Hoosiers prepare for talented team

The Hoosiers continue their dual meet schedule this weekend as they take on No. 15 Texas A&M Saturday here at the Councilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. Health will be an issue for the squad, as several members of the team, including freshman freestyler and breast stroker Colin Russell, are recovering from bouts of the flu.\nPhysical health problems have plagued them this year, with senior freestyler Adam Goff swimming in just his second meet of the year after suffering a knee injury. IU swim coach Ray Looze looks at the health problems of his squad as just a temporary bump in the road for the program and looks forward to a healthy team by the end of the season.\n"I anticipate having everyone healthy by Big Tens, and that's where we'll be judged, more so than now," Looze said. "We're going to give these guys a meet, regardless of who we have."\nThe Hoosiers 1-4 dual meet record notwithstanding, the squad is still ranked 25th in the nation and is still aiming to finish high in the Big Ten Tournament, one of the toughest swimming conferences in the nation. Senior co-captain Claes Andersson echoed his team's attitude toward the rest of the season, which is a positive one.\n"I'm not too worried about our record," Andersson said. "If you look at the meets we swam last year compared to the ones we're in this year, we're swimming against a lot better teams this year. When it comes down to Big Tens, we've learned a lot from those meets, so that's when it's going to pay off."\nThe Aggies come to Bloomington led by senior Matt Rose, touted as one of the best freestyle sprinters in the country, as well as one of the best swimmers in the school's history. They have a 3-0 dual meet record so far this season and are coming off a victory in the Texas A&M Fall Invitational, their host tournament. \n"Texas A&M is good. They've got depth in fly, and we've got competition in every event," said Goff, who will be going up against Rose this weekend in the 50 meter freestyle. "Any top 25 team in the country should prepare us for the Big Tens and NCAAs."\n-- Contact staff writer Scott Lipsky at slipsky@indiana.edu.