The No. 2-ranked Indiana University men’s swimming and diving team continued competition at the 2019 NCAA Championships on Thursday morning at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
IU qualified four individuals and two relays for Thursday night finals. All will compete in Championship Finals. Entering Thursday night at the NCAA Championships, the Hoosiers sit in fourth place in the team standings with 30 points.
200 Freestyle Relay
The Hoosiers got the session off with a record start, as the 200 freestyle relay team of Zach Apple, Bruno Blaskovic, Mohamed Samy and Brandon Hamblin qualified fourth overall for Thursday night’s Championship Final with a Big Ten and IU school record time of 1:15.60.
Apple got Indiana off to a fast starts, splitting a 50 free time of 18.94. The mark is a personal-best for Apple that ranks tied for the second-best time in IU history, just 0.01 seconds off Blake Pieroni’s school record.
500 Freestyle
Freshman Michael Brinegar led the Hoosiers in the 500 freestyle, placing 26th overall with a career-best time of 4:16.46. Brinegar improved 19 spots from his seed in the event with his PR.
Classmate Mikey Calvillo was 34th overall with a time of 4:18.18, improving four places from his seed in the event.
200 IM
Just like a year ago, both Vini Lanza and Ian Finnerty will swim in the Championship Final of the 200 IM at the NCAA Championships. Lanza qualified second overall, touching the wall with a Big Ten and IU school record time of 1:40.23. Finnerty qualified seventh overall with a mark of 1:41.80.
Freshman Van Mathias placed 25th overall with a personal-best time of 1:43.70, improving 17 spots from his seed in the event. Mohamed Samy took 28th overall, improving 11 spots from his seed, with a career-best time of 1:43.89.
50 Freestyle
Senior Zach Apple punched his ticket for the Championship Final of the 50 freestyle, qualifying in a tie for sixth with a time of 18.95. Apple’s mark was just 0.01 seconds off his personal-best he set earlier in the morning leading off the 200 freestyle relay.
Bruno Blaskovic tied for 21st overall with a time of 19.30, improving two places from his seed in the event.
400 Medley Relay
The defending NCAA Champion in the 400 medley relay, the Hoosiers earned the top-seed for Thursday night’s Championship Final with a pool record time of 3:01.26. Indiana’s team of Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza and Zach Apple will try to win back-to-back titles in the event for the first time in school history.
1-Meter Dive
For the fourth time in his career, IU’s James Connor will compete in the Championship Final of the 1-meter dive at the NCAA Championships. The redshirt senior qualified second overall with a score of 382.25.
Mory Gould placed 20th overall with a score of 300.10, while Andrew Capobianco was 24th with a total of 291.55.
The 2019 NCAA Championships will continue on Thursday night with the finals of the 200 freestyle relay, 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 1-meter dive and 400 medley relay. The action gets underway at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
200 Freestyle Relay
Zach Apple, Bruno Blaskovic, Mohamed Samy, Brandon Hamblin – 1:15.60 (Championship Final; Big Ten and School Record)
500 Freestyle
26. Michael Brinegar – 4:16.46 (Personal Best)
34. Mikey Calvillo – 4:18.18
200 IM
Vini Lanza – 1:40.23 (Championship Final; Big Ten and School Record)
Ian Finnerty – 1:41.80 (Championship Final)
25. Van Mathias – 1:43.70 (Personal Best)
28. Mohamed Samy – 1:43.70 (Personal Best)
50 Freestyle
Zach Apple – 18.95 (Championship Final)
T-21. Bruno Blaskovic – 19.30
400 Medley Relay
Gabriel Fantoni, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza, Zach Apple – 3:01.26 (Championship Final; Pool Record)
1-Meter Dive
James Connor – 382.25 (Championship Final)
20. Mory Gould – 300.10
24. Andrew Capobianco – 291.55
#GoIU
