2017 B1G Men’s Champs: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2017 MEN’S B1G SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 22th to Saturday, February 25th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• Where: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Michigan Wolverines (results)
• Live Results
• Streaming (BTN subscription required)
• Championship Central: here

100 YARD BUTTERFLY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 45.73
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 48.29
• B1G Conference record: Chris Brady MICH 45.24 (2009)

1. Matt McHugh OSU 45.29
2. Vini Lanza IU 45.56
3. Noah Lense OSU 45.71
4. Cannon Clifton WISC 46.27
5. Tuomas Pokkinen MINN 46.28
6. Miles Smachlo MICH 46.30
7. Jerzy Twarowski IOWA 46.43
8. Evan White MICH 46.53

Home team Ohio State got off to a great start this morning, sending swimmers Matt McHugh (45.29) and Noah Lense (45.71) into the final seeded 1-3. McHugh was just hundredths off of the B1G record of 45.24, which has stood since 2009. Sandwiched in between the Buckeyes this morning was Vini Lanza at 45.56– last night Lanza split a 44.6 on the Hoosiers’ medley relay, and this showdown between the top three could be incredibly close.

Michigan had two up in this race, and more depth in the entire event, which should help them catch up a bit to IU tonight.

400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 3:40.76
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 3:54.49
• B1G Conference record: Tyler Clary MICH 3:35.98 (2009)

1. Charlie Swanson MICH 3:44.99
2. PJ Ransford MICH 3:46.48
3. Ching Lim OSU 3:46.66
4. Cameron Stitt MICH 3:47.15
5. Jakub Maly MINN 3:47.54
6. Adam Noens PUR 3:48.03
7. Stephen Holmquist MICH 3:48.10
8. Joshua Brooks PUR 3:48.39

Michigan really threw it down in the 400 IM, an event in which they have a lot of history. Led by freshman Charlie Swanson (3:44.99), the Wolverines finished 1-2-4-7 this morning, which will amount to a significant points surge tonight. 3rd went to Ching Lim of OSU at 3:46.66, with 5th going to Jakub Maly of Minnesota (3:47.54). This is a fairly compact top heat, and anyone who cruised this morning could surprise with big drops tonight.

200 YARD FREESTYLE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:32.97
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:37.99
• B1G Conference record: Michael Wynalda MICH 1:32.14 (2014)

1. Marwan El Kamash IU 1:33.25
2. Mohamed Samy IU 1:33.55
3. Joshua Fleagle OSU 1:33.63
4. Felix Auboeck MICH 1:33.70
5. Blake Pieroni IU 1:33.72
6. Brett Pinfold WISC 1:34.03
7. Jackson Miller IU 1:34.07
8. Anze Tavcar IU 1:34.32*
9. Matthew Hutchins WISC 1:34.32*

As advertised, the Indiana freestyle crew went off, and it paid off. They have four guys safely into the A final, with a tie between Anze Tavcar of IU and Matthew Hutchins of Wisconsin at 1:34.32 for 8th. Marwan El Kamash leads the way at 1:33.25, followed closely by Mohamed Samy (1:33.55), Josh Fleagle (1:33.63), Felix Auboeck (1:33.70) and Blake Pieroni (1:33.72).

After Pieroni’s 1:31.9 lead-off in the 800 free relay, expect him to come out firing tonight.

*UPDATE: Wisconsin’s Hutchins won the swim-off with IU’s Tavcar, leaving Hutchins in the A final and Tavcar in the B final.

100 YARD BREASTSTROKE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 51.93
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 55.39
• B1G Conference record: Richard Funk MICH 51.41 (2015)

1. Ian Finnerty IU 52.05
2. Chris Klein MICH 52.62
3. Jack Barone OSU 52.67
4. Conner McHugh MINN 52.73
5. Jacob Montague MICH 52.82
6. Levi Brock IU 52.88
7. Eric Sande MINN 53.03
8. Gunther Casell PSU 53.41

Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota each got 2 into tonight’s A final, with IU’s Ian Finnerty leading the way at 52.05. Michigan’s Chris Klein sits at #2 at 52.52, with OSU’s Jack Barone close behind at 52.67. As we’ve been seeing in many events at this meet, the top 8 is very close, and in this event, it looks like anyone’s race behind Finnerty.

100 YARD BACKSTROKE

• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 45.37
• NCAA ‘B’ cut: 48.49
• B1G Conference record: Ben Hesen IU 44.72 (2008)

1. Matt McHugh OSU 45.25
2. Shane Ryan PSU 46.08
3. Bob Glover IU 46.32
4. Tristan Sanders MICH 46.68
5. Thomas Trace OSU 46.72
6. Luke Papendick MICH 47.10
7. Mark Belanger OSU 47.11
8. Andrew Appebly OSU 47.19

Ohio State impressed this morning, getting four into the A final including top seed Matt McHugh at 45.25. McHugh performed the 100 fly/100 back double, going nearly the same exact time in both, and earning the top seed in both. Penn State’s Shane Ryan was 2nd in 46.08, but after his 44.9 last night, expect a much closer race between him and McHugh tonight.