From Gridiron Glory to Aquatic Aspirations: Indiana’s Cinderella Tale Inspires NCAA Title Dreams in Swimming

In his inaugural year, Indiana’s head football coach Curt Cignetti earned the title of Big Ten Coach of the Year after guiding the Hoosiers to an impressive 11-1 season, igniting excitement in Bloomington.

Ray Looze, the head coach of swimming, notes that his athletes arrive at practice each day discussing the football team’s achievements, using it as inspiration in their own preparations. This surge of enthusiasm has been a much-appreciated infusion of positivity as the Indiana men’s team aims to contend for their first national title since 1975.

Looze openly articulates the influence of football on the swimming program, stating that a successful football team benefits everyone. “Football serves as the University’s front entrance and it elevates everyone… it holds significant value for Olympic sports.”

Just last year, Looze remarked that he couldn’t even give away football tickets if he attempted, whereas currently, swimming alumni are flocking to town attempting to acquire tickets for the games. This phenomenon has garnered national visibility for Indiana University and Bloomington, aiding in recruitment across all sports, including swimming.

With impactful transfers from the reigning NCAA champion Arizona State (Owen McDonald, Zalan Sarkany), Virginia (Matt King), and Towson (Brian Benzing), alongside an impressive freshman class and experienced upperclassmen, the Hoosiers are poised to pursue an NCAA title this coming March.

They will face stiff competition from various teams, including Texas and California, but Coach Looze is prioritizing the enjoyment of striving toward that ultimate goal. “I’ve never felt as thrilled about a college season as I do right now… If you have an opportunity to win a championship, it’s always extraordinarily special.”