2025 Men’s Big 10s: Michigan Puts Seven Swimmers Into ‘A’ Finals On Day 2 (Ups/Mids/Downs)

2025 MEN’S BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, February 26–Saturday, March 1
• Location: Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Defending champions: Indiana men (3x)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide
• Teams: Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, USC*, Wisconsin
• Results: Day 1
• Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 2 |
  • Finals: Day 1

For those unfamiliar with swimming terminology, the concept of “Ups” and “Downs” is a good way to track which teams performed best during prelims. In prelims at the SEC Championships, swimmers qualify for one of three finals: the top eight finishers make the ‘A’ final (Ups), places nine through 16 make the ‘B’ final (Mids), and places 17 through 24 made the ‘C’ final (Downs). In finals, swimmers are locked into their respective final, meaning a swimmer in the ‘B’ final can only place as high as 9th or as low as 16th, even if they swim the fastest or slowest time of the event in any final.

With that in mind, we track “Ups”, “Mids”, and “Downs” after each prelims session.

Team Scores Through Day 1

1. Indiana — 110
2. USC — 112
3. Ohio State/Michigan — 110
4. (Tie)
5. Wisconsin — 100
6. Northwestern — 96
7. Minnesota — 94
8. Penn State — 86
9. Purdue — 84

Ups/Mids/Downs

Indiana holds a two point lead through the first day of competition, which featured the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays. After securing 13 finals swims, the Hoosiers are projected to slightly extend that lead, with the projected scoring giving them 367 points from the day’s individual swimming events, which don’t include the 1-meter diving finals or the 200 freestyle relay.

It’s Michigan that has the most ‘A’ finalists of the day though, as the Wolverines put seven swimmers into the championship finals. Indiana has six, while Ohio State has five. Both the Wolverines and the Buckeyes earned 12 total final swims, which is projected to help them pass USC in the team standings. Ohio State’s prelims highlight was the 50 freestyle, where they swam the three fastest qualifying times.

Michigan and Ohio State are tied after the opening relays. The projected individual scoring predicts Michigan’s seven ‘A’ finalists will put them into second after tonight’s finals. However, diving could also aid Ohio State and with the three top qualifiers for the 50 freestyle, the Buckeyes’ 200 freestyle relay will be the favorites.

The Trojans were the surprise winners of the 800 freestyle relay on the first night of racing, and are placed second overall with 112 points. However, the team had a tough prelims session as they failed to put a swimmer into an ‘A’ final in any of the day’s three individual events. The team has just five finalists total, which is tough to stack up against the teams surrounding them in the standings.

Projected Scoring