Iowa Men fall to Minnesota

Nov. 6, 2009

Video interview with M. Long | Complete Results

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IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa men’s swimming and diving team hosted the Minnesota Gophers tonight at the Field House Pool. The Hawkeyes put up a good fight and had some excellent swims but it was not enough to beat the Gophers. Iowa lost 184-114.

The Hawkeye men opened the competition with the 200 medley relay. Iowa earned second and third place finishes in the event. Iowa’s third place team of junior Sean Hagan, sophomore Ryan Phelan, junior Richard Salhus and freshman Jordan Huff came from behind to touch out Minnesota’s fourth place team.

Senior Nick Divan, despite a shoulder injury, swam a strong race in the 1000 free. He earned third place with a time of 9:37.20 after having a close race with Minnesota’s second place finisher. Divan’s time was a season best for him. Sophomore Paul Gordon and freshman Jordan Huff got the fans on their feet during the 200 free. Gordon and Huff were neck-in-neck with Minnesota’s top swimmer the entire race but both Hawkeyes pulled ahead the last 50 yards and earned first and second place. Gordon (1:38.33) and Huff (1:39.95) swam colligate best times in the event.

Huff had another great swim in the 100 free. He came away with second place after battling it out with Minnesota’s first place finisher. Huff posted another collegiate best time of 45.51. Junior Max Dittmer earned two second- place finishes in the 100 back (50.92) and 200 IM (1:53.73). Junior Sean Hagan earned second place in the 100 breast with a season best time of 57.69.

A victory in the men’s 100 fly gave Gordon his second individual win of the day and his second colligate best time. Gordon finished the event in 48.96 and continued to anchor the Hawkeyes first place 400 free relay team to conclude the meet. Gordon teamed up with Huff, Phelan, and sophomore Duncan Partridge to win the relay with a time of 2:59.59.

“We were happy with the meet but we needed to step it up in some races and put ourselves in a winning position,” said Head Coach Marc Long. “But as a program we did a great job and had a great finish to the meet. We still have a long way to go not only as a program but also this season. We had some positive races but there are definitely things we need to work on.”

Iowa’s men divers had a strong day of diving. Senior Mike Gilligan took first place in the one-meter event with a score of 340.00. Senior Frank Van Dijkhuizen took third place with a score of 315.00. Van Dijkhuzien went on to finish second (352.05) in the three-meter event, while Gilligan took third (323.70).