IU Invite given 'open' status

The No. 10 IU men's swimming and diving team played host to the IU Invitational this weekend at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center, racking up four titles and many individual honors.\nThis is the first season the IU Invitational did not have a team champion because the meet changed into an open format to include more swimmers and divers in the event. \nSophomore Todd Patrick led the Hoosiers, earning seven titles overall and climbing into the record books in several categories. \nIn the 200-yard freestyle relay, Patrick's B-cut time of 20:24 advanced him to eighth place on IU's all-time performers list. In the 200-yard freestyle, Patrick moved into 12th place on IU's all-time performers list in the event with a time of 1:37:86. His final entry into the record books involved the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44:40, moving him into a ninth-place tie on IU's all-time performers list in the event. \n"I'm real satisfied," Patrick said. "We were told we just have to come out and race with heart, to leave everything in the water."\n"Patrick is just a speed burner who is a talented swimmer," IU coach Ray Looze said. \nSophomore Nick Walkotten, who is in his first year of competitive swimming at IU, also provided highlights for the Hoosiers' weekend. Walkotten raced a personal best in the 100-yard backstroke, which etched his name into IU history with the ninth-fastest time in the event. \nWalkotten also claimed a title in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:49:16, which was good enough for the fifth-fastest time in the event in IU history. Walkotten's outstanding performance culminated in the 400-yard medley relay, where he teamed up with Patrick, senior Kevin Swander and junior Lee Houchin to overcome the University of Pittsburgh contingent with a time of 3:00:93. \n"It's a huge confidence builder," Walkotten said. "I broke the time barriers that I've been shooting for."\nIn the 3-meter dive during the first day of competition, the Hoosiers claimed two of the top three spots and three of the top 10. Senior Ryan Fagan placed second with a 322.80 point total while fellow senior Jesse Rappaport finished third with a 322.35 point total. Junior Brian Mariano placed eighth with a 274.30 effort. \nThe Hoosiers will face Northwestern at 4 p.m. Dec. 2 and then leave for a holiday training trip Dec. 29 in the Bahamas.