Baylor Nelson Opts For 400 IM Over 200 Free On Day 3 Of NCAAs

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Pre-Selection Psych Sheets

Texas A&M’s Baylor Nelson has opted for the 400 IM over the 200 freestyle on day 3 of the 2024 Men’s NCAA Championships.

Despite making the US Worlds roster this past summer in the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay, Nelson will instead from the 400 IM over the SCY version of the 200 freestyle. The 400 IM includes NCAA record holder Leon Marchand of Arizona State as the #1 seed.

Nelson is the #3 seed in the 400 IM only behind Marchand and Arizona State teammate David Schlicht. Marchand leads the NCAA with a 3:34.66 from Pac-12s while Schlicht is entered in at a 3:37.97 while Nelson is entered with a 3:38.05 from SECs.

Nelson notably finished 10th last year at NCAAs in the 400 IM swimming a 3:37.11 in finals.  Just before a week before the 2023 US Summer Nationals, Nelson earned his national cut in the 200 freestyle. At Summer Nationals, Nelson made the ‘A’ final of the event, eventually finishing 5th to earn a spot on the US men’s 4×200 freestyle relay. Nelson also finished 5th in the 400 IM but only the top two swimmers are taken to Worlds in that event.

At the time Nelson said, “I’ve been training 200 freestyle a lot this year. I felt like I had pretty good potential in it, so I just wanted to add another event. I was only focusing on the IMs so I wanted to add the third event which I thought I could [qualify in for Nationals].” Now, even after making the US Worlds roster from the 200 free, Nelson will compete in the 400 IM. His best 200 free time of a 1:32.38 that he swam to lead off Texas A&M’s 800 free relay would have been the #21 seed.

Nelson also is the #9 seed in the 200 IM and the #18 seed in the 200 breast. Last year, Nelson swam the 200 back at NCAAs finishing 31st in a 1:42.28. His best time in the 200 back of 1:39.79 from 2023 SECs would have made him the #18 seed. He notably swam the 200 breast at SECs finishing 3rd.