COLUMBUS, Ohio – A trio of times that rank among the top five in team history and a resounding victory in the exhibition team diving event highlighted the opening night of the Big Ten Championships for Purdue men's swimming & diving.
The Boilermakers finished fourth in the 200 medley relay with an NCAA provisional qualifying time (B Cut) of 1:24.07 that ranks third in team history. Brady Samuels, Andrew Witty, Charlie King and Idris Muhammad teamed up to give Purdue a top-three mark in the record book in the meet-opening event for the fourth time in the last five years at Big Tens.
Holden Higbie, Max Miller and Jordan Rzepka teamed up for the victory in team diving, posting a strong list score of 393.20 to win by 57.10 points. It marked the second week in a row the Boilermakers have won the event at Big Tens after the women did likewise. The same men's trio also won the event at the Purdue Invitational in November.
Each diver performs two dives and the event features two dives from each board – 1-meter, 3-meter and 10-meter. Miller was the 1-meter entry, Rzepka competed on 3-meter and Higbie took to the tower. As freshmen, Higbie (76.8 in round 1) and Miller (63.00 in round 2) ripped their debut dives at Big Tens to give Purdue an early lead. Rzepka sealed the runaway victory with strong scores of 74.40 and 81.90 on his two dives in rounds 3 and 6.
The Boilermakers closed out the session with a time of 6:25.31 in the 800 freestyle relay, moving into fourth place in team history. Purdue's quartet was Ethan Shaw, Connor McCarthy, Aaron Frollo and Andy Kelly. Shaw's leadoff leg split of 1:35.81 goes down as a lifetime best and the fifth-fastest mark in team history in the 200 free. McCarthy (1:35.10), Frollo (1:37.24) and Kelly (1:37.16) also posted lifetime best 200 relay splits in the race.
Samuels led off the 200 medley relay with a career-best 50 backstroke split (21.06). Muhammad broke 19 seconds (18.91) on his freestyle anchor leg.
The Big Ten Championships continue Thursday with the first full day of action. Swimming prelims begin at 10 a.m. ET, diving prelims at noon and the finals session is at 5 p.m. The entire meet is being streamed live on the Big Ten Network's B1G+ website and app.
WEDNESDAY AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
* – Purdue Season-Best Time
(B) – NCAA Provisional Qualifying Time
200 Medley Relay
Samuels, Witty, King & Muhammad, 1:24.07* (B) – Finished 4th (52 Points); 3rd Fastest in Team History
800 Free Relay
Shaw, McCarthy, Frollo & Kelly, 6:25.31 – Finished 8th (44 Points); 4th Fastest in Team History
Ethan Shaw leadoff split of 1:35.81* is LTB & 5th Fastest in Team History in 200 Free
Team Diving (Exhibition)
Higbie, Miller & Rzepka, 393.20 – Event Winner; Won by 57 points
OPENING NIGHT TEAM SCORES
1.) #5 Indiana 128
2.) #18 Michigan 108
T-3.) #21 Wisconsin 102
T-3.) Penn State 102
5.) #13 Ohio State 100
6.) Minnesota 98
7.) Purdue 96
8.) Northwestern 94
The Boilermakers finished fourth in the 200 medley relay with an NCAA provisional qualifying time (B Cut) of 1:24.07 that ranks third in team history. Brady Samuels, Andrew Witty, Charlie King and Idris Muhammad teamed up to give Purdue a top-three mark in the record book in the meet-opening event for the fourth time in the last five years at Big Tens.
Holden Higbie, Max Miller and Jordan Rzepka teamed up for the victory in team diving, posting a strong list score of 393.20 to win by 57.10 points. It marked the second week in a row the Boilermakers have won the event at Big Tens after the women did likewise. The same men's trio also won the event at the Purdue Invitational in November.
Each diver performs two dives and the event features two dives from each board – 1-meter, 3-meter and 10-meter. Miller was the 1-meter entry, Rzepka competed on 3-meter and Higbie took to the tower. As freshmen, Higbie (76.8 in round 1) and Miller (63.00 in round 2) ripped their debut dives at Big Tens to give Purdue an early lead. Rzepka sealed the runaway victory with strong scores of 74.40 and 81.90 on his two dives in rounds 3 and 6.
The Boilermakers closed out the session with a time of 6:25.31 in the 800 freestyle relay, moving into fourth place in team history. Purdue's quartet was Ethan Shaw, Connor McCarthy, Aaron Frollo and Andy Kelly. Shaw's leadoff leg split of 1:35.81 goes down as a lifetime best and the fifth-fastest mark in team history in the 200 free. McCarthy (1:35.10), Frollo (1:37.24) and Kelly (1:37.16) also posted lifetime best 200 relay splits in the race.
Samuels led off the 200 medley relay with a career-best 50 backstroke split (21.06). Muhammad broke 19 seconds (18.91) on his freestyle anchor leg.
The Big Ten Championships continue Thursday with the first full day of action. Swimming prelims begin at 10 a.m. ET, diving prelims at noon and the finals session is at 5 p.m. The entire meet is being streamed live on the Big Ten Network's B1G+ website and app.
WEDNESDAY AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
* – Purdue Season-Best Time
(B) – NCAA Provisional Qualifying Time
200 Medley Relay
Samuels, Witty, King & Muhammad, 1:24.07* (B) – Finished 4th (52 Points); 3rd Fastest in Team History
800 Free Relay
Shaw, McCarthy, Frollo & Kelly, 6:25.31 – Finished 8th (44 Points); 4th Fastest in Team History
Ethan Shaw leadoff split of 1:35.81* is LTB & 5th Fastest in Team History in 200 Free
Team Diving (Exhibition)
Higbie, Miller & Rzepka, 393.20 – Event Winner; Won by 57 points
OPENING NIGHT TEAM SCORES
1.) #5 Indiana 128
2.) #18 Michigan 108
T-3.) #21 Wisconsin 102
T-3.) Penn State 102
5.) #13 Ohio State 100
6.) Minnesota 98
7.) Purdue 96
8.) Northwestern 94