Hawkeye quartet in NCAA pool this week

MINNEAPOLIS - Former Cedar Rapids Washington state champion Ryan Phelan is one of four University of Iowa swimmers competing in the NCAA Championships today through Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Juniors Phelan, Paul Gordon and Duncan Partridge and sophomore Jordan Huff made the 13-team field in the men's 200 freestyle relay with a third-place finish at the Big Ten meet in a school-record 1 minute, 18.28-seconds.

By qualifying in one relay, they are eligible to compete in the other four relay events.

“We are looking to compete in the 200 and 400 free relay,” Coach Marc Long said. “We may piece together a couple of other relays.”

Gordon qualified in the 200 free in 1:34.85. The other three, because they have “B” qualifying times and qualified in the relay, also will compete individually.

Phelan will swim the 50 free - in which he set a school record with a 19.75-second runner-up finish at the Big Ten meet, Partridge will swim in the 50 and 100 free and Huff the 200 free. Gordon will compete in the 100 free.

“We want to get up there and score, so making the meet is an expectation,” Long said, noting this was a “far-fetched” goal when the four joined the program.