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 | Day 2
- Recaps:
Indiana smashed the Big 10 record in the 400 free relay that they’d held since 2018, as the team of Owen McDonald, Mikkel Lee, Dylan Smiley and Matt King swam a 2:45.62 to take the win in the final event at Big 10s, wrapping up a dominant championship as they finished over 400 points clear of Michigan in second.
Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay – Finals
- NCAA Record: 2:42.41 – Tennessee (2025 SEC Championships)
Big Ten Record: 2:47.11 – Indiana (2018)Meet Record: 2:47.16 – Ohio State (2022)- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:49.79
- 2024 Champion: Indiana – 2:48.19
Top 9:
- Indiana – 2:45.62
- Ohio State – 2:47.47
- Michigan – 2:48.91
- Northwestern – 2:49.77
- Southern Cal – 2:49.78
- Penn State – 2:50.77
- Wisconsin – 2:51.42
- Purdue – 2:51.92
- Minnesota – 2:53.04
The previous record, set in prelims at 2018 NCAAs, was a 2:47.11 from the quartet of Mohamed Hassan, Blake Pieroni, Bruno Blaskovic and Ali Khalafalla.
| Swimmer | Indiana (2018 NCAAs) – Old Record | Swimmer | Indiana (2025) – New Record | |
| 50 | Mohamed Hassan | 20.39 | Owen McDonald | 19.85 |
| 100 | 42.40 | 41.62 | ||
| 150 | Blake Pieroni | 19.63 (1:02.03) | Mikkel Lee | 19.87 (1:01.49) |
| 200 | 41.11 (1:23.51) | 41.72 (1:23.34) | ||
| 250 | Bruno Blaskovic | 19.83 (1:43.34) | Dylan Smiley | 19.75 (1:43.09) |
| 300 | 41.84 (2:05.35 ) | 41.59 (2:04.93) | ||
| 350 | Ali Khalafalla | 19.32 (2:24.67 ) | Matt King | 19.05 (2:23.98) |
| 400 | 41.76 (2:47.11 ) | 40.69 (2:45.62) |
McDonald, fresh from his Big 10 record in the 200 backstroke, set a new PB in leading off in 41.62, taking half a second off the 42.17 he swam in November. That would have been seven hundredths off gold in the individual event, which was won by OSUs Tomas Navikonis. His swim gained Indiana eight tenths compared to Mohammed Hassan’s 42.40 leadoff from the previous record, and they stayed ahead for the rest of the race.
On the middle two legs Indiana got a pair of 41s from Mikkel Lee and Dylan Smiley, giving up almost nothing to Blake Pieroni and Bruno Blaskovic, two of Indiana’s most successful freestylers in recent years. This was another big swim at this meet for Smiley, who came into the meet with a PB of 42.54 and swam a 41.85 to take third individually earlier in the session.
Matt King anchored in a stunning 40.69, over a second quicker than he had gone individually and almost identical to his leg from the medley relay yesterday. Although Indiana had been ahead of Ohio State in second throughout the first three legs, King outsplit OSU’s anchor Cornelius Jahn by nearly a second to pull away and cement the win. He was also over a second ahead of Khalafallas’ anchor split from the previous record, helping Indiana skip over the 2:46s entirely.
As reported by Robert Gibbs, even though this time would have won the event at NCAAs as recently as 2022 it only makes them the sixth fastest team in the country this year. To just put into perspective how quick the NCAA is this year for this event, Indiana’s time here appears to be the 21st-fastest all time. It may require a time under NC State’s old, seemingly unattainable record of 2:44.31 to podium in the event at NCAAs in 2025, but Indiana have put themselves in a strong position to get major points towards their challenge for the national title.
Why do they put Kharun on the lead? His flying start is so much better then his flat start
omg wrong article that is very embarassing
Damn that Tenn 2:42 is fast.
Ye sit is! Will be cool to see the ORANGE CLAD MEN FROM TENNESSEE put a 2:51 on the board when rested!