100 Fly B-Final Pushed Coleman Stewart to NCAA Title in 100 Back

^{Reported by Jared Anderson.}

100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA record: Ryan Murphy (2016) – 43.49
• American record: Ryan Murphy (2016) – 43.49
• U.S. Open record: Ryan Murphy (2016) – 43.49
• 2017 NCAA Champion: Ryan Murphy — 43.99

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Coleman Stewart, NC State – 44.58
2. John Shebat, Texas – 44.59
3. Andreas Vazaios, NC State – 44.81
4. Austin Katz, Texas – 44.99
5. Robert Glinta, USC – 45.10
6. Nicolas Albiero, Louisville – 45.16
7. Anton Loncar, Denver – 45.20
8. Ralf Tribuntsov, USC – 45.34

In what was easily the closest race of these championships so far, NC State’s Coleman Stewart had the outside smoke, coming from lane 1 to win the event in 44.58. That required a comeback on Texas’s John Shebat, who was 44.59 after going out with reckless abandon in the front half.

NC State went 1-3, and they really needed those points after not having a scorer in the 200 free or 100 breast. Andreas Vazaios was 44.81 for third.

Texas, meanwhile, went 2-4 with Austin Katz fourth (44.99). That’s a big run for the Longhorns, who will probably be battling with Indiana for the team lead tonight.

USC’s duo of Robert Glinta and Ralf Tribuntsov took 5th and 8th, with Louisville’s Nicolas Albiero and Denver’s Anton Loncar in between.

Georgia’s Javier Acevedo win another brutally tight B final battle, going 45.20. Grand Canyon’s Mark Nikolaev was 45.21 and Cal’s Daniel Carr 45.24.