2025 NCAA Men’s Champs: Day 3 Relay Analysis – Gators Dominate Short-Axis in 400 Medley

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)
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• Eligible Relays
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  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Armed with two individual champions from earlier in the session, Florida stormed to victory in the 400 medley relay to close out Friday night’s session. Highlighted by a short-axis core of Julian Smith and Josh Liendo, the Gators swam a dominant race to get within half a second of their NCAA record from SECs (2:56.10). Fresh off winning the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly respectively, the pair posted splits of 48.85 and 42.46 respectively for the fastest legs across the field. That, along with the efforts of lead-off Jonny Marshall (43.87) and anchor Alexander Painter (40.92) was enough for nearly a three second gap ahead of runner-up Texas.

Backstroke

The individual 100 backstroke champion, Hubert Kos, did not swim the lead-off leg for the Longhorns. In his absence, bronze place finisher Ruard Van Renen posted the fastest split (43.86). Georgia was seeded lower than expected since they disqualified their relay at SECs, but dominated heat 2 from lane 8. Two heats later, Florida’s Jonny Marshall (2nd in the individual event) swam just 0.01 seconds slower (43.87). The pair were the only to break 44 seconds.

Everyone from the A final added time, though Van Renen had the smallest add of just 0.01 seconds.

Breaststroke

The breaststroke field was led by Florida’s Julian Smith, who was not only the only swimmer to split sub-49, but the only one to crack 50 seconds as well. He was also the only athlete to crack 50 seconds in the 100 breast final. His split checks in as the #2 all-time, only behind Leon Marchand’s 48.73 from this meet last year.

Denis Petrashov was right on his time from the final, where he finished in the runner-up position. Cal’s Yamato Okadome out-performed his individual performance of 50.69 by about two tenths. He tied with Indiana’s Finn Brooks for the third fastest split, who was the Hoosier’s top finisher from the individual event.

Butterfly

Two swimmers broke 43 on the butterfly leg, and both came from the final heat. Josh Liendo (42.46) was over three-tenths clear of Ilya Kharun (42.83). The top four finishers from the 100 butterfly posted splits in the exact same order here, with Luca Urlando (43.15) and Dare Rose (43.39) checking in as the third and fourth fastest splits.

The 100 back champion, Hubert Kos, flexed his versatility as he swam butterfly for Texas. His split of 43.45 was the fifth best in the field, beating out 100 fly finalists Andrei Minakov and Tyler Ray.

Freestyle

Though Tennessee didn’t have the firepower on the other legs to keep up with the leaders and placed 10th overall, Jordan Crooks was sensational on the Vols’ anchor. He split 39.95 to add another sub-40 flying start 100 free to his resume. He holds the top split of all-time from the 39.52 he swam at SECs.

ASU’s Jonny Kulow dropped a 40.11 anchor for the second best in the field. The junior was chasing down Luke Hobson of Texas, but the 200 free champion held on to hold the Longhorns in the runner-up position by just 0.02 seconds (40.64). Similarly, Indiana anchor Matt King (40.56) gave chase to Cal’s Destin Lasco (41.23), but the gap proved too wide. Lasco placed 5th in the 100 back earlier in the session.