Michigan Earns 6th Straight Men’s Big Ten Title On Bosch Triple

2016 BIG TEN MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, February 27
• Boilermaker Aquatic Center, West Lafayette, IN (Eastern Time Zone)
• Prelims 11AM / Finals 6:30PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Michigan (5x) (results)
• Live results
• Live Video ($)
• Championship Central

The Michigan Wolverines wrapped up their sixth Big Ten title in a row, winning 9 total events including a triple from Dylan Bosch.

Here is a look at the final team scores, plus a few big takeaways from the 2016 meet:

Team Scores:

1. Michigan – 1475.5
2. Indiana – 1306
3. Ohio State – 1294.5
4. Minesota – 919
5. Wisconsin – 832.5
6. Purdue – 725
7. Iowa – 551
8. Northwestern – 462
9. Penn State – 357.5
10. Michigan State – 230

1. Bosch Makes History

Michigan’s Dylan Bosch won his fourth consecutive 200 fly title on Saturday night, becoming the first swimmer in Big Ten history to 4-peat in the event. He joins Mark Spitz and Michael Troy as the only men to go undefeated in the event over their careers, as Spitz and Troy swam before the NCAA allowed freshman varsity eligibility. They each won three straight titles.

Bosch also repeated as 200 IM and 400 IM champ to finish his Big Ten career as the only triple individual winner at the 2016 meet.

2. Indiana rules relays

The Indiana Hoosiers actually beat out Michigan for relay supremacy, winning 3 of the 5 relay races. IU put a premium on the relays strategically: On Thursday, Tanner Kurz was set for a swim-off in the 200 IM after tying with Michigan’s Tristan Sanders for 16th. But Kurz declined the swim-off, instead taking the C final spot and falling to 22nd. But perhaps a bit fresher from bypassing the extra 200 IM, Kurz was able to put up a blistering 51.52 breaststroke split on the 400 medley relay that night, essentially the main difference-maker between IU and Michigan in that event. Interestingly enough, though Kurz missed out on a minimum of 8 points individually by not taking the swim-off, Michigan lost at least 11 points in the event when Sanders DQ’d in the B final of that 200 IM.

3. McHugh doubles up

Ohio State was led by sophomore Matt McHugh, who overcome tough challengers to pull off the tough 100 fly/100 back double on Friday night, winning both races. McHugh went right down to the wire to beat Indiana freshman Vinicius Lanza in the fly, 45.46 to 45.64, and then broke the meet record with a  45.07 in the 100 back. McHugh has turned into the type of elite versatile sprinter that Ohio State can build around heading into NCAAs.

4. Powers Joins The 18-Second Club

Michigan’s Paul Powers broke the conference record in the 50 free and became the second Big Ten man ever under 19 seconds with an 18.85. He joins Minnesota alum Derek Toomey, who set the Big Ten record back in 2014 at 18.95. Though the group of current NCAA swimmers under 19 continues to grow, Powers has set himself up for a high finish at NCAAs – and gives the Michigan relays some optimism they can drop from their Big Ten times as well. Powers split just 19.00 on the 200 medley relay with what is listed as a 0.72-second relay exchange – that’s actually slower than Powers’ reaction time on his flat start in the individual 50, when he went 18.85.

5. Pieroni Carries Indiana Freestyle to A Whole New Level

Part of the reason Indiana was so deadly in the relay events was the outstanding swimming of sophomore Blake Pieroni, who has taken things to the next level after a successful freshman year. Pieroni moved from a triple A finalist in his rookie year to winning dual Big Ten titles as a sophomore, pacing the 100 and 200 free fields. Pieroni proved the conference’s biggest threat through the relay-distance freestyle races, and put up the dagger split in the 400 free relay with a 41.64.