February 27, 1999
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern senior Brian Walters (Wyndmoor, Pa./William Penn Charter) became Northwestern's second Big Ten Champion in two years this evening, winning the 200-yard backstroke during the final day of the Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in Bloomington, Ind. Walters swam a 1:43.55, winning by nearly a second. He has now met the NCAA's qualifying standards for both the 100 backstroke, in which he finished 2nd yesterday, and the 200 backstroke events.
Last year's Big Ten champion from NU was sophomore Steve Steketee (Golden, Colo./Golden), who won the 200 freestyle to become NU's first Big Ten champion since 1966. Steketee finished second in the event this year. Walters' swim broke the Northwestern record, which he set at last season's meet, by 2.30 seconds. Sophomore Todd Capen (Lisle, Ill./Naperville North) also set an NU record, finishing the 200 butterfly preliminary with a 1:49.22 for his second NU mark in two days.
As a team, Northwestern moved up two spots in the final day of competition to finish in sixth place out of 10 teams. The NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships will be held March 25-27 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Below are NU's complete championship round results:
DAY ONE:
200 freestyle relay - 3rd - 1:21.48
500 freestyle - Steve Harms , 12th - 4:29.59
200 individual medley - Bill Johnson, 14th - 1:50.68
50 freestyle - Steve Steketee, 16th - 20.62
1-meter diving - Elliot Massuda, 16th - 3:46.35
400 medley relay - 4th - 3:17.22
DAY TWO:
200 medley relay - 8th - 1:31.23
400 individual medley - Todd Capen, 3rd - 3:52.99
100 butterfly - Adam Conway, 13th - 49.51
200 freestyle - Steve Steketee, 2nd - 1:37.31
100 backstroke - Brian Walters, 2nd - 47.93
800 freestyle relay - 3rd - 6:33.31
DAY THREE:
1,650 freestyle - Steve Harms, 12th - 15:47.02
200 backstroke - Brian Walters, 1st - 1:43.55
100 freestyle - Steve Steketee, 5th - 44.44
200 butterfly - Todd Capen, 8th - 1:49.23; Jason Merchant, 12th - 1:49.56
400 freestyle relay - 4th - 2:58.85