2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 22 – Saturday, March 25
- IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
- Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
- Defending Champion: Texas (results)
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
- Event Previews
- Live Results
- Friday Finals Heat Sheets
This morning’s 200 medley relay was fast enough that very few teams will have alternate lineup options tonight, perhaps in response to a few high-profile miscues in prelims of the 400 medley.
A few teams swam alternates on their prelims 400 medley relay and paid the price yesterday. NC State missed the A final with a big time gain, and Cal would have missed the A final were it not for a DQ. Perhaps in reaction to that, almost every team used their best lineup this morning in the 200 medley regardless of which swimmers already had individual events.
Texas is the top seed after this morning. Their only realistic option is to add Jack Conger onto the anchor leg instead of Brett Ringgold. But that would be Conger’s 4th and final relay entry, and he’s probably more valuable on the 400 free relay tomorrow.
Cal’s only possible change is to throw in Justin Lynch or new addition Zheng Wen Quah on butterfly instead of Matt Josa. Zheng was .04 faster in the 100 fly this morning, but Josa did have a better opening 50. Lynch was on the relay last year and went 20.0 in the final.
Florida sits 4th. They threw in some trickery last night with Caeleb Dressel switching to butterfly. He could swim breast, fly or free, but is probably best off swimming freestyle, where he put up the fastest split in history this morning at 17.71.
Alabama could potentially throw in Luke Kaliszak somewhere, but they’ll have to go at least a full second faster than this morning to have a shot at defending their NCAA crown.
The 200 medley relay will close out tonight’s session. Stay tuned to SwimSwam for live coverage of tonight’s finals session.
Luke’s 20.0 from last year would put Bama back at the top, assuming other teams don’t go any faster, which they will. With the field as tight as it is, .9 is kind of a big thing. I’d be surprised if they didn’t switch him in.
The only qualm you’d have if you’re Alabama is that one of his turns was apparently the reason their 400 MR got DQd.
But yeah, otherwise I think him and his underwaters make that move a slam dunk – 20.9 fly is glacial in DI these days.
If they added Conger they would put him and fly and move Joe to free but they saving Jack for Tomorrow
Cal can sub in lynch who was faster at PAC 12s. Quah is more a 200 guy
Lynch was 19.81 at PAC-12 and out 20.79 this morning in 100 fly – only guy not named Schooling, Dressel, Conger, and Held under 20.9 in first 50 of 100 fly (Dobbs from Zona was 20.92). I don’t see how he doesn’t swim on the relay, based on that and his PAC-12 splits. Josa was 20.38 with almost no room to be faster in the start: 0.08 RT.
Cal has a chance to win if the following happens:
-Murphy has to be at least .4 faster than Shebat. Ryan was 20.20 last year, but obviously the consensus is that he isn’t as sharp this year.
-Hoppe cannot be more than .2 behind Licon (Will had a safe… Read more »
No way Murphy is .4 faster than shebat. My bet is shebat outsplits Murphy and goes 20.39