COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State men's swimming and diving team is in second place - just 10.5 points behind Louisville - after the first day of competition at the three-day Purdue Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind. The Buckeyes have 270 points. Louisville has 280.5 and Purdue and Missouri State round out the field with 206 and 68.5 points, respectively.

Ohio State's tremendous depth enabled the Buckeyes to qualify 14 swimmers into three individual final and consolation final races, including eight swimmers in the 200 individual medley.

Individually, Stefan Sigrist swam to a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle with an NCAA "B" qualifying time of 4:26.86. George Markovic (fourth) and Mark Nieman (sixth) also scored points for the Buckeyes in the race. 

Justin Farra also swam to an NCAA "B" cut with a time of 1:48.65 in the 200 IM. Farra was second in the event. Three other Buckeyes - Niksa Roki, Andrew Olson and Austin Mudd - also swam in the championship final and finished third, fourth and eighth, respectively.

The eight point scorers in the 200 IM enabled Ohio State to score 81 points in the event.

Senior diver Wes Wieser, coming off a red-shirt season last year, was second on the one-meter springboard to lead a 2-3-4 Ohio State finish with Ryan Jefferson and Burkley Show third and fourth, respectively.

Ohio State's two relays were second and third, respectively. The 200 freestyle relay of Joel Elber, Andrew Olson, Andrew Bretscher and Lincoln Fahrbach was third in 1:22.57. The 400 free relay of Andrew Elliott, Elliott Keefer, Bretscher and Elber was third in 3:18.78.

Elber also took fifth in the 50 freestyle in a time of 20.90.

The competition resumes Saturday morning.

Men's Swimming

Day 1 at Purdue Invite

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

West Lafayette, Ind.

Team Scores: 1. Louisville 280.5; 2. Ohio State 270; 3. Purdue 206; 4. Missouri State 68.5.

Ohio State Top Finishers: 200 medley relay - 3. Elber, Olson, Bretscher, Fahrbach (1:22.57); 500 freestyle - 1. Stefan Sigrist (4:26.86); 200 IM - 2. Justin Farra (1:48.65); 50 freestyle - 5. Joel Elber (20.90); 3-meter diving - 3. Wes Wieser (357.25); 400 freestyle relay - 2. Elliott, Keefer, Bretscher, Elber 3:18.78).

####