In order to maintain the integrity of athletic competition, the NCAA has established a set of rules that determine what is a “bona fide” competition that, among other things, allows a qualifying swim for an NCAA Championship meet to be raced. These “bona fide” rules are ostensibly designed to ensure transparency and integrity in meets, and keep teams, for example, from having a closed-door, one-team competition with friendly officials turning a blind eye to extra dolphin kicks or early relay exchanges.
The swims of 2 would-be qualifiers for the 2018 Men’s NCAA Championship meet that begins next week in Minneapolis have been called into question by multiple other coaches who reached out to SwimSwam on Tuesday. Specifically, the swims by East Carolina swimmers Gustavo Santos and Jacek Arentewicz, who were the last-invited swimmers in the 100 fly (Santos – 45.89) and 200 breaststroke (Arentewicz – 1:54.49). Both of those times, each swimmer’s only invited time, came at the Liberty University Last Chance meet.
While the Liberty Last Chance Meet seems to meet all of the criteria as a bona fide competition on the women’s side, there is a key provision that, on its face, will need further clarification from the NCAA in order to have been met:
- Competition is between two or more teams of the same gender at the same time and site, from different collegiate institutions;
East Carolina was the only men’s team in attendance at the meet, while the rule specifies that to be bona fide, a meet must include two or more teams of the same gender.
We have reached out to NCAA secretary-rules editor Greg Lockard, who quickly acknowledged that he was aware of the questions being asked, but did not respond to a follow-up to clarify if the NCAA was still considering the matter or if they had made a decision.
We have also reached out to East Carolina to ask if they’ve interpreted the rules differently and the meet hosts Liberty, who are responsible for submitting results from last chance meets per the rules for “End of Season Competitions.” Neither has responded yet.
At this rate:
Dear 2,703rd Alternate (sitting at home on spring break eating pop-tarts),
Congratulations! You have now been invited to compete in the 200 fly at NCAA’s next week. We realize that you haven’t trained for 3 weeks now, but s’all good. Go get ’em!
P.S. All hotels and flights are booked.
Just not fair to the swimmers who have truly prepared and did well during the conference and dual meets. To be pushed out by last chance meets – at the very last minute. I know someone who was ranked 26th, and three swimmers who didn’t do well at their conference swam the last chance meets and he got pushed down to 29th. This swimmer is not at the top of alternate, was “robbed” of his bona fide swim.
NCAA invitation times should only include conference or dual meet times. These last chance meets give people who cannot preform when it counts undeserved opportunities. Plus this would add a whole new level of excitement to conference meets. I understand why so many swimmers and coaches want to utilize these meets, but aren’t they mostly just for “losers?” Hurts to be the guy that is squeezed out of 29th because someone snuck a last chance swim in just under them.
Totally agree with you. One swimmer was squeezed out 3 spots down (from 26th) by last chance meets. Now sitting at 29th spot and not a top alternate. Will he get his rightful place back and swim at NCAA, his very first as a FR?
The meet in question was open to both men and women, is it their fault no men showed up? LET THEM SWIM!
It seems like there have been a lot of issues with Last Chance meets the past few years. There was the Fabio Gimondi thing a couple years ago swimming in two last chance meets, the thing with ECACs last year, and now this. It’s strange because the NCAA has a reputation as being a really thoughtful, well-run organization. Oh wait…
Let me guess – GCU coach with the first 2 alternates was one of the “multiple coaches” who reached out to swimswam…
I hope so! It is their job to represent their athletes and their institution!
These 2 are being pulled because no other men were present at the meet. Basicly if Joe Schmo from Beaver College swam a 28.7 50 FREE at somepoint during the meet the ECU times would count. That is just a stupid way to validate times. And a stupid interpretation of the rule. The clock doesn’t lie, best kids should compete! How are teams supposed to dictate other teams entries. The meet was not a women’s only meet, it was 1 meet, open to men & women. Multiple teams of the same gender were there, ACC included, meeting the Bona Fide standard. The rule does not say all genders present must have opposition, just that 2 teams of the same gender,… Read more »
Curious who gets in at this point? next person in that event or alternates?
Curious – that actually would be a really interesting conversation, because it’s not clear-cut. Again, barring some complex interpretation that’s not obvious, they should have never been entered – that leads one to believe it’s the next swimmer in those events. However, in those events, the next guys weren’t even ON the alternates list, so unless they were on relays, there’s a chance they’ll be totally under-prepared.
Not a good situation. My intuition tells me that the NCAA will find a way to leave the swimmers as they are.
Edit – someone pointed out to me via email that the 100 fly was a tie for the last spot. So the next guy in that wouldn’t get called up anyway.… Read more »
braden, I recall something similar happened this year in college football involving florida state universities bowl eligibility. I believe they were seeded to play a bowl game, but actually were determined to not be eligible due to a similar rule. I believe they played the game and recorded the score with an asterisk.
ill find an article explaining it.
also, love the writing, you guys are the best in the sport