Four top-25 teams in two weeks. That’s how IU’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams kicked off the 2016-17 season. However, this week, the Hoosiers will face a new test — their first Big Ten matchup of the season against Michigan State.
The IU men come into the contest at 6-0 in dual meets this year, and the women are 4-2. The Hoosiers will look to get their Big Ten seasons off and running against two Michigan State teams that come into the meet as two of the weaker conference teams, finishing 10th in the men’s and 13th in the women’s at the Big Ten Championships last season.
“We’re kind of doing the right things right now, and looking towards Big Tens and everything, it’s really kind of getting us all excited for it,” senior diver Joshua Arndt said.
Because of the perceived talent gap, the Hoosiers plan to use the meet as an opportunity for some athletes to swim events they don’t normally partake in.
“They haven’t been one of the stronger teams in the Big Ten,” Swimming Coach Ray Looze said in reference to Michigan State. “We’ll be swimming guys and girls in different events that they normally wouldn’t do, and that’s kind of the plan for Michigan State. Kind of offering some diversity to what we’ve been doing, and that way we can maybe try out some new things that we haven’t had a chance to do.”
Junior swimmer Kennedy Goss, who was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week last week for her performance against Tennessee and Kentucky, said it helps the team become more versatile swimmers. Goss also said it’s encouraging to see those who only swim one stroke attempt new ones.
On the diving side, the Hoosiers will also look to use this weekend as an opportunity to practice some newer dives in competition and begin to round out their programs for the rest of the season.
“I think we’re really all using this time because I think at this moment in time right now everyone is more prepared diving-wise than we have been in a really long time, and it’s showing with the results. It’s really just making us really want to strive and be better every day still,” Arndt said.
The action begins at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center.
“We feel a sense of urgency to do well in front of our fans and fellow students,” Looze said. “We want to protect our house.”
