Feb. 26, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The 18th-ranked Purdue men's swimming and diving team advanced 15 performances to finals out of Friday afternoon's session at the Big Ten Championships inside the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of Ohio State University.
For the second straight day, all six of Purdue's divers qualified to score. Sophomore David Boudia, the defending NCAA and Big Ten champion in the event, led the way by topping the preliminary field of 27 divers with his score of 425.70 points. Junior David Colturi, who won his first Big Ten crown in the 1-meter Thursday night, qualified fourth after scoring a season-best total of 372.80. Classmate J.P. Perez also earned a season-best score by putting 367.00 points on the board while earning the fifth qualifying position.
Senior Kyle Mitrione advanced to the evening session courtesy of his seventh-place, season-best score of 359.85 points. Junior Danny Cox grabbed the ninth qualifying spot with a season-best total of 352.20 that betters his previous high by almost 50 points. Freshman Jimmy Page is set to start his career with two consecutive scoring finishes after earning 11th in the afternoon session with his score of 335.25.
Senior Aaron Koger advanced to the final of the 100-yard breaststroke by matching his pre-meet ranking in the event. The Richmond, Ind., native clocked the fourth-fastest qualifying time when he completed the race in a season-best time of 54.12 seconds that improves his standing on the list of NCAA provisional qualifiers.
Sophomore Albert Miller is set to score his first points at a conference championship meet after tying for 13th in the qualifying session of the 100 breaststroke. The Chesterton, Ind., clocked a season-best and NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 55.07 to lock down his spot in the final. Classmate Wyatt Hodges also qualified to swim the event during Friday evening's session with his time of 56.50 that knocks more than one full second off of his season-best time entering the meet.
One day after scoring in the 200 IM for the first time in his career, Andre Koop guaranteed more points in the 400 IM. The senior from Newton, Kan., lowered his season-best time by more than six seconds and added his name to the list of NCAA provisional qualifiers with his ninth-place, 3:50.97 showing. Koop just missed his collegiate-best time of 3:50.69 that places him fourth on Purdue's all-time performance list in the event.
Senior Sam Wilcher earned the ninth qualifying spot in the 100 butterfly when he touched the wall in a season-best and NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 47.95. Joining him in the scoring is sophomore Jimmy Brooks, who guaranteed points by recording the 16th-fastest qualifying time of 48.77.
Junior Chris Pfaff qualified to earn points in the 100 backstroke with a time of 49.14 that lowers his previous season-best mark in the event by more than two seconds. The Elkhart, Ind., native was scratched from the 100 butterfly final after clocking a season-best time of 49.55 that qualified him for the non-scoring 'C' final.
Purdue did advance two to swim in the 'C' final of the 100 butterfly during Friday evening's session. Sophomore Brendan Joyce clocked a season-best time of 48.80 to take 17th place, and classmate Kyle House grabbed the 22nd qualifying position with his season-best, 49.13 clocking. House also earned a season-best time of 50.80 in the 100 backstroke.
Senior A.J. Boeh recorded a season-best time of 1:38.38 in the 200 freestyle that ranked 17th among competitors in the afternoon session. The Lebanon, Ind., native qualified for the 'C' final in the event, but was scratched. Freshman Andrew Starr put up a season-best time of 1:39.40 in the event, but also was scratched from the 'C' final.
Junior Drew Wolfred finished the 200 freestyle in a season-best time of 1:39.92. Seniors Gage Barry and Travis Smith also recorded season-best clockings in that race by posting times of 1:40.31 and 1:41.30, respectively. Freshman Chuck Destro swam a season-best time of 49.69 that placed 24th in the 100 backstroke but was scratched from the final.
Senior Nathan Taylor and junior Scott Dean earned season-best times in the 100 breaststroke by completing the race in 57.23 and 57.48, respectively. Junior Matt Stewart earned the 30th-fastest 400 IM time when he touched the wall in 4:00.66.
Friday's evening session, which features finals in all of the preliminary events plus the 200 freestyle relay, begins at 7 p.m. ET. Live results and live video from the championships can be found at purduesports.com.