IU swimmers earn stack of top 10 finishes in US Open

Several IU swimmers featured their talents at the 2012 U.S. Open Swimming Championships at the IU-Purdue University Indianapolis Natatorium last week. The event, which was Aug. 7-11, brought competitors from various nations. The IU swimmers entered the event all looking to place in the top eight, and although not all succeeded, several Hoosiers finished toward the top in their respective events.

In the men’s races, sophomore Steve Schmuhl placed third in the 400-meter individual medley by posting a time of 4:18.74, an improvement from his morning preliminary time (4:20.77). Schmuhl also swam the 200 individual medley, posting a time of 2:03.87, landing him in eighth place.

Junior Cody Miller finished fourth overall in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:11.72 after shaving off almost 2.39 seconds off his prelim time. Miller also recorded another top-five finish, swimming the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.11, putting him in third. The junior swimmer also competed in the 200 individual medley, but he was disqualified in finals after swimming 2:01.96 in the prelims, a time that would have gotten him fifth place in the finals.

Junior Eric Ress swam the second day of prelims for the 200 backstroke, finishing with a time of 1:59.85, pushing him onto the finals. Ress improved by more than a second in the final round, swimming to a time of 1:58.42 in third place. The junior also placed in the top 10 in the 100 backstroke in a time of 55.78.

Junior James Wells finished eigth in the finals of the men’s 100 backstroke, swimming a time of 55.47, less than half a second ahead of teammate Ress.

Senior Jim Barbbiere competed in the 200 freestyle and swam away with a fifth-place finish in a time of 1:50.74.

Senior Sam Trahin finished in sixth in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:21.70.

In the women’s races, junior Lindsay Vrooman placed 14th in the 400 freestyle (4:17.93). Vrooman pulled through with a fifth-place finish in the 1,500 freestyle in 16:49.55.

Former Hoosier Allysa Vavra competed in the 400 individual medley, swimming to a time of 4:45.43 in fifth place.

Senior and former NCAA champion Kate Fesenko finished ninth in the women’s 100 backstroke by posting a time of 1:01.95.