Indiana University Athletics
Seven Swimmers Selected for NCAAs
3/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
March 10, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Big Ten Champion Indiana men's swimming team will send seven swimmers to the 2006 NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Ga., from March 23-25. Senior Thomas Clavier, senior Sergiy Fesenko, sophomore Ben Hesen, freshman Steven Murry, sophomore Todd Patrick, senior Kevin Swander and redshirt freshman Nick Walkotten each earned swims at the national meet.
Swander picked up IU's highest seed with the fastest time in college athletics in the 100-yard breaststroke. He will look to be Indiana's first swimming national champion since Jim Montgomery claimed the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle titles in 1976. Swander also owns the fifth seed in the 200-yard breaststroke and the 19th seed in the 200-yard IM.
Meanwhile, Hesen will contend for his own national title as the second seed in the 100-yard backstroke. He also garnered the 28th seed in the 200-yard backstroke and the 29th seed in the 100-yard butterfly.
Walkotten earned the honor as Indiana's next highest seed. He snared the sixth seed in the 200-yard butterfly, 22nd seed in the 100-yard butterfly and the 23rd seed in the 100-yard backstroke.
Additionally, Fesenko claimed the eighth seed in the 500-yard freestyle. He also grabbed the 10th seed in the 1,650-yard freestyle and the 26th seed in the 200-yard freestyle.
The rest of the Hoosiers will have some work to do to finish as All-Americans. Murry finished just outside of the top-16 with a 20th seed in the 400-yard IM, while also earned the 42nd seed in the 200-yard IM. Additionally, Patrick seized the 23rd seed in the 100-yard freestyle, the 26t seed in the 200-yard freestyle and the 33rd seed in the 50-yard freestyle.
Clavier closed out IU's individual representation in the meet with the 28th seed in the 100-yard butterfly and the 38th seed in the 100-yard breaststroke.
As a team, the Hoosiers posted the second-fastest time in both the 200-yard medley and 400-yard medley relays. In both events, Indiana will look for its initial national relay titles since Romulo Arantes, Rick Hofstetter, Jay Hersey and Montgomery won the 400-yard medley relay in 1977. The Hoosiers will also put together the rest of their relays at NCAAs.
Next up, the Hoosier will wait and see how their divers to at the Zone C Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio, from March 10-12. Senior Ryan Fagan and sophomore Taylor Roberts already secured spots at the NCAA Championships.
