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
Saturday Prelims Heat Sheets
We have made it to the final prelims session of the Big 12 championships. On the docket this morning we have the 200 backstroke, 100 free, and 200 breast.
Later today, they will do the early heats of the mile and the prelims of the women’s platform event before tonight’s finals session.
Women’s 200 Back
- NCAA Record: 1:46.87 – Claire Curzan, 2024
- Big 12 Record: 1:49.91 – Tasija Karosas (Texas), 2017
- Meet Record: 1:50:09 – Olivia Bray (Texas), 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:54.01
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- Caroline Bentz (ASU)- 1:52.82
- Kayman Neal (ARIZ)- 1:54.60
- Norah Hay (UTAH)- 1:54.65
- Elizabeth Jimenez (UH)- 1:55.33
- Charli Brown (ASU)- 1:55.52
- Paige Armstrong (ARIZ)- 1:55.80
- Hana Edwards (ASU)- 1:56.30
- Jordan Greber (ASU)- 1:56.40
Outside smoke was the name of the game for the first three heats of the women’s 200 backstroke. Heat one of six went to freshman Delaney Householder of West Virginia out of lane 2 in 2:01.98. Almost a three second drop from her previous best of 2:04.58 from January of this year. It didn’t take long to get under 2:00 with Emma Marusakova taking heat two for BYU in 1:59.14 from lane one. Heat three went to lane two’s Hampton Gucky from Cincinnati who broke two minutes for the first time coming in at 1:58.49, which was enough to qualify her 16th for the finals tonight.
Norah Hay took the first of three circle-seeded heats form lane four, swimming 1:54.85 after leading from the very beginning of the race. This was only a tenth off her prveious best time of 1:54.70 from February of last year. Elizabeth Jimenez from Houston took 2nd in the heat at 1:55.33, and Hanah Edwards of ASU took 3rd in 1:56.30.
Heat five was much closer throughout, but Arizona freshman Kayman Neal commanded the back half of the race, splitting 29.18 on her final 50 to shoot past the rest of the heat and finish first at 1:54.60, almost a second drop. Paige Armstrong came in 2nd for Arizona at 1:55.80 and Payden Rafferty finished 3rd in the heat in 1:56.60.
The final heat was all about ASU senior Caroline Bentz. She got out first and just built a lead the rest of the race, ultimately finishing almost three seconds ahead of the 2nd place finisher at 1:52.82. Bentz has been 1:52.10 this season and her lifetime best stands at 1:51.81 from March of last year. Charli Brown was the 2nd finisher in her heat at 1:55.52 and Jordan Greber finished 3rd in 1:56.40 to squeak into the ‘A’ final.
Men’s 200 Back
- NCAA Record: 1:35.37 – Destin Lasco, 2024
- Big 12 Record: 1:36.42 – John Shebat (Texas), 2019
- Meet Record: 1:38.61 – Ryan Harty (Texas), 2019
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:38.80
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:40.62
Top 8 Finishers:
- Hunter Gubeno (CINC)- 1:40.50
- Will Meyers (ARIZ)- 1:41.33
- Filip Suchanski (TCU)- 1:41.71
- Danny Berlitz (WVU)- 1:41.94
- Jono Adam (ASU)- 1:42.14
- Jack Wadsworth (ASU)- 1:42.22
- Brandon Miller (UTAH)- 1:43.06
- Joe Swain (CINC)- 1:44.34
The first heat of men’s was the only non-circle seeded heat of the morning, and it went to lane 7’s Nicholas Kjaerulff from Utah in 1:48.45.
West Virginia’s Danny Berlitz took heat two in a very close race with ASU’s Jack Wadsworth. Berlitz came in first, stopping the clock at at 1:41.94. This was a huge best time for the senior, who came in with a lifetime best of 1:45.64 from January of 2024. Wadsworth was 1:42.22 for 2nd, just under three tenths behind.
Will Meyers from Arizona took the penultimate prelims heat, coming in at 1:41.33, almost a second ahead of the rest of the field. This was about two tenths off his lifetime best of 1:41.15 from November. Jono Adam finished 2nd at 1:42.14 for ASU.
The final heat was another relatively close race through the first half between Hunter Gubeno and Filip Suchanski, with Suchanski getting out first and fast, but Gubeno easily closing the difference to ultimately touch first at 1:40.50 to snag the top seed. Gubeno has been 1:309.95 in the event, which he went last March. Suchanski finished 2nd at 1:41.71, which qualified him in 3rd overall.
Women’s 100 Free
- NCAA Record: 44.83 – Gretchen Walsh, 2024
- Big 12 Record: 47.32– Claire Adams (Texas), 2019
- Meet Record: 45.16 – Claire Adams (Texas), 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.10
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 48.34
Top 8 Finishers:
- Julia Wozniak (ARIZ)- 48.77
- Erin Milligan (ASU)- 48.85
- Juila Ullmann (ASU)- 48.94
- Riley Botton (ARIZ)- 49.04
- Jessica Davis (CINC)- 49.23
- Alyssa Schwengel (ARIZ)- 49.24
- Halli Wiliams (BYU)- 49.41
- Lexi Duchsherer (ARIZ)- 49.71
Our first circle seeded heat went to ASU’s Erin Milligan, who swam the first sub-50 time of the morning, coming in at 48.85. Halli Williams finished 2nd at 49.41 for BYU, and third was Lexi Duchsherer at 49.71.
Heat seven was even faster with Arizona sophomore Julia Wozniak swimming 48.77 to win the heat just ahead of ASU freshman Julia Ullmann who came in at 48.94 for 2nd. 3rd in the heat went to Riley Botton, just a tenth behind Ullmann in 48.94.
There were no 48s in the final heat of the event, Jessica Davis took the heat in 49.23, beating Alyssa Schwengel’s 49.24 by just one-hundredth.
Men’s 100 Free
- NCAA Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, 2018
- Big 12 Record: 41.06 – Tate Jackson (Texas), 2028
Meet Record: 41.26 – Daniel Krueger (Texas), 2020- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 41.34
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 42.19
Top 8 Finishers:
- Jonny Kulow (ASU)- 41.22
- Tomas Lukminas (ARIZ)- 41.56
- Patrick Sammon (ASU)- 41.59
- Ralph Daleiden Ciuferri (ARIZ)- 42.27
- Tommy Palmer (ASU)- 42.30
- Filip Senc-Samardzic (ASU)- 42.38
- Quin Seider (ASU)- 42.55
- Hunter Ingram (ARIZ)- 42.61
The first circle-seeded heat went to Arizona junior Ralph Daleiden Ciuferri from Arizona in 42.27. His time was just three-hundredths ahead of ASU junior Tommy Palmer, who finished 2nd in the heat at 42.30.
Patrick Sammon won heat 5 in 41.59, almost a whole second ahead of ASU teammate and freshman Quin Seider who went 42.55 for 2nd.
ASU owned the event, and the swim of the morning, at least so far, goes to Jonny Kulow and his new meet record time of 41.22. The previous record was held by Danny Krueger at 41.26, which he went back in 2020.
Arizona freshman Tomas Lukminas from Arizona went 41.56 for 2nd in the heat and to qualify 2nd overall, just three-hundredths ahead previous heat winner Sammon.
Every swimmer in the final tonight is from Arizona or Arizona State.
Women’s 200 Breast
- NCAA Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, 2023
- Big 12 Record: 2:03.92 – Anna Elendt (Texas), 2022
- Meet Record: 2:03.26 – Anna Elendt (Texas), 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:05.73
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 2:09.55
Top 8 Finishers:
- Mackenzie Miller (BYU)- 2:09.20
- Nina Vadovicova (TCU)- 2:11.02
- Henrietta Fangli (UH)- 2:11.24
- Flo Peter (UH)- 2:11.44
- Emma Gehlert (ASU)- 2:11.57
- Addie Richards (BYU)- 2:12.15
- Zoe Summar (ASU)- 2:12.24
- Eleni Gewalt (ARIZ)- 2:12.41
TCU senior Claire Chahbandour won the final regularly seeded heat of the prelims, swimming 2:14.56 to out touch Ryan Johnston of Kansas for top spot going into the circle-seeded heats.
Heat four of six went to Henrietta Fangli, who came back hard on ASU’s Emma Gehlert, splitting 34.17 on her final 50 to touch first in 2:11.24. Gehlert was a little over a second off her seed time, coming in at 2:11.57 for 2nd, after leading most of the race.
BYU’s Mackenzie Miller took control early in second-to-last heat, easily winning the heat in 2:09.20, a four tenth drop from her seed. @nd in her heat went to Arizona’s Eleni Gewalt in 2:12.41, which was almost seven tenths faster than her seed.
The final heat saw the lead change multiple times between TCU’s Nina Vadovicova, Houston’s Flo Peter, and ASU’s Zoe Summar. Ultimately, Vadovicova found another gear at the end and took the heat 2:11.02. Flo Peter finished 2nd in 2:11.44, and Zoe Summar finished 3rd in 2:12.24. Summar and Peter were both off their seed times by more than a second.
Men’s 200 Breast
- NCAA Record: 1:46.35 – Leon Marchand, 2024
- Big 12 Record: 1:47.91 – Will Lincoln (Texas), 2017
- Meet Record: 1:49.89 – Will Lincoln (Texas), 2017
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.65
- 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.12
Top 8 Finishers:
- Andy Dobrzanski (ASU)- 1:53.07
- Oscar Bilbao (ASU)- 1:54.42
- Tavner Wisdom (ARIZ)- 1:54.71
- Felipe Goncalves (TCU)- 1:54.88
- Cale Martter (ASU)- 1:45.89
- Tanner Nelson (BYU)- 1:55.09
- Kyle Bumgardner (CINC)- 1:55.19
- Emerson Edwards (BYU)- 1:55.38
Felipe Goncalves, a sophomore form TCU, won the 2nd heat, in 1:54.88. Cincinnati’s Kyle Bumgardner was a few tenths back for 2nd at 1:55.18, and ASU’s Lucien Vergnes was about half-a-second behind Bumgardner at 1:55.65. Goncalves and Bumgardner were both faster than their seeds. Vergnes was more than a second behind his.
Heat 3 was incredibly close from start to finish, with Tavner Wisdom from Arizona picking up the pace right into the wall, splitting 29.91 on his last 50 to take the heat in 1:54.71. Cale Martter from ASU finished 2nd at 1:54.89, and Emerson Edwards of BYU came 3rd in 1:55.28.
Andy Dobrzanski led the final heat from start to finish, getting out fast in 25.68 and staying in that lead through the finish to come in at 1:53.07, almost a second-and-a-half ahead of the rest of the field. Oscar Bilbao had a very strong last 15 meters, finishing in 2nd in the heat, and locking up lane five for the final at 1:54.42
There is only one senior in the whole ‘A’ final of the 200 breaststroke, 8th place qualifier Emerson Edwards.
Finals start tonight at 6pm PST.
The Big 12 has a conference record in the women’s 200 back from the future (2027) swum by a swimmer who belongs to a team not in the conference anymore (Texas).
Which obviously means that Swimswam writers are time travelers, and Texas will rejoin the Big 12 before 2027.