Feb. 28, 2013
Thursday Results: Prelims | Finals | Live Dive-by-Dive Scoring
Live Results | Championships Central | Free Live Video
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A runner-up finish from Danny Tucker in the A final of the 50 freestyle as well as Lyam Dias (200 IM), the 400 medley relay team and Tucker improving on their second-fastest times in program history highlighted day two of the Big Ten Championships for Purdue men's swimming and diving.With 144 team points through Thursday's events, the Boilers jumped from seventh to fourth place in the team scoring. Purdue trails third-place Ohio State by 26 points and has an 11-pont lead on fifth-place Minnesota. Michigan is well on its way to its third straight Big Ten title, leading the way with 316 points.
"Fourth place after two days is a good start for us," Purdue head coach Dan Ross said. "I am proud of all the swimmers and divers so far. Just as I told them at the team dinner tonight, as far as the team race is concerned this meet starts tomorrow morning so get some rest boys and bring it."
Tucker led the way as four Boilers scored points by qualifying for the A and B finals of the 50 free. Tucker's finals time of 19.35 was one hundredth of a second shy of Andrew Langenfeld's Purdue record from 2009, which ranked second in Big Ten history entering the week. Michigan's Bruno Ortiz was the event winner Thursday with a time of 19.27, making Tucker's mark the fifth fastest in conference history. Minnesota's Derek Toomey had a prelim time of 19.25.
Alec Back was also a championship final qualifier for Purdue Thursday, placing third in the 1-meter diving competition. His championship round score of 368 was a career best and good for seventh in program history. Four Boilers also scored on the 1-meter springboard after three Purdue divers advanced to the consolation final.
Dias placed second in the B final of the 200 IM, lowering his career-best time as a Boiler to 1:45.31. He shaved nearly half a second off his second-best time in program history from the 2012 Big Ten Championships.
The 400 medley relay team of Brian Kiel, Dias, Chuck Destro and Tucker posted a time of 3:11.12, finishing only .21 tenths of a second behind the program record (3:10.91) from 2009. Kiel's event-opening split of 48.05 represents the third fastest 100 backstroke time in team history. Purdue placed fifth in the event after relay foursomes for both Indiana and Penn State were disqualified.
Destro joined Tucker in the A final of the 50 free, placing seventh with a time of 19.69 that ranks as the third fastest in program history.
Kiel's preliminary round time of 1:45.85 was the best in his Purdue career and good for third in program history. The junior settled for seventh place in the B final Thursday evening.
Matt Friede won a head-to-head swim off with Ohio State's Michael Disalle to earn the final spot in the B final of the 50 free. Friede finished the two-man race with a personal season-best time of 19.99. He went on to take fourth in the B final. Benjamin Ziolkowski was fifth in the same race. The Boilermakers' four 50 free scoring-finals qualifiers, who will represent the team in the 200 and 400 free relays later this week, combined for 38 team points Thursday.
The Purdue divers combined for 29 points Thursday. Jamie Bissett was the runner up in the 1-meter diving consolation final while Layne Rogers took fourth in his Big Ten debut and Nate Cox was eighth.
The Big Ten Championships continue Friday with preliminaries at 11 a.m. and finals at 6:30 p.m.
Purdue Notables
* -- Purdue Season-Best Time
^ -- Personal Season-Best Time
(B) -- NCAA Provisional Qualifying Time
(Z) -- NCAA Zone Qualifying Score
50 Free
Danny Tucker, 19.35* (B) - Finished 2nd in A Final (17 Points)
Improved on his Second Fastest Time in Program History, one hundredth shy of Purdue Record
Chuck Destro, 19.69^ (B) - Finished 7th in A Final (12 Points)
Third Fastest Time in Program History
Matt Friede, 19.99^ (B, Swim-Off Time) - Finished 4th in B Final (5 Points)
Benjamin Ziolkowski, 20.03^ (B, Prelim Time) - Finished 5th in B Final (4 Points)
1-Meter Diving
Alec Back, 368.00^ (Z) - Finished 3rd in Championship Final (16 Points)
Seventh Best Score in Program History
Jamie Bissett, 337.80 (Z) - Finished 2nd in Consolation Final (7 Points)
Layne Rogers, 329.15 (Z) - Finished 4th in Consolation Final (5 Points)
Nate Cox, 310.60 (Z, Prelim Score) - Finished 8th in Consolation Final (1 Point)
200 IM
Lyam Dias, 1:45.31* (B) - Finished 2nd in B Final (7 Points)
Improved on his Second Fastest Time in Program History
Brian Kiel, 1:45.85^ (B, Prelim Time) - Finished 7th in B Final (2 Points)
Third Fastest Time in Program History
500 Free
Jan Petric, 4:23.76* (B, Prelim Time) - Finished 7th in B Final (2 Points)
Luke Trimmer, 4:25.00^ (B, Prelim Time) - Finished 8th in C Final
Improved on his Seventh Fastest Time in Program History
400 Medley Relay
Kiel, Dias, Destro & Tucker, 3:11.12 (B) - Finished 5th (28 Points), IU & PSU DQed
Second Fastest Time in Program History
Kiel 100 Back Opening Split of 48.05 is Third Fastest in Program History
Team Scores Through Thursday
1. #3 Michigan, 316
2. #8 Indiana, 237
3. #13 Ohio State, 170
4. Purdue, 144
5. #14 Minnesota, 133
6. Wisconsin, 101
7. #20 Iowa, 86
8. #24 Penn State, 75
9. Northwestern, 70
10. Michigan State, 60