NCAA Swimming : USC Seeks 10th Championship

Swimmers don’t usually wear numbers, but the USC swimmers are all wearing the number 10 on their suits this weekend as they compete at the Indiana University-Purdue University Natatorium in Indianapolis for the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. title.

USC will be going for its 10th NCAA men’s swimming title in the meet that begins today and runs through Saturday. The Trojans, who haven’t won a swim title since 1977, were ranked No. 1 going in to the meet.

It would also be NCAA title No. 10 for Coach Peter Daland, who has been the Trojan coach for 31 years.

The Trojans surprised even themselves a year ago when they came up through the ranks to place second to Stanford, which has won three straight titles. To finish second, USC barely got past third-place Florida. Once again those three schools are expected to challenge for the title, with UCLA, Michigan and Arizona State vying for high finishes also. The Bruins won the national title in 1982.

Stanford won the Pacific 10 title two weeks ago.

USC has qualified 14 swimmers for the national meet, including Dan Jorgensen, who won the 500-yard freestyle last year, and senior Dave Cademartori, who was high-point man for the meet last year.