2016 NCSA SPRING JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 15th-19th, 2016
- Short Course Yards Prelims/Long Course Meters Finals
- Prelims 8:30 AM Eastern Time/Finals 6:00PM Eastern Time (Except Tuesday, where they’re 4:00PM)
- Orlando YMCA // Orlando, Florida
- Live Stream
- Psych Sheets
- Championship Central
- Live Results via MeetMobile: “2016 NCSA Spring Championship”
**Tonight’s finals will be contested in long course after this morning’s prelims session**
This morning, it was the 100 breaststroke that brought about the biggest headlines of the NCSA Jr National Champs thus far. The battle between Michael Andrew and Reece Whitley started with Andrew edging ahead, taking the top seed with a 52.25, with Whitley a touch behind at 52.80. Tonight, the 16-year-olds will clash in the big pool, with Andrew’s 15-16 NAG record sitting at 1:00.68.
On the girls’ side, however, the NAG has already been shattered. This morning, LIAC’s Margaret Aroesty threw down a 58.98 to tear past Nikol Popov‘s 15-16 NAG record of 59.64 set in 2015. Nobody else was under a minute this morning. She’ll be eyeing Megan Jendrick’s 15-16 NAG long course record of 1:07.05 tonight. Before 16-year-old Aroesty’s swim this morning, Jendrick (neé Quann) was the youngest female breaststroker to dip below 59 seconds.
Also competing today will be Stanford commit Katie Drabot, the 100 free top seed. Drabot swam a 49.15 this morning, and turned around to swim a 1:02.59 to tie her for 16th place. Swimming with nine individual events, she’s the top seed in all but one, the 100 breast. Drabot has a big week on tap, and as a ferocious swimming in long course, she has big expectations in finals of each of her events.
GIRLS 200 BACK FINALS
- Lucie Nordmann 2:10.86
- TIE – Genevieve Pfeifer 2:13.44
- TIE – Amanda Smith 2:13.44
15-year-old Lucie Nordmann took the 200 back with ease tonight, going out very smoothly in a 1:04.22. She shrugged off Erin Earley, who led at the 50 mark, and stormed back in a 1:06.64 to win the event by over two seconds. Earley faded to fifth at 2:14.25.
Genevieve Pfeifer touched 2nd at 2:13.44 in an exact tie with Amanda Smith.
Right behind the tie at 4th was 15-year-old Alexandra Sumner, who finished up just 16 hundredths back at 2:13.60.
LIAC’s Kristen Romano finished 6th at 2:15.02, and Sophie Skinner (2:17.79) and Eireni Moshos (2:18.56) rounded out the A final.
The B final went to NOVA of Virginia’s Lauren Meeker at 2:14.73, with Megan Byrnes, last night’s 1650 free runner-up taking the C-final at 2:14.42.
BOYS 200 BACK FINALS
- Wade O’Brien 2:01.88
- Dean Farris 2:02.91
- Matthew Marquardt 2:03.68
Dean Farris was the top seed going into tonight’s finals, but NOVA’s Wade O’Brien got his hand to the wall first in the big pool with a 2:01.88. Farris, meanwhile, touched 2nd in 2:02.91.
Next to the finish was Matthew Marquardt at 2:03.68, and those were the only three that dipped under 2:05 in the A final. O’Brien’s teammates from NOVA, Jacob Johnson (4th, 2:05.23) and Aaron Schultz (6th, 2:07.86), finished up well in the A final, too.
FAST’s Nicholas Alexander was 5th in 2:06.17, while Ethan Young (2:09.31) and Luke Sobolewski (2:12.98) rounded out the A final.
2:01.83 was the time for Griffin Alaniz to take the B final, who would have won the event’s A final if he’d been faster this morning.
GIRLS 100 FREE FINALS
- Katie Drabot 55.03
- Morgan Hill 56.08
- Riley Gaines 56.31
Ozaukee Aquatics’ Katie Drabot, who held 8 #1 seeds of 9 entered events on the psych sheets for this meet, wasn’t first to the wall at the 50 meter mark. Drabot, an exceptional racer, still pulled off a monster back half to win the event by over a full second. Her time of 55.03 is a few hundredths under her old best time, as she nears closer and closer to the 55 second barrier.
The rest of the field was fairly bunched up, with 2nd place Morgan Hill of NCAP touching at 56.08. She was followed closely by Riley Gaines at 56.31 and Mikaela Dahlke (56.58).
Morgan Tankersley split a 26.71 to her feet for the early lead, but couldn’t quite hold and faded to 5th at 56.60. Paige Madden touched at 6th (56.77), followed by Olivia Calegan (57.33) and Genevieve Pfeiffer (57.94). Pfeiffer courageously took on this event after her solid tie for 2nd in the 200 back less than 45 minutes earlier.
Emma Cole had a big swim out of the B final, winning it with a time of 56.53.
BOYS 400 FREE FINALS
- Brendan Meyer 3:54.60
- Trey Freeman 3:56.99
- Talmadge Davis 3:57.27
Northern Kentucky Clippers’ Brendan Meyer took this one with a time of 3:54.60, over two seconds ahead of 2nd place finisher, 15-year-old Trey Freeman (3:56.99).
Talmadge Davis grabbed third (3:57.27) less than a tenth ahead of NCAP’s Lane Stone (3:57.35). Stone’s teammate Samuel Pomajevich (3:58.06) finished 5th.
Future Michigan Wolverine, current NOVA of Virginia stud Charles Swanson used a huge final 100 to take 6th with an impressive 3:58.08.
Antonio Thomas was 7th with a 3:58.97, followed by future Stanford freestyler James Murphy (4:00.27).
GIRLS 100 BREAST FINALS
- Margaret Aroesty 1:09.25
- Kate Douglass 1:10.49
- Halle Morris 1:10.63
After her huge 58.98 in the SCY pool this morning, Margaret Aroesty followed up with a 1:09.25, the only swimmer under 1:10, to take the event tonight.
Jacqueline Clabeaux went out quick in a 33.69, but the long course pool got the best of her, as she would fade to 8th with a 1:15.39 after her 1:00 this morning. Aroesty was out at 33.08 and had a great back half at 36.17.
14-year-old Kate Douglass took almost a full second off of her lifetime best with a 1:10.49 for 2nd place. Following her to the wall were Halle Morris (1:10.63), Alexis Wenger (1:11.94), and Alexis Yager (1:12.07).
Jaclyn Hill of Chattahoochee Gold touched 6th at 1:12.76, right ahead of New Trier Swim Club’s Ingrid Wall (1:12.98).
Kayla Jones won the B final with a 1:10.82, a time that would’ve placed her 4th in the A final.
BOYS 100 BREAST FINALS
- Michael Andrew 1:01.01
- Reece Whitley 1:01.24
- Jacob Montague 1:02.01
In the much-anticipated race of the night, it was sprint sensation Michael Andrew who shot out to the lead with a 28.37. Jacob Montague hung tough with a 28.90 at the 50, actually edging Reece Whitley by .05.
Despite Whitley’s strong push between about the 70 and 90 meter marks, getting right up with Andrew’s shoulders, it was Andrew who hung tough for the win at 1:01.01. Whitley was just behind him at 1:01.24, with Montague at 3rd. Andrew was pretty close to his NAG record of 1:00.68.
Daniel Chang and Spencer Rowe were both under 1:04, with Chang at 1:02.95 and Brown at 1:03.87. Brennan Pastorek and Tommy Cope were also right together at the finish, touching at 6th (1:04.05) and 7th (1:04.14), respectively. Dillon Hillis of Mako finished 8th (1:05.06)
Charles Swanson, who earlier grabbed 6th in the 400 free, swam a strong 1:03.03 to win the B final. He zoomed by Charlie Scheinfeld of New Trier (1:03.52) in the final seconds of the race to get the win.
GIRLS 200 FLY FINALS
- Taylor Pike 2:10.89
- Delaney Walz 2:11.92
- Azra Avdic 2:13.81
This morning’s top seed, Taylor Pike, held her position and rocked a 2:10.89 to take the 200m fly. Pike swam a smart race, not going out too hard and complementing a smooth first 100 with a strong back 100. 2nd went to Delaney Walz (2:11.92), 3rd to Azra Avdic (2:13.81).
Carley Lowe took fourth with a 2:14.26, followed by Luciana Thomas (2:15.33) and Emma Cole (2:15.86).
15-year-old Halladay Kinsey was 7th at 2:16.68, and NCAP’s Kylie Jordan rounded out the A final with a 2:17.20.
The B and C final winners would’ve both finished in the top 8 with their times tonight. Long Island Aquatic Club 14-year-old Lauryn Johnson smoked a 2:15.96 to take the C final, while Jaden Bellina also going a 2:15.96 to win the B final.
BOYS 200 FLY FINALS
- Brendan Meyer 1:59.98
- Samuel Pomajevich 2:00.72
- Ted Schubert 2:01.31
400 free champion Brendan Meyer showed off his versatility with a big win in the 200 fly, just going under the 2-minute mark with a 1:59.98. This takes nearly a second off of his previous best of 2:00.86, done at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Austin this past January.
Pomajevich, who placed 5th in the 400 earlier, took the 2nd spot. NOVA of Virginia’s Ted Schubert grabbed third.
16-year-old Camden Murphy took 4th (2:03.08), followed by NOVA’s Aaron Schultz (2:03.92). Schultz was 6th in the 200 back.
Miles Smachlo (2:04.71), Joseph Milinovich (2:06.39), and Nicholas Alexander (2:06.85) rounded out the top 8.
NOVA’s Will Riggs showed up big in the B final. His time of 2:01.66 won the heat, was a best by a few tenths, and most importantly, earned him the first Olympic Trials cut of his career.
The Beast of the night goes to BMeyer! 2 wins in the 400 Free & 200 Fly.. Come people think about that! And both were best times.
Lucie Nordmann now the 9th fastest 15/16 US girl ever in the LCM 200 back with her 2.10.86.
Great battle between Andrew and Whitley in the 100 breast. Who will be the first to break the minute barrier? Probably Andrew but who knows?
Another proof LCM and SCY are 2 different sports. Margaret Aroesty swam an amazing 58.98 in the 100 breast in yards and destroyed the 15/16 NAG record. Her PB was 1.00.00 before the meet. We could expect something between 1.07 mid and 1.08 low in long course. She won the race in a disappointing 1.09.25. She didn’t even beat her best time. I’ve remarked that most of the US kids struggle to swim fast in long course… Read more »
Pretty sure Swanson got 9th in the 400, not 6th. Schubert, also from NOVA, was in the A final and finished 7th.
Evie Pfeifer took on this event with 20 min in between…not 45. Shes a beast.
Andrews fastest time of 2016 so far with that 1:01.01 , good time for March . I am almost positive he will break 1:00 come Trials in June . Whitley close to his PB as well
I don’t know. If he wasn’t doing USRPT then yeah that would be a great time for March, but just seems like to me the young man has plateaued with his current training regimen. Maybe he’ll surprise me, who knows.
I don’t think he’s plauteaeud at all! He probably hasn’t propperly tapered or shaved since winter jnats when he through down that 51 100 breast. I really think he has a shot at the olympic team even though Im hoping for a Wilson/Cordes 100 breast combo
It’s spencer ROWE. Not Brown.
I predict Andrew goes a 1:01.5 and Reece a 1:01.7