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Minnesota Produces Record-Setting Victory at Big Ten

Feb 25, 2001

The 2001 Men's Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships concluded this evening, and as expected, the University of Minnesota swam away with the title. The Golden Gophers 797 points were the most team points scored since 1974, and the most scored since the meet format changed in 1991. Michigan and Penn State were tied for second going into the final session of the meet, but Michigan, riding the strength of four top-eight finishers in the 1,650, locked up the runner-up spot with 549 points. Penn State finished with 538.

Minnesota also swept meet championship honors. Head coach Dennis Dale was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, diving coach KZ Li was named Diving Coach of the Year, sophomore Todd Smolinski was named Swimmer of the Championships, and senior Dan Croaston was named Big Ten Diver of the Year and Diver of the Championships. Michigan's Chris Thompson was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year.

Thompson, a bronze medal winner at the 2000 Olympic Games, swam the second-fastest American time ever in the 1,650 freestyle, touching over 20 seconds ahead of the field in a 14:31.15. His time is also a new Big Ten meet record, and a new University Aquatic Center record. Teammate Tim Siciliano was second with a 14:51.63, and Minnesota's Justin Mortimer was third in a new school record time of 14:53.68. The top six finishers in the event met the NCAA "A" qualifying standard.

In the second event of the night, Minnesota again showed its dominance in the backstroke, as Ben Bartell, Todd Smolinski and Alex Massura swept the top three spots. The same trio swept the 100 backstroke as well.

Ohio State's Brian Malich set a new school record en route to winning the 100 freestyle, swimming an NCAA "A" time of 43.27. Penn State's Bob Molettiere, the winner of the 50 freestyle earlier in the meet, was second with 43.72, a new Penn State record. Indiana's Donald Gold was third in a school record time of 43.77.

Minnesota dominated the 200 breaststroke the same way Michigan did the 1,650, with four top-eight finishes. Martin Gustavsson broke teammate Jeff Hackler's school record with a time of 1:56.04. Hackler had set the record in the morning preliminaries. Hackler finished second in a 1:57.07, and Michigan's Scott Werner finished third with a 1:58.57.

Among all the school, meet and pool records that have fallen this weekend was the oldest Big Ten meet record on the books - the 200 butterfly record, set by Minnesota's Sean Quackenbush in 1990. Golden Gopher Keam Ang took care of that with his swim of 1:44.25, which broke the meet, pool and school record. Northwestern's Kellan O'Connor was second in a new Northwestern record of 1:44.92, and 2000 Big Ten 200 butterfly champion Ales Abersek was third in a 1:45.13. The top three times are NCAA "A" cuts.

In the final event of the meet, Penn State won the 400 freestyle relay in a Big Ten meet record time of 2:54.25. Minnesota was second in a 2:55.27, and Ohio State was third with a 2:56.48.