BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana swimming and diving captured four of the six available conference weekly awards, sweeping the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week and Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. The conference office announced its weekly awards on Wednesday (Oct. 15).
Sophomore Miranda Grana won Big Ten Swimmer of the Week and Noah Cakir and Liberty Clark captured Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for the second time in as many chances this season, all having won the same awards on Oct. 1. Senior Zalán Sárkány captured his first weekly award of the season as the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week on the men’s side.
The latest award haul comes after IU dominated all five of its dual meets against ranked opponents in Los Angeles at the weekend.
Sárkány set the No. 1 times in the country in all three of his victories, winning the 500-yard freestyle (4:11.39), 1,650-yard freestyle (14:29.87) and 400-yard IM (3:43.45). The senior also set IU dual meet records in his freestyle events as well as a USC pool record in the mile.
Grana won six events, sweeping her individual races and contributing to three individual relays. The junior also swept the backstroke events, setting IU dual meet records in the 100-yard backstroke (50.75) and 200-yard backstroke (1:49.85). Grana’s 200 back time set the No. 1 time in the nation.
Clark maxed out with seven event wins, contributing to all four of Indiana’s relay victories. In just her second meet, Clark became the No. 2 Hoosier all-time in the 100-yard freestyle (47.39) and 200-yard freestyle (1:42.43), while also winning the 50-yard freestyle (22.03). Clark posted 100 free splits of 47.42 and 46.68 as well as 50 free splits of 22.04 and 21.62.
Cakir had a trio of top-three finishes and contributed to the Indiana men’s best relay. The freshman won the 200-yard breaststroke (1:54.19), finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke (52.64) and placed third in the 200-yard IM (1:47.25). He swam the breaststroke leg of the 400-yard medley relay, which earned an NCAA qualifying time of 3:05.97.
