2024 Men’s Division I NCAA Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
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Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

Day 3 Scratches

Order of Events

• 400 IM
• 100 Fly
• 200 Free
• 100 Breast
• 100 Back

Oi!!! It’s Friday, my avid readers and commenters, meaning the weekend is nigh upon us. However, these swimmers (and divers) don’t particularly care about that. Instead, to them, it’s “Moving Day”: A day on which some teams will look to move up after disappointing Days 1 and 2 while others will look to build upon last night’s successes. ASU had a strong showing last night, but Cal, Texas, and Indiana all had large upswings in points vs. seed and threaten teams above them in the rankings. While you wait, you can read and see all the stats regarding yesterday’s scoring.

Day 3 also sees our swimmers start to get into the technical events, as we start to see more of our specialized stars in the 100s of stroke. But we start with the 400 IM, where Leon Marchand, the NCAA record holder, will look to continue his immaculate form from last night’s 500 free. Marchand, who swam 3:28.82 to clear the majority of the record board in 2023, enters as the prohibitive favorite but may, like in the 500, not be the top seed into finals. It is unlikely as he enters as the only swimmer with an entry under 3:37, but there are seven other swimmers under 3:40 leading the charge behind him, and they will all need to jostle for position. Marchand’s teammate David Schlicht sits uneasily as the #2 seed at 3:37.97 but could see himself supplanted by youngsters Baylor Nelson (3:38.05) and Rex Maurer (Stanford).

The 100 fly may be just as hotly contested as the 50 free was yesterday. The top four from last year all return as Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan will look to defend his title against last night’s 50 free winner Josh Liendo, as well as Indiana’s Tomer Frankel and Stanford’s Andrei Minakov (the 2022 Champ). With the top 14 separated by less than a second, expect to see a fast prelim as swimmers all vie for the coveted A-final.

Perhaps not getting the duly deserved recognition that a new American record should deserve is our #8 seed, Luke Hobson. After swimming a 1:29.13 Wednesday night, the once sleepy 200 free has turned into a brawl. Florida’s Macguire McDuff (1:30.64) will be hard-pressed to defend his top billing as both Charlie Hawke (1:30.75) and Chris Guiliano (1:31.16) have already been faster this meet. When we add in Jordan Crooks, who swam the 100 fly last year, and the Cal trio (all who were part of the winning 800 Free Relay) of Gabriel Jett (#5 – 1:31.78), Robin Hanson (#10 – 1:31.95), and Jack Alexy (#27 – 1:32.74), that A-final is suddenly looking very crowded.

Our last two events of the session, the 100 breast and 100 back, start to show some new names into the mix. In the 100 breast, Liam Bell and Noah Nichols of Cal and UVA, respectively, are tied with 50.89 and will look to try to separate themselves from not only each other but from Carles Coll Marti who joins them as the only other swimmer seeded under 51.00. With Bell and #7 Denis Petrashov the only returning A-finalist, a lot of new faces will look to make a name for themselves.

Like in the 200 free, the 100 back’s defending champion is seeded dangerously or precariously, depending on how you look at it. Brendan Burns of Indiana is the #7 seed (44.62) and could find himself moving up and pushing the seeding out of wack, but so too could returning A-finalists Adam Chaney (#9 – 44.87), Nate Stoffle (#11 – 44.93) and Jack Dolan (#18 – 45.07). Atop the rankings are a good mix of fresh blood in #1 seed Hubert Kos (43.75), #2 Jonny Marshall (44.12) and #5 Will Modglin (44.49), and old pros in #3 Destin Lasco (44.28), and #4 Kacper Stokowski (44.36).

400 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• Meet Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• American Record: 3:33.42 — Chase Kalisz, Georgia (2017)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• Pool Record: 3:33.42 — Chase Kalisz, Georgia (2017)
• 2023 Champion: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State

Top 16:

1. Leon Marchand (ASU) – 3:35.75
2. David Schlicht (ASU) – 3:37.75
3. Mason Laur (FLOR) – 3:38.31
4. Tristan Jankovics (OSU) – 3:38.49
5. Baylor Nelson (TAMU) – 3:38.77
6. Jake Magahey (UGA) – 3:39.02
7. Gio Linscheer (FLOR) – 3:39.36
8. Jack Hoagland (SMU) – 3:39.85
9. Ian Grum (UGA) – 3:40.23
10. Dominik Mark Torok (WISC) – 3:40.84
11. Tyler Kopp (CAL) – 3:40.90
12. Danny Schmidt (AUB) – 3:41.00
13. Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero (FLOR) – 3:41.22
14. Cale Martter (ASU) – 3:41.47
15. Daniel Matheson (ASU) – 3:41.53
16. Kyle Ponsler (NC State) – 3:41.91

With just 5 heats in the event, there are not a lot of times put up before we get to the circle seed heats. Florida’s Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero won heat 1 in 3:41.22 and holds the top time. The Florida Gator dropped 3.25 seconds off his seed. It should be noted that it took 3:41.67 to make the top 16, and Gonzalez Pinero finished an agonizing 17th last year (3:41.99).

Heat 3, the first of our circle-seeded heats, saw a strong battle between lane 4’s Baylor Nelson and lane 1’s Tyler Kopp. Nelson’s breaststroke leg was the advantage over Kopp; as he moved to the sole lead by the 250 mark. Florida’s Gio Linscheer kept Nelson honest however, coming home in 50.89 as compared to the Aggie’s 52.26, with Nelson touching the wall in 3:38.77 vs Linscheer’s 3:39.36.

ASU’s David Schlicht showed why he makes a great training partner for Leon Marchand. Schlicht had a strong first 300 but was slowly reeled back to the field in the last 100. OSU’s Tristan Jankovics dropped 2.40 seconds to touch second behind him in 3:38.49, and Jake Magahey used his freestyle prowess to touch in 3rd in 3:39.02. Schlicht’s 3:37.65 was just a little faster than his seed but enough to take over the top spot with one heat remaining.

With 100 yards to go, Marchand had built a healthy lead of over 4.5 seconds over the field. His freestyle leg was a pedestrian 53.87, meaning that he certainly has much more to drop tonight. His 3:35.75 easily qualifies him into the final in first. Mason Laur, keeping the Freestyle U moniker alive for Florida, used a strong 51.72 to touch the wall in 2nd behind Marchand. His time of 3:38.31 safely qualifies him in 3rd for tonight’s final.

100 YARD BUTTERFLY – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Meet Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• American Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Pool Record: 43.58 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2017)
• 2023 Champion: Youssef Ramadan, Virginia Tech— 43.15

Top 16:

1. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 43.30 ***NEW POOL RECORD***
2. Tomer Frankel (IU) – 43.90
3. Luke Miller (NC STATE) – 44.06
4. Ilya Kharun (ASU) – 44.50
5. Dare Rose (CAL) – 44.52
6. Youssef Ramadan (VTECH) – 44.58
7. Gal Cohen Groumi (MICH) – 44.62
8. Aiden Hayes (NC STATE) – 44.63
9. Tyler Ray (MICH) – 44.74
10. Djurdje Matic (GW)/ Jordan Tiffany (BYU)/Arsenio Bustos (NC State) – 44.80
13. Scotty Buff (FLOR) – 44.88
14. Connor Foote (TAMU) – 44.92
15. Kacper Stokowki (NC STATE) – 44.94
16. Finn Brooks (IU) – 44.99

Up through the circle seed heats, the leading time was heat 1’s Arsenio Bustos with 44.80, followed by his teammate Kacper Stokowski at 44.94.

Heat 4 saw last year’s bronze medalist Tomer Frankel touch first. His time of 43.90 is actually.14 faster than his time from last year. Frankel is the first swimmer sub 44 as Dare Rose and Tyler Ray trailed behind with times of 44.52 and 44.74.

Heat 5 was a slow affair as ASU’s Ilya Kharun outdueled VTech’s Youssef Ramadan. The Canadian touched the wall in 44.50, adding .18 to his seed, while the Egyptian and defending champion was just behind in 44.58.

Josh Liendo, last night’s victor in the 50 free and the second fastest performer in the 50 fly (relay split), showed up this morning, touching in 43.3o. With that swim Liendo puts his name into the IUPUI Record Books, knocking off Caeleb Dressel’s pool record of 43.58.  Like Frankel, Liendo’s prelims swim this morning is faster than his runner-up performance last year (43.40). Stalking Liendo across that 100 was NC State’s Luke Miller, who dropped a tenth off his seed time to touch in 44.06.

200 YARD FREESTYLE – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:28.97 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• Meet Record: 1:28.97 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• American Record: 1:29.13 — Luke Hobson, Texas (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:28.97 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• Pool Record: 1:28.97 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• 2023 Champion: Luke Hobson, Texas — 1:30.43

Top 16:

1. Luke Hobson (TEX) – 1:29.75
2. Jack Alexy (CAL) – 1:30.38
3. Jordan Crooks (TENN) – 1:30.41
4. Charlie Hawke (BAMA) – 1:30.81
5. Chris Guiliano (ND) – 1:30.86
6. Rafael Miroslaw (IU) – 1:30.99
7. Gabriel Jett (CAL) – 1:31.28
8. Murilo Sartori (Louisville) – 1:31.42
9. Jake Mitchell (FLOR) – 1:31.55
10. Henry McFadden (STAN) – 1:31.65
11. Macguire McDuff (FLOR) – 1:31.70
12. Patrick Sammon (ASU) – 1:31.87
13. Kaique Alves (BAMA) – 1:31.98
14. Julian Hill (ASU) – 1:32.10
15. Keaton Jones (CAL) – 1:31.13
16. Robin Hanson (CAL) – 1:32.15

The first two heats saw a pair of 1:32s from Cal’s Keaton Jones and Michigan Eitan Ben-Schitrit with times of 1:32.13 and 1:32.85, but the times wouldn’t last long as heat 3 saw a massive swim from Jack Alexy. Alexy, who entered as 27th seed with a 1:32.74, dropped a massive personal best to hit the wall in 1:30.38. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as the Cal Bear swam the 3rd leg of the 800 free relay in 1:30.50.

The first of the circle-seeded heats saw a great duel between Chris Guiliano and Rafael Miroslaw. The pair were neck and neck into the finish, with the touch going to the Notre Dame swimmer in 1:30.86 vs. Miroslaw’s 1:30.99. Jake Mitchell was just a shade behind the group, touching the wall in 1:31.55.

Heat 5 saw our first, and so far, only sub 1:30 time as the newly minted American Record Holder Luke Hobson touched the wall in 1:29.75, leading the field by a wide margin. Hobson was nearly a second slower this morning at the 100 mark than his record, showing that he could have more in the tank for tonight. Alabama’s Charlie was about a second behind the whole race and touched for 2nd in the heat with a time of 1:30.81.

The last heat saw a little bit of an upset as Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks won in 1:30.41 over the top-seeded Macguire McDuff, who struggled a little and added a second to his seed time to finish in 1:31.70.

100 YARD BREASTSTROKE – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• Meet Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• American Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• Pool Record: 50.68 —Will Licon, Texas (2017)
• 2023 Champion: 50.00 – Max McHugh, Minnesota

Top 16:

1. Liam Bell (CAL) – 50.52 ***NEW POOL RECORD***
2. Ron Polonsky (STAN) – 50.87
3. Brian Benzing (Towson) – 50.92
4. Julian Smith (FLOR) – 50.94
5. Noah Nichols (UVA) – 50.97
6. Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 51.19
7. Denis Petrashov (UofL) – 51.25
8. Josh Matheny (IU) – 51.27
9. Aleksas Savickas (FLOR) – 51.35
10. Mariano Lazzerini (PENN ST.) -51.43
11. Jake Foster (TEX) – 51.58
12. Flynn Crisci (TENN) – 51.63
13. Peter Varjasi (FSU) – 51.69
14. Jassen Yep (IU) – 51.72
15. AJ Pouch (VT) – 51.82
16. Jaek Horner (UTAH) – 51.87

Sorry folks, there won’t be a heat-by-heat analysis here, but that’s the price we pay for fast swimming. Cal is on fire this morning, and Liam Bell just added more fuel to that conflagration, easily taking the top seed for tonight. His time of 50.52 not only eclipses the pool record of 50.68 but is also an improvement upon his 6th-place time from last year of 50.88. Bell entered tied as the #1 seed but now stands alone as Noah Nichols add a little time to his seed and touched in 50.97, but still safely qualifies into the A-final.

Entering the meet, there were only three entrants under 51.00, but this morning, there were five. Ron Polonsky of Stanford moved his way up to the #2 seed with a 50.87 and will be pressed by Towson’s Brain Benzing and his 50.92. Last year, Benzing placed 15th in the B-Final with a 51.48 and has shown remarkable improvements in this, his last year at Towson, as he is expected to attend Indiana next season.

100 YARD BACKSTROKE – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• Meet Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• American Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• U.S. Open Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• Pool Record: 43.99 — Ryan Murphy, Cal  (2017)
• 2023 Champion: 43.61 – Brendan Burns, Indiana

Top 16:

1. Destin Lasco (CAL) – 44.00
2. Kacper Stokowski (NC State) – 44.08
3. Ruard Van Renen (UGA) – 44.21
4. Adam Channey (FLOR) – 44.24
5. Owen McDonald (ASU) – 44.25
6. Hubert Kos (ASU) – 44.39
7. Brendan Burns (IU) – 44.51
8. Jonny Marshall (FLOR) – 44.52
9. Will Modglin (TEX) – 44.58
10. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) – 44.80
11. Jack Dolan (ASU) – 44.86
12. Tommy Janton (ND) – 44.91
13. Aiden Stoffle (AUB) – 45.01
14. Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 45.11
15. Cooper Morley (Penn State) – 45.12
16. Scotty Buff (FLOR) – 45.20

Destin Lasco was this close to making it two-for-two in new pool records for the Cal Bears, as he was just .01 away from Ryan Murphy’s record of 43.99. Last night’s winner in the 200 IM, Lasco, looks to be in good shape to eclipse his personal best of 43.93 from last year’s prelims, but danger lurks behind him, as several swimmers and former champions are looking to pounce.

Both the 2022 and 2023 champions, Kacper Stokowski and Brendan Burns, safely qualified for the A-final with times of 44.08 and 44.51. Both have been under 43.90, with Burns winning last year in 43.61, so look for this race to be fast.

Looking at the team race, ASU and Florida snuck two into the A-final as ASU’s Owen McDonald dropped 1.34 seconds from his seed to hit a new personal best of 44.25, Adam Channey, a returning A-finalist from last year, moved up from his 9th seed, posting the 4th fastest time of the morning in 44.24, while his teammate Jonny Marshall did enough to remain in the A-final swimming 44.52 after entering with the #2 fastest seed time of 44.12.