Indiana University Athletics
Big Ten Champion Hoosiers Travel to Atlanta for NCAAs
3/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
March 20, 2006
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Big Ten Champion Indiana men's swimming and diving team will compete in the 2006 NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Ga., from March 23-25.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
The following Hoosiers made the cut for the 2006 NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga., from March 16-18:
| Hoosier | Event | Seed |
| Thomas Clavier | 100 breast | 38th |
| Thomas Clavier | 100 fly | 28th |
| Ryan Fagan | 1m | N/A |
| Ryan Fagan | 3m | N/A |
| Ryan Fagan | platform | N/A |
| Sergiy Fesenko | 200 free | 26th |
| Sergiy Fesenko | 500 free | 8th |
| Sergiy Fesenko | 1,650 free | 10th |
| Ben Hesen | 100 back | 2nd |
| Ben Hesen | 200 back | 28th |
| Ben Hesen | 100 fly | 29th |
| Steven Murry | 200 IM | 42nd |
| Steven Murry | 400 IM | 20th |
| Todd Patrick | 50 free | 33rd |
| Todd Patrick | 100 free | 23rd |
| Todd Patrick | 200 free | 26th |
| Taylor Roberts | 1m | N/A |
| Taylor Roberts | 3m | N/A |
| Taylor Roberts | platform | N/A |
| Kevin Swander | 100 breast | 1st |
| Kevin Swander | 200 breast | 5th |
| Kevin Swander | 200 IM | 19th |
| Nick Walkotten | 100 back | 23rd |
| Nick Walkotten | 100 fly | 22nd |
| Nick Walkotten | 200 fly | 6th |
Additionally, the Hoosiers will be able to swim in all five relay events.
HOOSIERS IN THE NCAA
• The Hoosiers won six consecutive national titles from 1968-73.
• Overall, IU boasts 52 individual swimming titles, 17 diving titles and 10 relay titles in NCAA action.
• The Hoosiers offer an illustrious history of All-Americans. Overall, 204 All-Americans garnered 814 swimming certificates and 153 diving citations.
DROUGHT COMES TO AN END!
For the first time in 21 years, the Indiana men's swimming and diving program captured a Big Ten Championship on Feb. 25. After falling by three points in 2005 to Minnesota, the Hoosiers blew past the Gophers, 760.5-652, to claim the program's 24th Big Ten team title.
IU claimed its first conference crown since the 1985 season. Under swimming hall-of-famer James `Doc' Counsilman, Indiana won 20 consecutive conference titles from 1961-80 and added championships in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
SCHOOL RECORDS BROKEN SO FAR
The following school records have fallen this season:
| Hoosier | Event | Result |
| Sergiy Fesenko | 500 free | 4:16.79 |
| Sergiy Fesenko | 1,000 free | 8:57.80 |
| Ben Hesen | 100 back | 46.44 |
| Taylor Roberts | 3m | 407.15 |
| Colin Russell | 200 free | 1:35.50 |
| Kevin Swander | 100 breast | 52.64 |
| Kevin Swander | 200 breast | 1:55.24 |
| Kevin Swander | 200 IM | 1:46.68 |
| Nick Walkotten | 100 fly | 47.52 |
| Nick Walkotten | 200 fly | 1:44.39 |
| Relay | Event | Time |
| Indiana | 200 medley | 1:25.73 |
| Indiana | 400 medley | 3:08.48 |
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS
Kevin Swander earned Swimmer of the Championships for the second time in his Hoosier career. Ray Looze picked up his first Swimming Coach of the Year accolade after leading IU to the conference title. Nick Walkotten became the first IU swimmer to earn Freshman of the Year honors in IU school history. He joined former diver Tom Davidson, who earned the honor in 1997, to win the Freshman of the Year honor.
By virtue of winning the 10-meter platform in spectacular fashion, junior Brian Mariano garnered Big Ten Diver of the Championships. It marked the seventh time since the inception of the award in 1991 that a Hoosier claimed or shared the award. He also received co-Big Ten Diver of the Year.
Indiana led the way with a total of eight first or second team All-Big Ten selections. The six first team honorees proved to be the most since 1991, when IU also had six. Sophomore Ben Hesen, senior Thomas Clavier, sophomore Todd Patrick, Mariano, sophomore Taylor Roberts and Swander were first team honorees, while senior Sergiy Fesenko and Walkotten were second team choices. Michigan tied IU for the most first team honorees with six.
BIG TEN TITLES
The Hoosiers captured four Big Ten titles during the 2006 edition. The quartet of Ben Hesen, Kevin Swander, Thomas Clavier and Todd Patrick snared IU's first event win in the 200-yard medley relay in 1:25.73. Swander then claimed the 100-yard breaststroke with the fastest time in the nation of 52.64, before Taylor Roberts won the three-meter crown with a 396.90. Additionally, Brian Mariano picked up the platform title with a 391.85.
NCAA ZONE QUALIFIERS
All six divers have secured zone qualifying scores so far this season. Ryan Fagan, David Legler, Brian Mariano, Justin Montrie, Jesse Rappaport and Taylor Roberts all punched their ticket to the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships March 10-12 in Columbus, Ohio.
BIG TIME MERGER
Over the summer, the men's and women's swimming and diving programs merged under head coach Ray Looze. The change allows IU to tailor training, while also gaining an assistant diving coach (Todd Waikel).
BIG TEN OF THE WEEK SWEEP
Indiana swept the Big Ten weekly awards for the week ending Jan. 22. Not only did Ben Hesen share the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week title with Northwestern's Eric Nilsson, Ryan Fagan's record-setting performance garnered Big Ten Diver of the Week honors, as announced by the conference office on Jan. 24. This is the first time that IU has swept the weekly conference accolades since Oct. 12, 2004 when Kevin Swander and former IU standout Marc Carlton earned the honors after nearly knocking off Texas.
FAGAN - BIG TEN DIVER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Fagan garnered Big Ten Diver of the Week honors for the week ending Jan. 8, as announced by the conference office on Jan. 10.
THE GREAT FESENKO
Sergiy Fesenko shot off the blocks in a big way to start the year. He continued to add to his trophy haul this season after earning the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week award, as announced on Oct. 18.
BRING ON THE TROPHIES
Sergiy Fesenko earned his second Big Ten Swimmer of the Week accolade this season, as announced by the conference office on Nov. 1 for the week ending Oct. 30. He went on to earn CollegeSwimming.com's National Swimmer of the Week the next day.
SERGIY AT EUROPEAN SC MEET
Sergiy Fesenko snapped Colin Russell's school-record in the 400-meter freestyle on Dec. 8 with an astounding fifth-place time of 3:40.92 in the final heat at the 2005 European Short Course Championship in Trieste, Italy.
TRAINING IN PARADISE
The Hoosiers enjoyed a productive winter training trip to Nassau, Bahamas on Dec. 29-Jan 5. During the excursion, the Hoosiers participated in a joint practice with Auburn and Michigan State.
THE 2006-07 CLASS
Indiana head coach Ray Looze and the Indiana University swimming and diving program announced the signing of eight student-athletes for the 2006-07 academic year. Kevin Happ (Hunting Valley, Ohio/University School), Christopher Head (Evansville, Ind./North), Tyler McGowan (Vincennes, Ind./Lincoln), Frazier Miller (Louisville, Ky./Saint Xavier), Chris Oleksiak (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove), Jensen Ried (Cypress, Texas/Cypress Springs) and Drew Sease (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) will look to impact Indiana beginning with the 2006-07 campaign. Meanwhile, head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber and the Indiana diving team announced the signing of David Piercy (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) for the 2006-07 academic year.
