It’s time to give some credit

With a tough Big Ten men’s basketball season to focus on, March Madness approaching and national signing day for football recruits to discuss, it’s easy for a Hoosier sports fan to develop tunnel vision. In all reality, who can blame Hoosier Nation for concentrating on those sports that get the most media coverage and can be seen on network television? \nBut in the past weeks, two IU teams have quietly made big splashes in the sporting world with little attention from the common IU “sports” fan.\nSetting three school records and earning five postseason awards, the IU women’s swimming and diving team won its first Big Ten championship since 2003 on Feb. 10 in Minneapolis. The Hoosiers came away winning all three diving events – all won by junior Christina Loukas, making her only the second IU diver to accomplish the feat – and four other events. Six athletes earned All-Big Ten first team honors. IU finished the meet with 715.5 points, 153.5 points ahead of runner-up Michigan. In this achievement, these athletes did honor to both their school and their sport.\nIn an attempt to follow in the footsteps of their female counterparts, the IU men’s swimming and diving team finished fourth in the Big Ten championship on Feb. 19 in Columbus, Ohio. The team set two school records, ending the competition one point out of third place and 118.5 points behind champion Minnesota. Though some of the team members are disappointed for not finishing higher in the competition, they say that they will use the meet for motivation to perform well at the NCAA championship meet.\nThe accomplishment of the IU swimming and diving teams should not go unnoticed. While we cheer at the highly publicized sporting events, adrenaline flowing and profanity slurring from our mouths at basketball officials, taking heed of great Hoosier sporting accomplishment shows more team spirit than any middle finger at an opposing point guard. \nFrom D.J. White to Loukas, IU athletes all represent Hoosier Nation. When any one of those athletes achieves some greatness, he or she has signified the greatness of an institution of which we are all a part. Acknowledgement of that achievement is little to ask, and so it is time to give credit where credit is due.\nConsider that the IU Athletic Hall of Fame houses no fewer than 20 swimmers and divers and two coaches of swimming and diving teams (including Olympics hero and historical figure Mark Spitz). Having established a great tradition at our University, a little publicity would be a long time coming for the athletes who hit the water so many times a season. Perhaps with the innovation of the Big Ten Network, coverage of great sporting events such as the Big Ten swimming and diving championships will finally gain some of the exposure it obviously deserves. \nIU’s continued tradition of great swimming and diving teams, with a good number of team members returning for competition next season, will only serve to perpetuate the Hoosiers name throughout world. And so from a fan base that is not always in touch, from a great institution and from a sports columnist hoping to show some respect to those who deserve it: Congratulations.