Construction went fast. The doors were opened on June 1, 1990. And in the annals of University of Minnesota athletics facilities, the $11 million originally spent to construct what's now the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center goes unsurpassed for a fantastic use of dollars.
The NCAA men's swimming and diving championships will be there Wednesday through Saturday for the eighth time since 1994. The women's championships also have been there four times since 1993.
Why do the NCAA, coaches and competitors offer raves after their Minneapolis visits? It's not because of the weather. It's more the water.
Kelly Kremer, the Gophers' head coach for men's and women's swimming, said: "There's a number of good reasons, and also a big reason: We're known to be one of the fastest pools in the world. There aren't many times a big event is held here and you don't see records broken."
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