IU hosts Hoosierland Open this week

The IU swimming and diving team will play host to the Hoosierland Open at the Counsilman/Billingsley Aquatic Center beginning today and continuing through Saturday. The competition will be fierce, and some of the nation’s top programs will be in action, including UC-Berkeley, Tennessee, Penn State and Kentucky.\nBut the Hoosiers don’t think they will have any problems keeping up.\n“We don’t have to travel and that is a big advantage,” said junior A.J. Miller. “When we get up on the blocks it’s like we’re already ahead. We expect to dominate.”\nIU also considers itself among the elite programs, and knows that a strong performance this weekend will tell the nation that, too.\n“We need to step up and swim fast,” said IU coach \nRay Looze.\nThe No. 9-ranked men’s squad is coming off a disappointing defeat at the hands of perennial powerhouses Michigan and Texas. The road won’t get any easier with No. 7 UC-Berkeley and No. 25 Penn State in the mix this week. But the Hoosiers have had nearly two weeks to prepare for the Open and believe they are ready. \n“We got to practice a lot harder during the layoff which was great,” Looze said.\nThe Hoosiers spent much of that preparation time focusing on their depth, an area that the team feels has been of great concern thus far. \n“We need our younger guys to step up and swim,” Miller said. “A lot of those guys are just starting to get into \nthe groove.”\nDepth has also been an issue on the women’s side as they have one of the youngest squads in the Big Ten. That’s not the only concern, however.\n“We have lost so many close races,” junior Kristin Cihoski said. “We need to work on starting faster and making \nbetter turns.”\nMuch like the men, the women will be swimming against top competition. But while the men have enjoyed a Top 10 ranking for most of the season, the women have yet to prove they belong among the elite. They currently boast the No. 23 ranking, but their expectations are much higher. Swimming well in the Hoosierland Open will go a long way toward helping them reach \ntheir goals.\n“It’s time to make the jump and prove we are a top team,” Cihoski said. \nThe Hoosiers are also beginning to see who will be on their team for the Big Ten Championships. Even though they are still months away from the meet, the evaluation process is kicking into high gear.\n“People need to start seizing Big Ten positions now,” Looze said. “It’s somewhat of a dog-eat-dog situation, but we are trying to keep a positive environment.” \nThe next three days, when Big Ten positions are up for grabs, just might be the most important part of the season \nso far. \nThe Hoosiers will also get a good look at some of the finest swimmers in the nation, but they are trying to treat this meet just like any other.\n“Every meet we get better,” Miller said. “We need to have faith in what we have worked on in training. And take it one race at a time.”