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(10/25/11 8:45pm)
After the men swept Tennessee and Kentucky and the women defeated Kentucky in the swimming and diving dual-meet against the two SEC schools on Saturday, October 22, sophomore Cody Miller has earned the Big Ten Swimmer of the Week award, and sophomores Laura Ryan and Darian Schmidt have been honored as the men's and women's Big Ten Diver of the Week.
(10/25/11 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Attempting to join the ranks of Mark Spitz, Jim Montgomery, Gary Hall and other IU swimming Olympians including his father, junior Eric Ress has a steep hill to climb.After consulting with IU Coach Ray Looze and his family, the swimmer and 2010 French National Champion in the 200-meter backstroke has decided to redshirt the 2011-2012 season in order to train and attempt to qualify for the French national team for the 2012 London Olympics.“How many collegiate athletes have the chance to make an Olympic team and make a final and potentially medal?” Looze asked. “It’s very rare now for collegiate athletes to be in the Olympics conversation, so I am all for it. Eric has that talent, and the opportunity is there. If he didn’t have the talent, we wouldn’t be doing this.”From the start of his competitive swimming career at age 6, Ress knew he had big footsteps to follow. His father, Colin, swam at IU from 1975 to 1979 and competed in the 1976 Olympics in the 800-meter freestyle relay for France. Even with the pressure of his father’s career, Ress blossomed into a backstroke specialist, and by age 14 he was already representing France in international competition. By 2008, Ress had won the 200-yard backstroke in the U.S. Speedo Junior National Championships, finished third in the European Junior Championships in the 200-meter backstroke and sixth in the 100-meter backstroke and was well on his way to succeeding his father’s legacy, committing to be an Indiana Hoosier.“It makes me proud on a daily basis seeing his name up on the banner at the pool,” Ress said. “His involvement as a Hoosier was a large, positive influence on my college decision, and I’ve never been happier to be in Bloomington. All legacy swimmers here feel a big sense of pride to continue the tradition.”During his freshman year at IU, Ress had already broken Michael Phelps’ 17-18-year-old age group record in the 200-yard backstroke at 1:41.35 at the Big Ten Championships, setting a career-best and the then-second best time in IU history. Last season, as a sophomore, Ress won the Big Ten Championship in the 100-yard backstroke and was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year. He finished runner-up in the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke competitions, and also set the IU record for the 200-yard backstroke at 1:38.96, as well.Now, in his second attempt to make the French Olympic team after falling short in 2008, Ress said he feels he has the experience to get him to his life-long dream.“My chances of making it in 2008 were not nearly as good as they are now, but I’m still kind of the underdog in this situation, which will work to my advantage,” Ress said. “After my collegiate season last year and the training I’m putting in now with my fellow Hoosiers, I’m confident I can rattle some people come March and turn some heads down the road.”Ress’ decision to redshirt was a difficult one, he said. In order to participate in the French Olympic Trials, he would have to miss the NCAA Championships. In addition, since international competition uses long-course pools (meters) instead of the NCAA’s short-course pools (yards), Ress must compete at certain long-course meets and training camps throughout the swimming and diving season in order to prepare for the trials.“(Redshirting this season) was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” Ress said. “I felt a lot of pressure to be there for my team, and I was really concerned on how they would respond. The coaches assured me they’d be supportive, but I was nervous that they’d be upset with me.”Since the decision Ress said not only has his fear been dispelled, but the bond that he has forged with the IU team has grown stronger. In fact, after Saturday’s wins against Kentucky and Tennessee, Ress called the team to congratulate them while they were on the bus on way back from the meet.“The coaches were more than supportive and favored that decision, but my teammates have been great,” Ress said. “They’re the reason I love this program and school so much, and they make me 100 percent comfortable with my decision. They want to help me in any way possible with my dream, and they know I feel the same way toward them.“It is only a matter of months until Ress will be in the pool in France, racing for the accomplishment of his life-long dream. Until then, he said he will be training intensely, preparing for the races of his life as he tries to qualify for the 100- and 200-meter backstroke and the freestyle relay team.“To make the Olympics will mean so much to me,” Ress said. “To represent France at the pinnacle of athletic competition has been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old. Also, if I were to make it, I’d be the same age as my dad when he did.”
(10/24/11 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers started their 2011-2012 season with a bang as the men swept Tennessee 151-149 and Kentucky 212-88, and the women defeated Kentucky 205-78 but fell to Tennessee 163-120.In their first meet and without junior Eric Ress, who is redshirting the season in order to train for the 2012 Olympics, the depth on the men’s team carried the Hoosiers throughout the competition.Sophomore Cody Miller got off to a fast start, winning both the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke races and finishing second in the 200-yard Individual Medley and the 200-yard Medley Relay with junior Daniel Kanorr, sophomore James Wells and true freshman Steve Schmuhl.In addition to Miller’s successes, junior Jim Barbiere took the 200-yard freestyle win, senior Tyler Shedron prevailed in the 200-yard butterfly event, junior Ryan Hinshaw was victorious in the 500-yard freestyle race and Schmuhl won his first career race in his first college meet in the 200-yard backstroke.“(The depth) was an eye-opener for us,” Miller said. “It shows how much better we are this year compared to last year, and it also shows that we really have potential to be great this year and do great things. We have a strong freshman class and a solid group of men overall. It was a great way to start the season.”Meanwhile, despite the women’s team having key performances by seniors Margaux Farrell and Brittany Strumbel and sophomore Laura Ryan in their effort against their two SEC opponents, the Hoosiers could not overcome Tennessee. Though Farrell won in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle races, Strumbel in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle and Ryan in the 3-meter diving competition, the Volunteers won the 11 other events conductedSaturday.“I was really pleased with how tough our girls swam,” IU coach Ray Looze said. “We were shorthanded with our squad so we had swimmers who don’t normally swim, and it changed the complexion of our relays.Given those challenges, I think we did a great job. Tennessee is a really good team, and you need to bring your ‘A’ game when we go up against them, and I think we did that.”Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will next face Michigan and Texas in Ann Arbor, Mich., Nov. 4 and 5. Last season, both teams in each program finished the season ranked in the top 20.“In order to do well against them, we just have to continue what we have been doing: winning races and exhibiting depth,” Looze said. “Getting the swimmers back, though, from the Pan-Am Games is definitely going to help.”
(10/21/11 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Hoosiers returning a Pan-American Games bronze medalist on one team and an individual Big Ten champion and record-setting swimmer on the other, both the IU women’s and men’s swimming and diving teams have much to look forward to this coming season. As each team faces high expectations, both teams will open their seasons on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn., in a dual meet against Tennessee and Kentucky.“They’ve been pretty good about not putting pressure on themselves and not weighing too much on expectations,” IU Coach Ray Looze said. “There’s more excitement than anything else heading into this season. They really can’t wait to get started and continue to build on what we started last year.”After a season culminating in a Big Ten championship and a No. 12 national ranking, the women’s team returns key weapons that will look to contribute to a possible fourth consecutive Big Ten title. Senior Allysa Vavra, who won a bronze medal in the 400-meter Individual Medley at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico and has set multiple records as a swimmer at IU, will return for what she hopes to make a historic season. Other key returners for the Hoosiers include 2010 USA Diving National Championship winning divers Amy Cozad and Laura Ryan, along with senior Big Ten champion swimmers Nikki White, Margaux Farrell and Brittany Strumbel.“I would say we have what it takes to be a top-five team this year,” Looze said. “Our goal is always to win the national title, but we’ve been top 10 three out of the last four years, and we want to be well into the top 10. Right now, our best ranking ever is ninth, and any ranking better than that is what we’re shooting for, and we won’t stop until we get there.” Meanwhile, the men’s team, which finished last season ranked No. 12 in the nation and second in the Big Ten, is looking to capture its first Big Ten title in six years. Last year’s Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, junior Eric Ress, returns for the Hoosiers after winning last season’s Big Ten Championship in the 100-meter backstroke and setting IU records in the 800-meter freestyle relay, 200-meter individual medley and 200-meter backstroke. In addition, last year’s Big Ten 100- and 200-meter backstroke champion, sophomore Cody Miller, and junior 100-meter Big Ten runner-up Zac Nees hope to again provide IU with depth. “The depth of the team is what is going to make this team successful,” Ress said. “We are not going to be like the Indianapolis Colts where it is one guy like Peyton Manning carrying the team. Guys are really stepping up their game, and we are really going to rattle some people this year.” While IU had its fair share of success last season, the team will take on a Tennessee squad that finished ninth in the nation. The Hoosiers will also start the season without Vavra and sophomore Brenna MacLean, who are both participating at the Pan-American Games until October 30.However, Looze said that won’t be an excuse this weekend.“I want to see them compete in hard-nosed racing, to go into a hostile environment and compete, win events and score points whenever we can and do so in a junkyard dog fashion,” Looze said. “We are known as a good road team that can go into any environment and make it our own, and we’re going to have to do it without a few good swimmers, but there are no excuses. We have our work cut out for us, but we’re excited for the challenge.”
(09/29/11 5:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former IU diver Kristen Kane will be among Friday’s inductees into the IU AthleticsHall of Fame.Kane, who was relatively ignored coming out of high school but became a USADiving champion, has had an illustrious career that included a U.S. Outdoor DivingChampionship in the one-meter competition in 1992 , three Big Ten championships(three-meter in 1992 and 1994 , 10-meter in 1992) , two Big Ten Diver of the Year awards (1992 and 1994 ), four years of All-American status , two IU Female Athlete of the Year Awards (1992 and 1994) and a selection to be a member of the U.S. delegation for the Pan-American games (1995).Kane got a late start in the sport compared to other divers. When she was in seventh grade, a lifeguard at her neighborhood pool saw her “doing tricks” off the diving board and recommended she join a local diving program. During the next six years, Kane became a competitive diver, eventually joining her high school team in Kingston, Wash. When her senior year of high school arrived, though she was relatively unknown around the national diving community, IU offered her a partial scholarship.“I chose IU because, on top of the top-notch school with a diving program in which I could gain great experiences, they had offered me a partial scholarship,”Kane said. “I was a veritable unknown in the diving world, and most of my successful competitions were high school related, not national. No one else offered me money.”After her sophomore season at IU, Kane was already among the national elite in diving. In addition to winning multiple Big Ten titles and being named an All-American, Kane also finished as NCAA runnerup in the one-meter dive competition and third inthe three-meter.As her junior and senior years approached, she said the pressure she put on herselfto succeed was not to maintain her All-American status or obtain other nationalrecognitions. Instead, the pressure she said she faced was performing at her highest ability, no matter what her results were during the prior season.“I always wanted to do my best regardless of how that compared to others or ranking scales or whatever,” Kane said. “I wanted to win to prove to myself I could. A year, five years, 10 years from today, who will remember who won what? Me. While it’s great to win,the real winning is bettering yourself and striving to achieve your goals.”After her senior season, which ended in a secondplace finish in the 1994 NCAA three-meter competition, Kane’s career was extended when she qualified for the U.S. diving team for the 1995 Pan American Games, She finished sixth in the overall competition, despite a sprained ankle.“To be representing your country in international competition is just an amazing thing,” Kane said. “I felt so much pride — American pride. I also felt anxious because I wanted to represent the USA successfully in international competition.”Seventeen years after her final dive as an Indiana Hoosier, Kane will be enshrinedas a member of the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.It all still comes as a shock to Kane, she said.She will not be able to attend the induction ceremony. Former IU diver Chris Unruh will appear on her behalf.“I feel a bit out of my league and surprised to be acknowledged with such a class of athletes,” Kane said. “All in all, though, I am extremely honored, and this allows me to take a moment of pride to know that my hard work and accomplishments were, and continue to be, recognized by others.”