2017 Men’s Big Ten Championships: Day 4 Finals Recap

• When: Wednesday, February 22th to Saturday, February 25th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• Where: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Michigan Wolverines (results)
• Schedule of Events
• Live Results
• Streaming (BTN subscription required)
• Championship Central: here

The Indiana Hoosiers will be looking for their first title since 2006 after securing 15 finals swims during this morning’s preliminary session.  The Hoosiers come into tonight will be hard-pressed to give away the 60.5 point lead they hold over Ohio State and 75.5 point lead over Michigan after 3 days of competition.

The Buckeyes, with defending NCAA platform champion Collin Zeng, are in the best position to pick off the Hoosiers, though they don’t have as much in the mile as either Michigan or Indiana.

When it comes to individual event, the 100 free looks like it could be the most exciting race of the evening.  Wisconsin’s Cannon Clifton set a new conference record this morning, but with all of the top eight qualifiers separated by less a second, and Olympic 4×100 free gold medalist Blake Pieroni included in the mix, it truly could be anyone’s race.

Men’s 200 Back – Finals

• Big Ten Championship Record – Eric Ress, Indiana, 1:38.89
• NCAA “A” Cut – 1:39.87
• NCAA “B” Cut – 1:46.39

1. Robert Glover, Indiana, 1:41.25
2. Thomas Trace, Ohio State, 1:41.92
3. Luke Papendick, 1:42.22

Michigan’s Tristan Sanders rocketed out to an early lead, coming through the first 50 at 23.68 and maintaining that lead through the 150 mark.  However, Indiana’s Robert Glover came back like a freight train, swimming the last 50 in 25.58, the only man under 26, and touched 1st in 1:41.25.  Ohio State’s Thomas Trace had the 2nd-fastest final 50, a 26.20, and finished 2nd in 1:41.92.  Michigan’s Luke Papendick placed 3rd, while teammate Sanders faded to 5th, ultimately touching in 1:42.35.

Michigan closed the gap on Indiana, now only 38 points behind, 1155 to 1117.

Men’s 100 Free – Finals

• Big Ten Championship Record – Cannon Clifton, Indiana, 42.00
• NCAA “A” Cut – 42.25
• NCAA “B” Cut – 44.29

1. Blake Pieroni, Indiana, 41.44
2. Shane Ryan, Penn State, 41.86
3. Cannon Clifton, Wisconsin, 42.25

Going into 2016, most observers would have said that Blake Pieroni was more of a 200 freestyler than a 100 freestyler.  Yet Pieroni became an Olympic gold medalist last summer by making his way on the the USA 4×100 free relay team, and this year he has been showing that was no fluke.  Tonight, he set a new Big Ten conference and meet record with his first swim under 42.  He was out 19.61 against a stacked field, and kept the lead through the 2nd 50, touching in 41.44.

Penn State’s Shane Ryan was also under the older conference meet record, touching 2nd in 41.86.  That time is also a personal best for Ryan, as well as his first time under 42.  Wisconsin’s Cannon Clifton couldn’t quite match his 42-flat from this morning, with his 42.25 good for 3rd tonight.

Indiana ultimately finished 1st, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th in this event, opening its lead over Michigan back up to over 100 points.

Men’s 200 Breast – Finals

• Big Ten Championship Record – Cody Miller, Indiana, 1:51.03
• NCAA “A” Cut – 1:52.99
• NCAA “B” Cut – 1:59.79

1. Marat Amaltdinov, Purdue, 1:52.89
2. Christopher Klein, Michigan, 1:53.14
3. Jacob Montague, Michigan, 1:53.33

Men’s 200 Fly – Finals

• Big Ten Championship Record – Dylan Bosch, Michigan, 1:40.37
• NCAA “A” Cut – 1:41.86
• NCAA “B” Cut – 1:47.99

1. Vini Lanza, Indiana, 1:40.97
2. Noah Lense, Ohio State, 1:41.44
3. Evan White, Michigan, 1:43.42

Indiana’s Vini Lanza finished just sixth-tenths of a second off of Dylan Bosch’s meet record after leading this event from beginning to end.  Ohio State freshman Noah Lense blasted a 1:41.44, good for a NCAA “A” cut.  Michigan’s Evan White just beat out teammate Miles Smachlo 1:43.42 to 1:43.46.

Indiana still has 57 point lead after the final individual event.

Men’s Platform Diving

1. Steele Johnson, Purdue, 547.80
2. Collin Zeng, Ohio State, 532.50
3. Brandon Loschiavo, Purdue, 459.35.

Indiana has secured the meet victory with a 108 point lead over Michigan heading into the 400 free relay.

400 Free Relay

Wowzers.  With a lot going on this weekend, we hadn’t been too focused on the overall battle for 2nd place, but Ohio State and Michigan came into this relay with either team able to take 2nd depending on their finish.  The Buckeyes swimmers seemed to know this and rise to the occasion, as Matt McHugh blasted a 42.09 leadoff leg, a new personal best time by 0.83 seconds.  Mossimo Chavez and Andrew Loy both split 42-lows, and Ohio State headed into the final exchange with almost an one second lead on Indiana.

Enter Blake Pieroni.  He went out in 19.25 to the feet and quickly erased the deficit against Ohio State’s anchor, Josh Fleagle.  Pieroni powered home, splitting 40.99 as Indiana set a new conference record with an overall time of 2:48.29.  Ohio State finished 2nd, in 2:49.23.

Michigan had come into this event with only a six point margin over Ohio State.  That meant that once Ohio State finished 2nd, the Wolverines would need to take 3rd or 4th to hold position.  Unfortunately for them, Felix Auboeck‘s 42.66 anchor, the fastest split on the squad, wasn’t quite enough, and Michigan’s 5th place finish in this relay meant that the Buckeyes and Wolverines tied for 2nd place overall in the meet.

Final Results:

1. Indiana,1504
2. Michigan, 1382
2. Ohio State, 1382
4. Minnesota,           879
5. Wisconsin, 763
6. Purdue, 721.5
7. Penn State, 554.5
8. Iowa, 424
9. Northwestern, 349
10. Michigan State, 273