Feb. 27, 2004

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Theoretically, swimmers are only supposed to swim hard and fast enough in the prelim sessions to get them to the finals later that night. Try telling that to Northwestern's men's swimming and diving team. Sitting in third place after one day of finals competition, the Wildcats came out gunning for more than just an appearance in the finals; they were taking aim at more records.

In yesterday's prelim session, two school records, one pool record and a Big Ten Championship record all fell at the hands of Northwestern swimmers. Today was no different. Tony Swanson shattered the Big Ten Championship record, the Purdue Aquatics Center pool record, and a Northwestern school record in the 100-yard butterfly with an NCAA "A" standard time of 46.97, giving him the top time heading into the final.

Freshman Mike Alexandrov, who swam the breaststroke leg of NU's record-breaking 400 medley relay team, qualified himself for the NCAA Championships in the 100-yard breaststroke with a pool record-breaking time of 53.84. The mark is also a NU school record. He heads to tonight's final with the top prelim time as well. Alexandrov broke another Northwestern record and placed third in the 400 individual medley with a time of 3:50.36 this morning and will look to add points in the finals.

Louis Torres advanced to the finals and will likely qualify for the NCAA Championships with his time of 54.38.

Classmate Matt Grevers, who has already claimed gold medals in the 50 free and 400 medley relay, took first in the prelim session in the 100 backstroke with a time of 46.91. His 46.74 leadoff split in the 400 medley relay last night set a Big Ten, Big Ten Championship, pool, and Northwestern school record.

Matt Wever placed seventh in the 200-yard freestyle, which advances him to tonight's final. His time of 1:37.59 broke and old pool record. That mark, of course, was eclipsed by each of the six swimmers who finished ahead of Wever in this morning's event.

Diver Mike Oxman finished 11th in the three-meter compeition with a score of 280.30.