Press Release courtesy of Indiana Athletics
The awards keep rolling in for Indiana men’s swimming and diving, as a trio of Hoosiers earned yearly Big Ten awards on Tuesday.
IU head swimming coach Ray Looze was named Big Ten Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year, while Drew Johansen was named Big Ten Men’s Diving Coach of the Year. Ian Finnerty was named Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Year.
On Saturday, Looze was named CSCAA Swimming Coach of the Year, while Johansen was honored as Diving Coach of the Year. The duo became the first coaches from the same university to sweep the National Coach of the Year honors.
Looze earns his fourth Big Ten Men’s Coach of the Year accolades, giving him nine for his career with the Hoosiers including his five women’s coach of the year honors. Johansen earned his second career Big Ten Coach of the Year award.
Last week, the Hoosiers had a historic week at the NCAA Championships, finishing third overall in the team standings with a total of 422 points. The top-10 finish for the Hoosiers at the NCAA Championships was the sixth in the last seven years. The Hoosier diving team had a tremendous showing, scoring a NCAA-best 98 points.
The finish for the Hoosiers was the best for the program in 43 years, when IU took second in 1975. Indiana won a total of four NCAA titles over the week, the most for the team since winning six crowns in 1973. IU won NCAA crowns in the 1-meter dive, 400 medley relay, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke.
For the third-straight season, Indiana finished as the top Big Ten team at the NCAA Championships – the best stretch for IU since accomplishing the feat for 15-straight seasons from 1964-78.
In February, Looze and Johansen helped guide the Hoosiers to the program’s second-straight Big Ten team championship. Indiana earned back-to-back Big Ten Championships for the first time since winning three-straight from 1983-85. The title is the 26th in program history.
For the week, IU won a total of 24 medals – 14 gold, seven silver and three bronze. Indiana also won four of the five relays at the Big Ten Championships for a second-straight year – a program first.
Finnerty took home three NCAA titles, finishing atop the podium as part of the winning 400 medley relay team, as well as winning individual crowns in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. The junior became the first man in IU history to win both the 100 and 200 breast titles in one season.
In the 100 breast Championship Final, Finnerty became the first swimmer in history to break the 50-second barrier, posting the best time in history in 49.69. He won the 200 breast with a Big Ten, school and pool record time of 1:50.17.
At the Big Ten Championships, Finnerty took home five conference titles – 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay – to earn First-Team Big Ten honors.
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Well deserved! Congratulations Ian, Drew, and Ray!