2026 Big 12 Championships
- Dates: Tuesday, February 24–Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
- Defending champions: Arizona State women (1x); Arizona State men (1x)
- Teams: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Christian, Utah, West Virginia
- Men’s Championship Preview
- Women’s Championship Preview
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Video: ESPN +
- Live Recaps
Men’s 400 Freestyle Relay — Finals
NCAA D1 Record: 2:42.30 – Tennessee (Caribe, Taylor, Blackman, Crooks), 2025Big 12 Record: 2:43.22 – Arizona State University (Kharun, Sammon, Palmer, Kulow), 2025Meet Record: 2:44.03 – Arizona State University (I Kharun, P Sammon, T Palmer, J Kulow), 2025- NCAA Qualifying Times (Qualifying/Provisional): 2:49.36/2:50.42
Top 8 Finishers
- ASU — 2:42.15 **New NCAA Record
- Arizona — 2:48.86
- Utah — 2:52.42
- TCU — 2:54.50
- BYU — 2:54.51
- Cincinnati — 2:54.54
- West Virginia — 2;55.87
After setting a slew of conference and meet records throughout the week, the Arizona State men wrapped up their 2026 Big 12 campaign with the biggest of them all: a new NCAA mark. The quartet of Ilya Kharun, Adam Chaney, Remi Fabiani, and Jonny Kulow united for a time of 2:42.15, shaving 0.15 seconds off of the previous record set by the Tennessee Volunteers to win NCAAs last year. With that swim, the Sundevils also took down their own Big 12 Conference record, which they established en route to placing 2nd behind Tennessee.
This swim comes after that same quartet swam a 1:12.98 in the 200 free relay, the #3 swim in history, earlier in the meet. In addition, Fabiani broke the conference record in the individual 100 free this session (40.67), while Kulow came in 2nd (41.47).
Split Comparison
| 2026 Big 12s – Arizona State (New NCAA Record) | 2025 NCAAs- Tennessee (Prev NCAA Record) | 2025 NCAAs- Arizona State (Prev Big 12 Record) | ||||
| 1st Leg | Ilya Kharun | 40.86 | Gui Caribe | 40.57 | Ilya Kharun | 41.24 |
| 2nd Leg | Adam Chaney | 41.21 (1:22.07) | Lamar Taylor | 41.02 (1:21.59) | Patrick Sammon | 40.55 (1:21.79) |
| 3rd Leg | Remi Fabiani | 40.00 (2:02.07) | Nikoli Blackman | 41.35 (2:02.94) | Tommy Palmer | 41.50 (2:03.29) |
| 4th Leg | Jonny Kulow | 40.08 (2:42.15) | Jordan Crooks | 39.36 (2:42.30) | Jonny Kulow | 39.93 (2:43.22) |
| Final time | 2:42.15 | 2:42.30 | 2:43.22 |
Kharun was fresh tonight, and led off the relay with a new PB of 40.86—a swim that marks his first time under 41 as his old best of 41.03 was set at last year’s Eddie Reese Texas Showdown. Chaney, who is coming off a conference title and meet record in the 200 back, dove in next with a 41.21 split. It was the back half of this relay that made all the difference in breaking the record: although unlike the previous NCAA and Big 12 records, no one was under the 40 barrier, Fabiani and Kulow split the #8 and #9 fastest times in history. Further, only this group had three men under 41, whereas both Tennessee and last year’s ASU team had two swimmers in the 41 range. Kulow now owns 3 of the fastest ten splits in history, the 2nd most behind only Jordan Crooks, who has 4.
All Time Fastest Relay Splits (Flying Starts)
- Jordan Crooks: 39.36 (2025 NCAAs)
- Josh Liendo: 39.47 (2026 SECs)
- Jordan Crooks: 39.52 (2025 SECs)
- Jere Hribar: 39.84 (2026 SECs)
- Jordan Crooks: 39.89 (2024 Tennessee Invite)
- Jonny Kulow: 39.93 (2025 NCAAs)
- Jordan Crooks: 39.95 (2025 NCAAs)
- Remi Fabiani: 40.00 (2026 Big 12s)
- Jonny Kulow: 40.08 (2026 Big 12s)
- Jonny Kulow: 40.11 (2025 NCAAs)
ASU has further cemented themselves as a sprinting powerhouse this season: they took the top 7/8 spots in the 50 free A final at Big 12s, and currently have 6 guys under the 19 second barrier in the 50 free. After winning the national title in 2024, the Sundevils lost a huge amount of talent due to the departure of head coach Bob Bowman. Last season, they fell to 6th at NCAAs, but thanks to immense development, along with transfers Adam Chaney (Florida) and Remi Fabiani (Cal Baptist), Arizona State looks primed for another top 5 finish this year with Herbie Behm at the helm.
Can Chaney split under 41?
Nothing more painful than a x0.00 time
39 years later and biondi’s 41.02 is still relevant
Wasn’t he 41.80? Still fast!
So in 2-4 years (based on how recruiting goes), we’re probably seeing a sub 2:40… ok.
If everyone averages sub-40… Still a long shot, but who knows?
Would be fun if they could time trial different schools imagine a caribe crooks liendo alexy relay last year
Luka just went 4:05 in the 500. Idek what’s real anymore
What on earth
4:05.76
Due to the change in format for NCAA‘s Adam Chaney would have the 200 backstroke right before the final relay. (Diving in between?). A 200 back will take a lot out of his legs. Maybe he should swim 100 free on the last day.???
They may even scratch his event that day to rest him for the relay.
Nah, Chaney will score more points in the 2back. ASU has plenty of good options to win the relay even without Chaney, Quin Seider was 41.91 in the 100 today and Tommy Palmer split 41.50 last year.
Plus if Chaney swims the 100 free all the extra swim-offs with Kulow would destroy ASU’s chance of winning this relay.
Ha ha!
I agree he has a better chance at scoring more points in the 2 Back but the few extra points he may score will probably not affect their team finish.
And when you have a chance to break an NCAA record and/or go even further under your existing record, sometimes you go for it.
That’s true, I see your point. Going into the last day if Texas is within striking range he has to swim the 2back, but if that’s not realistic I could see him scratching to rest and try to reset the relay record.
ASU is very strong in the relays and a few individual events. They won’t be close to Texas in the team competition. I’m not even sure ASU will get 2nd at NCAAs. Florida, IU, and NC State will be up there and probably have the same or more depth.
ASU probably won’t be close to Texas. They don’t have much depth.
UF, NCST, and IU may even beat ASU.
ASU is really good in the relays and will have a handful of individual scorers. That’s not going to compete with Texas.
Side by side Kulow would be splitting 40.08 and be getting run down…
Modern swimming hurts my brain sometimes.
Wow, mind blowing 🤯 Great swim! How likely that ASU will be equal to or better at NCAAs?
You’d assume they’d all be peaking at NCAAs, so it’s certainly possible.
On the flip side, they will likely be going 100% for all prelim swims, so that may wear them down as the meet goes on. And they probably won’t have as much clean water in the final heat at NCAAs.