WIll Licon is in shock from 400 Medley Relay

Video produced by Coleman Hodges. 

Reported by Jared Anderson.

400 MEDLEY RELAY – FINALS

• NCAA – 3:01.39 – Auburn – 2009
• Championship – 3:01.39 – Auburn – 2009
• American – 3:01.91 – Stanford – 2009
• US Open – 3:01.39 – Auburn – 2009
• 2014 Champion – California – 3:02.66

The team race between Texas and Cal was front and center in the night’s final event, with both teams going under the previous American record.

Cal stormed to the lead early, with sophomore Ryan Murphy breaking the NCAA record with a 44.17 backstroke split on the way out. He handed off to breaststroker Chuck Katis,who was equally impressive – Katis split 50.12 on his leg, beating even reigning American record-holder Kevin Cordes of Arizona.

But suddenly Texas surged back. Though Cal freshman Justin Lynch split 45.47 on his fly leg, Texas rookie Joseph Schooling outdid that by a huge margin, blasting an absurd 43.93 to vault Texas into contention.

With Jack Conger anchoring, Texas quickly overtook Cal’s Seth Stubblefield. Conger kept the otherworldly splits going, taking his race out in 18.94 seconds to his feet at the flip turn, and ultimately split 40.96. That gave Texas the U.S. Open and NCAA records in 3:01.23. Also on that relay for Texas were Kip Darmody (45.39 back) and Will Licon (50.93 breast).

With Schooling representing Singapore internationally, that doesn’t count as the American record. But second-place Cal was also under the national time, and will take that record for their own with their 3:01.60, second-place showing. Stubblefield was 41.84 on the anchor leg for Cal.