March 22, 2011
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THIS WEEK
The Iowa men’s swimming and diving team competes in the NCAA Championships Thursday-Saturday in Minneapolis, Minn. All events will be held at the University Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus. Event prelims are scheduled to start at noon each day, while event finals are set to begin at 7:00 p.m. (CT) each evening. All-session tickets are $65 and single-session tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available through the Golden Gopher Ticket Office at 1-800-UGOPHER. Information can also be found at Official Championship Site!
2011 NCAA PREVIEW
Iowa’s 200-freestyle relay consisting of Paul Gordon, Jordan Huff, Duncan Partridge and Ryan Phelan earned an invite to the NCAA Championships in the 200-freestyle relay. The quartet, which finished third at the 2011 Big Ten Championships with a school record time of 1:18.28, is the first Hawkeye relay to qualify for the Championship since the 1995 season. Gordon also qualified individually in the 200-free with a time of 1:34.95. He is the fourth Iowa swimmer in the last decade to qualify for the NCAA Championships. With the team qualifying for a relay, any members of the relay that have earned provisional NCAA `B’ cuts in individual events can compete in those events. Along with the 200-free, Gordon will compete in the 100-free. Partridge will compete in the 50 and 100-free, Phelan will swim in the 50-free, and Huff will compete in the 200-free.
2011 BIG TEN REVIEW
The Hawkeyes placed seventh with 228.5 points at the 2011 Big Ten Championships in Minneapolis. During the four days of competition, the Hawkeyes broke eight school records. The 800 free relay consisting of Paul Gordon, Jordan Huff, Duncan Partridge and Max Dittmer set the record with a time of 6:27.36. Gordon set the school record in the 100 free with a time of 43.52. Tyler Lentz set the school record in the 200 IM (1:1:47.51), while Byron Butler set a new mark in the 200 back (1:44.87). The quartet of Dustin Rhoads, Sean Hagan, Gordon, and Ryan Phelan recorded a new pool record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:28.45, while the 400 medley relay team of Rhoads, Hagen, Gordon and Partridge posted a time of 3:14.12 to break the school record. Lastly, the 200 free relay of Phelan, Partridge, Gordon and Huff posted a school record time of 1:18.28, while the 400 free relay of Partridge, Phelan, Huff and Gordon set the record with a time of 2:53.50.
HAWKEYES FINISH IN TOP 25
The University of Iowa’s men’s swimming and diving team finished the dual meet season ranked 24th in the final TYR/CSCAA Men’s Division I poll. The Hawkeyes entered the polls ranked 22nd on Dec. 16 after a fast start to the season. The Hawkeyes ended the season with a dual meet record of 7-1 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten. Iowa is one of seven Big Ten teams to finish the season ranked in the top 25. The others include Michigan (7), Ohio State (10), Indiana (12), Minnesota (15), Purdue (19) and Penn State (22).Iowa was last ranked 22nd in the country in the 2003-04 season.
DUAL MEET DOMINATION
Since 2008-09, the men’s swimming and diving team has complied 27-4 dual meet record. That mark includes a 10-1 record in 2009-10, which is the program’s best record since finishing 13-1 and placing second at the Big Ten Championships in 1987.
IOWA IN BIG TEN HISTORY
Iowa has won three Big Ten team titles in school history (1936, 1981, 1982), and crowned 104 individual conference champions (76 in individual events, 20 in relays and eight in diving). Three Hawkeyes have earned Swimmer of the Championships honors – Artur Wojdat (1991, 1992), Rafal Szukala (1994) and Ales Abersek (2000). Wojdat was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year three times (1990, 1991, 1992), while former Hawkeye John Davey earned the honor twice (1987, 1988). Diving coach Bob Rydze has been named conference diving coach of the year three times (1985, 1986 and 1995). Two Hawkeye divers top the list of all-time Big Ten top performers. Timo Klami scored a 625.60 on one-meter (11 dives) in 2003, while Randy Abelman posted a 448.20 on three-meter (6 dives) in 1981. Iowa won its last Big Ten individual swimming titles in 2000 when Ales Abersek took the 100 (47.68) and 200 fly (1:44.93) crowns and Jay Glenn won the 200 free (1:36.84). Iowa’s last Big Ten diving champion was Timo Klami on three-meter (596.40) in 2003. Iowa’s last Big Ten relay champion was the 200 free relay of Krzystzof Cwalina, Tim Schnulle, Jim Mulligan and Rafal Szukala (1:19.69) in 1995.
HEAD COACH Marc Long
Marc Long is in his seventh season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming program. It’s his sixth year as head coach of the combined programs. During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 26 school records have fallen and 70 Hawkeyes have provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships. Under Long, the men’s team has a 33-19 record, while the women’s squad has a 44-38 mark. As a Hawkeye swimmer (1987-89), Long was a multiple NCAA finalist, six-time All-American and three-time Big Ten champion, winning two conference titles in the 100 fly and one as part of the 400 free relay. He was voted a team captain in 1989 and helped lead the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten runner-up finish, and their highest team placing (eighth) in modern day history at the NCAA Championships. Long swam on Iowa’s Big Ten and NCAA record setting 200 free relay that year.
COACHING STAFF
Frannie Malone (Iowa, 2000) was named to the position of associate head coach Oct. 11. Malone had served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator since joining the Hawkeye coaching staff in 2004. Long is assisted by Kirk Hampleman (Auburn, 2002), and Nathan Mundt (Iowa, 2000).
DIVING COACH Bob Rydze
Bob Rydze is in his 36th year as diving coach of the Hawkeye men and women’s teams. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, Rydze has coached 31 All-Americans, nine Big Ten and one NCAA Champion. Rydze served as Team Leader for USA Diving at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.
IOWA SWIMMING HISTORY & TRADITION
Since 1917, the University of Iowa swimming and diving program has been rich in tradition. Iowa was one of the first schools in the nation to compete on a collegiate level, and competed at the first NCAA Championship. From 1937 to 1960, Iowa placed in the NCAA top 10 18 times, crowning nine NCAA and 22 Big Ten champions. In its 93-year history, the Iowa men’s team has produced 17 Olympians, 26 NCAA champions and 382 All-Americans.
CAMPUS RECREATION AND WELLNESS CENTER
The Hawkeyes opened the 2010-11 season in their new Campus Recreation and Wellness Center pool, which opened in August 2010. Ground was broken for the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in October, 2007. The facility is located at the corner of Burlington and Madison streets and estimated to have cost $69 million.