The No. 2-ranked Indiana University men’s swimming and diving team captured three titles on a tremendous Thursday night at the 2019 Big Ten Men’s Championships at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Hoosiers sit atop the team standings after the second day of competition with a score of 544 points. Michigan is in second place with a total of 490, while Ohio State is third with 375 points.
Hoosier divers put on a clinic in the 1-meter dive Championship Final, as the James Connor out-dueled teammate Andrew Capobianco to win gold with a score of 467.60. Connor’s Big Ten title is the third of his career, but the first in the 1-meter. Connor won the 3-meter and platform crowns in 2015.
Capobianco posted a personal-best score for the second-time on the day, taking the silver medal with a total of 458.90. Both Connor and Capobianco were incredibly consistent throughout their lists, with neither scoring less than 70 points on any of their dives. The duo were the only divers to score over 421 points in the Championship Final.
Earlier in the B Final, Mory Gould placed seventh to finish 15th overall with a score of 331.70. Also for Indiana, Cole VanDevender finished 17thin the event to record points for the Hoosiers with a total of 316.75.
For the fourth-straight year, the Hoosiers won gold in the 400 medley relay. The Indiana team of Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza and Zach Apple won with a NCAA A cut time of 3:01.63, over three seconds faster than second-place Michigan.
Leading off, Fantoni posted a personal-best time in the 100 backstroke, touching the wall with a time of 45.15. After Fantoni posted the fastest back leg, Finnerty posted the quickest breaststroke leg, splitting a 50.51 which was nearly second faster than the next best leg. Lanza followed with the second-best butterfly leg (44.83), while Apple came home with the best 100 free time of 41.14.
For the third-straight season, Vini Lanza won gold in the 200 IM at the Big Ten Championships. Lanza took first in the Championship Final with a Big Ten Meet record and NCAA A cut time of 1:41.05. Lanza’s time is the second-best in the nation this season. Also in the Championship Final, Ian Finnerty won bronze, finishing with a personal-best time of 1:41.74.
Van Mathias won the B Final of the 200 IM, touching the wall with a personal-best time of 1:44.33. Griffin Eiber was seventh in the B Final with a mark of 1:45.25, while Jacob Steele was eighth in 1:45.87. Thomas Vanderbrook won the 200 IM C Final with a personal-best mark of 1:44.97, while Gary Kostbade was fourth in 1:46.32. Wilson Beckman was fifth with a time of 1:46.75.
 In the Championship Final of the 500 freestyle, a pair of IU freshmen posted top-five finishes. Mikey Calvillo took fourth with a personal-best time of 4:17.22, while Michael Brinegar was fifth overall with a mark of 4:18.79.
In the B Final, Adam Destrampe placed sixth with a time of 4:21.56, while teammate Jakub Karl was seventh with a mark of 4:21.59. In the C Final, Spencer Lehman was sixth, touching in 4:24.38.
Senior Zach Apple led four Hoosiers in the 50 freestyle finals, taking fourth in the Championship Final with a time of 19.23. Also in the A Final, Bruno Blaskovic was fifth with a personal-best mark of 19.28.
In the B Final, freshman Jack Franzman took fourth with a time of 19.74, just out-touching classmate Brandon Hamblin, who placed fifth in 19.75.
The 2019 Men’s Big Ten Championships continue on Friday morning with the prelims of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter dive. Action gets underway at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium at 12:00 p.m. ET.
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500 Freestyle
4. Mikey Calvillo – 4:17.22 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
5. Michael Brinegar – 4:18.79 (NCAA B Cut)
14. Adam Destrampe – 4:21.56 (NCAA B Cut)
15. Jakub Karl – 4:21.59 (NCAA B Cut)
22. Spencer Lehman – 4:24.38
200 IM
1. Vini Lanza – 1:41.05 (NCAA A Cut, Big Ten Meet Record)
3. Ian Finnerty – 1:41.74 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
9. Van Mathias – 1:44.33 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
15. Griffin Eiber – 1:45.25 (NCAA B Cut)
16. Jacob Steele – 1:45.87 (NCAA B Cut)
17. Thomas Vanderbrook – 1:44.97 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
20. Gary Kostbade – 1:46.32 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
21. Wilson Beckman – 1:46.75 (NCAA B Cut)
50 Freestyle
4. Zach Apple – 19.23 (NCAA B Cut)
5. Bruno Blaskovic – 19.28 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
12. Jack Franzman – 19.74 (NCAA B Cut)
13. Brandon Hamblin – 19.75 (NCAA B Cut)
1-Meter Dive
1. James Connor – 467.60 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
2. Andrew Capobianco – 458.90 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score, Personal Best)
15. Mory Gould – 331.70 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
17. Cole VanDevender – 316.75 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
400 Medley Relay
1. Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza, Zach Apple – 3:01.63 (NCAA A Cut)
