown. Samy's mark is the sixth-best in IU history.

Freshman Gabriel Fantoni made it a 1-2 finish for IU, winning silver with a personal-best time of 1:40.85. Also in the A Final, Wilson Beckman was sixth overall in 1:43.17.

In the B Final, Jacob Steele had a career-best showing, finishing second to place 10^th overall with a time of 1:43.05.

In the Championship Final of the 200 breaststroke, Ian Finnerty had the outing of his life, winning his Big Ten championship in the event with a school, Big Ten and pool record time of 1:50.78. Finnerty's time is the best in the nation this year and is a NCAA A cut.

Levi Brock put an exclamation point on his excellent week, winning bronze with a personal-best time of 1:52.78. In the B Final, Matt Jerden took second with a PR of 1:56.23 to finish 10^th overall. Sophomore Jack Kucharczyk won the C Final, touching the wall first in 1:56.92 to finish 17^th overall.

Blake Pieroni made it three-straight 100 freestyle championships on Saturday night, winning with a school record, Big Ten record and NCAA A cut time of 41.43. Pieroni's time is the second-best in the nation.

Freshman Bruno Blaskovic took fourth in the A Final in 42.51, while senior Ali Khalafalla was seventh in 43.01. In the B Final, Nikola Miljenic was fourth to finish 12^th overall with a personal-best time if 43.28. Oliver Patrouch was 13^th with a PR of 43.41, while Josh Romany was 14^th in 43.59.

In the Championship Final of the 200 butterfly, Vini Lanza made it back-to-back titles, winning with a school record, Big Ten meet record, pool record and NCAA A cut time of 1:39.95. Lanza's effort gives him the best time in the nation this year.

Freshman Corey Gambardella had a great showing, finishing sixth overall with a NCAA B cut time of 1:44.60.

The Hoosiers put an exclamation point on the week in the Championship Final of the 400 freestyle relay, as the team of Mohamed Samy, Bruno Blaskovic, Vini Lanza and Blake Pieroni won with a NCAA A cut of 2:48.81. The time is the second-best in school history and the fifth-best in the nation this year.

Samy gave IU a great start, splitting a personal-best time of 42.15 in his leadoff 100 free leg. Samy's time is the seventh-best in school history.

Freshman Andrew Capobianco was terrific in the Championship Final of the platform dive, winning the bronze medal with a personal-best score of 468.65. The rookie's total is the seventh-best in IU history.

IU's Michael Hixon finished second in the B Final of the platform dive with a total of 428.80 points, while Cody Coldren was fourth to finish 12^th overall with a personal-best score of 405.60. James Connor (341.70) and Mory Gould (316.05) both scored for IU in the C Final, placing 20^th and 23^rd, respectively.

Diving played a huge part in the Hoosiers claiming the program's 26^th Big Ten championship, as the six IU divers combined to score a total of 285 points on the week.

In the 1,650 freestyle, freshman Spencer Lehman led four Hoosiers who all scored points with personal-best times. The rookie placed eighth overall in 15:06.88, while Adam Destrampe was ninth in 15:07.00. Ethan Curl took 11^th in 15:08.03, while Trey Hubbuch was 12^th in 15:08.75.

Indiana had one of the best meets in school history, as the Hoosiers totaled 11 school record swims, seven Big Ten record swims, nine Big Ten Meet record swims, nine pool record swims, 18 NCAA A cuts, 97 NCAA B cuts, 29 NCAA Zones qualifying scores and 88 personal-best marks.

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.

Swimmer of the Championships
Vini Lanza

Diver of the Championships
Michael Hixon

First-Team All-Big Ten
Bruno Blaskovic
Gabriel Fantoni
Ian Finnerty
Michael Hixon
Vini Lanza
Ali Khalafalla
Mohamed Samy
Blake Pieroni

Second Team All-Big Ten
Levi Brock
James Connor
Nikola Miljenic

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honoree
Cody Coldren

1,650 Freestyle
8. Spencer Lehman – 15:06.88 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
9. Adam Destrampe – 15:07.00 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
11. Ethan Curl – 15:08.03 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
12. Trey Hubbuch – 15:08.75 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

200 Backstroke
1. Mohamed Samy – 1:39.68 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
2. Gabriel Fantoni – 1:40.85 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
6. Wilson Beckman – 1:43.17 (NCAA B Cut)
10. Jacob Steele – 1:43.05 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

100 Freestyle
1. Blake Pieroni – 41.43 (School Record, Big Ten Record, NCAA A Cut)
4. Bruno Blaskovic – 42.51 (NCAA B Cut)
7. Ali Khalafalla – 43.01 (NCAA B Cut)
12. Nikola Miljenic – 43.28 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
13. Oliver Patrouch – 43.41 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
14. Josh Romany – 43.59 (NCAA B Cut)

200 Breaststroke
1. Ian Finnerty – 1:50.78 (School Record, Big Ten Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)
3. Levi Brock – 1:52.78 (Personal Best, NCAA A Cut)
10. Matt Jerden – 1:56.23 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
17. Jack Kucharczyk – 1:56.92 (NCAA B Cut)

200 Butterfly
1. Vini Lanza – 1:39.95 (School Record, Big Ten Meet Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)
6. Corey Gambardella – 1:44.60 (NCAA B Cut)

Platform Dive
3. Andrew Capobianco – 468.65 (Personal Best, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
10. Michael Hixon – 428.80 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
12. Cody Coldren – 405.60 (Personal Best, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
20. James Connor – 341.70 (C Final - NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
23. Mory Gould – 316.05 (C Final - NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)

400 Freestyle Relay
1. Mohamed Samy, Bruno Blaskovic, Vini Lanza, Blake Pieroni – 2:48.81 (NCAA A Cut)

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