2018 Men’s B1G Ten Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2018 MEN’S B1G CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day 3 from Minneapolis will be a busy one, with five individual events scheduled for this morning’s prelims. Heats in the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back will be swum, with the 200 free relay added to tonight’s program.

All four members of Indiana’s record setting 400 medley relay last night will be favored in their respective events, with Vini Lanza in the 100 fly, Blake Pieroni in the 200 free, Ian Finnerty in the 100 breast and Gabriel Fantoni in the 100 back.

The 400 IM will see Michigan’s Tommy Cope and Charlie Swanson, who took 4th and 9th respectively in the 200 IM last night, clash with teammates Ricardo Vargas and PJ Ransford who went 2-3 in the 500 free.

100 Fly Prelims

  • B1G Meet Record: 44.91, Matt McHugh (OSU), 2017
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 45.49
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 48.29
  • 2017 Invite Time: 46.10
  1. Vini Lanza, IU, 45.25
  2. Noah Lense, OSU, 45.41
  3. Evan White, MICH, 45.54
  4. Michael Salazar, OSU, 45.99
  5. James Jones, MICH / Henrique Painhas, OSU, 46.05
  6. Jerzy Twarowski, IOWA, 46.27
  7. Miles Smachlo, MICH, 46.37

Indiana’s Vini Lanza topped the 100 fly prelims in 45.25, moving to #2 in the country in the event.

Ohio State sophomore Noah Lense joined Lanza under the NCAA ‘A’ standard of 45.49, clocking 45.41 for the 2nd seed into finals. His Buckeye teammates Michael Salazar (45.99) and Henrique Painhas (46.05) also made it through to the final in 4th and t-5th.

Michigan also put three men into the A-final, led by 200 IM runner-up Evan White. White qualified 3rd in 45.54, with James Jones (46.05) and Miles Smachlo (46.37) t-5th and 8th. Jerzy Twarowski of Iowa qualified 7th in 46.27.

400 IM Prelims

  • B1G Meet Record: 3:38.03, Tyler Clary (MICH), 2009
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:39.95
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 3:54.49
  • 2017 Invite Time: 3:44.92
  1. Tommy Cope, MICH, 3:42.75
  2. Joseph Milinovich, WISC, 3:44.01
  3. Charlie Swanson, MICH, 3:44.02
  4. Adam Noens, PUR, 3:45.81
  5. PJ Ransford, MICH, 3:46.20
  6. Ricardo Vargas, MICH, 3:46.30
  7. Spencer Lehman, IU, 3:47.14
  8. Nick Hogsed, OSU, 3:47.62

Michigan’s Tommy Cope led a group of four Wolverines into the 400 IM A-final, clocking 3:42.75 for the top seed. Cope was the fastest man through 200 yards, but made his real mark on breaststroke where he split 1:00.73.

Charlie Swanson won the last heat to take the 3rd seed in 3:44.02, and PJ Ransford (3:46.20) and Ricardo Vargas (3:46.30) also got through for Michigan in 5th and 6th.

Wisconsin’s Joseph Milinovich knocked over nine seconds off his seed time to qualify 2nd overall from one of the early heats, clocking 3:44.01, while Purdue’s Adam Noens sits 4th in 3:45.81.

200 Free Prelims

  • B1G Meet Record: 1:32.13, Blake Pieroni (IU), 2017
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:32.54
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:37.99
  • 2017 Invite Time: 1:34.20
  1. Felix Auboeck, MICH, 1:33.10
  2. Mohamed Samy, IU, 1:33.94
  3. Blake Pieroni, IU, 1:34.01
  4. Paul DeLakis, OSU, 1:34.29
  5. Andrew Loy, OSU, 1:34.47
  6. Mokhtar Al-Yamani, MICH, 1:34.72
  7. Nicholas Saulnier, MINN, 1:34.88
  8. Ryan Stack, WISC, 1:35.46

Felix Auboeck of Michigan and Mohamed Samy of Indiana both used strong back halfs to win their respective heats of the 200 free, qualifying 1-2 overall in 1:33.10 and 1:33.94 respectively.

Reigning champ Blake Pieroni won the final heat and qualifies 3rd overall in 1:34.01. Auboeck and Pieroni had identical 1:31.51 splits on the 800 free relay on night 1, so tonight’s race should be an exciting one.

Ohio State freshman Paul DeLakis continued his impressive performance in Minneapolis with a swim of 1:34.29, qualifying him 4th. DeLakis has already split 1:32.93 in the 800 free relay, and added a 3rd place finish in the 200 IM last night. His teammate Andrew Loy, who led off that relay in 1:33.42, qualified 5th overall in 1:34.47.

100 Breast Prelims

  • B1G Meet Record: 51.38, Ian Finnerty (IU), 2017
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.74
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 55.39
  • 2017 Invite Time: 52.62
  1. Ian Finnerty, IU, 50.82
  2. Levi Brock, IU, 51.81
  3. Conner McHugh, MINN, 52.04
  4. Jacob Montague, MICH, 52.40
  5. Jeremy Babinet, MICH, 52.61
  6. Connor Islings, OSU, 52.79
  7. Trent Pellini, PUR, 52.88
  8. Jack Barone, OSU, 52.90

After a nasty 50.16 split on the 400 medley relay last night, Indiana’s Ian Finnerty continued the momentum with a blazing fast prelim swim of 50.82. Finnerty’s swim breaks his IU school record, the Big Ten record, the pool record, and crushes his meet record of 51.38 set last year. He now sits #2 in the country behind Caeleb Dressel.

His teammate Levi Brock knocked nearly three seconds off his seed to qualify 2nd in 51.81, narrowly missing the ‘A’ cut of 51.74. Conner McHugh of Minnesota took 3rd in 52.04, and the Michigan duo of Jacob Montague (52.40) and Jeremy Babinet (52.61) sit 4th and 5th.

100 Back Prelims

  • B1G Meet Record: 44.65, Shane Ryan (PSU), 2017
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 45.25
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 48.49
  • 2017 Invite Time: 46.28
  1. Gabriel Fantoni, IU, 45.82
  2. Mohamed Samy, IU, 46.52
  3. Joseph Young, PUR, 46.59
  4. Kenneth Mende, IOWA, 46.83
  5. Matt Novinski, WISC, 46.85
  6. James Beckman, IU, 46.87
  7. Jacob Steele, IU, 47.00
  8. Tristan Sanders, MICH, 47.02

Gabriel Fantoni of Indiana took the top spot in the 100 back prelims, clocking a time of 45.82. Fantoni led off the 400 medley relay in 45.17 last night and should have more in the tank for tonight.

Three more Hoosiers made the A-final, led by Mohamed Samy (46.52) who had a nice double with the 200 free. James Beckman and Jacob Steele also made it through in 6th and 7th.

While Indiana will take up half of the final, four other schools will have one swimmer competing. Joseph Young (46.59) qualified 3rd and will represent Purdue, while Kenneth Mende (Iowa), Matt Novinski (Wisconsin) and Tristan Sanders (Michigan) qualified 4th, 5th and 8th overall.

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Bob Evans
6 years ago

Will Jack Collins make a surprise appearance in the 1650?

Not Jack Collins
Reply to  Bob Evans
6 years ago

Of course not.

marklewis
6 years ago

Michigan is piling up the points in the 200 and longer events. They got about half their total points in just the the 500 free and 200 IM.

Was it supposed to close between Indiana and Michigan for the team title?

SUNY Cal
Reply to  marklewis
6 years ago

MI would be winning big if it wasn’t for diving!!

IU fan
6 years ago

Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio State are again bringing back an impressive number of second swims. Michigan has the most, but that will again be eaten into by IU and OSU’s divers. The energy at this meet must be fantastic with how close it is with these three.

PACFAN
6 years ago

Can Dressel keep his 100 breast record? Find out tonight. I think Finnerty probably has 50 low, 49 high in him, tonight and at NCAAs. I also think Dressel has 49.0-49.5 if he swims the breast at NC’s. I also think Schooling is ready for a 43 mid at NCAAs (Dressel 42 high or 43 flat). So if I’m Caeleb, I’m thinking that either event there’s someone who, with the perfect swim, can catch me if I’m off at NCAAs. Which do I pick? Personally I’m for the 100 fly, if only because it’s a “flashier” event.

Maverick
Reply to  PACFAN
6 years ago

What in the?

What are you basing these predictions off of?

Hswimmer
Reply to  PACFAN
6 years ago

LMAO

Lucas
6 years ago

wow 50.8! that prelim swim knocks him to top ten swims of all time in the 100 breast, good job

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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