Three Gold Medals, School Records for IU at B1G Championships Friday Night

Friday, February 26

West Lafayette, IN

6:30 PM

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships- Finals

Three Gold Medals, School Records for IU at B1G Championships Friday Night

2/26/2016 9:43:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 8-ranked Indiana men's swimming and diving team continued action at the 2016 Big Ten Championships on Friday night at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette, Ind. with another strong team performance.

The Hoosiers collected six medals on Friday night – three gold, one silver and two bronze – and set three more school records. Heading in to the final day of the conference championships on Saturday, Indiana has won 10 medals – four gold, four silver and two bronze.

Indiana sits in third place, just 10.5 points behind second-place Ohio State, with 845 points. Michigan leads the team standings with 1,005 points. Minnesota (611) and Wisconsin (518) round out the top-five headed in to Saturday.

The Hoosiers got the night off to a record start once again, winning gold in the 200 freestyle relay. The IU team of Ali Khalafalla, Blake Pieroni, Anze Tavcar and Oliver Patrouch won with a school record, Boilermaker Aquatic Center record and NCAA A cut time of 1:16.93. The Hoosiers' time ranks fifth in the nation so far this season.

The victory for the Hoosiers is just the second in program history in the 200 freestyle relay and the first for Indiana since 1991. Leading off the relay for the Hoosiers, Ali Khalafalla split a 19.34 – the third-fastest time in school history.

After setting the school record in the 100 butterfly in the Friday morning prelims, Vini Lanza was at it again in the Championship Final, winning the silver medal with a school record time of 45.64. Lanza's time was 0.30 seconds faster than his record prelim mark and was also a NCAA A cut time.

Also in the Championship Final of the 100 fly, Max Irwin took seventh overall with a NCAA B cut time of 47.34. In the B Final, Oliver Patrouch finished seventh to place 15^th overall with a NCAA B cut time of 48.16.

In one of the more anticipated races at the Big Ten Championships, Blake Pieroni put on a show, winning the gold medal with a school record, pool record and NCAA A cut time of 1:32.33.

Pieroni eclipsed the school record he set on Wednesday, when he led off the Hoosiers' silver medal-winning relay with a split of 1:32.71. Pieroni's time is the top mark in the NCAA this season and becomes the first Hoosier to win the 200 freestyle since Joe Carroll in 1985.

Also in the Championship Final, Anze Tavcar placed fourth with a personal-best and NCAA A record time of 1:33.72. Tavcar's time is the seventh-fastest in school history and ranks him as the second-fastest 200 freestyle swimmer in school history.

Indiana flexed its collective muscle in the 100 breaststroke on Friday night, led by Ian Finnerty winning the gold medal with a personal-best, Boilermaker Aquatic Center record and NCAA A cut time of 51.75. Finnerty's impressive mark is the second-fastest time in Indiana history, just 0.25 seconds away from Cody Miller's school record.

Tanner Kurz won the bronze medal, touching the wall in a NCAA B cut time of 52.32, while Cody Taylor took fifth overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 53.00. Kurz's time is the ninth-fastest in school history, while Taylor's time ranks him as the fifth-fastest 100 breast swimmer at IU.

Levi Brock rounded out the team's quartet of swimmers in the Championship Final, placing eighth overall with a NCAA B cut time of 53.89. In the B Final, Sam Apa placed 16^th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 54.46. Apa's time ranks him as the 12^th-fastest swimmer in the event in school history.

In the Championship Final of the 100 backstroke, Bob Glover placed fourth overall with a NCAA B cut time of 46.83.

In the C-Final, Joseph Lane touched first to place 17^th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 47.62. Lane's time ranks him as the seventh-fastest swimmer in the event in school history. Ali Khalafalla was right behind Lane, placing second in the C-Final to finish 18^th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut mark of 47.88. Khalafalla's time ranks him in a tie as the eighth-fastest 100 backstroke swimmer at IU. Also in the 100 back C-Final, Ryan Gordon finished 20^th overall with a NCAA B cut time of 48.46.

In the 3-meter Championship Final, Joshua Arndt had a great showing, winning the bronze medal with a NCAA Zones qualifying mark of 400.20. The highlight of Arndt's championship list came on the fifth dive, when the junior scored a 77.00 to vault in to medal contention. In the prelims, Arndt qualified with a score of 350.95.

Cody Coldren had a solid showing for the Hoosiers in the Consolation Final of the 3-meter dive, placing third to finish 11^th overall with a personal-best and NCAA Zones qualifying score of 355.50. Coldren saved his best two dives for last, surging to third place with dives of 71.75 and 69.00, respectively, in his final two attempts.

In the 400 IM, Indiana's Grayson Smith placed 24^th overall with a time of 3:54.51.

The 2016 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships will continue on Saturday morning at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center in West Lafayette at 11 a.m. with the prelims of the 200 backstroke, the 100 freestyle, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 butterfly. The prelims of the platform dive will begin at 1 p.m., with the B Final following. Prelims of the 1,650 freestyle will begin at 4:15 p.m.

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

200 Freestyle Relay
1. Ali Khalafalla, Blake Pieroni, Anze Tavcar, Oliver Patrouch – 1:16.93 (School Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)

400 IM
24. Grayson Smith – 3:54.51

100 Butterfly
2. Vini Lanza – 45.64 (School Record, NCAA A Cut)
7. Max Irwin – 47.34 (NCAA B Cut)
15. Oliver Patrouch – 48.16 (NCAA B Cut)

200 Freestyle
1. Blake Pieroni – 1:32.33 (School Record, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)
4. Anze Tavcar – 1:33.72 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

100 Breaststroke
1. Ian Finnerty – 51.75 (Personal Best, Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)
3. Tanner Kurz – 52.32 (NCAA B Cut)
5. Cody Taylor – 53.00 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
8. Levi Brock – 53.89 (NCAA B Cut)
16. Sam Apa – 54.46 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

100 Backstroke
4. Bob Glover – 46.83 (NCAA B Cut)
17. Joseph Lane – 47.62 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
18. Ali Khalafalla – 47.88 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
20. Ryan Gordon – 48.46 (NCAA B Cut)

3-Meter Dive
3. Joshua Arndt – 400.20 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score; 350.95 Prelims)
11. Cody Coldren – 355.50 (Personal Best, NCAA Zones Qualifying Score; 347.35 Prelims)