Feb. 28, 2003
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The 24th-ranked Purdue men's swimming and diving team continues to hold on to eighth place at the 2003 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., hosted by Michigan at Canham Natatorium. With 188 points, the Boilermakers are only four points behind Ohio State, who holds a score of 192.
The men began the day on Friday with success, as they sent nine men to the finals and consolation swims after the morning prelims session. The first two individuals to swim in the evening's consolation finals of the 400 individual medley were juniors Nick Cenci and Tony Ten Haagen. Cenci finished 15th with at time of 4:01.45, while Ten Haagen came in 16th with a mark of 4:04.32. Both swam faster during their morning trials, with Cenci recording a time of 3:57.39 and Ten Haagen tallying a mark of 3:56.97.
In the 100 butterfly, senior Tad Sayce finished 15th with a time of 49.80 after swimming a 48.86 in the morning's prelims session. The 200 freestyle had two Boilermakers in the consolation heat with junior Kyle Jackson finishing in 13th with a time of 1:38.72, an NCAA 'B'-cut mark, and senior Jeremy Wright finishing 16th with a time of 1:40.33. Both recorded faster times in the morning session, as Jackson went 1:38.36 and Wright swam a time of 1:39.10 in the prelims.
Junior Tamas Bessenyei returned to the finals heat in the 100 breaststroke in an attempt to regain his 100 breaststroke title of two years ago, but fell just short, as Minnesota's Jeff Hackler claimed the title once again. Bessenyei did record an NCAA 'A'-cut mark of 53.99 in the night's finals, after swimming a time of 54.21 in the morning. Also joining Bessenyei in the finals heat of the 100 breaststroke was freshman Giordan Pogioli. Pogioli scored his first Big Ten points as a Boilermaker with a seventh-place finish and a time of 55.45.
In the 100 backstroke, Thursday night's 200 IM champion Louis Paul was the Boilermaker's top finisher with a time of 48.07 for fourth place, a Purdue varsity record and an NCAA 'B'-cut mark. Swimming in the consolation heat for his first Big Ten points as a Boilermaker, sophomore David Hughes finished 14th with a time of 50.20. Hughes recorded a season-best time of 50.13 in the morning session.
On the 3-meter diving board, sophomore Clayton Davis finished ninth with a score of 466.95 to take the top consolation spot.
Wrapping up the night for the Old Gold and Black, the team of Paul, Bessenyei, Sayce and Wright swam to a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:29.07. In the 800 freestyle relay, the team of Paul, Jackson, Wright and senior Will Seelbach finished 6th with a time of 6:37.33 for an NCAA 'B'-cut.
Swimming in the morning's prelims session of the 400 IM were Mark Wolfred (28th, 4:03.68), Rion Epping (33rd, 4:05.22) and Steuart Martens (34th, 4:06.01). In the 100 fly, finishers were Blake Scholz (27th, 50.52), Ignatius Goh (30th, 50.79) and Ian Lehman (36th, 51.53).
In the 200 freestyle, the prelims swimmers were Eric Prugh (25th, 1:40.54), Ehud Dekter (29th, 1:41.07) and Adam King (50th, 1:45.45). Senior Gui Rego finished 29th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.61 and Seelbach finished 23rd in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.31, while John Arzner finished 27th in the 100 back with a time of 52.78.
On the 3-meter board, David Hanisch finished 25th with a score of 188.15, Bob Hennessy was 26th with 186.45 points and Josh Karshen finished 27th with a score of 180.55.
The Boilermaker men will return to the pool for the final day of competition at the Big Ten Championships on Saturday at noon, when the morning prelims session starts. The finals will begin at 7 p.m., once again, and the Old Gold and Black will look to make a move on Ohio State for seventh place.
-P-