March 19, 2012

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Complete Release

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men's swimming and diving team will be represented by five swimmers at the 2012 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on March 22-24 in Federal Way, Wash. Paul Gordon, Jordan Huff, Duncan Partridge, Ryan Phelan and Gianni Sesto will participate at the championships.

All-session general admission tickets are $46 and all-session premium seats are $70.

LIVE STATS
For live results from your computer or smart phone, visit: http://www.swmeets.com/Realtime/NCAA/2012/.

TV BROADCASTING
ESPN3.com will stream championship finals sessions on March 22 and 23. Additionally, ESPNU will air a 90-minute show at 12:30 p.m. (ET), Sunday, April 1.

WEYERHAEUSER KING COUNTY AQUATIC CENTER
The Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center is a legacy venue of the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games. The 2,500-seat facility maintains one of the most active competition schedules in the country, hosting more than 50 events annually. It has been the site of Olympic Trials, top national and international competitions, and the Pacific Northwest's premiere events.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Become fans of the official Iowa swimming and diving Facebook page by going to http://www.facebook.com/IowaSwimmingandDiving. Fans can also follow the black and gold on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/IowaHawkeyeSwim.

MEET THE HAWKEYES
Paul Gordon -- Leads the team in the 100 free (43.22) and 200 free (1:35.26). He set a school record in the 100 free (43.22) at the 2012 Big Ten Championships. Gordon anchored both Big Ten Champion relays- 200 free relay (1:17.61) and 400 free relay (2:52.53). He also was swam the fly leg of the school record-setting 200 medley relay (1:27.16) at the Big Ten Championships. Gordon will compete in the 200 free and the 200 and 400 free relays at the NCAA Championships. His best time of 1:34.85 in the 200 free, which he set at last year's NCAA Championships, ranks second in school history.

Jordan Huff -- Posted collegiate best times in the 100 free (44.04) and 200 free >b(1:35.87) at the Big Ten Championships. He was a member of the 400 free relay (2:52.53) that won the Big Ten title, which he will compete in at the NCAA Championships. His best times in the 100 (44.04) and 200 (1:35.87) free rank 10th and fourth, respectively, in school history.

Duncan Partridge -- Recorded collegiate best times in the 50 free (19.68) at the Big Ten Championships. He was a member of both Big Ten Champion relays--200 free relay (1:17.61) and 400 free relay (2:52.53), which also set school records. His best times in the 50 free (19.68) and 100 free (43.56) both rank third in school history. Partridge will compete in the 400 free relay at the NCAA Championships.

Ryan Phelan -- Leads the team in the 50 free (19.52). He set a new school record in the 50 free (19.52) at the Big Ten Championships. Phelan also posted a best time in the 100 free (43.31) at the Big Ten Championships, which ranks second behind Gordon in school history. He was a member of both Big Ten Champion relays--200 free relay (1:17.61) and 400 free relay (2:52.53), which set school records. Phelan will represent the Hawkeyes in the 200 and 400 free relays and the 50 free.

Gianni Sesto -- Swam collegiate best times in the 50 (20.26), 100 (44.03) and 200 free (1:37.75) at the Big Ten Championships. He swam the second leg of the Big Ten Champion 200 free relay, which he will compete in at the NCAA Championships. His times in the 100 free (44.03) and 200 free (1:37.75) rank ninth and 10th, respectively, in school history.

Gordon, Partridge, Phelan and Sesto will compete in the 200 free relay. The squad posted an NCAA `A' cut time in the event after winning the Big Ten Title with a time of 1:17.61. The time (1:17.61) ranks seventh fastest in the country. Additionally, Gordon, Huff, Partridge and Phelan will compete in the 400 free relay at the championships. The quartet has the seventh fasted time in the country at 2:52.53.

IOWA ALL-AMERICANS
The men's squad returned all four members of the 400 free relay that earned All-America honors at the 2011 NCAA Championships. Paul Gordon, Jordan Huff, Duncan Partridge and Ryan Phelan placed 15th (2:54.82) in the relay to earn All-America accolades.

2011 NCAA REVIEW
At last season's NCAA Championships, Phelan, Gordon, Partridge and Huff posted a 17th place finish in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:19.15. Phelan and Partridge both competed in the 50-free. Phelan finished in 36th place with a time of 19.89, while Partridge placed 45th at 20.09.

Gordon finished 22nd in the 200 free with a time of 1:35.67, while Huff placed 39th at 1:37.45. Gordon and Partridge participated in the 100 free posting times of 43.51 and 43.56, respectively.

Partridge, Phelan, Huff and Gordon concluded the 2011 NCAA Championships by advancing to finals in the 400-free relay after swimming a time of 2:54.19 in the preliminary round. During the finals, the team posted a time of 2:54.82 for a 15th place finish, which earned the squad All-America honors.

2012 BIG TEN REVIEW
The Hawkeyes placed fifth with 395 points at the 2012 Big Ten Championships in Iowa City.

During the four days of competition, the Hawkeyes broke 11 school records, seven individual and four relays. The 200 free relay of Ryan Phelan, Gianni Sesto, Duncan Partridge, Paul Gordon won the Big Ten title with an NCAA `A' qualifying time of 1:17.61 to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships. Iowa's 400 free relay added another Big Ten title for the Hawkeyes during the last day of competition in the 400 free relay. Partridge, Phelan, Jordan Huff and Gordon posted the fastest time of 2:52.53. Gordon, Huff, Partridge, Phelan and Sesto earned First Team All-Big Ten for their efforts in the relays. Huff was voted the sportsmanship honoree of Iowa.

U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS
Seven University of Iowa men's swimmers posted U.S. Olympic Trial qualifying times at the Hawkeye/Big Ten Long Course qualifier, which was held Feb. 26 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Pool.

Two Hawkeyes -- junior Byron Butler and sophomore Andrew Marciniak -- qualified in a pair of events. Butler posted a trials cut time of 54.57 in the 100 butterfly and 57.25 in the 100 back, while Marciniak qualified in the 100 breast (1:04.53) and 200 breast (2:18.57).

Redshirt freshman Grant Betulius posted a qualifying time in the 100 back (56.70), freshman Brian Donatelli in the 50 free (23.49), sophomore Dustin Rhoads in the 100 back (56.12), freshman Korey Schneider in the 100 breast (1:04.58) and sophomore Gianni Sesto in the 50 free (23.14).

Five other current Hawkeyes -- junior Jordan Huff, sophomore Tyler Lentz, seniors Paul Gordon and Ryan Phelan and freshman Michael Vinyard -- had already previously qualified for the U.S. Trials. Sophomore Manuel Belzer and senior Duncan Partridge are international qualifiers.

The 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials will be held at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb., on June 25 through July 2.

WEEKLY HONORS
Ryan Phelan was named Big Ten Conference Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 1. The honor marked Phelan's first career honor.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native earned the accolade after recording four first place finishes in Iowa's dual meet victory over Michigan State on Oct. 29. He tallied individual wins in the 50-yard (20.20) and 100-yard free (45.74). He was also a member of the winning 200-yard medley (1:30.60) and 400-yard freestyle relays (3:03.86). Phelan is the first Iowa men's swimming student-athlete to claim Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honor since Conor Dwyer on Jan. 27, 2009. Paul Gordon was selected as the Division I National Swimmer of the Week by collegeswimming.com on Nov. 8.

Gordon, a senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., earned the male swimmer of the week recognition with his performance in the dual meet victory over Minnesota. He posted NCAA "B" qualifying times in the 100-fly (48.30), 100-free (44.07) and 200-free (1:37.44) before anchoring the winning 400-free relay, which set a pool record.

HAWKEYES CRACK TOP 15
The University of Iowa men's swimming and diving team was ranked 14th in the last updated College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) top 25 poll on Jan. 25.

The Hawkeyes debuted at No. 10 in the dual meet rankings after downing Minnesota on Nov. 4 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

Iowa is one of five Big Ten Conference schools ranked among the top 25, along with Michigan (4), Ohio State (9), Purdue (17) and Minnesota (16).

The Hawkeyes rank among the top 10 nationally in three events in the 2011-12 season: - 50 Free, Ryan Phelan (19.52), 13th - 200 Free Relay (1:17.61), seventh - 400 Free Relay (2:52.53), seventh

Iowa finished the 2010-11 season ranked 24th in the final TYP/CSCAA Men's Division I poll.

On March 8, the CSCAA announced Championship finish prediction poll results. Voters predict the Hawkeyes will finish 17th overall at the 2012 NCAA Championships.

DUAL MEET DOMINATION
Since 2008-09, the men's swimming and diving team has compiled 34-6 dual meet record. That mark includes a 10-1 record in 2009-10, which is the program's best record since finishing 13-1 and placing second at the Big Ten in 1987.

IOWA IN BIG TEN HISTORY
Iowa has won three Big Ten team titles in school history (1936, 1981, 1982), and crowned 104 individual conference champions (76 in individual events, 22 in relays and eight in diving).

Three Hawkeyes have earned Swimmer of the Championships honors - Artur Wojdat (1991, 1992), Rafal Szukala (1994) and Ales Abersek (2000). Wojdat was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year three times (1990, 1991, 1992), while former Hawkeye John Davey earned the honor twice (1987, 1988). Diving coach Bob Rydze has been named conference diving coach of the year three times (1985, 1986 and 1995).

Two Hawkeye divers top the list of all-time Big Ten top performers. Timo Klami scored a 625.60 on one-meter (11 dives) in 2003, while Randy Abelman posted a 448.20 on three-meter (6 dives) in 1981.

Iowa won its last Big Ten individual swimming titles in 2000 when Ales Abersek took the 100 (47.68) and 200 fly (1:44.93) crowns and Jay Glenn won the 200 free (1:36.84). Iowa's last Big Ten diving champion was Timo Klami on three-meter (596.40) in 2003.

The Hawkeyes tacted on another two relay Big Ten titles to the list during the 2012 Big Ten Championships. Ryan Phelan, Gianni Sesto, Duncan Partridge, Paul Gordon won the 200 free relay with an NCAA `A' qualifying of 1:17.61. On the last day of the championships, Partridge, Phelan, Jordan Huff and Gordon posted the top-time in the 400 free relay (2:52.53).

Before the 2012 season, Iowa's last Big Ten relay champion was the 200 free relay of Krzystzof Cwalina, Tim Schnulle, Jim Mulligan and Rafal Szukala (1:19.69) in 1995.

HEAD COACH Marc Long
Marc Long is in his eighth season as head coach for the University of Iowa swimming team and seventh leading both the men and women's squads. He served two seasons as the Iowa women's assistant coach (2003-04) before taking over the helm for the 2004-05 season. He also served as the Hawkeye men's assistant coach from 1998-2001.

During his tenure as head coach of both programs, 54 school records have fallen and 93 Hawkeyes have automatically or provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships.

In 2010-11, the Hawkeye men set schools records in three individual events and all five relays, while the women's squad set a program record in one individual event and one relay. The men recorded a dual meet record of 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeye men sent Paul Gordon, Jordan Huff, Duncan Partridge and Ryan Phelan to the NCAA Championships in the 200 free relay. The quartet earned All-America honors in 400 free relay at the NCAA Championships. The Hawkeyes posted NCAA "B" cuts in 11 individual events and five relays. The women's team was named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) all-Academic team for the sixth-straight year, and 20 Hawkeyes earned academic all-Big Ten honors.

COACHING STAFF
Frannie Malone (Iowa, 2000) was named to the position of associate head last season Malone had served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator since joining the Hawkeye coaching staff in 2004. Long is assisted by Kirk Hampleman (Auburn, 2002), and Nathan Mundt (Iowa, 2000).

DIVING COACH Bob Rydze
Bob Rydze is in his 37th year as diving coach of the Hawkeye men and women's teams. Rydze served as Team Leader for the USA Diving team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, Rydze has coached 16 All-Americans, 11 Big Ten and one NCAA Champion.

IOWA SWIMMING HISTORY & TRADITION
Since 1917, the University of Iowa swimming and diving program has been rich in tradition. Iowa was one of the first schools in the nation to compete on a collegiate level, and competed at the first NCAA Championship. From 1937 to 1960, Iowa placed in the NCAA top 10 18 times, crowning nine NCAA and 22 Big Ten champions. In its 93-year history, the Iowa men's team has produced 17 Olympians, 26 NCAA champions and 382 All-Americans.

CAMPUS RECREATION AND WELLNESS CENTER
The Hawkeyes opened the 2010-11 season in their new Campus Recreation and Wellness Center pool, which opened in August 2010. Ground was broken for the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center in October, 2007. The facility is located at the corner of Burlington and Madison streets and estimated to have cost $69 million.