The IU men's track team opened its season Saturday at Gladstein Fieldhouse at the Hoosier Open and for the first time tested the facility's new surface, a 200-meter banked track.\nIU junior sprinter David Neville opened the day in thrilling fashion as he raced out to a personal best and a victory in the 400-meter sprint. Neville's time of 46.67 undercut his previous mark, which he set Dec. 12, 2005. \nNeville's speedy win was one of three IU victories on the day and one of five top-three individual finishes for the Hoosiers. \nJunior Kiwan Lawson gave IU one of its other wins, long-jumping 7.19 meters. The Hoosiers got their third individual victory when senior Ryan Ketchum threw an event-best 17.38 meters in the shot put. \nThose top performances were followed by strong supporting shows from other team members in the 60-meter and 200-meter sprints, where freshman Will Glover and Lawson posted second- and fourth-place finishes, respectively. \nThe meet was the first of the year for a team that peaked toward the end of its season last year, finishing second at the year-end Big Ten meet and sixth at NCAA Regionals. The team will continue to be led by its distance All-Americans, twin brothers Sean and John Jefferson. In sprints, fellow All-American Neville looks to pace the Hoosiers at the 200- and 400-meter events. \nThe Hoosiers have their next meet Saturday, when IU plays host to the Hoosier Classic. The meet is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m.\n
IU wins season opener, preps for Hoosier Classic
\nThe IU women's track team opened its season alongside its male counterparts Saturday, capturing five individual first-place performances amid a slew of high finishes. \nBesides the long jump, the Hoosiers placed in the top three of every competition. \nTwo of IU's winning performances were posted by junior Andrea Della Rossa, who won both the weight throw and shot put with hurls of 16.26 and 14.08 meters, respectively. The meet served as Della Rossa's return to the team after a year-long break. The junior redshirted last season.\nJunior Courtney Johnson was next in IU's line of first-place finishes Saturday, posting a time of 8.52 in the 60-meter hurdles. \nThat victory was followed up by wins from Jean Schaffer in the high jump, Caitlin Lauer in the 600-meter race and Jamie Recklau in the pole vault. \nIndiana track and field director Randy Heisler said he was happy with the team's prolific showing.\n"Today was an acclamation situation and overall we had some really good performances," he said. "I thought we had a solid, competitive effort today from everyone." \nThe women's track team will continue its early-season development Saturday, when it joins the men's team in playing host to the Hoosier Classic. \n
Men's swim team maintains top-25 ranking with win
\nThe No. 11 men's swimming and diving team continued its success with a conference win against No. 21 Ohio State Saturday at home in the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center. IU claimed 11 of 13 titles in the meet en route to a 134-108 victory over the Buckeyes. Senior Sergiy Fesenko, sophomore Todd Patrick and junior Colin Russell garnered three titles apiece and helped the Hoosiers improve to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten.\nIU built an early 11-6 lead in the meet after Patrick, sophomore Ben Hesen, senior Kevin Swander and senior Thomas Clavier won the 200-yard medley relay. Fesenko claimed the 1,000-yard freestyle honors and was one of four Hoosiers to finish in the top four.\nThe Buckeyes were able to fight back and cut IU's lead to 10 after Ohio State's Joe Doyle won the 50-yard freestyle.\nBut Fesenko and the Hoosiers pulled away for good after the senior, along with sophomore Nick Walkotten, overcame an early deficit in the 200-yard butterfly to win the event and increase IU's lead to 69-43. The Hoosiers completed another one-two sweep later in the meet when Fesenko and sophomore John Kevin Koehler garnered 500-yard freestyle honors. When the middle-distance races were complete, the Hoosiers were left with a 104-65 advantage.\nThe Hoosiers' lead did not falter in the afternoon races, as the team went on to claim victory. IU is set to continue Big Ten play against No. 4 Michigan at home Saturday.
