2018 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 21 – Saturday, February 24
- Texas Swimming Center, Austin, TX (Central Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Texas men (21x) & Texas women (5x) (results)
- Live results
- NCAA Qualifying
- Live Video
- Championship Central
The 2018 Big 12 Championships kicked off with time trials this morning, but the official competition begins tonight in Austin, Texas. Swimmers are set to compete in finals of the 200 medley relays and 800 free relays. We’ll also see men’s 1-meter diving action.
WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY:
- GOLD: Texas, 1:36.87
- SILVER: TCU, 1:40.31
- BRONZE: Iowa State, 1:40.37
The Texas squad dominated, with Claire Adams leading off in a 24.07 back split. Olivia Anderson took over the breaststroke leg in 27.37, handing off to butterflier Mimi Schneider (23.91). Rebecca Millard closed with a 21.53 free leg. Notably, Texas’ Kennedy Lohman had the fastest 50 breast split of the field with a 26.71 from the B relay. Teammate Lauren Case had the fastest fly split from the B team as well in 23.56.
A close battle for silver saw TCU, Iowa State, and Kansas come within hundredths of each other. TCU and Kansas had a big lead going into the final leg, but Iowa State’s Laura Miksch powered through with a 21.84 anchor leg to chase down Kansas for bronze and nearly catch up to TCU as well.
MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY:
- GOLD: Texas, 1:24.30
- SILVER: West Virginia, 1:25.97
- BRONZE: TCU, 1:29.07
Freshman backstroke ace Austin Katz got things started for the Horns with a 21.61 backstroke leadoff, while Austin Temple put up a 24.30 on the breast leg. Olympic champ Joseph Schooling threw down a quick 19.60 on the butterfly leg. Brett Ringgold sealed the deal with an 18.79 on the anchor. That split by schooling was the 3rd fastest fly split in history, behind only his own 19.36 from the 2016 NCAA Championships and 19.45 from last season’s NCAAs.
Casey Melzer was just a nail faster for Texas from the B relay with a 24.29 breast split. Tate Jackson took on the fly leg there in 20.12. With Jackson looking like he could dip under 20 come NCAAs, Texas may consider using Schooling on the breast leg and Jackson on the fly. The fastest breast split of the field tonight came from West Virginia’s Jake Armstrong in 23.76.
MEN’S 1-METER DIVING:
- GOLD: Jacob Cornish, Texas, 367.05
- SILVER: Michael Proietto, West Virginia, 364.70
- BRONZE: Logan McHenry, West Virginia, 330.15
It was Texas on top again as Jacob Cornish won a close contest with West Virginia’s Michael Proietto. WVU got 2 on the podium as Logan McHenry earned the bronze. Additionally, the Mountaineers had Austin Smith and Caleb Keck place 6th and 7th respectively.
WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY:
- GOLD: Texas, 6:58.53
- SILVER: West Virginia, 7:10.66
- BRONZE: Kansas, 7:13.75
Texas blew away the field again, with Quinn Carrozza leading off in 1:45.02. Rebecca Millard (1:44.98) and Joanna Evans (1:46.30) took over the middle legs. Anchoring was Claire Adams in a quick 1:42.33. Freshman standout Evie Pfeifer had the 2nd fastest split for Texas with a 1:44.36 anchor on the B relay.
WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1:
1. University of Texas 80 2. Texas Christian University 62 2. West Virginia University 62 2. University of Kansas 62 2. Iowa State University 62
MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY:
- GOLD: Texas, 6:16.78
- SILVER: West Virginia, 6:27.82
- BRONZE: TCU, 6:36.67
Jeff Newkirk led off for the champion Longhorns in 1:32.80, making him the 6th fastest man in program history according to the Longhorns’ twitter account. That was a best time for Newkirk by nearly 8 tenths, beating his 1:33.58 from the 2017 NCAA meet. Austin Katz (1:34.60), Jonathan Roberts (1:35.99), and Townley Haas (1:33.39) followed to win the event. Jacob Huerta and Sam Kline tied for Texas’ 4th fastest split overall, each putting up a 1:34.71 from a rolling start on the B relay.
West Virginia took 2nd with a 1:36.58 leadoff from Ryan Kelly and a 1:35.21 3rd leg from Nate Carr. After their huge points haul in diving, WVU leads Texas in the team standings by 11 points thus far.
MEN’S TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1:
1. West Virginia University 126 2. University of Texas 115 3. Texas Christian University 89
I heard he went 18.60 for the 50 fly last week in a drag suit while towing a small aircraft
I heard it was a blue whale
I shall never ever doubt Texas ever
Yeah but 2 years ago he went 19.36 and this year he only went 19.6? Plain and simple, he peaked.
2 years ago he was 19.9 at this meet. Last year 20.3
Actually when we compare Texas 200 medley this year to last year Big 12, this year is not too bad. Last year the line-up was Shebat, Licon, Schooling and Ringgold (loaded with stars). Time was 1:24.23 (split: 21.20, 23.70, 20.31, 19.02). In the end, the same line-up won the 200 medley with NCAA and US open records last year.
yea, except nobody on Texas can even go 23.7, let alone 22.9 like Licon did at NC’s. and Schooling isnt going to drop .8 seconds like he did from Big 12 to NCs last year, since hes already 19.6. There doesnt seem to be much room for improvement on this years relay, it is in trouble
Sour grapes.. Never doubt them. Schooling went 23.54 breast leg in Texas invite.
Sour grapes over what? Just because Schooling is from your country doesn’t mean you can ignore simple math. If you sacrifice schooling for the breast for a 6 tenths gain, guess what you lose? The same amount of time in the fly, probably even more. So bringing up breast is worthless. Texas was a second and a half slower than florida, with no discernable time to drop.
They won’t get top 3 this year.
Sour grapes here.. Never doubt Texas men. Schooling went 23.54 breast leg in Texas Invite. Please check before commenting.
Hmm. I’m wondering if you’ll care about Texas men at all after march of this year.
If I remember correctly, 1:34.7 is a huge effort from Parker Neri, who already dropped a 4:16 500 in December when his 200 was 1:36 or 1:37. Bodes awfully well for his 500 Thursday.
I’m pretty sure he was 1:35 low at the Ohio high school state meet last year.
You’re absolutely right. Still really curious about his 500 since he didn’t have the 1:35 speed when he went 4:16
Looks like the Texas piano moving business is alive and kicking.
Texas does not belong in this conference. If you can win a Big 12 title with a 6:16 in the 800 free relay and the next closest time is 6:27, that’s a problem.
Texas B 800 free relay would have been 3rd at ACCs
Texas B 200 medley would have came in 9 out of 11 at ACCs, and 11 out of 11 at B1Gs
A relays… 200 Medley 5th at SECs & 800 Free 2nd at ACCs by 0.1, 3rd at SECs and B1G hasn’t swum 800 yet… so i’ll predict 3rd (to be updated)
I doubt the line up for 200 medley in NCAA will be similar to Big 12. If Shebat didnt swim the backstroke leg, Texas might not win.