University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Swimming and Diving 2003 Review
5/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
The Minnesota men's swimming and diving team finished the season with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships, hosted by the University of Texas. The Gophers' performance included 12 different swimmers earning All-American honors a total of 31 times. Leading the way was sophomore Terry Silkaitis with six All-America honors. Auburn won the national championship scoring 609.5 points, followed by Texas with 413. In the entire 2003 NCAA Championships, seven NCAA records were broken, four American records were broken and five US Open records were broken.
Moving up the Charts
The Golden Gophers improved their finish from the 2001-02 campaign when Minnesota took eighth place. It is the fourth-straight year that the Golden Gophers have finished as a top-10 team in the nation. The Gophers finished higher then any other team in the Big Ten. Minnesota finished seventh, while Big Ten Champion Michigan came in ninth.
Well Represented at NCAA Championships
The Golden Gophers had 14 swimmers representing the Maroon and Gold. The Gophers had the fifth-largest representation at the NCAA Championships.
Gophers In the Polls
Minnesota finished the season as the sixth-ranked team in the College Swimming Coaches Association. Stanford entered the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed, while Auburn was second, California third, Michigan fourth and Texas as the fifth-ranked team.
Senior Salute
The Golden Gophers will say goodbye to their seniors Ben Baumann, Mark Dillon</ a>, Jeff Hackler, Ben Herdt, Ryan L'Roy, Michael Melrose, Allen Ong, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor. The senior class produced 49 All-American honors. Smolinski led the class with 16, Hackler with 15 and Ong and Taylor each with nine.
Minnesota Places Second at Big Tens
Minnesota finished second at the 2003 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at Michigan's Canham Natatorium. The host Wolverines took home the team title, ending Minnesota's two-year reign as conference champs. Michigan finished with 727 points to edge the Golden Gophers, who ended the three-day meet with 689. Indiana finished third with 455 points, followed by Northwestern with 378. Overall, Minnesota won three relay titles and six individual crowns.
Silkaitis Named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year
The Big Ten Conference announced that sophomore Gopher swimmer Terry Silkaitis was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Year. Silkaitis had a stellar performance at the Big Ten Championships, winning three individual events along with being a member of two first-place relay teams. Silkaitis opened the Big Ten Championships by winning the 50-yard freestyle event. He finished in 19.95, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Silkaitis was also a member of the first-place 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay teams. In the 400 medley relay, the foursome of Silkaitis, Jeff Hackler, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor broke the Big Ten meet record in 3:09.76. In the 200 free, Silkaitis set a pool record, which was also his career best and the fastest time in the nation. Silkaitis completed the league championships with his third individual win in three nights, this time in the 100 free. He broke the Big Ten Championships record in the 100, swimming a time of 42.87. He is the first person in school history to win the 50, 100 and 200 free in the same season at the Big Ten Championships.
Gophers Place nine on All-Big Ten Team
The Gophers had nine members named first-team All-Big Ten, more than any other Big Ten school. In order to receive first-team accolades, swimmers must finish first in their individual events or in relays. Brian Gettelfinger, Jeff Hackler, Bjorn Lundin< /a>, Justin Mortimer, Allen Ong</ a>, Neil Osten, Terry Silkaitis, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor were all first-team selections. Mike Brown, Sean McCaffrey and Ryan Plummer garnered Second Team All-Big Ten honors, finishing second in their events, respectively.
Dale Earns Big Ten Honor for Sixth Time
Head coach Dennis Dale was named the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year. Dale shared the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year with Michigan's Jon Urbanchek. In his 18 years at the helm of the Gopher men's swimming program, Dale has led the Gophers to a top-15 NCAA finish 11 straight years. He has coached over 100 student-athletes to 235 First Team All-American accolades. In 1996, Dale led the Gophers to their first Big Ten title in 70 years. Under Dale's tutelage, Minnesota has place either first or second in the championships every year since 1989.
Gophers Place Nine on Academic All-Big Ten Team
The Minnesota men's swimming and diving team had nine members on the Academic All-Big Ten Team. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a career grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better. The Gophers had Nathan Bernier (3.29, Institute of Technology), Brian Gettelfinger (3.75, Chemical Engineering), Ben Herdt (3.02, Spanish), Bjorn Lundin (3.84, Engineering), Michael Melrose (3.77, Business), David Moulder</ a> (3.24, Computer Engineering), Justin Mortimer (3.37, Material Science/Physics), Allen Ong (3.36, Computer Science and Technology) and Lucas Petersen (3.24 Chemical Engineering) earn conference recognition.
Four Earn Big Ten Swimmer of the Week Honors
Minnesota had four members gain Big Ten weekly honors this year. Justin Mortimer earned the first award for the Gophers on Nov. 5, followed by Jeff Hackler on Nov. 28, diver Ben Herdt on Dec. 11 and Terry Silkaitis on Jan. 28. In the first meet of the season, Mortimer won the 500-yard freestyle, the 1000 free and the 400 individual medley.
Hackler led the Gophers to a first-place finish at the Minnesota Invite. The senior finished first in four events, including the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke. Hackler was a member of the first-place 200 and 400 medley relay.
Herdt took first place in the 1-meter diving competition at the Georgia Invite, beating out 13 competitors in the event. Herdt also finished third in the platform competition and fifth in the 3-meter, earning 50 of the team's 130 point total.
Silkaitis earned his honor with two individual wins and two relay wins against Iowa (1/25). He gained individual wins in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events with winning times of 44.62 and 1:37.60 and a member of both the 200 and 400 winning relay teams for the Gophers.
Hackler and Dale Head to World Games
Jeff Hackler has been selected to participate in the 2003 World University Games, announced by USA Swimming. Hackler will compete with USA Swimming in the orientation camp, May 1-4, and travel to South Korea for the World Games from August 11-27. Hackler, a senior from Alpharetta Ga., will compete in the breaststroke on the U.S. Team. As a sophomore in 2001, he competed in the Goodwill Games, earning a bronze medal and placed second in the 100-meter breaststroke at the National Championships.
Minnesota head coach Dennis Dale will also join Hackler at the World University games. Southern California's head assistant swimming coach, Larry Liebowitz, will serve as the U.S. head coach, while Dale and Long Island Aquatic Club's coach Dave Ferris are appointed the assistant coaches. Gophers Finish Seventh at NCAA Championships
The Minnesota men's swimming and diving team finished the season with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships, hosted by the University of Texas. The Gophers' performance included 12 different swimmers earning All-American honors a total of 31 times. Leading the way was sophomore Terry Silkaitis with six All-America honors. Auburn won the national championship scoring 609.5 points, followed by Texas with 413. In the entire 2003 NCAA Championships, seven NCAA records were broken, four American records were broken and five US Open records were broken.
Moving up the Charts
The Golden Gophers improved their finish from the 2001-02 campaign when Minnesota took eighth place. It is the fourth-straight year that the Golden Gophers have finished as a top-10 team in the nation. The Gophers finished higher then any other team in the Big Ten. Minnesota finished seventh, while Big Ten Champion Michigan came in ninth.
Well Represented at NCAA Championships
The Golden Gophers had 14 swimmers representing the Maroon and Gold. The Gophers had the fifth-largest representation at the NCAA Championships.
Gophers In the Polls
Minnesota finished the season as the sixth-ranked team in the College Swimming Coaches Association. Stanford entered the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed, while Auburn was second, California third, Michigan fourth and Texas as the fifth-ranked team.
Senior Salute
The Golden Gophers will say goodbye to their seniors Ben Baumann, Mark Dillon</ a>, Jeff Hackler, Ben Herdt, Ryan L'Roy, Michael Melrose, Allen Ong, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor. The senior class produced 49 All-American honors. Smolinski led the class with 16, Hackler with 15 and Ong and Taylor each with nine.
Minnesota Places Second at Big Tens
Minnesota finished second at the 2003 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at Michigan's Canham Natatorium. The host Wolverines took home the team title, ending Minnesota's two-year reign as conference champs. Michigan finished with 727 points to edge the Golden Gophers, who ended the three-day meet with 689. Indiana finished third with 455 points, followed by Northwestern with 378. Overall, Minnesota won three relay titles and six individual crowns.
Silkaitis Named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year
The Big Ten Conference announced that sophomore Gopher swimmer Terry Silkaitis was named the Big Ten Swimmer of the Year. Silkaitis had a stellar performance at the Big Ten Championships, winning three individual events along with being a member of two first-place relay teams. Silkaitis opened the Big Ten Championships by winning the 50-yard freestyle event. He finished in 19.95, the fifth-fastest time in school history. Silkaitis was also a member of the first-place 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay teams. In the 400 medley relay, the foursome of Silkaitis, Jeff Hackler, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor broke the Big Ten meet record in 3:09.76. In the 200 free, Silkaitis set a pool record, which was also his career best and the fastest time in the nation. Silkaitis completed the league championships with his third individual win in three nights, this time in the 100 free. He broke the Big Ten Championships record in the 100, swimming a time of 42.87. He is the first person in school history to win the 50, 100 and 200 free in the same season at the Big Ten Championships.
Gophers Place nine on All-Big Ten Team
The Gophers had nine members named first-team All-Big Ten, more than any other Big Ten school. In order to receive first-team accolades, swimmers must finish first in their individual events or in relays. Brian Gettelfinger, Jeff Hackler, Bjorn Lundin< /a>, Justin Mortimer, Allen Ong</ a>, Neil Osten, Terry Silkaitis, Todd Smolinski and Matt Taylor were all first-team selections. Mike Brown, Sean McCaffrey and Ryan Plummer garnered Second Team All-Big Ten honors, finishing second in their events, respectively.
Dale Earns Big Ten Honor for Sixth Time
Head coach Dennis Dale was named the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year. Dale shared the Big Ten Swimming Coach of the Year with Michigan's Jon Urbanchek. In his 18 years at the helm of the Gopher men's swimming program, Dale has led the Gophers to a top-15 NCAA finish 11 straight years. He has coached over 100 student-athletes to 235 First Team All-American accolades. In 1996, Dale led the Gophers to their first Big Ten title in 70 years. Under Dale's tutelage, Minnesota has place either first or second in the championships every year since 1989.
Gophers Place Nine on Academic All-Big Ten Team
The Minnesota men's swimming and diving team had nine members on the Academic All-Big Ten Team. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a career grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better. The Gophers had Nathan Bernier (3.29, Institute of Technology), Brian Gettelfinger (3.75, Chemical Engineering), Ben Herdt (3.02, Spanish), Bjorn Lundin (3.84, Engineering), Michael Melrose (3.77, Business), David Moulder</ a> (3.24, Computer Engineering), Justin Mortimer (3.37, Material Science/Physics), Allen Ong (3.36, Computer Science and Technology) and Lucas Petersen (3.24 Chemical Engineering) earn conference recognition.
Four Earn Big Ten Swimmer of the Week Honors
Minnesota had four members gain Big Ten weekly honors this year. Justin Mortimer earned the first award for the Gophers on Nov. 5, followed by Jeff Hackler on Nov. 28, diver Ben Herdt on Dec. 11 and Terry Silkaitis on Jan. 28. In the first meet of the season, Mortimer won the 500-yard freestyle, the 1000 free and the 400 individual medley.
Hackler led the Gophers to a first-place finish at the Minnesota Invite. The senior finished first in four events, including the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke. Hackler was a member of the first-place 200 and 400 medley relay.
Herdt took first place in the 1-meter diving competition at the Georgia Invite, beating out 13 competitors in the event. Herdt also finished third in the platform competition and fifth in the 3-meter, earning 50 of the team's 130 point total.
Silkaitis earned his honor with two individual wins and two relay wins against Iowa (1/25). He gained individual wins in the 100 and 200-yard freestyle events with winning times of 44.62 and 1:37.60 and a member of both the 200 and 400 winning relay teams for the Gophers.
Hackler and Dale Head to World Games
Jeff Hackler has been selected to participate in the 2003 World University Games, announced by USA Swimming. Hackler will compete with USA Swimming in the orientation camp, May 1-4, and travel to South Korea for the World Games from August 11-27. Hackler, a senior from Alpharetta Ga., will compete in the breaststroke on the U.S. Team. As a sophomore in 2001, he competed in the Goodwill Games, earning a bronze medal and placed second in the 100-meter breaststroke at the National Championships.
Minnesota head coach Dennis Dale will also join Hackler at the World University games. Southern California's head assistant swimming coach, Larry Liebowitz, will serve as the U.S. head coach, while Dale and Long Island Aquatic Club's coach Dave Ferris are appointed the assistant coaches.
Players Mentioned
