2017 M. NCAAs: Day 1 Prelim Times Much Faster in 2017 Than in 2016

2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 22 – Saturday, March 25
• IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Texas (results)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Event Previews
• Live Results
• Thursday Morning Heat Sheet

If the water levels at the IUPUI Natatorium look a little low today, it might be due to dramatically increased evaporation after swimmers scorched the pool this morning.  The first preliminary session of the 2017 NCAA championships had promised to be fast after some incredible swims at conference championships meets, and it did not disappoint.

The times to make it back this year were faster than last year in nine of the ten possible championship heats, as you can see below.  The last column shows where the 16th-place prelims swims from 2016 would have placed this morning.

The A-final of the 200 IM was the only event where the time to make it back this morning was slower than in 2016, and the only reason for that was a DQ by California’s Matthew Josa, who unofficially swam a 1:41.50.  Times to make it back were also affected in the 200 free relay and the 400 medley relay by Southern California and Alabama being disqualified, respectively, but were still substantially faster than last year.

Here’s a few other fun facts to help you get a sense of just how fast this meet has gotten.

• Just five years ago, Martin Grodzki of Georgia won the national championship in the 500 free with a 4:12.95.  If had repeated that time this morning, he would’ve had to settle for the B-final.
• In 2014, Longhorn Sam Lewis narrowly missed the A-final of the 500 after swimming a 4:14.09 and placing 9th by 0.03 seconds.  Today, that same time would’ve meant a harrowing swim-off for 16th place and a spot in the B-final.
• Florida’s 1:17.83 in prelims of the 200 free relay in 2013 qualified for the A-final.  Today, that same time would have meant that they were not the 1st, but the 2nd alternate.
• Had Alabama not DQ’d Cal would have missed the A-final of the 400 medley relay, despite having a 3:04.95.  That time would have placed 1st almost every year up until 2015.