2025 Big 12 Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2025 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 25 – March 1, 2025
• Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center — Federal Way, Wash.
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Start Times: prelims – 10 am PT/finals – 6 pm PT
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Livestream: ESPN+
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheet 

Women’s 200 Butterfly — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:49.16 — Alex Walsh, Virginia (2023)
• Big 12 Record: 1:49.95 — Emma Sticklen, Texas (2023)
• Meet Record: 1:51.66 — Kelly Pash, Texas (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.47
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 1:55.88
• 2024 Champion: Kelly Pash, Texas — 1:51.66

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Deniz Ertan (ASU), 1:56.55
2. Adelaide Meuter (UH), 1:58.15
3. Sonia Vaishnani (ASU) 1:58.30
4. Noor El Gendy (UH), 1:58.34
5. Sydney Nethercutt (UH), 1:58.60
6. Abbie Alvarez (UH), 1:59.61
7. Grace Lindberg (ASU), 1:59.99
8. Morgan Gore (TCU), 2:00.05

Deniz Ertan led the way in the women’s 200 butterfly prelims with a lifetime best 1:56.55, improving from the 1:56.94 she swam at ASU’s dual meet against UNLV in October. Ertan finished second in the 500 freestyle earlier in the championships and now holds a 1.60-second margin on the rest of the field.

The Sun Devils put three swimmers into the ‘A’ final as Sonia Vaishnani (1:58.30) and Grace Lindberg (1:59.99) but this was an even stronger event for the Houston women, who put four swimmers into the championship final, which they also did at the 2024 Championships.

Adelaide Meuter is Houston’s top qualifier, clocking in at 1:58.15, winning a tight race against Vaishnani in heat five by .15 seconds. She’s joined by her teammates Noor El Gendy (1:58.34), Sydney Nethercutt (1:58.60), and Abbie Alvarez (1:59.61). El Gendy and Nethercutt were ‘A’ finalists last year, while Meuter and Alvarez have both moved up from their ‘B’ final appearances a year ago.

Men’s 200 Butterfly — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:37.17 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2025)
• Big 12 Record: 1:37.35 — Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
• Meet Record: 1:39.17 — Jack Conger, Texas (2017)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.05
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 1:42.10
• 2024 Champion: Brad Prolo, BYU — 1:41.15

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Ilya Kharun (ASU), 1:39.96
2. Haakon Naughton (ARIZ), 1:42.25
3. Filip Senc-Samardzic (ASU), 1:43.57
4. Joel Nace (ARIZ), 1:43.59
5. Jake Mason (ASU), 1:43.94
6. Evan VanBrocklin (UTAH), 1:43.96
7. Geremia Freri (TCU), 1:44.72
8. Jakub Walter (UTAH), 1:44.99

Ilya Kharun cruised to the top time of the morning in the men’s 200 butterfly prelims, posting a 1:39.96 that’s about 1.2 seconds off his season-best. Already at this meet, Kharun has won the 100 butterfly (44.13) and took silver in the 50 freestyle (18.82).

He was the only man to get under 1:40 this morning, as Arizona’s Haakon Naughton took second overall in prelims with a 1:42.25. Though he may not be able to keep touch with Kharun in tonight’s final, Naughton is still someone to keep an eye on in this final. He’s been strong in this event all season, including turning in a 1:40.55 lifetime best at midseason that ranks #2 in Wildcat history.

Both Kharun and Naughton will have teammates in tonight’s ‘A’ final as Arizona State and Arizona swimmers take up the top five spots out of prelims. Kharun is joined by sophomore Filip Senc-Samardzic (1:43.57) and Jake Mason (1:43.94). For the Wildcats, freshman Joel Nace dropped .72-seconds from his lifetime best, swimming 1:43.59 and joining Naughton in qualifying for the ‘A’ final.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 55.73 — Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• Big 12 Record: 56.88 — Anna Elendt, Texas (2022)
• Meet Record: 57.27 — Lydia Jacoby, Texas (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 59.75
• 2024 Champion: Lydia Jacoby, Texas — 57.27

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Joleigh Crye (CINC), 58.39
2. Henrietta Fangli (UH), 58.78
3. Eleni Gewalt (ARIZ), 59.16
4. Mackenzie Miller (BYU), 59.47
5. Iza Adame (ASU), 59.49
6. Claire Chahbandour (TCU), 59.93
7. Evelyn Entrekin (UH), 59.97
8. Lindi Worrell (CINC), 1:00.62

Five women brought season-bests under 1:00 into these championships. Seven got under that barrier in prelims, setting the stage for a great race in tonight’s final. Coming into the championships, the women’s 100 breaststroke looked like it could be one of the closest races of the entire meet on the women’s side, with a wider range of programs contributing to the fight for gold than in some of the other events.

2024 NCAA finalist Joleigh Crye grabbed lane four for tonight’s final, stopping the clock at 58.39. That’s a season-best for Crye by .67 seconds, and approaches the lifetime best 58.24 she swam at 2024 Big 12s. She was joined under the 59-second mark by Houston senior Henrietta Fangli, who took fourth in this event last year. Fangli’s 58.78 marks a new lifetime best, cutting two-tenths from her previous mark.

Arizona’s Eleni Gewalt cracked the 1:00 barrier for the first time in her career during prelims. She had neared her previous lifetime best (1:00.13) with a 1:00.15 earlier this season but absolutely blew past that mark today with a 59.16 that makes her the third-fastest qualifier. Mackenzie Miller clocked 59.47, stopping the clock two-hundredths ahead of Iza Adame. Adame, the Sun Devils’ only ‘A’ finalist in this event, hit her season-best exactly with a 59.49.

TCU’s Claire Chahbandour, last year’s sixth-place finisher, swam 59.93 as she rounds out the sub-1:00 swimmers this morning.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 49.51 — Julian Smith, Florida (2025)
• Big 12 Record: 50.49 — Caspar Corbeau, Texas (2022)
• Meet Record: 50.96 — Caspar Corbeau, Texas (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 51.89
• 2024 Champion: Will Scholtz, Texas — 52.09

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Andy Dobrzanski (ASU), 51.58
2. Tavner Wisdom (ARIZ), 52.59
3. Jadon Wulliez (TCU), 52.68
4. Oscar Bilbao (ASU), 52.83
5. Peter Etzold (BYU), 52.96
6. Daniel Young (ARIZ), 53.17
7. Kyle Bumgardner (CINC), 53.52
8. Nikola Koltin (TCU), 53.60

Junior Andy Dobrzanski came six-hundredths from his lifetime best as he posted the fastest qualifying time in the men’s 100 breaststroke. Dobrzanski’s 51.58 is the top time of the morning by 1.01 seconds, putting him in a strong position heading into tonight’s final. He finished fourth at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships.

Tavner Wisdom missed his lifetime best by an ever narrower margin, coming three-hundredths from his fastest swim to qualify for the ‘A’ final in second. Wisdom swam his lifetime best 52.56 in the ‘B’ final of the 2024 Pac-12 Championships. He placed 11th at that meet, so he also looks set to improve on his finish from his last conference championship.

After two newcomers to the conference, TCU’s Jadon Wuilliez qualified for the ‘A’ final in third, posting a 52.68. He earned bronze in this event last year behind two Texas swimmers.

While the top two qualifiers were just off their lifetime bests, seventh-place Kyle Bumgardner smashed his. His 53.52 qualifying time is a .91-second improvement on the 54.43 he swam during an October dual meet. South African freshman Peter Etzold swam a lifetime best as well, breaking 52-seconds for the first time (52.96).

Women’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Big 12 Record: 50.51 — Claire Adams, Texas (2020)
• Meet Record: 50.51 — Claire Adams, Texas (2020)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 52.28
• 2024 Champion: Berit Berglund, Texas — 51.72

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Paige Armstrong (ARIZ), 52.44
2. Caroline Bentz (ASU), 52.51
3. Lottie Cullen (UH), 52.95
4. Norah Hay (UTAH), 52.98
5. Elizabeth Jimenez (UH), 53.09
6. Miriam Sheehan (ASU), 53.39
7. Kayman Neal (ARIZ), 53.49
8. Alexia Duncan (UTAH), 53.55

There’s another close race brewing in the women’s 100 backstroke as the top four swimmers are within .54 seconds of each other heading into finals. Arizona junior Paige Armstrong swam the fastest time of the morning out of heat six, posting a lifetime best 52.44. The swim is a .45 second drop for her, bettering the 52.89 she swam earlier this month at the Wildcats’ dual with the Sun Devils.

She’ll have a Sun Devil next to her in the final, as 50 freestyle champion Caroline Bentz qualified second overall. Bentz won heat five in 52.51, nearing her season-best of 52.39.

Between conference realignment, graduations, and newcomers, none of the 2024 ‘A’ finalists return to the championship final this year. Houston freshman Lottie Cullen still owns the conference’s fastest time this season, a 51.19 she posted at the Phil Hansel Invitational. She’ll be in the title hunt tonight after swimming a 52.95 in prelims for the third-fastest time overall. She stopped the clock just ahead of Utah senior Norah Hay, who broke 53-seconds for the first time in her career this morning.

There will be two swimmers from Arizona State, Arizona, Houston, and Utah each in the championship final.

Men’s 100 Backstroke — Prelims

• NCAA Record: 43.35 — Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
• Big 12 Record: 44.20 — Will Modglin, Texas (2024)
• Meet Record: 44.56 — Will Modglin, Texas (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
• 2024 NCAA Invited Time: 45.56
• 2024 Champion: Will Modglin, Texas — 44.75

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Jack Wadsworth (ASU), 45.59
2. Lucien Vergnes (ASU), 45.71
3. Ryan Hardy (ARIZ), 45.97
4. Justin Heimes (WVU), 46.45
5. Will Meyers (ARIZ), 46.48
6. Jono Adam (ASU), 46.51
7. Hunter Gubeno (CINC), 46.58
8. Edgar Cicanci (TCU), 46.94

Even with Ilya Kharun predictably opting for the 200 butterfly over the 100 backstroke, the Sun Devils still had three swimmers in the Big 12’s top five swimmers in the 100 backstroke this season. All three made the championship final in Federal Way, with senior Jack Wadsworth and freshman Lucien Vergnes taking the top two spots out of prelims.

Wadsworth broke his lifetime best of 45.90 from the 2023 NC State Invite, cutting .31-seconds from his standard with a 45.59. He’s sitting .12 seconds ahead of Vergnes, who has been as fast as 45.32 this season. Wadsworth’s fellow senior Jono Adam made it three for the Sun Devils in the ‘A’ final, clocking 46.51 for sixth.

Arizona State may have the top two qualifying times, but there are swimmers from other schools looking to get in on the action. Arizona’s Ryan Hardy posted a lifetime best 45.97, cracking 46-seconds for the first time. Meanwhile, last year’s fourth-place finisher, Justin Heimes, is back in the mix this year, clocking 46.45 for the fourth seed heading into finals.

Hunter Gubeno took fifth in this event last year. He’s back in the championship final this year too, qualifying seventh in 46.58. He posted a lifetime best 46.12 at the Ohio State Invitational in the fall.