IU takes on the world's best

A large contingent of young IU talent have made a short drive to Indianapolis for the 2005 World Championship Trials with the hopes of adding a world title to their résumés. The competing Hoosiers will face the best swimmers in the world, including six-time gold medalist Michael Phelps.\n"There is always that pressure to look good for a program," said All-American junior Kevin Swander. "My goal is to just race well enough to make the World Team."\nThe junior is one of 13 IU swimmers competing for the World Championships as well as a World University Games selection during the six-day event. The swimming event consists of both men and women vying for spots in either the World Championships in Montreal, Canada, or the World University Games in Izmir, Turkey. \nBut for IU's freshman and sophomore swimmers, competing against the 2004 Olympic team for a chance to participate in either Montreal or Izmir could be a daunting task. \n"I just want to get out and swim fast," said sophomore swimmer Scott Tanner, who will be the 28th seed in the 100 LC meter butterfly.\nIU's highest seeded swimmer is Swander. He is the sixth seed in the 100 LC meter breaststroke and the seventh seed in the 200 LC meter breaststroke. The junior takes a substantial amount of experience to the six-day event, but his Hoosier teammates are still building up their respective résumés.\n"The experienced swimmers really just help us focus on more than one race, like the championship meets," said freshman Todd Patrick, who is the 32nd seed in the 200 LC meter individual medley.\nSwander, Hank Baldwin and Mike Jones are the oldest Hoosiers in Indianapolis for the Trials. Although the World Championship Trials are for individual purposes, those who bleed cream and crimson will always support one another, they said. Even more so for those with the experience.\n"I would say go out and have fun, that would be my advice," Swander said.\nOther Hoosier swimmers racing in the six-day event are freshmen Alex Brunfeldt, Alec Haley, Ronnie Hehn, John Kevin Koehler and Ben Hesen; and sophomores Lee Houchin, Matt Jensen and Ryan McNeill. The IU participants will race in 13 out of the 14 male events. And there is nothing better for these swimmers than to race competitively as much as possible.\n"When it comes down to it," Swander said. "It's just me against the person racing next to me."\nThe chances for these IU swimmers to obtain a spot in the World Championships or the World University Games are slim. But the experience these young Hoosiers will gain from competing against the country's best is second to none.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Evan \nHarris at evharris@indiana.edu.