University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Win Two Big Ten Titles On Second Day
2/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
The University of Minnesota men's swimming and diving team claimed two Big Ten titles and broke two school records at the second night of the Big Ten Championships at Purdue's Boilermaker Aquatic Complex. The Gophers stand in third place with 344 points, behind Michigan (588.5) and Ohio State (357.5). Senior Colin Lee-To won the Big Ten title in the 100 breaststroke and the Gophers took the 200 medley relay title. Purdue is currently fourth with 330 points and Indiana is fifth with 285.5.
The Gophers couldn't have scripted a better opening to the second night of action. The 200 medley relay team of Nadav Kochavi, Colin Lee-To, Anthony Portela and Steve Miller blasted the Big Ten record with a time of 1:24.41, setting a new school record in the process. The previous conference record of 1:25.14 was set in 2007 by Northwestern's team of Matt Grevers, Mike Alexandrov, Kyle Bubolz and Bruno Barbic, three of which were Olympians in 2008. The time also broke the school record set in 2003 by over a second-and-a-half and is the Gophers' first title in the event since 2003 and ninth overall. "It was amazing," Portela said. "It was a magical moment. We were talking beforehand and we knew if we had a chance. It would set the tone for everyone's swims tonight."
Kochavi split a 21.65, followed by Lee-To (23.49), Portela (20.32) and Miller (18.95). When asked about the significance of winning the title and breaking a record set by a team of Olympians, Miller said, "It's pretty amazing. If we had we gone a second slower, we would have been happy. When you mention those names associated with the record, it makes our accomplishment even greater and I am excited to share this with my teammates."
The momentum clearly carried over during the rest of the evening as Lee-To became Minnesota's first individual conference champion since 2006, winning the 100 breaststroke in a school record time of 53.17. He finished ahead of Ohio State's Sam Pelkey (53.77) and Purdue's Aaron Koger (53.79) to become the Gophers' first champion in the event since Jeff Hackler in 2003 and fifth overall. "I think the medley relay helped," Lee-To noted. "I took that win and carried it over. It put me in the right mindset."
Ivan Gutesa registered a personal-best 54.28 to win the consolation final of the 100 breast and pick up huge team points. His time is the seventh-fastest in school history. Rob Schnitzler also managed an 11th place finish in 54.71, just .22 seconds off his prelim time from the morning.
In the 400 individual medley, Alex Wold continued a very impressive Championships, dropping more time off his personal-best time set in the prelims to take third in a time of 3:45.80. It marked the best finish of his Big Ten career and made him the third-fastest performer in school history. Wold took fourth in the 200 IM last night. Michigan's Tyler Clary broke the NCAA record set in 2006 by Ryan Lochte with a time of 3:38.03.
Josh Griffey also posted a personal-best time to place 10th overall in 3:50.64. Griffey dropped .13 seconds off his time from the prelims and recorded his best Big Ten finish.
After shattering an 11-year-old-record in the 100 butterfly in the prelims, Kochavi came back at night to place third in the event with a time of 46.60. Michigan's Chris Brady took the title in a Big Ten record time of 45.45. Swimming in his first Big Ten final, Portela took eighth place with a time of 47.61. In the consolation final, Kevin Baseheart placed 12th with a time of 47.88.
Kochavi wasn't finished for the evening. In the final of the 100 backstroke, he placed fifth in 47.99 while Karl Burdis took sixth in a career-best 48.12. The tandem are the fourth and seventh-fastest swimmers ever in the event for Minnesota.
Ray Betuzzi took seventh in the 200 freestyle in 1:36.01, reaching his second championship final in as many nights. Michigan's Dan Madwed ran away with a Big Ten record time of 1:33.90. In the consolation final, Miller placed 14th in 1:36.98 and Adam Weis took 16th in 1:37.58.
The Gophers received a second-straight great effort in springboard diving. After placing two finalists on the 1-meter on Thursday, Drew Brown registered a sixth-place finish on the 3-meter tonight while Cole Young took 13th in the consolation final. Brown tallied a career-high score of 389.30 to pick up 13 team points for Minnesota. "I am really proud of Drew. He was really solid and only missed one dive," diving coach Jason Baumann said. "Without that miss, he would have been in the mix for second. To place sixth in this incredibly deep field is a great accomplishment."
Young rallied from an early missed dive in the prelims to sneak into the consolation final where he tallied a score of 330.15 to place 13th. He has scored eight times in his Big Ten career. Brown became the first Gopher to final on both springboard events since 2001. Minnesota held a 20-point advantage over Ohio State for second place after diving.
Minnesota suffered a setback in the 800 freestyle relay to end the night. The Gophers were disqualified for an early exchange which ended up dropping them to third place. The disqualification also closed the gap for Purdue in fourth place to just 14 points. Indiana also DQ'd the relay and slipped to fifth.
Tomorrow's prelims start at 11 a.m. central.
The Gophers couldn't have scripted a better opening to the second night of action. The 200 medley relay team of Nadav Kochavi, Colin Lee-To, Anthony Portela and Steve Miller blasted the Big Ten record with a time of 1:24.41, setting a new school record in the process. The previous conference record of 1:25.14 was set in 2007 by Northwestern's team of Matt Grevers, Mike Alexandrov, Kyle Bubolz and Bruno Barbic, three of which were Olympians in 2008. The time also broke the school record set in 2003 by over a second-and-a-half and is the Gophers' first title in the event since 2003 and ninth overall. "It was amazing," Portela said. "It was a magical moment. We were talking beforehand and we knew if we had a chance. It would set the tone for everyone's swims tonight."
Kochavi split a 21.65, followed by Lee-To (23.49), Portela (20.32) and Miller (18.95). When asked about the significance of winning the title and breaking a record set by a team of Olympians, Miller said, "It's pretty amazing. If we had we gone a second slower, we would have been happy. When you mention those names associated with the record, it makes our accomplishment even greater and I am excited to share this with my teammates."
The momentum clearly carried over during the rest of the evening as Lee-To became Minnesota's first individual conference champion since 2006, winning the 100 breaststroke in a school record time of 53.17. He finished ahead of Ohio State's Sam Pelkey (53.77) and Purdue's Aaron Koger (53.79) to become the Gophers' first champion in the event since Jeff Hackler in 2003 and fifth overall. "I think the medley relay helped," Lee-To noted. "I took that win and carried it over. It put me in the right mindset."
Ivan Gutesa registered a personal-best 54.28 to win the consolation final of the 100 breast and pick up huge team points. His time is the seventh-fastest in school history. Rob Schnitzler also managed an 11th place finish in 54.71, just .22 seconds off his prelim time from the morning.
In the 400 individual medley, Alex Wold continued a very impressive Championships, dropping more time off his personal-best time set in the prelims to take third in a time of 3:45.80. It marked the best finish of his Big Ten career and made him the third-fastest performer in school history. Wold took fourth in the 200 IM last night. Michigan's Tyler Clary broke the NCAA record set in 2006 by Ryan Lochte with a time of 3:38.03.
Josh Griffey also posted a personal-best time to place 10th overall in 3:50.64. Griffey dropped .13 seconds off his time from the prelims and recorded his best Big Ten finish.
After shattering an 11-year-old-record in the 100 butterfly in the prelims, Kochavi came back at night to place third in the event with a time of 46.60. Michigan's Chris Brady took the title in a Big Ten record time of 45.45. Swimming in his first Big Ten final, Portela took eighth place with a time of 47.61. In the consolation final, Kevin Baseheart placed 12th with a time of 47.88.
Kochavi wasn't finished for the evening. In the final of the 100 backstroke, he placed fifth in 47.99 while Karl Burdis took sixth in a career-best 48.12. The tandem are the fourth and seventh-fastest swimmers ever in the event for Minnesota.
Ray Betuzzi took seventh in the 200 freestyle in 1:36.01, reaching his second championship final in as many nights. Michigan's Dan Madwed ran away with a Big Ten record time of 1:33.90. In the consolation final, Miller placed 14th in 1:36.98 and Adam Weis took 16th in 1:37.58.
The Gophers received a second-straight great effort in springboard diving. After placing two finalists on the 1-meter on Thursday, Drew Brown registered a sixth-place finish on the 3-meter tonight while Cole Young took 13th in the consolation final. Brown tallied a career-high score of 389.30 to pick up 13 team points for Minnesota. "I am really proud of Drew. He was really solid and only missed one dive," diving coach Jason Baumann said. "Without that miss, he would have been in the mix for second. To place sixth in this incredibly deep field is a great accomplishment."
Young rallied from an early missed dive in the prelims to sneak into the consolation final where he tallied a score of 330.15 to place 13th. He has scored eight times in his Big Ten career. Brown became the first Gopher to final on both springboard events since 2001. Minnesota held a 20-point advantage over Ohio State for second place after diving.
Minnesota suffered a setback in the 800 freestyle relay to end the night. The Gophers were disqualified for an early exchange which ended up dropping them to third place. The disqualification also closed the gap for Purdue in fourth place to just 14 points. Indiana also DQ'd the relay and slipped to fifth.
Tomorrow's prelims start at 11 a.m. central.
Players Mentioned
Free/Fly
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Middle Distance
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming & DivingBack/Free
/ Men's Swimming & DivingBreast/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Fly
/ Men's Swimming & DivingBreast/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & DivingIM/Fly
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breast/Free
/ Men's Swimming & DivingFree/Fly
/ Men's Swimming & DivingIM/Fly
/ Men's Swimming & DivingDiving
/ Men's Swimming & DivingJacob Johnson - B1G Silver Medal
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