2025 Men’s NCAA Division I Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships

• March 26-29, 2025
• Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center, Federal Way, Washington
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
• Psych Sheet
• Eligible Relays
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1

THURSDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

Welcome to day 2 finals of the 2025 Men’s NCAA Division I Championships. If last night was any indication, we swimming fans should be in for a real treat with tonight’s finals session. Though there are only a handful of events tonight, it promises to be an action packed session.

The night will kick off with the 500 free, where American Record holder Rex Maurer (Texas) will be facing down an incredibly talented field in the ‘A’ final. Simply breaking 4:10 wasn’t enough to finish in the top 8 this morning, which means we’re likely to see some very impressive swims in the ‘B’ final as well.

Another Longhorn, Hubert Kos, was excellent in the 200 IM prelims this morning, clocking a 1:38.89. We’re in for one heck of a final in that event, as Destin Lasco, Owen McDonald, Carles Coll Marti, and Julian Smith were all under 1:40 this morning as well.

After clocking an 18.00 in prelims this morning, Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) is the heavy favorite in the 50 free final tonight. He’ll be joined by teammate Gui Caribe, who was 3rd this morning in 18.34.

Team Standings (Thru Wednesday)

1. Texas – 74
2. California – 72
3. Georgia/Indiana – 54 (Tie)
4. –
5. NC State – 50
6. Arizona State – 48
7. Stanford – 46
8. Tennessee – 34
9. Alabama – 30
10. Florida State – 24
11. Florida – 22
12. Louisville – 18
13. Ohio State – 16
14. Auburn – 14
15. Michigan – 12
16. North Carolina/USC – 10 (Tie)
17. –
18. VirginiaTexas A&M – 8 (Tie)
19. –
20. Georgia Tech/Virginia Tech – 6 (Tie)
21. –
22. Army – 4

Men’s 500 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• Championship Record: 4:02.31 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• American Record: 4:04.45 – Rex Maurer, Texas (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 4:02.31 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• 2024 Champion: Leon Marchand, Arizona State – 4:02.31
• 2024 Time to Final: 4:11.11/4:13.00

Top 8:

1. Rex Maurer (Texas) – 4:05.35
2. Luke Hobson (Texas) – 4:06.34
3. Lucas Henveaux (Cal) – 4:06.74
4. Jake Magahey (Georgia) – 4:09.03
5. Tomas Koski (Georgia) – 4:09.15
6. Charlie Hawke (Alabama) – 4:09.58
7. Zalan Sarkany (Indiana) – 4:09.69
8. Jovan Lekic (LSU) – 4:10.55

Texas had the start to the session they needed, going 1-2 in the 500 free. Rex Maurer clocked a 4:05.35, coming within a second of his American Record mark of 4:04.45, which he set back in the fall. Luke Hobson touched 2nd in 4:06.34, setting a new career best in the event.

Cal’s Lucas Henveaux did what the Golden Bears needed as well, swimming a huge new career best at Cal record of 4:06.74. Henveaux had moved into the lead in the middle of the race, but Maurer eventually overtook him, followed later by Hobson as well.

Georgia had a terrific team performance as well, seeing Jake Magahey clocked a 4:09.03 for 4th and Tomas Koski take 5th in 4:09.15.

The ‘B’ final saw an awesome race develop in the middle of the pool between Yale’s Noah Millard, USC’s Krzysztof Chmielewski, and Texas’ David Johnston. Chmielewski was out in the lead through the first 200 yards, but would fade back to the field in the final 150 yards or so. Millard pulled into the lead on the 5th 50 of the race, then held off a charge by Johnston at the end. Millard won in 4:08.69, while Johnston was 4:09.48. Millard’s swim represents Yale’s first points at NCAAs since the 2017 championships, where they scored 1 point.

Scoring Update:

1. Texas – 121
2. California – 89
3. Georgia – 83
4. Indiana – 66
5. NC State/Arizona State – 50 (Tie)
6. –
7. Stanford – 46
8. Alabama – 43
9. Tennessee – 34
10. Florida – 27

Men’s 200 IM – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• Championship Record: 1:36.34 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• American Record: 1:37.91 – Destin Lasco, Cal (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:36.34 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• 2024 Champion: Destin Lasco, Cal – 1:37.91
• 2024 Time to Final: 1:41.35/1:42.07

Top 8:

1. Hubert Kos (Texas) – 1:37.91
2. Destin Lasco (Cal) – 1:37.98
3. Owen McDonald (Indiana) – 1:39.42
4. Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 1:39.52
5. Ron Polonsky (Stanford) – 1:39.84
6. Julian Smith (Florida) – 1:39.85
7. Gal Groumi (Michigan) – 1:40.17
8. DQ – Will Modglin (Texas)

Texas earned another victory, seeing Hubert Kos fight off a ferocious charge from Cal’s Destin Lasco on the final 50. Kos built a big lead early on, getting out to a 44.79 on the opening 100, well ahead of Lasco’s 45.72. Kos held his lead through breaststroke, but Lasco used his world class underwater speed on freestyle to shred into the lead. It was a photo-finish, and Kos managed to get his hand on the wall first.

That was the good news for the Longhorns. The bad news: Will Modglin was DQ’d for not initiating his back-to-breast turn on his back. The DQ costs Texas double digit points, and while it isn’t damning to their title hopes on what has been a great evening overall, the Indiana Hoosiers continue to be the only team title contenders who haven’t had a big miss yet.

Speaking of Indiana, Owen McDonald kept the train on the tracks, taking 3rd in 1:39.42.

Luca Urlando picked up a ‘B’ final victory for Georgia, swimming a 1:40.53. Michigan’s Colin Geer made it a close race, taking 2nd in a new career best of 1:40.55. North Carolina’s Louis Dramm came in 3rd with a 1:40.92, marking a new program record for the Tar Heels.

Scoring Update:

1. Texas – 143.5
2. California – 110
3. Georgia – 92
4. Indiana – 87
5. Stanford – 60
6. NC State/Arizona State – 50 (Tie)
7. –
8. Alabama – 43
9. Florida – 40
10. Tennessee – 34

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA Record: 17.63 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Championship Record: 17.63 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• American Record: 17.63 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 17.63 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• 2024 Champion: Josh Liendo, Florida – 18.07
• 2024 Time to Final: 18.76/19.04

Top 8:

1. Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 17.91
2. Josh Liendo (Florida) – 18.23
3. Gui Caribe (Tennessee) – 18.26
4. Ilya Kharun (Arizona State) – 18.31
5. Chris Guiliano (Texas)/Jack Alex (Cal) – 18.48 (Tie)
6. –
7. Jonny Kulow (Arizona State) – 18.74
8. Quintin McCarty (NC State) – 18.79

Jordan Crooks got the job done tonight, ripping a 17.91 to win the 50 free. That performance was just off his career best of 17.85, which he swam at the SEC Championships last month.

It was a great race for the Volunteers, seeing Gui Caribe take 3rd in 18.26.

Florida’s Josh Liendo picked up an important 2nd place finish for his team, swimming an 18.23. He was a bit off his career best of 18.07, swum at last year’s NCAAs.

Arizona State was also very strong in this event, seeing Ilya Kharun take 4th in 18.31, while Jonny Kulow was 7th in 18.74.

Fittingly, Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy, representing Texas and Cal respectively, tied for 5th in 18.48.

Florida freshman Alexander Painter made waves in the ‘B’ final tonight, winning in a very speedy 18.60. That performance marks a new career best for the first year Gator.

Scoring Update:

1. Texas – 157
2. California – 129.5
3. Indiana – 93
4. Georgia – 92
5. Arizona State – 77
6. Tennessee – 70
7. Florida – 66
8. NC State – 62
9. Stanford – 60
10. Alabama – 43

Men’s 1 Meter Diving – Finals

• 2024 Champion: Lyle Yost, Ohio State – 433.55

Top 8:

1. Quentin Henninger (Indiana) – 434.65
2. Jack Ryan (Stanford) – 417.45
3. Moritz Wesemann (USC) – 404.30
4. Elias Petersen (Utah) – 389.25
5. Jordan Rzepka (Purdue) – 388.60
6. Max Fowler (Georgia Tech) – 380.20
7. Luke Sitz (SMU) – 367.85
8. Maxwell Flory (Miami) – 357.80

Indiana diving is giving their team the boost they need to stay in contention for the team title. Quentin Henninger won 1-meter diving tonight by a comfortable margin, ending with a score of 434.65.

Stanford earned their highest finish of the meet to this point, seeing Jack Ryan take 2nd with a score of 417.45.

Notably, Indiana’s Carson Tyler missed out on qualifying for the ‘A’ final in prelims this morning, but lit up the ‘B’ final this evening. Tyler racked up a score of 432.75 in the ‘B’ final, dominating the field. His score would have been good for 2nd in the ‘A’ final.

Scoring Update:

1. Texas – 164
2. California – 129.5
3. Indiana – 122
4. Georgia – 92
5. Stanford/Arizona State – 77
6. –
7. Tennessee – 74
8. Florida – 69
9. NC State – 62
10. Alabama – 43

Men’s 200 Freestyle Relay – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:12.80 — Tennessee (Crooks, Caribe, Taylor, Blackman) (2025)
• Championship Record: 1:13.35 — Florida (Liendo, Chaney, Friese, McDuff)
• American Record: 1:14.13 — NC State (Henderson, Miller, Fox, McCarty) (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:12.80 — Tennessee (Crooks, Caribe, Taylor, Blackman) (2025)
• 2024 Champion: Florida (Liendo, Chaney, Smith, McDuff) — 1:13.49

Top 8:

1. Tennessee (Crooks, Caribe, Blackman, Taylor) – 1:12.84 (Championship Record)
2. Arizona State (Kharun, Palmer, Sammon, Kulow) – 1:13.05
3. Florida (Liendo, Smith, Painter, Buff) – 1:13.37
4. California (Alexy, Seeliger, Jensen, Lasco) – 1:14.12
5. NC State (McCarty, Salls, Fox, Miller) – 1:14.37
6. Texas (Guiliano, Kos, Modglin, Hobson) – 1:14.66
7. Indiana (Brooks, King, Lee, Smiley) – 1:14.67
8. Texas A&M (Foote, Scholl, Reno, Sytsma) – 1:15.25

Tennessee ended the night in record fashion, popping a 1:12.84 in the 200 free relay to shatter the championship record of 1:13.35. They were out so fast, seeing Jordan Crooks lead off in 17.82, followed by Gui Caribe with a 17.81 on the 2nd leg. That put the Volunteers into the 100 wall in a blistering 35.63. Notably, Crooks’ 17.82 marks a new career best and Tennessee program record. Following Crooks and Caribe, Nikoli Blackman was 18.67 on the 3rd leg, and Lamar Taylor was 18.54 on the anchor.

Arizona State made it a race at the end, touching 2nd in 1:13.05, which was also well under the previous championship record. The performance also marks a new program record, as well as a Big 12 record. Ilya Kharun led off in 18.39, followed by Tommy Palmer (18.17), Patrick Sammon (18.35), and Jonny Kulow (18.14).

Florida was right there in the mix, with Josh Liendo (18.24), Julian Smith (18.25), Alexander Painter (18.40), and Scotty Buff (18.48) combining for a 1:13.37.

Indiana once again made huge gains in a relay. Coming in as the 10th seed with a season best of 1:15.33, the Hoosiers dropped a 1:14.67 to win the penultimate heat. The time would stand as the 7th-fastest overall, just 0.01 seconds behind 6th place Texas. Finn Brooks (19.06), Matt King (18.42), Mikkel Lee (18.65), and Dylan Smiley (18.54) teamed up to get the job done, setting a new IU record in the process. Moreover, all but Brooks will be returning next year for Indiana, so their future prospects are looking good in this event.

Scoring Update (Through Thursday)

1. Texas – 190
2. California – 159.5
3. Indiana – 146
4. Tennessee – 114
5. Arizona State – 111
6. Florida – 101
7. Georgia – 92
8. NC State – 90
9. Stanford – 81
10. Michigan/Alabama – 43 (Tie)
11. –
12. Texas A&M – 39.5
13. Ohio State – 38
14. Florida State – 34
15. USC – 32
16. Virginia Tech – 29
17. Louisville – 24
18. Georgia Tech/Purdue – 19 (Tie)
19. –
20. LSU – 18
21. North Carolina – 16
22. Utah – 15
23. Auburn/Wisconsin – 14 (Tie)
24. –
25. SMU – 12
26. Miami (FL) – 11
27. Yale – 9
28. Virginia – 8
29. Kentucky/Missouri – 6 (Tie)
30. –
31. Army – 4
32. Arizona – 1