The first USA College Challenge will take place Nov. 12-13 at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IU–Purdue University Indianapolis and feature events between the Big Ten and the USA Swimming National Team.
The meet, announced Tuesday, will take the shape of a short-course yards dual meet. The winner will be determined through a running score system that combines scores from both the men’s and women’s events. The first team to reach 131.5 out of 262 possible points in 30 events will be crowned the winner.
“The USA College Challenge will be an exciting competition for swimmers and fans alike,” USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch said in a release. “As you saw this summer, collegiate swimming is a key pipeline for our National Team, and this event will showcase college and Olympic-caliber swimming at its best.”
In terms of scoring, the top three competitors in each individual event will receive points: five for first, three for second and one for third. For relays, the scoring will be seven points for a first-place finish and zero for second.
Current student athletes who swam for Team USA in Rio will swim for the Big Ten, and alumni will swim for the USA Swimming National Team. This means IU sophomore Lilly King and alumnus Cody Miller will be on opposing teams.
Michigan won both the men’s and women’s 2016 Big Ten Championships. At the NCAA Championships, IU finished ninth on the men’s side and seventh in the women’s, good enough for the best finishes by a Big Ten team.
“We are excited for the opportunity for our students to compete with world-class athletes and to continue the momentum from Rio,” Big Ten Associate Commissioner for Sports Administration Wendy Fallen said in a release. “We embrace the important collaboration between USA Swimming and the Big Ten Conference as we prepare our students for leadership roles in and out of the pool.”
Ben Portnoy
