2016 Men’s NCAA DI Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2016 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 23 – Saturday, March 26
• McAuley Aquatic Center – Atlanta, GA
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Texas (results)
• Championship Central
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday prelins & finals, Friday/Saturday prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Live results

400 IM – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 3:34.50, Chase Kalisz, 2015
• American Record: 3:34.50, Chase Kalisz, 2015
• U.S. Open Record: 3:34.50, Chase Kalisz, 2015
• Pool Record: 3:37.88, Ryan Lochte, 2006
• 2015 Champion: 3:36.37, Will Licon

Josh Prenot and Andrew Seliskar took care of business this morning for California, qualifying first and second into finals in the 400 IM at 3:39.10 and 3:39.51, respectively. Georgia’s Jay Litherland and Gunnar Bentz also swam well this morning. Litherland qualified third at 3:36.60 and Bentz qualified sixth at 3:40.06.

The defending NCAA Champion, Texas’ Will Licon, looked smooth this morning, finishing with the fourth fastest time this morning of 3:39.83.

Stanford, Tennessee, and Louisville were the other schools that were able to put a swimmer into the A final of the 400 IM this morning.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Prenot, Cal – 3:39.10
2. Andrew Seliskar, Cal – 3:39.51
3. Jay Litherland, UGA – 3:39.60
4. Will Licon, TEX – 3:39.83
5. Abraham DeVine, STAN – 3:40.06
6. Gunnar Bentz, UGA – 3:40.75
7. Sam McHugh, Tenn – 3:41.35
8. Nolan Tesone, UofL – 3:41.42

100 Butterfly – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 44.18, Austin Staab, 2009
• American Record: 44.18, Austin Staab, 2009
• U.S. Open Record: 44.18, Austin Staab, 2009
• Pool Record: 45.20, Masayuki Kishida, 2008
• 2015 Champion: 44.51, Joseph Schooling

Although they didn’t put six swimmers into the A final this year, Texas will lead the pack tonight with two swimmers in the A final. Joseph Schooling was the top qualifier at 44.68 and Jack Conger qualified fifth at 45.55.

In the second to last heat, Caeleb Dressel posted that fastest time of the morning, breaking the pool record with his time of 45.00. That record didn’t last long, however, as Schooling dove in right behind him in the next heat, lowering the record again.

Alabama’s Lucas Kaliszak and Ohio State’s Matt McHugh qualified third and fourth at 45.18 and 45.35, respectively.

Michigan’s Dylan Bosch earned his spot in the final with a 45.64, touching just ahead of Cleveland State’s Philipp Sikatzki at 45.65. The final qualifier was Georgia’s Pace Clark at 45.66.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Joseph Schooling, Texas – 44.68 (Pool Record)
2. Caeleb Dressel, Florida – 45.00
3. Lucas Kaliszak, Alabama – 45.18
4. Matt McHugh, Ohio St – 45.35
5. Jack Conger, Texas – 45.55
6. Dylan Bosch, Michigan – 45.64
7. Philipp Sikatzki, Cleveland St – 45.65
8. Pace Clark, Georgia – 45.66

200 Freestyle – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:31.20, Simon Burnett, 2006
• American Record: 1:31.31, Ricky Berens, 2013
• U.S. Open Record: 1:31.20, Simon Burnett, 2006
• Pool Record: 1:31.20, Simon Burnett, 2006
• 2015 Champion: 1:32.03, Cristian Quintero

Matias Koski earned the top seed in the men’ 200 freestyle with a top time of 1:32.21. It was a great race between Koski and Townley Haas, but Koski was able to pull ahead on the last 25. Haas finished second at 1:32.45.

Mitch D’Arrigo posted the third fastest time of the morning from out in lane 1. His time of 1:32.62 was just ahead of NC State’s Simonas Bilis at 1:32.77. D’Arrigo’s teammate, Jan Switkowski, qualified sixth at 1:32.99. Florida was the only team to put two swimmers into the A final.

Trent Williams had a big drop from his season best time to qualify fifth at 1:32.98. Indiana’s Blake Pieroni and USC’s Reed Malone were the last two swimmers to qualify at 1:33.08 and 1:33.18, respectively.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Matias Koski, Georgia – 1:32.21
2. Townley Haas, Texas – 1:32.45
3. Mitch D’Arrigo, Florida – 1:32.62
4. Simonas Bilis, NC State – 1:32.77
5. Trent Williams, California – 1:32.98
6. Jan Switkowski, Florida – 1:32.99
7. Blake Pieroni, Indiana – 1:33.08
8. Reed Malone, USC – 1:33.18

100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 50.04, Kevin Cordes, 2014
• American Record: 50.04, Kevin Cordes, 2014
• U.S. Open Record: 50.04, Kevin Cordes, 2014
• Pool Record: 51.82, Mike Alexanderov, 2008
• 2015 Champion: 50.25, Kevin Cordes

Missouri’s Fabian Schwingenschlogl held his top seed in prelims, going 51.53 for a new pool record and the top qualifying spot into the final.

The junior, who was an All-American last year for Western Kentucky, comes in just ahead of Tennessee’s Peter Stevens. Stevens had the best breastroke split on the 400 medley relay last night at 50.3, and went 51.67 for the second spot individually. Stevens showed his great front-end speed, leading all swimmers with a 24.00 on the opening 50.

The best back half, on the other hand, comes from Louisville’s Carlos Claverie, the last man under 52. Claverie cut six tenths off his seed to go 51.87, coming home in an outstanding 27.27.

A trio of mid-major swimmers made the A final in an event that’s turned over greatly from last year’s results. George Washington’s Andrea Bolognesi is 4th (52.06), Air Force’s Michael Barnosky 6th (52.13) and Oakland’s Devon Nowicki 8th (52.35).

Also into the A final: South Carolina’s Nils Wich-Glasen in 52.12 and Virginia Tech’s Brandon Fiala in 52.17.

Top 8 qualifiers:

1. Fabian Schwingenschlogl, Missouri – 51.53
2. Peter Stevens, Tennessee – 51.67
3. Carlos Claverie, Louisville – 51.87
4. Andrea Bolognesi, George Washington – 52.06
5. Nils Wich-Glasen, South Carolina – 52.12
6. Michael Barnosky, Air Force – 52.13
7. Brandon Fiala, Virginia Tech – 52.17
8. Devon Nowicki, Oakland – 52.35

100 Backstroke – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 43.51, Ryan Murpy, 2016
• American Record: 43.51, Ryan Murpy, 2016
• U.S. Open Record: 43.51, Ryan Murpy, 2016
• Pool Record: 43.51, Ryan Murpy, 2016
• 2015 Champion: 44.21, Ryan Murphy

California’s Ryan Murphy went 44.60 this morning, a time that would be a major drop for all but three other men in history, but that for Murphy seems like a relaxed morning swim after his absurd 43.5 leading off the 400 medley relay last night.

Murphy will be the heavy favorite tonight, and topped the field by a half second here while still finishing more than a second off his lifetime-best.

Alabama junior Connor Oslin is the closest challenger, going 45.16 and threatening to become just the 15th man ever under 45. Louisville’s Grigory Tarasevich (45.26) is also close to that barrier. Both men have made big strides this year – they were 5th and 10th, respectively, last year.

Brigham Young’s Jake Taylor sits fourth, exactly where he finished last year, after going 45.47 this morning. Out of the Pac-12, USC’s Ralf Tribuntsov (45.62) and Cal’s Jacob Pebley (45.68) are also in to the A final.

NC State gets a representative after Hennessey Stuart went 45.75, and Ohio State’s Matt McHugh made his second A final of the morning, going 45.76 after qualifying fourth in the 100 fly.

Notably, last year’s 7th-place finisher Jack Conger was a scratch for Texas, declaring a false start this morning.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Ryan Murphy, Cal – 44.60
2. Connor Oslin, Alabama – 45.16
3. Grigory Tarasevich, Louisville – 45.26
4. Jake Taylor, BYU – 45.47
5. Ralf Tribuntsov, USC – 45.62
6. Jacob Pebley, Cal – 45.68
7. Hennessey Stuart, NC State – 45.75
8. Matt McHugh, Ohio State – 45.77

200 Medley Relay – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:22.27, Michigan, 2013
• American Record: 1:22.40, California, 2015
• U.S. Open Record: 1:22.27, Michigan, 2013
• Pool Record: 1:23.88, Arizona, 2006
• 2015 Champion: 1:22.74, California

Like they did last year, Cal rolled away with the top prelims time in this event, going 1:23.50 to smash the pool record.

Ryan Murphy was a quick 20.49 on the backstroke leg, and as fast as that is, he could legitimately be faster tonight, even approaching the top split of all-time, which is believed to be Junya Koga’s 20.35. Cal also had Justin Lynch split 20.3 on fly and Tyler Messerschmidt finally started to look more like himself with an 18.90 anchor leg. The Golden Bears also used Connor Hoppe on breaststroke to the tune of a 23.73. In the 400 medley, they switched out Hopped for Josh Prenot in the finals and got almost a second faster on the split, but it’s hard to say if the 200/400 IMer Prenot would have the same kind of upgrade in the 50 yard sprint.

Missing the A final then blasting a big consol swim last night, Alabama left nothing on the table in this morning’s medley. The Crimson Tide went 1:24.14 for second, getting an 18.89 from Kristian Gkolomeev (on a very safe 0.36 split) and a 21.03 on backstroker Connor Oslin.

Texas is third in 1:24.16, with Joseph Schooling rattling off a 19.72 butterfly split, which is just .06 off the best split of all-time. Brett Ringgold was 18.7 for the Longhorns, but the breaststroke leg will have to improve from John Murray’s 24.2 if the ‘Horns are to compete tonight.

The SEC added two more programs with Georgia’s 1:24.42 (Michael Trice was a clutch 18.6 on the anchor, but Georgia, too, was too slow on breaststroke) and Auburn’s 1:34.66 (Peter Holoda was 18.6 himself on that anchor leg).

Louisville and Florida tied for 6th with Tennessee rounding out the top 8.

While relays have been the key to NC State’s rise into a national power, the relay races have also ironically been the Wolfpack’s Achilles’ heel. After DQing potential NCAA champion 200 free relays in 2014 and 2015, NC State this time coasted too much in prelims and missed the A final in this event after coming in with the top seed.

A bad breast-to-fly exchange (0.37 seconds) was part of it, but every leg gained time from their ACC Championship performance when that ACC time would have made them the top qualifier this morning. Anchor Ryan Held was still impressive at 18.6, but his 18.1 at ACCs was the key to that nation-leading time. NC State is 9th in 1:24.82 and will lead the B final tonight.

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. California – 1:23.50
2. Alabama – 1:24.14
3. Texas – 1:24.16
4. Georgia – 1:24.42
5. Auburn – 1:24.66
6. T-6 Louisville – 1:24.70
7. T-6 Florida – 1:24.70
8. Tennessee – 1:24.79