Hoosiers off to Big Ten Championships

The No. 25 IU men’s swimming and diving team, winless in dual meets since defeating Northwestern on Oct. 23, will attempt to avenge losses when the Men’s Big Ten Championships begin today in Columbus, Ohio.

IU has not, however, concentrated on dual meets this year as much as it has in the past.

“We have pretty much put it all on the line for this meet,” senior Kevin Happ said. “It may not have shown throughout the year, which is why it is mentally hard.”

There is still a long road ahead for the Hoosiers. The men’s side of the Big Ten is loaded with tough competition. Five teams, including IU, are ranked in the top 25, with No. 8 Michigan appearing to be the overall favorite.

IU coach Ray Looze, coming off a Big Ten Championship with the women’s team, said the men have trained with the women, and he is confident they can go in and show results indicative of that training.

The bar, however, is set low.

“We’re probably predicted to finish eighth,” Looze said. “So if we finish any higher than that, I think we have done a phenomenal job.”

The swimmers are ready and eager to prove to other teams what they have been working on. It will take fast times and good leadership to do something that will surprise the competition.

Junior Bryan Chovanec is one of the leaders Looze and other swimmers will look to this week. Chovanec knows the Hoosiers have struggled in dual meets this season, but he thinks that, at this point, it will only help them.

“We have already been down as far as we can go,” he said. “There is only room to go up. This meet will definitely be our breakout meet.”