Michigan, USC Have Shots at History in Day 3 Finals Sessions

There is always history made at NCAA Championships. Literally, all of the results are recorded. History.

But there’s two really special things that could happen in tonight’s meet. No need to jinx it, but since you all asked….

Michigan Could Become the Most Titled Team in History

Based on official NCAA titles, Michigan and their rivals from Ohio State are currently tied with 11 national titles each. If the Wolverines win, which most signs point to them doing, then they would break that tie for their 12th NCAA team championship since the NCAA official began recognizing them in 1937.

Michigan would probably lead this list easily if team scores were awarded from 1924-1936. They hosted the meet 9 times in that period, and won the first 5 team titles awarded.

Michigan, of note, leads the all time event championships as well.

The all-time men’s rankings:

T-1. Michigan 11 (’95, ’61, ’59, ’58, ’57, ’48, ’41, ’40, ’39, ’38, ’37)
T-1. Ohio State 11 (’62, ’56, ’55, ’54, ’52, ’50, ’49, ’47, ’46, ’45, ’43)
3. Texas 10 (’10, ’02, ’01, ’00, ’96, ’91, ’90, ’89, ’88, ’81)
4. USC 9
5. Auburn 8
6. Stanford 8
7. Indiana 6
8. Cal 4
9. Yale 4
10. Florida 2
T-11. Arizona 1
T-11. Tennessee 1
T-11. UCLA 1

A USC Relay Win Gives Us the Most Diverse Relay Finishes Ever (in 5-Relay Era)

In 1989, the 200 medley relay was added to the NCAA schedule and the 200 free relay was returned to the schedule after a 59-year hiatus. In the 24 years since we’ve been on the 5 relay schedule, we have never had five unique relay winners. We’ve had four unique relay winners a few times, but never 5.

Thus far at this meet, the relay winners have been:

• Auburn, 200 free relay, 1:15.48
• Arizona, 400 medley, 3:02.09
• Michigan, 200 medley, 1:22.27
• Florida, 800 free relay, 6:13.27

This leaves us now on the precipice of history, as four relays have seen four different winners. USC enters as the 2nd seed in tonight’s 400 free relay, and some feel they could win. Coming into the meet, this was expected to be the Trojans’ best relay, with Vlad Morozov, Jack Wagner, Dimitri Colupaev, and Cristian Quintero all swimming well.

Michigan is the top seed out of the morning though, and with their quest for history above, I wouldn’t count on them rolling over.

Texas, Louisville, and Stanford, and Minnesota are all A-finalists as well and a win by any of them would also complete the 5-different-winners feat.

(Note: the only time that one relay has ever gone 5-for-5 in relays on the men’s side is Stanford in 1992. It’s a much more common occurrence on the women’s side.)

Ipsen Diving

We know how some of our readers feel about diving, but it’s worth noting that nobody has ever won all three diving apparatus in the same year. Many have done the springboard double, as Stanford’s Kristian Ipsen has done this year, but since the platform was added at NCAA’s in 1990, nobody has taken all three.

Ipsen is in the final, and has had big closing dives to win both boards so far, but it would seem like Duke’s Nick McCrory is the favorite to win the platform. Still in play though.

(Only once has the same guy won the platform and the 1-meter: Rio Ramirez from Miami in 1999. Texas’ Troy Dumais won the 3-meter that year: the first of four-straight titles in the event. Florida State Diving coach Patrick Jeffrey won all three titles in 1988, but the NCAA doesn’t start recognizing platform diving in its official records until 1990. We’re working on reconciling the two.)