2025 NCAA Men’s Championships: Day 2 Prelims 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:
  • Finals: Day 1

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

NCAAs are always going to be an exciting meet. However, the NCAA records, the drama, and the team battle from last night have only seemingly made this morning all the more vital for teams like Texas, California, and Indiana to get themselves as many swimmers into the finals tonight.

That said, it’s going to be no easy task as nearly all of the A-finalists from last year return. As it is the last year where COVID fifth years can participate, it’s not unusual to see a good number of returners, but of the 24 A-finalists from last year, a whopping 20 appear in the psych sheets this morning.

In the 500 Free, only NCAA record holder and last year’s Champion Leon Marchand is absent. However, Rex Maurer, who finished 31st last year, is more than eager to pick up that mantle, as he is comfortably the first seed by over three seconds. Maurer’s comfort shouldn’t extend much beyond the psych sheet, however, as there are a number of dangerous floaters in the field. Teammate Luke Hobson, last year’s runner-up, is seeded just 15th. The pair would love to make the top 8 together, and being joined by last year’s 7th place finisher, Coby Carrozza, and this year’s #6 seed David Johnston would be all the sweeter, but both the Cal pair of Lucas Henveaux and Gabriel Jett as well as the Georgia duo of Jacob Magahey and Tomas Koski stand in their way.

From the 500 free, where Texas will look to grab as many points as possible, we move on to the 200 IM, where Indiana will be counting on some strong performances to blunt the Longhorn’s point advantage. The Hoosiers have two swimmers seeded in the top 8 with ASU transfer and last year’s runner-up Owen McDonald leading the way as the #2 seed with Luke Barr, his teammate in as the 5th seed.

While McDonald wound up in Bloomington, last year’s 3rd place finisher Hubert Kos found himself in Texas and ranks as the 4th seed. He is joined among the top 8 seeds by fellow Longhorn Will Modglin, who ranks 6th. While tied with two swimmers apiece in the top 8, Texas has an Ace in hole, as last year’s 7th place finisher Nate Germonprez, is ranked dangerously low at 22. He’s not the only one, however, looking dangerous.

Defending champ Destin Lasco ranks just 17th and, based on his 200 split from yesterday (1:29.10), appears to be in stellar form. So to is Georgia’s Luca Urlando. Urlando hasn’t competed at this meet since 2022, but he did place 3rd at that edition. Perhaps getting lost in the shuffle of all these returners is the top seed, Julian Smith. Smith was 11th last year, finishing with a time of 1:42.22, but he looks ready to defend his 1:39.38 entry time as he, too, was 1:29 on the relay last night.

The 50 Free sees all but one swimmer from last year’s A-final return. Jordan Crooks leads the way this year, the only entrant under 18.00, but he must open hope for a change in fortune, as last year he also led the psych sheets but failed to better his time and had to settle for the silver, behind SEC rival Josh Liendo. Liendo will look to right the ship for Florida after a costly DQ, and will look for teammates Scotty Buff and Alex Painter to help pick up some points. It’ll be a difficult task as Cal’s Jack Alexy will be looking for teammate Bjorn Seeliger to do the same. Seeliger finished 5th last year but is seeded just 19th this year.

Men’s 500 Freestyle – Prelims

• 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 16

1. Rex Maurer (TEX) – 4:07.55
2. Lucas Henveaux (CAL) – 4:07.98
3. Luke Hobson (TEX) – 4:08.32
4. Jovan Lekic (LSU) – 4:08.55
5. Tomas Koski (UGA) – 4:09.01
6. Jacob Magahey (UGA) – 4:09.19
7. Zalan Sarkany (IU) – 4:09.22
8. Charlie Hawke (BAMA) – 4:09.52
9. David Johnston (TEX) – 4:09.54
10. Noah Millard (Yale) – 4:09.94
11. Krzysztof Chmielewski (USC) – 4:10.16
12. Carson Hick (UK) – 4:10.27
13. Coby Carrozza (TEX) – 4:10.62
14. Giovanni Linscheer (FLOR) – 4:12.17
15. Tyler Kopp (CAL) – 4:12.84
16. Daniel Matheson (ASU) – 4:13.15

The first heat saw just three swimmers in the water. Indiana’s Rafael Miroslaw took the win in 4:15.63, a bit off his 4:11.84 from last year that saw him safely qualify in 12th place. The senior was part of IU’s 6th place 800 free relay from last night, where he split 1:31.30.

Cal is not here to mess around. They mean business. Sophomore and US Olympian Keaton Jones, jumped on the 2nd heat, attacking it from the get-go. Jones entered the meet as the 45th seed with an entry time of 4:16.76 but easily was under that, going 4:13.62, passing Miroslaw, and posting the fastest time of the morning.

No sitting around this morning. Krzysztof Chmielewski of USC wasted no time. The sophomore was out in 1:37.84 and continued to hold sub-51 to drop 6.09 seconds from his seed, ultimately hitting the wall in 4:10.16. It is a big swim, not just because it’s a PB by over three seconds, but it also is faster than what it took to make the A-final last year. We can expect, naturally, for swimmers to be faster than 8th place last year, but its a little unusual when there are still 32 swimmers left to go. Last year’s 6th place finisher (4:12.65), Jack Hoagland of SMU, hasn’t been quite to form this year and was 4:14.48 in the 3rd heat.

Heat 5, the first of the circle-seeded heat, was a wave of Orange as the Longhorns had four swimmers in the field. Last year’s runner-up, Luke Hobson, looked strong and command. Swimming out of lane 2, the Texas senior took the race out a fast, opening in 1:37.05 and never looked back. He had a strong middle 100 going 49.85 and appeared to actually slow over the closing legs as he was 51.18 on the last 100. His time of 4:08.32 still easily overtakes the top time and is two seconds faster than his time from last year. His teammate David Johnston had a tight battle on his hand against Georgia’s Tomas Koski, with the Bulldog getting to the wall first, 4:09.01 to 4:09.54. Fellow Longhorn Coby Carrozza may have been a causality of the speed of the morning as his 4:10.62 was just 4th in the heat, and it seems unlikely that he would book a return trip to the A-final.

Cal’s anchor last night on their NCAA record-breaking 800 free, Lucas Henveaux, had a tight battle on his hands in the penultimate heat. Swimming out of lane 5, the Bear had a duel with Indiana’s Zalann Sarkany, who was in lane 2. The pair were 1:37.48 and 1:38.40, respectively, with Sarkany closing the gap to just .37 at the 400, but Henveaux’s next gear was too much as he pulled away and hit the wall in 4:07.98, overtaking Hobson for the top time.

The last heat saw American record holder Rex Maurer copy his teammate Hobson’s strategy of taking it out and not looking back. Maurer was out a tad slower than Hobson and Henveaux, going 1:37.61. Whereas Hobson put the brakes on a little towards the end, Maurer kept up the pace, closing in a last 100 of 48.97 to secure lane 4 tonight, with his time of 4:07.55.  Jake Magahey and Charlie Hawke weren’t too far behind at the 300 turn, each within a second of the leader, but couldn’t match his turn of pace and ultimately finished in 4:09.19 and 4:09.52. The time each secured them a return to the A-final, but it was close as David Johnston‘s 4:09.54 was 9th.

The #2 seed, Noah Millard of Yale, was a little off his SB of 4:07.68, going 4:09.94. Any other year that time would safely be in the A-final, but this year ranks him just 10th. Last year’s A-finalist Gabe Jett (30th – 4:15.65), Jack Hoagland (21st – 4:14.48), and Mason Mathias (23rd – 4:14.58) all missed out on a second swim.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims

• 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 16

1. Hubert Kos (TEX) – 1:38.89
2. Destin Lasco (CAL) – 1:39.23
3. Owen McDonald (IU) – 1:39.81
4. Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 1:39.82
5. Julian Smith (FLOR) – 1:39.85
6. Ron Polonsky (STAN) – 1:40.03
7. Will Modglin (TEX) – 1:40.45
8. Gal Groumi (MICH) – 1:40.52
9. Colin Geer (MICH) – 1:40.77
10. Luke Barr (IU) – 1:40.93
11. Baylor Nelson (TAMU) – 1:41.14
12. Mewen Tomac (CAL) – 1:41.40
13. Camden Taylor (TEX) – 1:41.58
14. Gianluca Urlando (UGA) – 1:41.61
15. Tristan Jankovics (OSU)/Louis Dramm (UNC) – 1:41.73

The speed of these guys has made live recaps nigh impossible, so apologies.

Up through the circle-seeded heats, the top time belonged to Cal’s Mewen Tomac. Listed as a fifth-year, but in his first year in the NCAA, the French Olympian posted a time of 1:41.40, cutting a second and a half off his seed time of 1:42.96.

His time didn’t last long, as the first of the circle-seeded heats saw the #6 seed, Will Modglin, surpass his season best by .19 as the sophomore hit the wall in 1:40.45. The Longhorn used a strong last 50 of 24.18 to pass last year’s 5th-place finisher, Gal Groumi. Groumi, a senior from Michigan, had the lead at the 150 but was out-touched at the finish as he hit the wall in 1:40.52. Texas A&M’s Baylors Nelson was 8th last year but has a nervous wait as his 1:41.14 was just 3rd in the heat.

Crashing home in a 23.44, faster than his finish in the final last year, Cal’s Destin Lasco picked up exactly where he left off last night, as he moved up from 4th to 1st in the penultimate heat, hitting the wall in 1:39.23. Lasco passed the #2 seeded Owen McDonald and the #5 seed Luke Barr to take the win, with the Indiana teammates having to settle for 2nd and 4th in the heat, going 1:39.81 and 1:40.93.

The last heat saw top seed Julian Smith go head-to-head with Hubert Kos. Kos had the advantage from the get-go, blitzing to a 44.74 opening 100, the only swimmer under 45.00. Smith was a bit more reserved opening in 46.07 but had the fastest 50 breaststroke split of 28.57. However, it wasn’t enough to close the gap as Kos’s 1:38.89 guaranteed him the middle lane in tonight’s final. Smith was a little off his seed, going 1:39.85, but it was enough to make it back.

Men’s 50 Freestyle – Prelims

• 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 16

1. Jordan Crooks (TENN) – 18.00
2. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 18.30
3. Guilherme Caribe (TENN) – 18.34
4. Ilya Kharun (ASU) – 18.44
5. Jack Alexy (CAL) – 18.48
6. Jonny Kulow (ASU) – 18.56
7. Quintin McCarty (NCST) – 18.62
8. Chris Guiliano (TEX) – 18.73
9. Jere Hribar (LSU) – 18.76
10. Finn Brooks (IU) – 18.86
11. Matthew King (IU) – 18.87
12. Matthew Klinge (OSU) – 18.89
13. Drew Salls (NCST) – 18.90
14. Connor Foote (TAMU) – 18.91
15. Alexander Painter (FLOR)/Bjorn Seeliger (CAL)– 18.92

Speed and Power

That’s what the 50 Free is all about, and boy, does Jordan Crooks have them both. Entering the meet with a 17.85 seed time, his 18.00 is a very good sign as last year Crooks was just 18.49 in prelims and was the 4th seed heading into the final. Tonight, Crooks will have the middle lane as his 18.00 leads the field by .30. He’ll have familiar faces on either side of him as teammate and training partner Gui Caribe will be in lane three courtesy of his new PB of 18.34. SEC rival and defending champion Josh Liendo of Florida will be above him in lane 5.

Last year, Liendo was 18.33 in prelims, so his time this morning could be seen as a good sign, but like Crooks, he did add a little to his seed, albeit a much smaller amount, .04.

ASU joined Tennessee as the only school to put two swimmers into the A-final as Ilya Kharun and Jonny Kulow will be next to each other tonight with their 18.44 and 18.56, both of which are new PBs for the pair of Sun Devils.

In the team battle, Texas and Cal even out with one apiece in the A-final as Jack Alexy sits 5th (18.56) and Chris Guiliano squeaked into 8th with a time of 18.73.  The pair both made the final last year with Alexy getting the better of the two, as he finished 3rd in 18.38 to Guiliano’s 18.49, which was good for 4th. NC State’s Quintin McCarty rounds out the A-final and should bring some valuable points to the Wolfpack. Last season, McCarty was 16th in the B-final, finishing in 19.23.

We don’t often see big drops in the 50 free that have impacts on the composition of the finals; Indiana’s Finn Brooks jumped from his spot at the #32 seed with a PB of 19.12 all the way into the B-final with a new school record of 18.86. The .26 second drop makes Brooks, who is the #2 seed in the 100 breaststroke tomorrow, the 10th fastest swimmer this morning.

Men’s 1 Meter Diving

• 2024 Champion: Lyle Yost, Ohio State – 433.55

Thank you to Noah Duperre for his diving coverage.

Round 1/6 Update:

After just one round of dives, it’s to be expected that much of the field is really tightly bunched. The Texas Longhorns will want to give their swim team a nice boost after their strong prelims showing today, they have three divers in this field. The Hoosiers are relying on their diving strength if they want to challenge for the team title. Their four divers in this meet are projected to score the most points of any team by far at these championships. Stanford and USC each have strong diving squads this year, and those teams will look to capitalize in the three diving events across the weekend.

Round 2/6 Update:

Mass Amherst’s Andrew Bell is looking strong early in this event, totaling 129.00 from two dives. Bell making the A final would be huge for his school, who don’t often score at these championships. Texas’ Nick Harris had a strong showing this round, scoring 66.30 and moving him into A final position, though there are still many rounds to go. One of Indiana’s star divers, Carson Tyler, is not off to a strong start, only at 101.00 points and in 31st place after the conclusion of the round. Tyler is one of the best in the world so it’s expected for him to work his way back up into the top eight, but he’s dug himself a bit of a hole here. On the other hand, IU’s Quinn Henninger is off to a great start, leading the field at the moment.

Round 3/6 Update:

Indiana’s Quinn Henninger still has control of this preliminary, already 25 points ahead of the A final cutoff currently. His teammate, Carson Tyler, improved with his last effort and has moved up to 17th place at the half way mark. The Hoosiers were looking to score three divers today, but a mistake from Junior Max Weinrich in the last round will take him out of A final contention and far back from the B final pace. Texas’ Nick Harris still is in solid contention for the A final, but doesn’t have room for error in the coming rounds as he sits in 7th. Florida has one diver currently in position to score in SEC champion Conor Gesing, but he has to really turn it on the last few rounds to make the championship final.

Round 4/6 Update:

It’s going to be a bloodbath to get into this A final. With just two rounds to go, there are only five points separating 8th to 17th place. There have been very few misses from the top contenders thus far, so everyone is determined to fight for their spot in tonight’s final. After faltering early on, Carson Tyler of Indiana now finds himself in 9th place and well within striking distance of a top eight finish.

Round 5/6 Update:

Slight misses from both Indiana’s Carson Tyler and Texas’ Nick Harris in this round drop the pair down to 14th and 12th respectively. While neither are completely out of the A final hunt, it’s going to take a very good last dive (and misses from other competitors) if either are going to be invited back tonight. In good news for the Hoosiers, Henninger has broken away from the pack and is solidly in first place, basically guaranteeing his spot in the championship final. Right now, Elias Petersen of Utah sits in 8th, but USC’s Shangfei Wang and Florida’s Conor Gesing are right behind him.

Round 6/6 Update:

Overall, today was a slightly disappointing day for both the Texas and Indiana divers. The Hoosiers expected 2 up/1 down on this event based on zones score projections, but only managed 1 up/1 down. The Hoosiers don’t have much to be down about, though, as they have the top seeded for tonight’s final in senior Quinn Henninger. The Longhorns were seeded to have 1 up in this event, but will have to settle with their lone scorer landing in the B final. The A final will be a diverse group competing tonight, as no school has more than one qualifier in the championship final.

Final Standings:

1. Quinn Henninger (Indiana) – 408.80
2. Jack Ryan (Stanford) – 390.40
3. Moritz Wesemann (USC) – 376.00
4. Max Fowler (Georgia Tech) – 374.00
5. Luke Sitz (SMU) – 372.30
6. Max Flory (Miami) – 365.45
7. Jordan Rzepka (Purdue) – 358.70
8. Elias Petersen (Utah) – 358.50
9. Maxwell Miller (Purdue) – 358.10
10. Carson Tyler (Indiana) – 353.00
11. Bennett Greene (Tennessee) – 349.25
12. Nick Harris (Texas) – 347.30
13. Conor Gesing (Florida) – 346.35
14. Collier Dyer (Mizzou) – 344.85
15. Gage Dubois (Arizona) – 341.85
16. Shangfei Wang (USC) – 341.60