2020 Men’s B1G Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2020 B1G MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 26th to Saturday, February 29th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• Where: Indiana University (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Indiana Hoosiers (3x) (results)
• Streaming: here
• Championship Central: here
• Estimated NCAA Invite Times
• NCAA ‘A’ Cuts
• Fan Guide
• Live Results 

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1

1. Michigan 120
2. Indiana 118
3. Ohio State 108
4. Wisconsin 100
5. Penn State 96
6. (TIE 6TH) Purdue 94
7. (TIE 6TH) Iowa 94
8. Minnesota 90
9. Northwestern 88
10. Michigan State 68

The first prelims session of the 2020 Men’s Big Ten Championships is underway this morning, featuring the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free. Today’s only returning 2019 champion is Michigan’s Felix Auboeck, who has won the 500 free the past 3 years. Auboeck’s teammate Patrick Callan is the top seed in the event this year, coming in with a season best 4:12.29.

The fastest returner in the 2o0 IM is Ohio State senior Andrew Loy, who was runner-up last year with a 1:41.36. Loy comes into the meet with a season best 1:48.85. Michigan’s Tommy Cope is the top seed heading into today, entering the meet with a 1:43.26 season best. Michigan’s Gus Borges is the top seed in the 50 free, entering with a 19.31.

500 FREE – PRELIMS:

• B1G Record: Peter Vanderkaay (MICH) – 4:08.60
• Meet Record: Felix Auboeck (MICH) – 4:09.27
• Pool Record:
• Defending Champ: Felix Auboeck (MICH) – 4:09.37
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:11.82

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Felix Auboeck (MICH) – 4:14.65
2. Patrick Callan (MICH)/Ricardo Vargas (MICH) – 4:14.70
3. –
4. Michael Daly (PSU) – 4:18.24
5. Cameron Tysoe (WISC) – 4:18.67
6. Mikey Calvillo (IU) – 4:19.90
7. Cameron Kelley (MINN)/Will Roberts (MICH) – 4:19.97
8. –

Michigan delivered in one of their top events this morning, advancing 4 swimmers to the A final tonight, as well as 2 swimmers to the B final. 3-time defending champion Felix Auboeck posted the top time of the morning, opening up a huge lead over the 2nd of the circle seeded heats to touch the wall in 4:14.65. The swim was just off his season best 4:14.00. Michigan teammates Patrick Callan and Ricardo Vargas raced stroke for stroke in the final heat, ending in a tie for 2nd, and ensuring the middle of the pool will be all Michigan tonight. Vargas’ time this morning was a season best.

There was another tie in the top 8 this morning, with Minnesota’s Cameron Kelley and Michigan’s Will Roberts each swimming 4:19.97 for 7th. Kelley’s swim marked a huge lifetime best, as he entered the meet with a personal best of 4:24.21. Penn State’s Michael Daly broke 4:20 for the first time in his career, establishing a new personal best of 4:18.24 for 4th this morning. Wisconsin’s Cameron Tysoe also broke 4:20 for the first time in his career, taking 5th this morning with a 4:18.67.

200 IM – PRELIMS:

• B1G Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:40.23
• Meet Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:41.05
• Pool Record:
• Defending Champ: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:41.05
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.34

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Paul Delakis (OSU) – 1:42.72
2. Jeremy Babinet (MICH) – 1:43.19
3. Tommy Cope (MICH) – 1:43.47
4. Van Mathias (IU) – 1:43.66
5. Charlie Swanson (MICH)/Mohamed Samy (IU) – 1:43.71
6. –
7. Andrew Loy (OSU)/Jacob Montague (MICH) – 1:44.12
8. –

Ohio State’s Paul DeLakis took the final heat to set the top time of the morning with a 1:42.72, pulling away from Michigan’s Tommy Cope in that last heat. DeLakis finished 4th in finals of this race last year, swimming his personal best of 1:42.67. Cope was 6th last year with a 1:43.37. The fastest returner from last year, Ohio State’s Andrew Loy, tied for 7th this morning with Michigan’s Jacob Montague in 1:44.12. Loy swam a 1:41.36 in finals last year to take 2nd place.

Michigan had another extremely strong showing, advancing 4 more swimmers to the A final in this race. Wolverine Robert Zofchak finished just outside the top 8, coming in 9th this morning with a 1:44.60.

Indiana’s Van Mathias took 4th this morning with a lifetime best of 1:43.66. Mathias had a previous top mark of 1:43.70.

50 FREE – PRELIMS:

• B1G Record: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 18.69
• Meet Record: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 18.69
• Pool Record:
• Defending Champ: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 19.11
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.96

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Bruno Blascovic (IU) – 18.96
2. Gus Borges (MICH) – 19.09
3. Gabriel Castano (PSU) – 19.15
4. Sem Andreis (OSU) – 19.28
5. Jack Franzman (IU) – 19.30
6. Will Roberson (PSU) – 19.50
7. Nikola Acin (PUR) – 19.52
8. River Wright (MICH) – 19.58

IU’s Bruno Blaskovic blew away his personal best time, along with the 2nd-to-last heat to establish the top time of the morning. Blaskovic’s 18.96 marks a .32 second drop for the junior, as well as an NCAA ‘A’ cut. The ‘A’ cut for NCAAs stands at 18.96. His time also stands as the top mark in the NCAA this season, as of the time we published this. IU picked up another A finalist in the event with sophomore jack Franzman, who also swam a huge personal best of 19.30. Franzman came into the meet with a lifetime best of 19.63.

Michigan’s Gus Borges, who entered the meet as the top seed, took 2nd this morning with a lifetime best of 19.09. Borges’ time came in just under his previous best of 19.11.

Ohio State’s Sem Andreis backed up his impressive 18.48 anchor on the medley relay last night with another huge lifetime best. Andreis entered the meet with a top time of 19.97, but blew that away this morning, dropping .71 seconds for a 19.28 and 4th place. Michigan’s River Wright and Penn State’s Gabriel Castano also swam lifetime bests this morning. Wright took 8th this morning with a 19.58, comming in well under his previous best of 19.84. Castano narrowly undercut his personal best of 19.20, swimming a 19.15 for 3rd this morning.

Purdue picked up their first A finalist of the meet, with Nikola Acin taking 7th with a 19.52.