No. 3 Indiana Wins Three Big Ten Titles in Dominant Friday

Friday, February 27

Madison, Wis.

6 p.m.

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships - Finals

No. 3 Indiana Wins Three Big Ten Titles in Dominant Friday

2/27/2026 11:20:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

MADISON, Wis. – No. 3-ranked Indiana swept two events, won three conference titles and earned 11 medals on Friday (Feb. 27), the third of four days at the 2026 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Soderholm Family Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.

IU extended its lead in the team standings to 250 points with one day remaining in the competition. If the Hoosiers can close, they'll win their fifth consecutive and 32nd overall Big Ten Championship in men's swimming and diving Saturday night.

"Fantastic night for the Hoosiers," IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. "One of our better days in program history. Sweeping two events and winning numerous others put the Bison in a good position with one day to go. There's more work to do tomorrow. Time to run into the storm."

Indiana swept the medals in both the 100-yard backstroke and the 500-yard freestyle.

The Hoosiers opened the night with the 1-2-3 finish the 100 back, with senior Owen McDonald (44.52) leading the way. McDonald's second consecutive title in the event also marks Indiana's eighth consecutive winning of the 100 back between himself, Gabriel Fantoni (2019-20) and Brendan Burns (2021-24). Sophomore Miroslav Knedla (44.74) repeated as silver medalist in the event, and classmate Raekwon Noel's personal best 44.82 touched just in front of Northwestern junior Stuart Seymour.

Senior Zalán Sárkány blasted a Big Ten Championship, pool and program record and personal best 4:09.14 to lead another 1-2-3 performance in the 500 free. Sophomore Luke Whitlock (4:09.60) also set a personal best to finish within a half second behind Sárkány, and junior Aaron Shackell touched third in 4:11.33.

A year after missing the 50-yard freestyle championship final, junior Mikkel Lee topped the podium in the "splash-n-dash" Friday night – his first individual Big Ten title. Lee was the Big Ten's lone swimmer under 19 seconds, his 18.98 touching two hundredths in front of Ohio State sophomore Matthew Klinge.

Indiana settled for a 2-3-4 finish in the 200-yard breaststroke with two freshmen reaching the podium. Josh Bey (1:50.03), Noah Cakir (1:50.47) and senior Toby Barnett (1:50.75) all dropped personal best times to create a wall of cream and crimson in the event. Cakir's time marked a 17-18 National Age Group record in the 200 breast.

Senior diver Maxwell Weinrich joined the podium party with his performance on the 3-meter springboard, capturing 388.75 points to grab the silver medal. Weinrich has reached the championship final in both diving events this week.

"I am so happy for Max," IU head diving coach Drew Johnasen said. "The silver medal was his best finish at this meet on 3-meter. He continues to be a huge part of the team's quest for another championship. Josh also had a career-best finish today.

"The energy in the pool was electric. I can't wait to see what everyone does tomorrow."

The night ended with a close finish in the 400-yard medley relay, as Michigan kept Indiana from extending its winning streak in the event to 11 years by one hundredth of a second. Junior Dylan Smiley nearly closed in on U-M's Antoine Sauve, splitting 40.60 in the anchor to Sauve's 41.43, but ran out of water in the end.

TEAM SCORES
1. Indiana – 1,061.5
2. Michigan – 811
3. Ohio State – 712.5
4. Wisconsin – 569.5
5. Purdue – 527
6. Northwestern – 514
7. USC – 463.5
8. Minnesota – 430
9. Penn State – 307

RESULTS
100 BACKSTROKE
1. Owen McDonald – 44.52 (Big Ten Champion, NCAA Cut)
2. Miroslav Knedla – 44.74 (Big Ten Silver, NCAA Cut)
3. Raekwon Noel – 44.82 (Big Ten Bronze, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
9. Kai van Westering – 45.35 (NCAA Cut)
15. Vidar Carlbaum – 46.06 (NCAA Cut)

200 BREASTSTROKE
2. Josh Bey – 1:50.03 (Big Ten Silver, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
3. Noah Cakir – 1:50.47 (Big Ten Bronze, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
4. Toby Barnett – 1:50.75 (Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
9. Alexei Avakov – 1:52.98 (Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
16. Travis Gulledge – 1:55.29

500 FREESTYLE
1. Zalán Sárkány – 4:09.14 (Big Ten Champion, Championship Record, Pool Record, Program Record, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
2. Luke Whitlock – 4:09.60 (Big Ten Silver, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
3. Aaron Shackell – 4:11.33 (Big Ten Bronze, NCAA Cut)
13. Luke Ellis – 4:16.83 (NCAA Cut)
17. Andrew Shackell – 4:17.06 (NCAA Cut)

50 FREESTYLE
1. Mikkel Lee – 18.98 (Big Ten Champion, NCAA Cut)
t7. Dylan Smiley – 19.27 (NCAA Cut)
9. Travis Gulledge – 19.33 (Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
16. Vidar Carlbaum – 19.82

3-METER DIVING
2. Maxwell Weinrich – 388.75 (Big Ten Silver, NCAA Zone Qualifier)
11. Joshua Sollenberger – 329.85 (NCAA Zone Qualifier)

400 MEDLEY RELAY
2. Miroslav Knedla, Alexei Avakov, Owen McDonald, Dylan Smiley – 3:00.16 (Big Ten Silver, NCAA Cut)

UP NEXT
Championship Saturday.

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