Cal Men Make a Statement in ACC Debut, Downing Both Relay Championship Records

by Spencer Penland 11

February 18th, 2025 ACC, College, News

2025 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY – TIMED FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 1:20.15, Florida – 2024 NCAA Championships
  • ACC Record: 1:20.67, NC State – 2023 NCAA Championships
  • ACC Championship Record: 1:21.84,Louisville – 2022
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.62
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:23.90

Top 8:

  1. Cal – 1:21.54 (A)
  2. FSU – 1:21.98 (A)
  3. NC State – 1:22.06 (A)
  4. Stanford – 1:22.74 (A)
  5. Louisville – 1:23.02 (A)
  6. NC State – 1:23.20 (A)
  7. Virginia – 1:24.14
  8. Pitt – 1:24.32

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

  • NCAA Record: 6:02.26, California – 2024 NCAA Championships
  • ACC Record: 6:05.31 – 2018 NCAA Championships
  • ACC Championship Record: 6:08.35, NC State (2022)
  • NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 6:15.80
  • NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 6:18.42

Top 8:

  1. Cal – 6:06.66
  2. Stanford – 6:08.70
  3. NC State – 6:09.18
  4. Louisville – 6:11.55
  5. Florida State – 6:12.68
  6. Virginia – 6:13.00
  7. UNC – 6:15.39
  8. Southern Methodist – 6:15.42
  9. Virginia Tech – 6:15.55

Cal made a huge splash in their ACC debut tonight, taking down the ACC Championship records in both men’s relays to start the meet. It started with the 200 medley relay, where Cal’s quartet of Bjorn Seeliger (20.85), Yamato Okadome (22.91), Dare Rose (19.68), and Jack Alexy (18.10) combined for a 1:21.54. Alexy managed to pull away from FSU to secure the win for the Golden Bears in their first ACC men’s race.

With the performance, Cal downed the ACC meet record of 1:21.84, which Louisville had set back in 2022. It’s worth pointing out that despite Cal having added several high profile swimmers in the last month or so, this relay was made up of 3 swimmers who have spent their whole careers at Cal and a freshman.

Here’s a split comparison between Cal’s relay tonight and Louisville’s previous meet record of 1:21.84:

Cal – 2025 ACC Championships Louisville – 2022 ACC Championships
Back Bjorn Seeliger (20.85) Mitchell Whyte (20.94)
Breast Yamato Okadome (22.91) Evgenii Somov (22.85)
Fly Dare Rose (19.68) Dalton Lowe (19.50)
Free Jack Alexy (18.10) Abdelrahman Elaraby (18.55)
FINAL TIME 1:21.54 1:21.84

Cal would then go on to win the men’s 800 free relay by a comfortable 2-second margin, swimming a 6:06.66. Alexy was on that relay as well, leading off in 1:32.98, and was followed by Gabriel Jett (1:30.66), Destin Lasco (1:31.38), and Lucas Henveaux (1:31.64). They shattered the ACC Championship record in this event, blowing away the previous mark of 6:08.35, which NC State set in 2022.

It’s worth pointing out that this Cal team is 3/4 of the team that set the NCAA record in this event last season. Jett, Lasco, Alexy, and Robin Hanson swam a 6:02.26 at last year’s NCAAs, which stands as the NCAA record.

Here’s how the splits compare between this Cal relay and NC State’s 2022 championship record:

Cal – 2025 ACC Championships NC State – 2022 ACC Championships
1st Swimmer Jack Alexy (1:32.98) Sam Hoover (1:32.62)
2nd Swimmer Gabriel Jett (1:30.66) Luke Miller (1:31.03)
3rd Swimmer Destin Lasco (1:31.38) Eric Knowles (1:32.73)
4th Swimmer Lucas Henveaux (1:31.64) Hunter Tapp (1:31.97)
FINAL TIME 6:06.66 6:08.35

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snailSpace
1 day ago

Who was (were?) the non-American(s) on Cal’s NCAA record breaking 800 free relay last year? Since it’s apparently not the American record.

Adrian
Reply to  snailSpace
1 day ago

Robin Hanson (from Sweden)

Editor
Reply to  snailSpace
1 day ago

Robin Hanson is Swedish.

Foreign Embassy
1 day ago

Curious why no brooks on the 800relay? Could have led off and gave Alexy a rest…

BR32
1 day ago

Go Bears

Adrian
1 day ago

Looking at these times, Cal is going to run away with the meet, without a full taper or shave.

Grant Drukker
1 day ago

3.5 out Alexy and 1.5 out of Lasco to give. Gonna be crazy for NCAAs.

MigBike
1 day ago

ACC teams can never match “Da Bears” strength in swimming!

SwimtotheMoon
1 day ago

Alexy’s 5 o’clock shadow is on point too

Thomas The Tank Engine
1 day ago

Paging Andrew