2018 Men’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2018 MEN’S PAC-12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tonight in Federal Way, Washington, swimmers are set to compete in the first individual event finals at the 2018 Men’s Pac-12 Championships as they race in the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free. They’ll also be swimming the 200 free relay tonight. The team battle between Cal and Stanford is heating up, with each having 10 A finalists. Stanford has 2 more B finalists than Cal, but the Bears are the favorites in the 200 free relay and come into the session with a 6-point lead. Check out the up/downs report here to see how close this team race is shaping up to be.

The 500 free final will feature defending champion Grant Shoults, but teammates Liam Egan, Matthew Hirschberger, and Johannes Calloni will challenge. The 200 IM will pit 4 Cal men against 4 Stanford men. Defending champ Andrew Seliskar is in the hunt, but teammate Matt Josa looks good after his 1:42.08 in prelims. Cal’s Justin Lynch leads the way into the 50 free final, but he’ll be up against teammates Ryan Hoffer, Michael Jensen, and defending champion Pawel Sendyk, as well as USC’s Olympic sprinter Santo Condorelli.

MEN’S 500 FREE:

  • Pac-12 Meet Record: 4:10.87- Grant Shoults (Stanford), 2017
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:12.49
  • 2017 NCAA Invite Time: 4:16.67
  1. GOLD: Grant Shoults, Stanford, 4:13.70
  2. SILVER: Sean Grieshop, Cal, 4:14.44
  3. BRONZE: Liam Egan, Stanford, 4:16.36

Stanford freshman Matthew Hirschberger had the early speed, but 2017 champ Grant Shoults and Cal’s Nick Norman were tied for the lead by the 300-yard mark. Stanford’s Shoults picked up the pace through the back half, repeating as champion as he pulled ahead of the field. Cal freshman Sean Grieshop used his back-half speed to knock a second off his best time and take the silver ahead of Stanford’s Liam Egan, who held off Norman (4:16.41) on the last 50 for the bronze. Hirschberger wound up 5th in 4:16.60, followed by fellow Cardinal freshman Johannes Calloni (4:16.85).

MEN’S 200 IM:

  • Pac-12 Meet Record: 1:40.07- David Nolan (Stanford), 2015
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.88
  • 2017 NCAA Invite Time: 1:44.34
  1. GOLD: Abrahm DeVine, Stanford, 1:41.17
  2. SILVER: Andrew Seliskar, Cal, 1:41.85
  3. BRONZE: Matt Josa, Cal, 1:42.35

Cal’s Matt Josa took off with a 21.70 fly split to lead, but Stanford’s Abrahm DeVine led by a second after the back leg. Cal’s Andrew Seliskar started to close the gap with a 29.35 breast split, but DeVine held steady down the final stretch to win it by over half a second. Seliskar joined him under 1:42, while Josa was slightly off his prelims time to take the bronze. Stanford’s Curtis Ogren and Cal’s Trenton Julian battled for 4th place, with Ogren holding off Julian into the finish to out-touch Julian 1:44.03 to 1:44.04.

MEN’S 50 FREE:

  • Pac-12 Meet Record: 18.80- Brad Tandy (Arizona), 2014
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 19.05
  • 2017 NCAA Invite Time: 19.43
  1. GOLD: Justin Lynch, Cal, 19.00
  2. SILVER:  Santo Condorelli, USC, 19.05
  3. BRONZE: Pawel Sendyk, Cal, 19.09

A 3-man battle through the last stroke saw Cal’s Justin Lynch clip USC’s Santo Condorelli and Cal’s 2017 champ Pawel Sendyk for the title. Lynch clipped another tenth off his best time, while Condorelli dropped nearly 2 tenths. Arizona’s Chatham Dobbs dropped a couple of tenths to take 4th in 19.12 ahead of Cal’s Michael Jensen (19.19). The Bears’ standout freshman Ryan Hoffer was 6th tonight in 19.25.

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY:

  • Pac-12 Meet Record: 1:15.54- Stanford, 2009
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:17.62
  1. GOLD: Cal, 1:15.78
  2. SILVER: USC, 1:16.55
  3. BRONZE: Stanford, 1:16.69

Cal’s Justin Lynch was just a nail off his time from earlier tonight to lead the Bears off in 19.06. He teamed up with Pawel Sendyk (18.80), Ryan Hoffer (19.13), and Michael Jensen (18.79) to take the win. USC picked up the silver highlighted by Dylan Carter‘s 18.82 on the 2nd leg. Stanford came in 3rd with an 18.91 from Sam Perry on the 3rd leg. Arizona’s Chatham Dobbs led off in 19.24 to help the Wildcats nab an NCAA ‘A’ cut and 4th place in 1:17.42.

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 2:

  1. Univ of California, Berkeley      379   2. Stanford University               361
  3. University of Southern Calif      254   4. Arizona State University          185
  5. Utah, University of               139   6. University of Arizona             127

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Korn
6 years ago

500 really slow. ASU had no A finalists?

Steve Swims
6 years ago

It was good swimming, but everyone else is right; we can’t judge these guys until NCAA’s

Jay ryan
6 years ago

Some highlights from tonite’s time trials. Matthew Salerno UA 52.79 100 BR. Ethan Young Cal 46.42 100 BK.

Jay ryan
Reply to  Lauren Neidigh
6 years ago

No I have been watching them and remembering the better times. Meet mobile has not been showing them. I heard last night that Nick Silverthorn, Matt Whittle, and Karl Arvidsson went 1:54+ in the 200 BR but have not been able to get the exact times. For those guys the exact times matter since 1:54.2-3 will likely be the invite times, and even so Cal has 16 likely qualifiers already with a bunch of guys trying for their cuts this weekend, so all Cal qualifiers may not get to go..

Lauren Neidigh
Reply to  Jay ryan
6 years ago

Gotcha. Thanks for sharing the times 🙂 hopefully they put up the full results soon!

Jay ryan
Reply to  Lauren Neidigh
6 years ago

i’ll try to take notes tomorrow and post if they don’t publish them by then

Lauren Neidigh
Reply to  Jay ryan
6 years ago

Great thanks!

Lucas
6 years ago

SECs spoiled me, I was yawning at the 1:41s in the 200im and the 19 flat 50 free…

Oldswimfan
Reply to  Lucas
6 years ago

If I remember correctly, Dressel didn’t swim the 50 and no one broke 19 at the SEC 50 free finals. Top three were 19.0, 19.1, 19.1…. yawnnnnnn

David
Reply to  Oldswimfan
6 years ago

Correct. Fastest at the SEC was Zach Apple with a 19.08.

40 Flat
6 years ago

Not gonna lie, I am kinda disappointed in everything outside of the 200 IM

Sccoach
Reply to  40 Flat
6 years ago

If it makes you feel any better, Cal rarely tapers their top tier guys for this meet.

A$AP Pocky
6 years ago

Catch Sweetser on the Steinway playing Chopin.

Hint of Lime
6 years ago

Happy for Lynch to get a title. Feel like he has been a heavy staple for Cal during his time, and glad to see him on top!

David
Reply to  Hint of Lime
6 years ago

I agree. He has earned it for sure.

NC Swim Fan
6 years ago

Hoffer’s stroke rate looks strange for a 50. To the naked eye, it was by far the slowest of all of the finalists. His underwaters also seem to have regressed.

tammy touchpad error
Reply to  NC Swim Fan
6 years ago

Wait a few weeks… If he doesn’t go best times we can ask questions.

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  NC Swim Fan
6 years ago

Cesar has a super slow tempo too. Most sprinters don’t, though, you’re right. I like Fratus and Vlads tempo during a 50. Pure turnover out of both.

Jmanswimfan
Reply to  NC Swim Fan
6 years ago

Yet he managed a solid time. This just means he’s gonna kill it when he goes all out at NCAA’s

coachymccoachface
Reply to  Jmanswimfan
6 years ago

People keep saying that but is a half a second off your best time in your conference meet really a solid time?

Swim
Reply to  NC Swim Fan
6 years ago

Maybe not rested… maybe it’s freshman blues… maybe it’s competition

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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