Indiana Qualifies 18 for Final Night of Big Ten Championships

Saturday, February 25

Columbus, OH

11:00 AM

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships - Prelims

Indiana Qualifies 18 for Final Night of Big Ten Championships

2/25/2017 3:28:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 4-ranked Indiana University men's swimming and diving team had another solid prelim session on the final morning of the 2017 Big Ten Championships on Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Indiana qualified a total of 18 swimmers and divers for the evening finals, not including the six swimmers IU has in the 1,650 freestyle. The Hoosiers qualified seven for Championship Finals, eight for B Finals and three for C Finals.

Heading in to the final session of the Big Ten Championships, Indiana continues to lead the team standing with a total score of 999 points. Ohio State is second with a score of 939.5, while Michigan is in third with 923.5.

200 Backstroke
In the 200 backstroke prelims, Bob Glover qualified first overall for Saturday night's Championship Final with a NCAA B cut time of 1:41.59. Wilson Beckman qualified 11^th overall and will swim in the B Final after touching the wall in a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:43.59. With his time, Beckman now ranks as the eighth-best performer in the event at IU.

100 Freestyle
The Hoosiers sprinters showed up big time in the 100 freestyle prelims, as all seven swimmers qualified for the evening finals.

IU will have three in the Championship Final, led by defending champion Blake Pieroni who qualified with a school record and NCAA A cut time of 42.24. Anze Tavcar will join him in the A Final after posting a NCAA B cut time of 42.72, while Ali Khalafalla rounds out the trio with his NCAA B cut time of 42.80.

Sophomore Mohamed Samy will be the top seed in the B Final after his great, personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 43.11 in the prelims. With his time, Samy ranks as the fourth-best swimmer in the event at IU. Sam Lorentz was right behind him, posting a PR and NCAA B cut time of 43.12. Lorentz moves up to fifth all-time on the school's performer list in the event.

Josh Romany recorded a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 43.55 to earn a spot in the C Final, as his time makes him the 10^th-best performer in the event at Indiana. Oliver Patrouch also qualified with his PR and NCAA B cut time of 43.82. Patrouch now ranks as the 14^th-best performer in the event at IU.

200 Breaststroke
In the 200 breaststroke, the Hoosiers qualified three swimmers for the B Final on Saturday night. Ian Finnerty is the top qualifier for the race, touching the wall with a NCAA B cut time of 1:55.87.

Jack Kucharczyk had a great race, dropping almost seven seconds off his previous PR with a NCAA B cut time of 1:57.01 that ranks him as the 10^th-best performer in the event at IU. Levi Brock also qualified for the B Final, coming in with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:58.14. Brock is now the 14^th-best swimmer in the event in Indiana history.

Sam Apa placed 28^th overall with a personal-best time of 2:00.12.

200 Butterfly
Vini Lanza posted the third-best time in the 200 butterfly in school history to earn the No. 1 seed for tonight's Championship Final. Lanza's, who owns the top-seven times at IU, also recorded a NCAA B cut with his mark.

Senior Max Irwin will join him in the A Final after touching the wall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:43.53. With his mark, Irwin now ranks as the third-best swimmer in the event at Indiana.

Brian Valedon also made it back for the Hoosiers, earning a spot in the C Final with a time of 1:48.54.

Platform Dive
Michael Hixon qualified for the Championship Final of the platform dive with a personal-best and NCAA qualifying score of 410.90. Hixon, who has won both the 1 and 3-meter dives this week, now ranks as the eighth-best platform diver in school history.

James Connor (364.55) and Cody Coldren (321.60) both qualified for the B Final with NCAA qualifying scores. Coldren's total was also a personal-best score.

Joshua Arndt placed 26^th overall with a total of 251.25.

The Indiana Hoosiers will conclude competition at the 2017 Big Ten Championships on Saturday evening with the finals of the 1,650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, platform dive and 400 freestyle relay. The action gets started at 6:30 p.m. ET at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.

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

200 Backstroke
Bob Glover – 1:41.59 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Wilson Beckman – 1:43.59 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)

100 Freestyle –
Blake Pieroni – 42.24 (Personal Best, School Record, NCAA A cut – A Final)
Anze Tavcar – 42.72 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Ali Khalafalla – 42.80 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Mohamed Samy – 43.11 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
Sam Lorentz – 43.12 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
Josh Romany – 43.55 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – C Final)
Oliver Patrouch – 43.82 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – C Final)

200 Breaststroke
Ian Finnerty – 1:55.87 (NCAA B cut – B Final)
Jack Kucharczyk – 1:57.01 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
Levi Brock – 1:58.14 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – B Final)
28. Sam Apa – 2:00.12 (Personal Best)

200 Butterfly
Vini Lanza – 1:42.22 (NCAA B cut – A Final)
Max Irwin – 1:43.53 (Personal Best, NCAA B cut – A Final)
Brian Valedon – 1:48.54 (C Final)

Platform Dive
Michael Hixon – 410.90 (Personal Best, NCAA Qualifying score – A Final)
James Connor – 364.55 (NCAA Qualifying score – B Final)
Cody Coldren – 321.60 (Personal Best, NCAA Qualifying score – B Final)
26. Joshua Arndt – 251.25

#GoIU