2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 27-30, 2024
- IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Official Psych Sheets
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- SwimSwam Pick ‘Ems Contest
- How to Watch
- Live Results
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap| Day 3 Finals Live Recap
Here we are: the final day of the 2024 Men’s NCAA Championships. This week has been incredible, seeing tons of NCAA Records broken. Given how the first three days have gone, it seems like we’ll likely see more records broken today.
This morning’s prelims session will feature heats of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. The 1650 free will also be swum as a timed final event today, with the early heats going in the afternoon and the fastest heat swimming at the beginning of tonight’s finals session. The meet will end in finals tonight with the 400 free relay, while today’s diving event is platform.
At the end of Friday night’s session, Arizona State was holding onto a considerable lead. The Sun Devils are up 56.5 points on 2nd-place Cal and, given ASU has swimmers seeded to score in every event today, it looks extremely likely that the Sun Devils will be their first-ever NCAA trophy at the end of today. Florida was running 2nd behind ASU, however, a DQ in the 400 medley relay last night has left them in 3rd, 13.5 points behind Cal.
One of the most anticipated swims of the day will be Arizona State junior Leon Marchand‘s 200 breast. Marchand set the NCAA Record in the event at last year’s NCAAs with a 1:46.91. Given how well Marchand has been swimming this week, including his 48.63 breast split on the 400 medley relay last night, it feels like he’ll make a run at that record tonight in finals. This morning, he’ll probably just do what he has to in order to earn a middle lane for finals.
The 200 back should also be a great race. ASU sophomore Hubert Kos broke Ryan Murphy’s legendary NCAA Record back at the Pac-12 Championships earlier this month. Kos, however, hasn’t quite been as sharp as he was at Pac-12s so far this week in Indy. Behind him, Cal senior Destin Lasco is a massive threat. Lasco has been swimming very well this week and his career best of 1:35.87 is just 0.18 seconds off Kos’ NCAA Record of 1:35.69. There’s also Florida freshman Jonny Marshall, who is the #2 seed coming into the morning. Marshall clocked a 1:36.68 at the SEC Championships last month.
The 100 free represents Notre Dame junior Chris Guiliano‘s last chance (this year) to become the first Fighting Irish swimmer to win an NCAA title. He was 4th in the 50 free on Thursday and 3rd in the 200 free last night, however, the 100 free is his best event. Guiliano comes in as the top seed, boasting a season best of 40.62. He’ll have his work cut out for him, however, as Florida sophomore Josh Liendo has been on fire this week, having already won the 50 free and 100 fly. Liendo holds a career best of 40.28, which he swam to win the event at last year’s NCAAs.
The 200 fly sees Arizona State freshman Ilya Kharun come in as the top seed and the only swimmer to have gone under 1:38 in the event this season. Kharun has been swimming well this week and the 200 fly was the only event he didn’t drop in at the Pac-12 Championships earlier this month, so we’ll see what he’s got in store for us tonight.
200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:35.69 – Hubert Kos, Arizona State (2024)
- Meet Record: 1:35.73 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2016)
- American Record: 1:35.73 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2016)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:35.69 – Hubert Kos, Arizona State (2024)
Pool Record: 1:36.75 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2017)- 2023 Champion: Destin Lasco (Cal) – 1:35.87
TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:
- Destin Lasco (Cal) – 1:36.05 (Pool Record)
- Hubert Kos (ASU) – 1:37.03
- Bradley Dunham (Georgia) – 1:37.58
- Jonny Marshall (Florida) – 1:37.84
- Kacper Stokowski (NC State) – 1:37.90
- Brendan Burns (Indiana) – 1:38.18
- Owen McDonald (ASU) – 1:38.21
- Tommy Janton (Notre Dame) – 1:38.36
- Keaton Jones (Cal) – 1:38.60
- Aidan Stoffle (Auburn) – 1:38.78
- Will Modglin (Texas) – 1:38.85
- Daniel Diehl (NC State) – 1:39.01
- Colby Mefford (Cal) – 1:39.20
- Kai Van Westering (Indiana) – 1:39.27
- Tanner Filion (Notre Dame) – 1:39.62
- Ian Grum (Georgia) – 1:39.92
Cal senior Destin Lasco didn’t waste the opportunity to turn in a fast time, clocking a 1:36.05 to lead the field by over a seconds this morning. Additionally, Lasco’s swim this morning takes down Ryan Murphy’s IUPUI Natatorium pool record of 1:36.75, which he set back in 2017. We’ll surely see that record go down again tonight, likely along with a handful of other records.
Lasco was very well-paced this morning, splitting 22.80, 24.67, 24.25, and 24.33 respectively by 50. That resulted in a 47.47 on the opening 100 and a 48.58 on the back half. For Lasco, the swim his his 3rd-fastest of his career, coming in behind his personal best of 1:35.87, which he swam to win the event at last year’s NCAAs, and the 1:35.99 he swam at the 2021 NCAAs. The performance this morning also stands as the #6 performance of all-time int he event.
Arizona State sophomore Hubert Kos was 2nd this morning in 1:37.03. That was a very solid morning swim for Kos, who set the NCAA Record in the event earlier this month with a 1:35.69 at the Pac-12 Championships. Kos was a bit off his career mark in the 100 back yesterday all 3 times he swam it, but his 200 this morning is encouraging, so we’ll see how the final goes tonight.
Florida freshman Jonny Marshall is continuing his electric first year with the Gators. Marshall was 4th this morning in 1:37.84. He was the 3rd seed coming into the event, having gone his career best of 1:36.68 at the SEC Championships last month.
NC State fifth year Kacper Stokowski shattered his career best in the event this morning. Stokowski, who has primarily been a sprint backstroker through his career with the Wolfpack, put up a 1:37.90 this morning, which was good for 5th. Coming into this morning, Stokowski’s career best was 1:39.27, a time which he swam at the 2022 NCAAs.
Indiana’s Brendan Burns, also a fifth year, came in 6th this morning with a 1:38.18. Burns won the 100 back from an outside lane last night. This morning, Burns is attempting the 200 back/200 fly double, which we’ve seen him do at the Big Ten Championships several times before. He’s off to a great start, as his 1:38.18 this morning not only got him into the ‘A’ final, it marked a career best by 0.1 seconds.
100 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- Meet Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- American Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- U.S. Open Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- Pool Record: 40.00 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2017)
- 2023 Champion: Josh Liendo (Florida) – 40.28
TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:
- Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 40.54
- Josh Liendo (Florida) – 40.73
- Chris Guiliano (Notre Dame) – 40.77
- Jack Alexy (Cal) – 40.80
- Gui Caribe (Tennessee) – 41.23
- Matt Brownstead (Virginia) – 41.26
- Bjorn Seeliger (Cal) – 41.27
- Jack Dolan (ASU) – 41.29
- Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech) – 41.34
- Luke Hobson (Texas) – 41.35
- Luke Miller (NC State) – 41.37
- Jonny Kulow (Arizona State) – 41.40
- Macguire McDuff (Florida) – 41.55
- Connor Foote (Texas A&M) – 41.60
- Rafael Miroslaw (Indiana) – 41.66
- Matt Jensen (Cal) – 41.71
It took a 41.29 to make it into the ‘A’ final this morning in the 100 free, which is a tick faster than the 41.34 it took to make the top 8 at last year’s NCAAs. Tennessee star sprinter Jordan Crooks was excellent this morning, putting up a huge career best of 40.54 to secure the top seed for tonight’s final. That time took 0.36 seconds off Crooks’ previous best of 40.90, which he had swum last month at the SEC Championships. The speedster was out faster than anyone in the field this morning, splitting 19.31 on the opening 50.
Tennessee saw sophomore Gui Caribe make it into the ‘A’ final tonight as well, coming in 5th this morning with a 41.23. It was a solid morning swim for Caribe, who was just 0.24 seconds off his season best of 40.99 from SECs. Opposed to his teammate Crooks, Caribe was actually out the slowest of anyone to make the top 8 this morning, splitting 19.71 on the opening 50.
Florida’s Josh Liendo, who has been on fire all week, came in 2nd this morning with a 40.73. The swim marks a season best for Liendo, clipping the 40.82 he swam at SECs last month. Liendo is in excellent position for tonight. He has a middle lane, and after winning the 50 free and 100 fly earlier in the meet, he has the momentum. Additionally, Liendo is the defending champion in the event, having won in a time of 40.28 last year, which also stands as the fastest career best in the field.
As he seeks to become Notre Dame’s first NCAA champion in program history, Fighting Irish junior Chris Guiliano put himself in a good position for tonight. Guiliano clocked a 40.77 this morning, which was good for 3rd and came in just off his season best of 40.62, which is from, you guessed it, SECs.
Cal junior Jack Alexy is one to watch tonight as well. Alexy posted a new career best of 40.80 this morning, clipping his previous best of 40.88, which he swam at last year’s meet.
200 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:46.91 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
- Meet Record: 1:46.91 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
- American Record: 1:47.91 – Will Licon, Texas (2017)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:46.91 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
- Pool Record: 1:47.91 – Will Licon, Texas (2017)
- 2023 Champion: Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 1:46.91
TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:
- Matt Fallon (Penn) – 1:49.36
- David Schlicht (ASU) – 1:50.57
- Leon Marchand (ASU) – 1:50.76
- Liam Bell (Cal) – 1:50.78
- Jassen Yep (Indiana) – 1:51.15
- Noah Nichols (Virginia) – 1:51.22
- Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 1:51.28
- Jack Kelly (Brown) – 1:51.65
- AJ Pouch (Virginia Tech) – 1:51.65
- Max Reich (Indiana) – 1:51.71
- Jake Foster (Texas) – 1:51.81
- Alex Sanchez (Texas A&M) – 1:52.17
- Arsenio Bustos (NC State) – 1:52.24
- Cale Martter (ASU) – 1:52.46
- Aleksas Savickas (Florida) – 1:52.62
- Brian Benzing (Towson) – 1:52.71
Penn junior Matt Fallon led the way in the 200 breast this morning, posting a season best of 1:49.36 to touch as the only swimmer in the field under 1:50. Fallon’s previous season best was the 1:49.75 he swam to win the event at the Ivy League Championships 4 weeks ago today. His career best if 1:49.03, which he swam at the 2022 NCAA Championships, when he was a freshman.
It was a great morning swim for Fallon, but he still has his work cut out for him tonight. ASU junior Leon Marchand swam a very unassuming 1:50.76 this morning, but we know he’ll probably be somewhere around 4 seconds faster tonight. Marchand won the 200 breast at last year’s NCAAs, swimming an NCAA Record 1:46.91. The only interesting thing about Marchand in the final tonight is that he supposedly was told by head coach Bob Bowman to just do what he had to do to win the 400 IM last night, so he could really focus on the relay. It’s possible that Bowman will give Marchand similar instructions tonight, as the Sun Devils have a great chance of breaking the NCAA Record in the 400 free relay tonight, just like they did in the 400 medley last night.
ASU also saw senior David Schlicht make some noise this morning, finishing 2nd with a 1:50.57. That was a huge swim for Schlicht, taking nearly a full second off his career best of 1:51.41, which he had just swum at Pac-12s 4 weeks ago to the day. The Sun Devils also saw sophomore Cale Martter make the ‘B’ final with a 1:52.46 this morning, which was good for 14th.
It was an Ivy League party in the 200 breast this morning, as Fallon was the fastest and we also saw Brown junior Jack Kelly make the ‘A’ final, finishing 8th in 1:51.65. The time was just 0.02 seconds off the 1:51.63 Kelly swam at the Ivy League Championships, which stands as his career best in the event.
Indiana took a hit as star breaststroker Josh Matheny was DQ’d for a 0ne-handed touch. Matheny went 1:52.11, which would have been good for 12th this morning. Even without Matheny, IU looked very good in the event, seeing senior Jassen Yep post a 1:51.15 for 5th. That time was 0.75 seconds off Yap’s 1:50.40 from Big Tens last month. The Hoosiers also got senior Max Reich into the ‘B’ final with a 1:51.71, which was good for 10th.
Cal’s Liam Bell, who won the 100 breast in dominant fashion last night, setting a new NCAA Record, was excellent this morning, swimming a new career best of 1:50.78. That swim marks Bell’s first time under 1:51 in the event. He’s a fifth year, so the final tonight will mark his last individual race for Cal. Given how well he performed in the 100 breast final last night, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him swim a really aggressive race and just put it all out there tonight, but we’ll see in due time.
200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:37.35 – Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
- Meet Record: 1:37.35 – Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
- American Record: 1:37.35 – Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
- U.S. Open Record: 1:37.35 – Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
- Pool Record: 1:37.35 – Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
- 2023 Champion: Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 1:38.79
TOP 16 QUALIFIERS:
- Dare Rose (Cal) – 1:39.52
- Ilya Kharun (ASU) – 1:39.89
- Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 1:40.05 (TIE)
- Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 1:40.05 (TIE)
- Noah Bowers (NC State) – 1:40.14
- Gal Groumi (Michigan) – 1:40.20
- Tomer Frankel (Indiana) – 1:40.38
- Brendan Burns (Indiana) – 1:40.40
- Andrei Minakov (Stanford) – 1:40.41
- Tyler Ray (Michigan) – 1:40.44
- Martin Espernberger (Tennessee) – 1:40.83
- Danny Kovac (SMU) – 1:40.93
- Krzysztof Chmielewski (USC) – 1:40.98
- Alex Colson (ASU) – 1:41.05
- Jake Magahey (Georgia) – 1:41.35
- Colin Geer (Michigan) – 1:41.38
Cal senior Dare Rose put up a career best 1:39.52 to earn the top seed for tonight’s final in the 200 fly. The swim clipped Rose’s previous best of 1:39.76, which he swam earlier this season at the Minnesota Invite in November. Cal teammate Gabriel Jett (junior) went a season best of 1:40.05 to take 3rd this morning. Jett holds a career best of 1:39.27, which he swam at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships.
That means the Cal duo of Rose and Jett will be right in the middle of the pool with Arizona State freshman Ilya Kharun tonight in the final. Kharun was 1:39.89 this morning, which was a decent prelims swim and god for 2nd. He holds the fastest time in the country this season, having gone his career best of 1:37.93 at the Arizona State vs Stanford dual meet back in January. That time leaves Kharun with not only the top time in the field for this season, but the top career best, by quite a bit, as well.
NC State junior Aiden Hayes, the defending champion in this event, tied Jett for 3rd this morning with a 1:40.05. That time represents a season best for Hayes by more than a second. He won the event in 1:38.79 last year, so don’t count him out by any means tonight. The Wolfpack also put fifth year Noah Bowers into the ‘A’ final, seeing him touch 5th overall with a 1:40.14. Bowers was about half a second faster at the ACC Championships last month, where he swam a 1:39.65.
Indiana fifth year Brendan Burns did it! The 100 back champion from last night was attempting to pull off the 200 back/200 fly double today, and he succeeded, making the ‘A’ final in both races. After his 6th-place finish in the 200 back prelims at the beginning of the session, in which he swam a new career best, Burns clocked a 1:40.40 for 8th this morning, scraping into the ‘A’ final by just 0.01 seconds over Stanford standout Andrei Minakov (1:40.41). Burns will be in an outside lane in the final tonight, which is where he won the 100 back from last night, so we’ll see if he can repeat his magic in what will be his last individual race for the Hoosiers. He holds a career best of 1:38.71 in the event, a time which he swam to win this event at the 2022 NCAAs.
Indiana also saw senior Tomer Frankel make it into the ‘A’ final, swimming a 1:40.38 for 7th. The time was just off the 1:39.80 Frankel swam at Big Tens last month, but he did what he needed to do for his team, securing a lane in the ‘A’ final. Frankel and Burns’ swims this morning were critical for Indiana, as they try to move past Florida and into 3rd in the team scoring.
The Michigan Wolverines had their biggest event of the meet right here in the 200 fly, advancing 3 swimmers to finals, the most of any team. Junior Gal Groumi led the way, taking 6th with a 1:40.20. Groumi won the event at Big Tens last month, swimming his career best of 1:39.60. Sophomore Tyler Ray was 10th this morning in 1:40.44, a new career best. Ray’s previous best was the 1:40.80 he swam to take 4th in the event at Big Tens last month. The Wolverines also saw freshman Colin Geer take 16th this morning in 1:41.38. That time comes in just off Geer’s personal best of 1:41.32, which he swam to take 5th at Big Tens. Michigan is currently 14th in team scoring, but they’re just 3.5 points behind 12th-place Auburn, so 3 finalists in this event may be enough to help the Wolverines move up the ranks at the end of tonight’s session.
VT with 2 tough 9th places. Could’ve had 3/0 vs 1/2 tonight. Add in Coll Marti DQ and that’s a spot or two dropped down in final standings
UVA fan trying to rub it in
prob not a UVA fan since they’ve been quiet with their 2 individual scoring swims so far
Going into the last round, a Cal and IU diver are 8th and 9th and separated by .4 points.
They both moved up. IU will have 3 A finalists and Cal will have 1 A and and 1 B.
Texas adds a B. Tennessee adds and A and a B. No one else in the top 10 have scoring divers.
anyone have diving results?
https://secure.meetcontrol.com/divemeets/system/livestats.php?event=stats-10170-7240-1-Started&format=mobile
Stanford flat, again. Yawn.
All those guys that trained at home, did well, and then came back… for this? Lols.
USC looking like they still don’t have a head coach.
They both do well, in season, which looks great for AD’s, but definitely not in tune with the history/die hard expectations of the programs… stupendously frustrating for the fans.
Yeah, I think the program needs revamping. It’s not like they don’t get great recruits. Something’s amiss.
Stanford needs a new coaching staff- well except the diving coach he clearly is the shining star. Take away the diving points and Stanford is a huge disappointment . They get top recruits and they are lucky if they can match their High School times. It is an embarrassment to the Stanford program and legacy.
Do we know if Kos and Sarkani are unrested and have some kind of trials meet coming up?
Hungary National Championships reported as April 9-12
Hungarian nationals is in the begginning of April, Sarkany is going, but I don’t think Hubert is. They probably messed up their taper for NC’s tbh.
No time to get more solid numbers but it seems like mid major swimmers are often disproportionately in the breaststroke events.
Anyone have any evidence in this, or theories why? (My hunch is mid-level recruits put on a lot of muscle in college which helps breaststrokers)
I bet there’s some to breaststrokers trickling down in the recruiting/hierarchy (for lack of a better word), too? Traditionally those that can swim back and/or fly can usually have competent free’s at similar levels, and thus the numbers trend towards those swimmers (for more versatility + relay potential). Breaststrokers for the most part…are (at least anecdotally) an anomaly, and thus not as many populate each team, therefore the numbers going further down the line. I bet a statistical analysis would show not only mid-majors, but even going further down the line (D2, D3, NAIA, etc) would acknowledge an overall “stronger” showing in the 100Br relatively speaking than the other events.
I also don’t have numbers, but I agree with your observation.
Maybe it has to do with specialties? Breaststrokers might only be good at 1 or 2 events, so can get more scholarship money at mid-majors? Or maybe “big fish small pond” becomes more impactful in the more technical breaststroke races?
Just two theories.
Yes this is definitely true for the women as well.
ASU’s depth was the difference this year as was the case with Cal last year.
with the talent level that burns has, i can’t fathom how he isn’t finaling at trials
LCM is a lot different than SCY.
LCM vs SCY
Burns in an underwater merchant