University of Minnesota Athletics
MINNESOTA BLOWS AWAY COMPETITION IN BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
2/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
witThe Minnesota Golden Gophers took control from the very beginning of the 2001 Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships and tonight the received the award for their hard work. The Gophers finished with 797 points, the highest point total since the meet format change in 1991 and the most since Indiana scored 851 in 1974. Minnesota was 248 points ahead of the runner-up Michigan Wolverines.
Minnesota's coaches swept the Big Ten Coach of the Year Awards. Head Coach Dennis Dale won the Coach of the Year Award and diving coach Kongzheng Li won Diving Coach of the Year. Senior Dan Croaston, 3-meter and platform diving champion swept the diving awards, winning both Big Ten Diver of the Year and Diver of the Championship. Sophomore Todd Smolinski, 100 backstroke champion and 200 backstroke runner-up won the Swimmer of the Championship Award.
The Golden Gophers had another unbelievable night in the final night of the championships. They once again went one-two-three in a backstroke event, this time in the 200 back. Their performance nearly mirrored the final result from the 100 back, except junior Ben Bartell won the event and Smolinski was the runner-up, While senior Alex Massura took third. the opposite of the night before. The previous night, Smolinski won, Massura took second and Bartell was third. Bartell and Smolinski both hit "A" standard times and Massura had a B time.
Minnesota also swept the top two places in the 200 breaststroke. Freshman Martin Gustavvson broke the school record with a time of 1:56.04. The record Gustavvson broke was set by the runner-up, Jeff hAckler, in this morning's prelims. Both Gustavvson and Hackler achieved A times. Juniors Dov Malnik and Chris Forrest took fourth and fifth in the event, both with B standard times.
Senior Keam Ang broke the Minnesota, Big Ten and University of Minnesota Aquatic Center records in the 200 butterfly with his time of 1:44.25. The Big Ten record was the oldest standing record and was set by Minnesota's Sean Quackenbush in 1990. Junior Chad Krastins and sophomore Matt Taylor placed sixth and seventh.
Freshman Justin Mortimer</ a> took third in the 1650 freestyle with an A cut of 14:53.68. Sophomore Allen Ong placed fourth in the 100 freestyle with a B time of 43.88. The 400 freestyle relay rounded out Minnesota's scoring with a second place finish and an A time of 2:55.27.
Golden Gopher swimmers dominated the All-Big Ten team. The athletes nominated to the team were: Gustavvson, Bartell, senior Grant Butler, junior Ricardo Dornelas , Massura, Ong, Smolinski, Hackler, Krastins, Ang, and Croaston. Mortimer was an at-large selection.
The Golden Gophers will have a month to train for the NCAA Championships hosted by Texas A&M University on March 22-24. Minnesota will look to better their seventh place finish from last season.
Minnesota's coaches swept the Big Ten Coach of the Year Awards. Head Coach Dennis Dale won the Coach of the Year Award and diving coach Kongzheng Li won Diving Coach of the Year. Senior Dan Croaston, 3-meter and platform diving champion swept the diving awards, winning both Big Ten Diver of the Year and Diver of the Championship. Sophomore Todd Smolinski, 100 backstroke champion and 200 backstroke runner-up won the Swimmer of the Championship Award.
The Golden Gophers had another unbelievable night in the final night of the championships. They once again went one-two-three in a backstroke event, this time in the 200 back. Their performance nearly mirrored the final result from the 100 back, except junior Ben Bartell won the event and Smolinski was the runner-up, While senior Alex Massura took third. the opposite of the night before. The previous night, Smolinski won, Massura took second and Bartell was third. Bartell and Smolinski both hit "A" standard times and Massura had a B time.
Minnesota also swept the top two places in the 200 breaststroke. Freshman Martin Gustavvson broke the school record with a time of 1:56.04. The record Gustavvson broke was set by the runner-up, Jeff hAckler, in this morning's prelims. Both Gustavvson and Hackler achieved A times. Juniors Dov Malnik and Chris Forrest took fourth and fifth in the event, both with B standard times.
Senior Keam Ang broke the Minnesota, Big Ten and University of Minnesota Aquatic Center records in the 200 butterfly with his time of 1:44.25. The Big Ten record was the oldest standing record and was set by Minnesota's Sean Quackenbush in 1990. Junior Chad Krastins and sophomore Matt Taylor placed sixth and seventh.
Freshman Justin Mortimer</ a> took third in the 1650 freestyle with an A cut of 14:53.68. Sophomore Allen Ong placed fourth in the 100 freestyle with a B time of 43.88. The 400 freestyle relay rounded out Minnesota's scoring with a second place finish and an A time of 2:55.27.
Golden Gopher swimmers dominated the All-Big Ten team. The athletes nominated to the team were: Gustavvson, Bartell, senior Grant Butler, junior Ricardo Dornelas , Massura, Ong, Smolinski, Hackler, Krastins, Ang, and Croaston. Mortimer was an at-large selection.
The Golden Gophers will have a month to train for the NCAA Championships hosted by Texas A&M University on March 22-24. Minnesota will look to better their seventh place finish from last season.
Players Mentioned
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