Swander shatters records in qualifications

There is nothing better than swimming in front of a home crowd. You've got nothing to lose, and the support of the attendees in the crowd can get your adrenaline pumping hard. This formula can not only make an athlete more determined to win, but push him to swim faster. If you don't believe it, just ask Kevin Swander.\n"I was really proud to represent IU in front of a home crowd," said the junior All-American. "I think I received bigger cheers than half the Olympians here. I love swimming in my home pool."\nSwander qualified for all of the breaststroke events at the World University Games at Izmir, Turkey, during the World Championships Trials in Indianapolis. The Greenwood, Ind., native finished third overall in both the 100 and 200 LC meter breaststroke events. He also shattered both IU school records in those events.\n"This is our first national team member in a long time," said IU head coach Ray Looze. "Kevin is going to get some valuable international experience. It will also help him prepare for bigger and better meets that come in the future."\nDuring the first day of the six-day event, Swander solidified his trip to Izmir after taking third in the 100 LCM breaststroke finals. But following a three-day rest, Swander turned his attention toward a trip to Montreal for a spot in the World Championships. \n"We are going to see about Montreal first. I will get excited for Turkey if I don't get myself to the World Championship in Canada first," Swander said following his third-place finish on day one.\nUnfortunately for the junior, he came up short in the 200 LCM breaststroke. After seeing his hopes dwindle following a seventh-place finish in the qualifiers, Swander came up 2.38 seconds short of second-place in the finals and a trip to Montreal. But for the IU junior, who finished with an individual ranking of 16 out of 132, competing against the world's best was more than satisfying.\n"I am excited," Swander said. "I just came in to swim and not really try to do anything other than that. I ended up having two great swims. I couldn't be more pleased with everything that happened this season."\nAside from Swander's accomplishments, three other IU swimmers gained valuable experience with their successes. Sophomore Scott Tanner took 14th overall in the 100 LCM butterfly along with placing IU's third best time behind legends Gary Hall and Mark Spitz in that event. Sophomore Ryan McNeill placed 15th in the 1,500 LCM freestyle, registering the third-highest finish by a Hoosier in the trials. Freshman Alec Haley placed 22nd in the bonus consolation heat of the 200 LCM breaststroke as well as achieved a 23rd place finish in the 400 LCM Individual Medley.\n"It is really a nice way to finish off the season for us. Alec Haley did a great job, and recruiting went really well," Looze said. "It is a good thing for Indiana swimming and shows our other guys that these things are out there in the summer. Now it is time to get back to work."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Evan Harris at evharris@indiana.edu.