MINNEAPOLIS – Indiana swimming and diving senior Andrew Capobianco earned his second-straight NCAA silver medal on the 1-meter springboard Thursday (March 23), leading three All-America finishes for IU on day two of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Jane K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
Currently sitting sixth place with 99 points, Indiana is in solid position to move back into the top five going into what projects to be its best two days. IU was eighth with 78 points through Thursday at the 2022 meet but totaled 187 points over the final two nights to place top five nationally.
Capobianco finished as the runner-up on 1-meter by just 3.5 points. His last two dives both scored 80-plus points to put him position to win the event. In the final round, Capobianco hit an 86.70 to give himself a nice 71.1-point lead over the eighth and final diver, Ohio State’s Lyle Yost. Yost changed his dive from a 2.6 DD to a 3.6 and got just enough out of it to outscore Capobianco by that fine margin.
“I am so proud of Andrew today,†IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “He delivered an amazing final dive to have a chance to win. He continues to lead this team through his actions, and I can’t wait to see him lead the team through these final days.â€
Capobianco now has five NCAA medals and 11 All-America honors to his name. The two-time NCAA 3-meter champion will dive on that board for the final time in his collegiate career on Friday.
For the first time in program history, every member of Indiana’s 200-yard freestyle relay posted a sub-19.00 split. The quartet of senior Van Mathias (18.96), junior Gavin Wight (18.98) and sophomores Finn Brooks (18.97) and Rafael Miroslaw (18.92) beat their Big Ten champion swim of 1:16.29 to go 1:15.83 Thursday night and finish ninth in the nation – three spots better than their seed. All three of IU’s relays this week have finished in the top 10.
Mathias has three strong showings in the 50 free Thursday. In the morning, he broke the program record in 18.89 to post the top qualifying time for the consolation final. In the evening he went 18.91, still better than the previous record, to finish 11th in the country. Then, his 18.96 leadoff split set the tone for the 200 freestyle relay.
“It was another good day for the Hoosiers here at the NCAA Championships,†IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. “Congratulations to Andrew Capobianco on his runner-up finish on 1-meter and Van Mathias’ school record with his fantastic 50 freestyle. I was pleased that our 200 freestyle relay moved up to ninth place from their 12th-place seed. We have a big day tomorrow, and we’re very excited to get back in the pool!â€
Friday promises excitement for the cream and crimson. The Hoosiers are slated to have 10 prelim swims and four divers in the 3-meter prelim. Senior Brendan Burns will do the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard backstroke double in which he placed ninth and second a year ago. Burns is the No. 4 seed in the 100 back, though his personal best and program record 44.15 is faster than this year’s top-seeded swimmer. The last race of the day is the 400-yard medley relay, in which IU was the runner-up a year ago. On the third day of the 2022 NCAA Championships, Indiana earned two silver-medal finishes.
RESULTS
50 FREESTYLE
11. Van Mathias – 18.91 (Honorable Mention All-America)
1-METER DIVE
- Andrew Capobianco – 439.45 (Silver, All-America)
200 FREESTYLE RELAY
- Van Mathias, Gavin Wight, Finn Brooks, Rafael Miroslaw – 1:15.83 (Honorable Mention All-America)
HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Finn Brooks (200 Freestyle Relay*)
Brendan Burns (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay)
Andrew Capobianco (1-meter)
Tomer Frankel (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay)
Van Mathias (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle*, 200 Freestyle Relay*)
Rafael Miroslaw (800 Freestyle Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay*)
Gavin Wight (200 Medley Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay*)
* -Â Denotes Honorable Mention
UP NEXT
Indiana will have competitors in the 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter dive and 400 medley relay on Friday. Prelims begin at 11 a.m. ET and finals will start at 7 p.m.
