Blake Pieroni, Jr., a member of the 2013 U.S. Junior World Championship Team, has verbally committed to swim at Indiana.
With that, the IU sprint group in the 2014-2015 season will be almost unrecognizable from the one in the 2012-2013 season, where Indiana was painfully thin behind Daniel Kanorr.
“I’m so proud to be part of the Hoosier family.” Pieroni said of his decision.
Pieroni, who trains with the Duneland Swim Club (the same one that produced Michigan All-American Kyle Whitaker), has yards bests of 20.53, 44.17, and 1:37.04 in the 50-200 yard freestyles. He also added a bit of an unexpected 1:48.86 in the 200 IM to that list at the 2013 Indiana High School State Championship meet.
He’s the defending Indiana High School Champion in the 200 IM, and the two-time defending champion in the 100 free for Chesterton High School (including setting the State Record in the 2012-2013 season).
With another year under the belt of the young Indiana sprint group, including swimmers like Jackson Miller, this Indiana sprint group will be a long way from the 2012 and 2013 Indiana teams that didn’t score at NCAA’s in either the 200 or the 400 free relays.
In long course, Pieroni has been 23.41, 50.68, and 1:49.98 in the 50-200 freestyles, as well. He was 16th in the 200 free at the World Junior Championships (though that fell well off of his best time), and took a bronze medal as part of both the prelims and finals relays in the 800 free relay.
Indeed Wavenation! IU is rising the ranks and IMHO will be top 7 (possibly top 5) in 2-3 years. Looze is finally making some real traction.
Starting to change the complexion of IU swimming, seems like relays have become a major focus moving forward, which should equal a greater threat to the B1G and National scene. Maybe these were always a major focus, just not at the highest level.
It also seems like IU has started to become a “sexy/trendy” school as of late. Either way, impressive body of work.