The North Carolina State Wolfpack got off to a scorching start in day 1’s prelims, and broke 1 ACC record and nearly broke another in two events on the day.
The challenge will be for them to keep that momentum going through day two, where in the 200 IM and the 500 free, the Wolfpack have no seeded scorers. If they can remain focused through those races, and maybe even sneak in a few points, then the 50 could be their change to fight back.
ACC Men
- Dates: Wednesday, February 26th – Saturday, March 1st; prelims 11AM/Finals 7PM (Diving is Feb. 20-22, with the women’s ACC Championships at Greensboro)
- Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Virginia (6x) (results)
- Live Results: Available here.
- Live Video (If available): Available here.
- Championship Central
500 Free
The field in the opening individual event of ACC’s wasn’t particularly fast in prelims, but all three heats of tonight’s 500 freestyle could easily be won by any of the eight swimmers competing: the A, B, and C finals are each separated by two seconds or less. Defending ACC champion Bradley Phillips of Virginia will look to command the middle of the pool tonight as the top qualifier (4:21.25). Jan Daniec, his teammate and top seed coming into the event, sits in third at 4:21.69. After placing outside the top three in both relays last night, the Cavaliers/Wahoos need big points here to combat their continuously-improving ACC competition.
In-state rival Virginia Tech, who currently holds the lead with a big diving edge, put three swimmers into the top eight, with freshman Jan Switkowski leading the way as the second overall qualifier (a career-best 4:21.55). Jake Ores (4:22.47) and Michal Szuba (4:22.96) sit sixth and seventh at the moment. North Carolina will have two swimmers in the top eight, as well, with John Stilley finishing fourth in 4:21.71 and John Beals taking fifth in 4:22.34.
The final swimmer in the A-final Christian McCurdy of NC State, who cut more than eight seconds off of his seed time to grab the eighth spot in the heat, finishing in 4:23.23. The time drop is astounding on paper, but that doesn’t mean McCurdy can’t go any faster; he has had a great 2013-14 season, including a great dual meet performance against Virginia earlier this year where he posted a 1:45.74 in the 200 fly and 3:50.58 in the 400 IM. He just hasn’t had many opportunities at putting together a good 500 freestyle until today.
200 IM
Defending ACC champion and conference record holder Pavel Sankovich earned the top spot in 1:43.43, easily his best time of the year, putting him a second ahead of the field. That swim should safely lock him up for NCAA’s individually, but Sankovich will be certainly be looking to duck under the NCAA ‘A’ standard of 1:43.38 tonight.
A pair of new school records were set amongst the top four finishers: North Carolina senior Alex Gianino cut two seconds from his previous best time to finish second overall in 1:44.23, setting a new UNC team record in the process (Tyler Harris, at 1:44.86, held the previous standard). Virginia Tech’s Brandon Fiala, a true freshman, broke the Hokies’ team record with his fourth-place 1:44.71.
Notre Dame, continuing their strong start in their first year in the ACC, put two swimmers into the top eight, including Zach Stephens, the number one seed heading into the meet, who touched in 1:44.55 for third. Colin Babcock, in seventh at 1:45.12, is the other Fighting Irish member.
Three other swimmers who finished in the top ten a year ago all qualified for the A-final tonight: Luke Papendick (Virginia, fifth, 1:44.74), Stephen Coetzer (NC State, sixth, 1:44.92), and Owen Burns (Virginia Tech, eighth, 1:45.47).
50 Free
Fresh off their dominant performance in last night’s relays, we knew NC State swimmers would make a huge impact in the 50 free, where arguably their four best swimmers were competing in the event. The Wolfpack of four didn’t disappoint: Simonas Bilis qualified first overall (19.19), and David Williams (third, 19.31), Jonathan Boffa (fourth, 19.39), and Andreas Schiellerup (eighth, 19.73) will all join him in the A-final tonight. While Bilis is the top seed, he’ll have his work cut out for him tonight: Boffa has been “the guy” for NC State in the sprint freestyle events for the past two years, and Williams dropped an 18.45 anchor leg last night for what many consider to be the non-Wynalda-800-free-relay-split swim of the weekend so far.
He’ll have external challengers, too. Florida State’s Paul Murray had the fastest swim of anybody at ACC’s a year ago (19.34 in prelims), and is the highest-finishing returner in the group. Andrew Kosic of Georgia Tech had a very good swim this morning (fifth, 19.51), and has the talent to pop off an even better swim tonight.
Frank Dyer of Notre Dame, who has focused on the 500 free last year on the first day of individual racing, sits sixth in 19.59. North Carolina’s Sam Lewis rounds out of the top eight (seventh, 19.71).
weirdo, is pitt fully funded? i know they offered a full scholarship to a teammate of mine years ago (female) i always assumed, but i never really followed big east swimming much.
my take on the first 2 sessions. holy crap NC state is coming on strong. even if this is the peak for them, their performances are speak volume. i grew up knowing don easterling, he was the NC state coach years ago, and even at his age he still teaches swimming at my gym, i often talk to him about swimming, and he said this was the year for nc state!
notre dame really came on strong to the ACC. with louisville next year acc’s will quickly become… Read more »
Pitt is hurting. They are at the bottom in between BC and Duke, both of whom don’t have scholarships (but Duke is getting them). Not an impact player into the ACC for sure!
Nc state 200 free relay will be exciting.. Top contenders at ncaas?
Possible contenders, but I still like Auburn on that race.
It is way early to extrapolate too much, and of course we’d all have to wait and see how well NC State can taper and perform twice, but going into NCAA’s NC State will definitely be seeded in the top 8 for all of the relays and in at least the top 4 for the sprint relays. What it all comes down to then is swimming to meet or exceed your seed swims. If NC State can do that, they will be a lock down Top 10 team at NCAA’s, likely in the 6th to 9th tier range. Let’s see how it goes, but they do have an exciting story now.
NC State with 6 guys under 20s in 50 free!!!! holy COW!!!!!
That was impressive – but getting those guys into A-finals in 200 IM and 500 free is equally as important, from the perspective of trying to win this meet.
To me it looks they are having all cards in sprints… They have potential of sweeping all relays as well… and winning all 100s of a stroke… NO idea if it will be enough but they will bring good 10 guys to the NCAAs and be respectable team there… I’m pleasantly surprises as they emerge as new ACC force
Yeah, relays are important, but not as important as you’d think at ACC’s. Winning all relays versus 2nd in al relays is wiped out by a single guy who wasn’t supposed to score getting into the A-final.
It will be an interesting test. They had a HUGE hole to make up after diving – about 180 points to Va Tech. That will be their big weight to work through, and those A-finalists in 200 IM/500 free are a great start to that.
Should be a big NCAA squad. Wonder what their biggest ever is? Will try and find out.
NC State is on fire. VT looks good. Frankly, UNC and UVa look stale. Clearly the UVa women have had a stellar season and will be a force at NCAA’s. On the men’s side they have talent but the performance is plainly not there this year. UVa should consider retaining Augie as the women’s coach, and do what most other major programs do…get a separate men’s coach. Money seems to be no object in Charlottesville, and it is something the UVa athletic department should strongly consider now.
Is anyone else having issues with the Live Results?
They’re working fine on my end.
It was browser related.