Indiana Wins Five Titles on Friday Night at the Big Ten Championships
 IOWA CITY, Iowa – The No. 2-ranked Indiana University men’s swimming and diving team had an unbelievable Friday night at the 2019 Big Ten Men’s Championships at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium in Iowa City, Iowa.
The Hoosiers won five Big Ten titles on Friday night, pushing their lead in the team standings to 118 points. IU sits atop the leaderboard with 1,144 points, with Michigan in second place with a total of 1,026. Ohio State remains in third place with a score of 823.
 For the fourth-straight season, Ian Finnerty won the Big Ten title in the 100 breaststrokes, touching the wall with an NCAA A cut time of 50.77. In the morning prelims, Finnerty broke the Big Ten meet record with a mark of 50.60. Finnerty is the second Hoosier to win the 100 breast title four-straight years, joining Cody Miller (2011-14).
Freshman Zane Backes had a great outing in the A Final, winning the bronze with a personal-best time of 51.73. Gary Kostbade was eight in the Championship Final with a time of 52.83. In the B Final, Matt Jerden was second with a PR of 52.68.
Redshirt senior James Connor capped his Big Ten career in stellar fashion, winning his second Big Ten title in as many days, placing first in the 3-meter dive with a score of 494.10.
The 2019 conference champion in the 1-meter dive, Connor earned his fourth Big Ten championship on Friday thanks to an incredibly consistent list. Connor didn’t score less than 73.50 on any dive and capped his list with an incredible 99.75 score on his last attempt.
Sophomore Andrew Capobianco won his second silver of the week, finishing runner-up to Connor with a score of 477.60. Capobianco didn’t have a score less than 67.50 on his list and was the only diver to record two scores over 90 points on the day – 91.20 in the second round and 93.50 on his final attempt.
Earlier, Cole VanDevender placed sixth in the B Final of the 3-meter dive with a score of 361.75. Also scoring for the Hoosiers in the event was Mory Gould, who finished 19thoverall with a total of 333.65.
For the first time since 2016, Indiana won the Big Ten title in the 200 freestyle relay. The IU team of Zach Apple, Bruno Blaskovic, Vini Lanza and Brandon Hamblin touched the wall first with an NCAA A cut, Big Ten record, school record and Big Ten Meet record of 1:16.01.
After Apple gave the Hoosiers the lead with a 19.29 leadoff leg, IU never looked back. Indiana posted splits of 18.88, 18.91 and 18.93 to finish the relay and capture gold.
Sophomore Gabriel Fantoni dominated the Championship Final of the 100 backstrokes, successfully defending his title with an NCAA A cut time of 44.91. Fantoni was the only man to break 46 seconds, beating the field 1.15 seconds.
Classmate Jacob Steele won the bronze medal with a personal-best time of 46.13, while Mohamed Samy was sixth with a time of 46.64. In the B Final, Wilson Beckman touched fourth with a mark of 47.29.
 Senior Zach Apple won the Big Ten title in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall with a career-best time of 1:32.69. Apple continues IU’s dominance in the event, making it four-straight for the Hoosiers after Blake Pieroni won the previous three crowns. Also in the A Final, Mohamed Samy took sixth with a mark of 1:33.96.
Freshman Jakub Karl placed fourth in the B Final with a time of 1:35.53, while Griffin Eiber was eighth in 1:36.22 In the C Final, freshman Jack Franzman, the final qualifier for the event, won out of lane 8 with a personal-best time of 1:34.87, while Thomas Vanderbrook took second with a mark of 1:35.08.
 Leading the way for the Hoosiers in the 100 butterflies was Vini Lanza, who won silver in the Championship Final with an NCAA A cut time of 44.90. Also for IU in the A Final, Bruno Blaskovic took fourth with a time of 45.46, while Van Mathias was seventh with a personal-best time of 45.90. Rounding out the quartet of Hoosiers in the Championship Final was Gabriel Fantoni, who placed eighth in 46.12.
In the C Final of the 100 butterflies, Corey Gambardella took second to finish 18th overall with a career-best time of 47.15.
Freshman Mikey Calvillo led three Hoosiers in the finals of the 400 IM, placing fifth in the Championship Final with a career-best time of 3:46.12. In the B Final, Spencer Lehman won for IU with a PR of 3:45.59, while Matt Jerden took seventh with a personal-best time of 3:48.23.
The 2019 Men’s Big Ten Championships continue on Saturday morning with the prelims of the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststrokes, 200 butterflies and platform dive. Action gets underway at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center Natatorium at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men’s swimming and diving team on social media – Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
100 Butterfly
2. Vini Lanza – 44.90 (NCAA A Cut)
4. Bruno Blaskovic – 45.46 (NCAA B Cut)
7. Van Mathias – 45.90 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
8. Gabriel Fantoni – 46.12 (NCAA B Cut)
18. Corey Gambardella – 47.15 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
400 IM
5. Mikey Calvillo – 3:46.12 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
9. Spencer Lehman – 3:45.59 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
15. Matt Jerden – 3:48.23 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
200 Freestyle
1. Zach Apple – 1:32.69 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
6. Mohamed Samy – 1:33.96 (NCAA B Cut)
12. Jakub Karl – 1:35.53 (NCAA B Cut)
16. Griffin Eiber – 1:36.22 (NCAA B Cut)
17. Jack Franzman – 1:35.08 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
18. Thomas Vanderbrook – 1:35.08 (NCAA B Cut)
100 Breaststroke
1. Ian Finnerty – 50.77 (NCAA A Cut)
3. Zane Backes – 51.73 (NCAA A Cut, Personal Best)
8. Gary Kostbade – 52.83 (NCAA B Cut)
10. Matt Jerden – 52.68 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
100 Backstroke
1. Gabriel Fantoni – 44.91 (NCAA A Cut, Personal Best)
3. Jacob Steele – 46.13 (NCAA B Cut, Personal Best)
6. Mohamed Samy – 46.64 (NCAA B Cut)
12. Wilson Beckman – 47.29 (NCAA B Cut)
3-Meter Dive
1. James Connor – 494.10 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
2. Andrew Capobianco – 477.60 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
14. Cole VanDevender – 361.75 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
19. Mory Gould – 333.65 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Zach Apple, Bruno Blaskovic, Vini Lanza, Brandon Hamblin – 1:16.01 (NCAA A Cut, Big Ten Record, School Record, Big Ten Meet Record)
