New coach leads Hoosiers

The IU athletics department announced Wednesday that former University of Pacific coach Ray Looze Jr. will be the next men's swimming coach. Looze replaces Kris Kirchner at the helm of one of the Big Ten's most storied swimming programs.\nLooze's work ethic and reputation for building programs impressed members of the committee that selected him from a national search. \n"He's a young coach with lots of energy," said Jennifer Brinegar, a member of the committee. "That's what we're going to need to put this program back on top."\nSenior swimmer David Schulze also recognized the competitive fire in the 35-year-old coach.\n"He's really motivated," Schulze said. "(The team) can feed off that motivation."\nBrinegar said she hopes Looze's energy and success at the collegiate and prep level will attract blue-ribbon recruits to IU.\n"A young coach can relate with recruits," Brinegar said of Looze, who was a four-year All-American for the University of Southern California from 1987-1990. Looze coached New Jersey's Peddie School from 1993-1995, leading them to Swimming World's mythical high school national championship prior to his tenure at Pacific. \nLooze said recruiting in-state talent to IU is a top priority in rebuilding the program. \n"We need to take care of our own backyard," said Looze, who added he would concentrate on recruiting throughout the Midwest. \nLooze concludes a successful five-year stint at Pacific, where he guided both the men's and women's teams to Big West titles last season. Looze also garnered Big West men's coach of the year honors for the fourth consecutive season in 2002. \nHired as the men's coach in 1997, Looze assumed coaching duties a year later for the women's team at Pacific, where he worked under current IU Director of Athletics, Michael McNeely. \n"Our mission is to prepare student-athletes for championship competition," McNeely said in a prepared statement. "We are fully confident that Ray will provide outstanding leadership for successfully building upon the IU swimming program's championship history." \nLooze will take over a program that has captured 23 Big Ten swimming titles, but none since 1985. In 12 seasons under Kirchner, who was fired in May, IU placed no higher than third in the conference. The Hoosiers slipped to seventh at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. \nLooze is also looking to the past to prepare for the future. He has already contacted several alumni of the men's program, which won six consecutive NCAA titles from 1968-1973 under legendary coach James "Doc" Counsilman.\n"I need all the support I can get," said Looze, who will begin searching for an assistant coach immediately. \nAmong the changes he will bring to Bloomington, Looze promises a tougher meet schedule to prepare for the rigorous Big Ten competition. The conference had five schools in the top 20 at the NCAA Championships in March. The Hoosiers finished in 32nd place. \n"We need to learn how to live like champions," Looze said.