The defending NCAA champion Texas Longhorns wasted no time in proving they’re still the cream of the NCAA crop, posting a plethora of insane early-season times at the Orange-White Intrasquad Meet.
The highlight of the night (if we have to pick just one) was a ridiculous 100 fly battle between the two best returning swimmers in the NCAA: Jack Conger and Joseph Schooling.
Schooling was the NCAA champ last year, but Conger pulled off the Intrasquad win as both men blasted 45 second races. Conger was 45.43 and Schooling 45.67. For reference, those times are faster than anyone in the NCAA besides those two went in all of the 2014 regular season up to the conference championship period. Conger was three tenths faster than he went at last year’s mid-season rest meet, and Schooling was just a tenth off his time from last December.
They’re also both under the NCAA “A” cut, meaning if the times from this meet are official in terms of NCAA qualifying, both men have already booked their tickets to the big show next March. Typically, “A” cuts and automatic NCAA-qualifying bids don’t start happening until November or later.
The times all-around were bordering on absurd for the Longhorns at this early point of the year. Freshman Townley Haas, one of the top recruits in the nation last recruiting season, belted a 1:34.84 to win the 200 free – that’s only about a second and a half away from the “A” cut and only a few tenths off the final time invited to NCAAs last year.
Haas also won the 500 free in 4:20.89. That’s yet another nation-leading time, and topped the reigning NCAA champ in the event, Clark Smith. Smith, a junior, went 4:22.32.
NCAA 400 IM and 200 breast champ Will Licon swam and won the 100 breast, going a 53.92 that should put him at the top of the NCAA rankings for quite some time. One event earlier, freshman Ryan Harty popped off a 46.45 to win the 100 backstroke.
Harty would win two more events on the night, going 1:44.74 in the 200 IM (and beating Licon’s 1:45.05) and taking the 200 back in 1:42.84.
Licon came back to win the 200 breast late for his second victory. He was 1:58.01. Licon wasn’t really challenged in that event and now leads the NCAA handily.
One race after that excellent 100 fly battle, another rivalry matchup stepped up with the NCAA 500 free champ Clark Smith and senior Sam Lewis in the 1000 free. Smith ultimately touched out Lewis by just a tenth, 9:06.05 to 9:06.18.
Conger got his second win by taking the 200 fly in 1:42.60. Conger is the American record-holder in the event, though not the NCAA record-holder, as his best swim was done in a time trial at Big 12s that didn’t count for NCAA records.
Two men dipped under 20 seconds in the 50 free, with Schooling picking up the win. He was 19.91 with sophomore Brett Ringgold 19.97. Freshman Tate Jackson was just on the other side of 20 with a 20.01.
The 100 free went to Matt Ellis in 44.23, touching out the 44.36 from John Murray and the 44.78 from freshman John Shebat. Jackson was also under 45 with a 44.89.
Cory Bowersox won both diving events, which featured only 3 divers.
The Orange team ultimately won the meet on the backs of Conger, Harty and Licon, but the White team took the 200 free relay to end the meet. Schooling, Ellis, Shebat and Jackson were 1:18.84 with Schooling leading off in another 19.91 (exactly tying his individual 50 free time) and the freshmen Shebat and Jackson each splitting 19.4.
White’s relay was 1:19.41, with Haas splitting 19.45 on the anchor leg.
Did the women have their orange-white meet? Seems like they are trying to be low key this year and the last with early in the season – not on their website.
WOW and Double WOW! I cannot think of a better coach than Eddie Reese…EVER! and the most humble guy you will ever meet!
Clark Smith was not wearing a racing suit like all others (including Haas) and still busted out a 4:20 in the 500 free (probably to be able to compare to last year when he did not wear a racing suit for this meet). Makes it a bit harder to read too much into Haas beating him although Haas is definitely on game. They are also in the middle of what Licon called a more intense and harder workout start for the season than last year. Conger also said that they have not even begun speed work yet – only conditioning. Going to be amazing as training ramps up toward the first rested swims in December – Texas Invitational. WOW !!
Smith – Haas 500 free duel was interesting. Haas has much shorter glide and higher number of strokes. His stroke is more built for 200 IMO. Not sure how higher number of strokes will work against Smith when time dips another 10 seconds. Very impressed with Haas seeing him first time at a meet though. Tall and tough. Smith and Haas will push each other the way Conger and Schooling do. It will be great to watch Haas here for 4 years.
Every meet In Austin this year will be NCAA Champs rehearsal. Very exciting. Needless to say, this Texas team is special!
BTW, the most exciting moment for me was Licon’s pullout in 200 breast all the way to… Read more »
Does anyone know when the Eddie Reese Invitational is? The video of that last year was one of the best swimswam posts ever.
I believe that is a lifetime best for Haas in the 200. Wow.
Harty just off his lifetime bests: 0.2 off in the 100 back, 0.4 off his 200 IM PR. Tate Jackson 0.10 off his lifetime best. Reese sure gets those kids ready in a hurry!
Tate’s best is 19.91 i believe
Welcome to the Olympic Year, everyone.
Eddie Reese has been here multiple times, year after year as arguably our best coach for preparing Olympians, and you can sure bet all of these guys will be gunning for finals at Trials, if not making the team outright (Conger, Licon, Haas?, Smith?).
If anyone will have the hardest job, it’s going to be Conger against Shields for the 2nd butterfly spots behind Phelps. Licon has to face Clary and Kalisz for the 400 IM, as well as perhaps Prenot (and others) for 200 Breast behind Cordes. After their season training with Reese though, I think we might see another Olympic Dynasty team in the making for Reese following the success of now… Read more »
How did Eddie’s teams handle tapers for NCAAs for their true Olympic hopefuls (the ones who ended up winning medals) in years past? For example, were Hanson or Peirsol slightly “off” at NCAAs in their Olympic years before nailing Trials? Or did they go full taper, nail NCAAs, and then turn around and nail Trials and Olympics? Seems like Conger and Schooling nailed NCAAs and then big meets in the summer.
The 2004 NCAA’s were SCM, and Crocket set WR’s in the 100 free and 100 fly, Peirsol set the WR in the 200 back, Hansen swept breast, and the Longhorns set a WR in the 400 MR. If that wasn’t full taper…that’s scary…
Well I agree with conger vs shields in the 100 fly for second, I don’t think shields has anything on conger in the long course 200 fly, I know half a second can be made up in one year, but it going to take at least 1:54 low to make the team, and shields can’t match that.
Apparently Shields was 15 pounds overweight at Worlds (I assume compared to his senior year at Cal). His Twitter feed said he’s lost 15 pounds since Worlds and 25 pounds since he got married. Hopefully that doesn’t include lean body mass. We’ll see how that translates to the 200 fly.
Really? I remember thinking he looked really small at Worlds. Of course, he was standing next to Murphy, Cordes, and Adrian, who are all pretty beastly 🙂
The problem Conger is going to have is that the 100 free (which puts 6 athletes on the Team) conflicts badly with the 200 fly (which will only put 1 athlete on the Team if Phelps swims it!). Although I agree Conger has a great chance to qualify for Rio in the 200 fly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he skips it to focus on the 100 free to try for one of those relay spots.
Hook em
Check out that 1000 free got 5th place. This guy isn’t a scrub, as evidenced but his 1:48 IM. My bet? He swam a 1000 br, going out in :59 and having some consistent splits.
He was swimming it easy just to pick up the one point.