2020 Men’s Big Ten Championships: Day 2 Finals 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
• Heat Sheet
• Live Results 

The 2020 men’s Big Ten Championships continues in Bloomington with finals of the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 3-meter diving, and 400 medley relay. With double the A finalists of Indiana, Michigan look to take the team scoring lead tonight.

Michigan’s Felix Auboeck looks to defend his title in the 500 free. He led prelims among 4 finalists for the Wolverines. Ohio State’s Paul DeLakis is the top seed for the 200 IM. Indiana’s Bruno Blaskovic headlines the 50 free. In prelims, he swam an 18.96 to become the fastest man in the NCAA this season.

MEN’S 500 FREE

• B1G Record: Peter Vanderkaay (MICH) – 4:08.60
• Meet Record: Felix Auboeck (MICH) – 4:09.27
• 2019 Champion: Felix Auboeck (MICH) – 4:09.37
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:11.82

1. GOLD: Felix Auboeck, Michigan, 4:10.14
2. SILVER: Kevin Callan, Michigan, 4:11.79
3. BRONZE: Ricardo Vargas, Michigan, 4:11.80

Michigan senior Felix Auboeck cemented his 4th-straight title in the 500 free. Auboeck distanced himself from teammate Kevin Callan on the back half, setting a new Pool Record to win it in 4:10.14. That’s his 6th fastest performance in the event.

Callan broke 4:12 for the first time as he battled with teammate Ricardo Vargas. Callan led through the front half, but Vargas pulled slightly ahead with 100 to go. Callan then outsplit Vargas on the penultimate 50 to lead by just a hundredth. They both split 24.81 on the final 50 as they secured a Wolverine podium sweep. Callan posted a 4:11.79 to Vargas’ 4:11.80.

Wisconsin’s Cameron Tysoe, who broke 4:20 for the first time this morning, dropped another 2nd to take 4th in 4:17.36. He came from behind on the final 50 to beat Penn State’s Michael Daly, who took 5th in a lifetime best 4:17.72. This meet marked Daly’s first time under 4:20 as well.

MEN’S 200 IM

• B1G Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:40.23
• Meet Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:41.05
• 2019 Champion: Vini Lanza (IU) – 1:41.05
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.34

1. GOLD: Andrew Loy, Ohio State, 1:42.03
2. SILVER: Paul DeLakis, Ohio State, 1:42.25
3. BRONZE: Tommy Cope, Michigan, 1:42.77

It came down to the wire between two Buckeyes, as Andrew Loy narrowly held off a back-half charge from teammate Paul DeLakis, winning 1:42.02 to 1:42.25. That shaved a few tenth’s off DeLakis’ best time. Michigan’s Tommy Cope broke 1:43 for the first time since 2018, hundredths shy of his best to take bronze in 1:42.77.

Cope moved ahead of Indiana’s Mohamed Hassan on the breast leg. Hassan closed in on him on the closing split. but came up just short to take 4th in a lifetime best 1:42.85. Michigan’s Charlie Swanson swam his fastest since 2018, less than 2 tenths shy of a best for 5th place in 1:43.21.

Wisconsin freshman Wesley Jekel swam the 6th fastest time of the night from the B final. He’s dropped over 3 seconds from his best throughout the day. He won the B heat by a second in 1:43.20.

MEN’S 50 FREE

• B1G Record: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 18.69
• Meet Record: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 18.69
• 2019 Champion: Bowe Becker (MINN) – 19.11
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.96

1. GOLD: Bruno Blaskovic, Indiana, 18.97
2. SILVER: Gabriel Castano, Penn State, 19.06
3. BRONZE: Sem Andreis, Ohio State, 19.18

Indiana’s Bruno Blaskovic, who broke 19 this morning to post the fastest time in the NCAA with a new Pool Record, was just a hundredth slower tonight in 18.97. He out-touched Penn State’s Gabriel Castano by 9 hundredths as Castano swam a lifetime best 19.06.

Following his breakthrough swim on last night’s 200 medley relay, Ohio State’s Sem Andreis has dropped over 8 tenths today. Coming into the meet with a best of 19.97, Andreis lowered his best with a 19.18 to take bronze. Michigan’s Luiz Gustavo Borges, who put up personal best a 19.09 in prelims, was just off the podium in 19.29.

Penn State’s Will Roberson rounded out the top 5, clipping a tenth from his prelims swim in a lifetime best 19.40. Indiana’s Jack Franzman took 6th in 19.43, just off his best from prelims. The 7th fastest time of the night came from the B final as Purdue’s Ryan Lawrence dropped a personal best 19.69 to win the heat.

MEN’S 3-METER DIVING

• Meet Record: Steele Johnson (Purdue) – 540.55
• 2019 Champion: James Connor (IU) – 494.10

1. GOLD: Ross Todd, Michigan 385.20
2. SILVER: Lyle Yost, Ohio State, 377.75
3. BRONZE: Greg Duncan, Purdue, 360.20

Michigan pulled even further ahead of Indiana in the team race with Ross Todd taking the title and Chris Canning placing 8th. It was Ohio State, however, taking the most points in the final as freshman Lyle Yost took the silver. Jacob Fielding was 5th for the Buckeyes, while teammate Jacob Siler was 6th. That pushed the Buckeyes into 2nd, 12 points ahead of Indiana.

Purdue nabbed bronze with Greg Duncan. That pushed them into the top 5, just ahead of Penn State by 27 points. Minnesota’s Jake Butler was less than a point shy of making the podium in 4th, boosting them ahead of Iowa to move up to 7th in the team race.

MEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY

• B1G Record: Indiana, 2019, 2:59.70
• Meet Record: Indiana, 2019, 3:01.30
• Defending Champ: Indiana, 3:01.63
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:05.95

1. GOLD: Indiana, 3:02.27
2. SILVER: Ohio State, 3:05.07
3. BRONZE: Michigan, 3:05.83

Indiana dominated this race to set a new Pool Record in 3:02.27. Gabriel Fantoni led them off in 44.98, just hundredths shy of his best. Zane Backes raced through the breast leg in 51.25, while freshman Brendan Burns put up a field-best 44.89 on the fly. Bruno Blaskovic then put up the fastest anchor of the field in 41.15.

Ohio State (3:05.07) and Michigan (3:05.83) raced for the silver. The Wolverines were ahead after Jeremy Babinet‘s 51.02 breast split and continued to lead through the fly though Ohio State’s Noah Lense (45.24) slightly outsplit Miles Smachlo (45.37). That was until Andrew Loy stepped up for the anchor, outsplitting Michigan’s Luiz Gustavo Borges 41.35 to 42.52 to move the Buckeyes into 2nd.

Minnesota and Wisconsin tied for 4th in 3:07.19. Max McHugh gave Minnesota the fastest breast split of the field in 50.77. They extended their lead over the Badgers with Matthew Thomas‘ 45.43 fly split, but Wisconsin anchor Griffin Back (42.62) ran them down into the finish to touch in a tie.

Penn State took the heat 1 win in 3:09.61, with Gabriel Castano anchoring in 43.01. They were 8th overall. Iowa was 2nd in the heat in 3:10.08 as Aleksey Tarasenko anchored in 42.45.

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 2

1. Michigan 555
2. Ohio State 401
3. Indiana 397
4. Wisconsin 274.5
5. Purdue 263
6. Penn State 237
7. Minnesota 227
8. Northwestern 206.5
9. Iowa 205
10. Michigan State 146