Indiana University Athletics
IU Rides Momentum From First Day, Claims 13 Spots Tonight
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Live Results
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The No. 13 Indiana men's swimming and diving squad seized 13 spots into this evening's finals session at 7 p.m., in a quick preliminary session at the 2005 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Feb. 25. Overall, the Hoosiers claimed seven championship and six consolation heat positions.
"This is our best session of the meet so far," Indiana head coach Ray Looze said. "We had a very good team meeting this morning and we are all into the meet right now. We were seeded to score 98 points this morning and we are in line for 136 now. I am pleased. We swam as well as possible, even though we got unlucky with close ninth-place and 17th-place swims. It was just the luck of the draw. We just need to keep getting better every session."
In the opening event of the morning, Indiana advanced three into the consolation heat of the 400-yard IM. Minnesota junior Adam Mitchell placed first with a 3:47.05, while Michigan junior Peter Vanderkaay qualified second with a 3:47.53. For the Hoosiers, sophomore Matt Jensen finished ninth with a personal-best time of 3:53.19 that also improved his own sixth-fastest time in school history. Freshman Todd Patrick placed 11th in the prelim with a career-low time of 3:53.41 for the seventh-best time in IU annals, while senior Richard Bryant qualified 14th with a 3:55.03. Notably, freshman Alec Haley posted a personal-best time of 3:59.57 for 20th place.
In the 100-yard butterfly, the Cream and Crimson qualified three up and one down with an incredible set of swims by the Hoosiers. Sophomore Scott Tanner qualified third with the second-fastest time in school history with a B-cut 47.97, while senior Murph Halasz took sixth with a 48.09. Junior Thomas Clavier came through with a gutsy effort for seventh with a 48.18, the third-best clocking in IU history. Freshman Ben Hesen posted what would have been the 10th-best performance in school history with a 49.07 to qualify 12th, but Clavier and Tanner bumped him out of the top 10.
Additionally, Northwestern freshman Kyle Bubolz qualified as the top finisher with a Big Ten record time of 46.49, while Michigan junior Davis Tarwater placed second with a 47.05.
Indiana's depth continued to shine in the 200-yard freestyle with two moving to the championship heat and two advancing to the consolation heat. Sophomore Colin Russell was the second-fastest qualifier with a B-cut time of 1:36.52, while junior Sergiy Fesenko notched the sixth-best time in IU history with a 1:36.94. Sophomore Lee Houchin touched the best of the consolation qualifiers with a ninth-place time of 1:38.13 that also stands as a personal best. Meanwhile, freshman John Kevin Koehler took 15th place with a career-best time of 1:38.99.
Minnesota senior Terry Silkaitis was the top qualifier with an A-cut time of 1:35.61, while his teammate senior Sean McCaffrey took third in 1:36.48. Notably for the Hoosiers, sophomore Paul Sigfusson recorded a personal-best time of 1:39.79 for 21st, while freshman Alex Brunfeldt did the same with a 25th-place 1:40.27.
In the 100-yard breaststroke, the Hoosiers pushed junior Kevin Swander into the championship heat with the third-best time of the day with a 54.15. Northwestern sophomore Mike Alexandrov took top honors with a 53.56, while Michigan State junior Ian Clutten touched second with a 54.11. Also of note, Clavier took 20th with a personal-best time of 56.61.
In the final swim of the morning, Hesen improved his fourth-best time in school history with a 48.60 to move on to the big final this evening. Unfortunately, Tanner finished just outside of the consolation heat with a personal-best time of 49.78 for 17th place. Northwestern sophomore Matt Grevers swam the fastest with a 46.73, while Wisconsin senior finished second in 47.00.
Next up, the Cream and Crimson continue the 2005 Big Ten Championships at 1:15 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 25 at the University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn., with preliminary performances in the three-meter.
