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
- Thursday Morning Heat Sheet
In a morning full of crazy swims, Florida junior Caeleb Dressel dropped one of the fastest 100 free relay splits ever, going a 40.56 to anchor the Gators to a 5th place finish in prelims.
While we know for sure that Dressel himself (40.20), Nathan Adrian (40.23), and Vladimir Morozov (40.28) have all been faster, there aren’t too many swimmers, if any, who gone between those 40.2s and Dressel’s time from this morning.
But that certainly wasn’t the only fast split from this morning. Texas sophomore John Shebat led off with a blistering 44.82, which appears to make him the 10th-fastest man ever in the 100 backstroke. Shebat was the only man under 45 this morning, as Cal opted to rest Ryan Murphy, a move that almost cost them a spot in the A-final.
Missouri’s Fabian Schwingenschlogl blasted a 50.66 breaststroke split, which should set him up well for a battle in the individual 100 breast tomorrow. Louisville’s Carlos Claverie split 51.02 and Texas’s Will Licon split 51.38, so for now it looks like the Tiger senior may have the edge, although we’ll have to see what Licon specifically has in store for tonight.
Andrew Sansoucie of Missouri and Indiana’s Vini Lanza were both under 45 seconds on the butterfly leg this morning, going 44.56 and 4.85, respectively and leading their teams to top three finishes in prelims. Tomorrow they’ll face a stacked 100 fly field that will include Jack Conger, Caeleb Dressel, and Ryan Held, none of whom swam fly this morning, and NCAA record holder Joe Schooling, who looked very relaxed with a 45.41 split.
Other impressive free splits this morning belonged to Stanford’s Sam Perry, whose 41.22 kept the Cardinal in the A-final, Missouri’s Michael Chadwick, the only man besides Dressel to dip under 41 (40.93), and Indiana’s Blake Pieroni (41.11).
Top Splits By Stroke, 400 Medley Relay Prelims:
| Swimmer | Team | Time |
| Shebat | Texas | 44.82 |
| Schwingenschlogl | Missouri | 50.66 |
| Sansoucie | Missouri | 44.58 |
| Dressel | Florida | 40.56 |
| Composite | 3:00.89 |
The top swimmer in each stroke this morning combined for a theoretical 3:00.62, just a hair faster than the actual U.S. Open of 3:00.68, set by Texas last year, and a mark that the Longhorns will certainly be seeking to lower again this evening.
2:1 odds that Dressel splits 39.8 or faster
3:2 odds that the first sub-3:00 MR happens tonight
Mizzou will likely swim about the same as prelims, as they will be swimming their same four. Texas has at a minimum two seconds to drop based on Schoolings leg alone, plus if they add conger that could be another second as well as Licon going 50. Cal will drop almost (maybe at least) three seconds based on only murphy swimming on back. I say Texas wins this one in a new record
Mizzou just needed one more stud transfer to give their seniors a legit title chance.
In 2007, Northwestern upperclassmen Grevers, Alexandrov, and Bubolz picked up Bruno Barbic for a small dream team and won this event.
In 2013, Michigan transferred Zack Turk. With 2 Ortiz brothers and Sean Fletcher, they still have the 200 MR record.
Mizzou has 3 senior stud stroke specialists – but will be fighting back from too much of a deficit after the backstroke.
Predictions-
Dressel- 40.05
Schooling- 43.19
Texas- 2:59.9 – Only major barrier to be broken
I hope not. We’ve been waiting for that sub 40 since Vlad was still swimming NCAA.
*Raises hand* Sansoucie was 44.5 fly.
Fixed, thanks!
Andrew Sansoucie was 44.5 on the fly leg this morning.
Prediction time,
1) Dressel’s free split is sub 40
2) Schooling split is sub 43
3) Despite all of this, Cal wins the event with a 2:58.9
No way Texas loses this one. Licon and Schooling looked like they were relaxing the whole way on their legs.
Cal has a better shot in the 200 medley. Cal can’t match Licon/Schooling, and Shebat’s 44.8 will be enough to get those two in range. Missouri and Cal will duke it out for second, Missouri has the edge in breast and free, Cal has a huge advantage in back, and they’re about even in fly. Think it goes Texas, Cal, Missouri for top three.
I really want to see a sub-3:00, but tonight it’ll either be both Texas and Cal or just Texas – I don’t think Cal wins it, especially if Shebat can put another 44 out there. I’m going to say:
Shebat 44.8
Licon 50.2
Schooling 43.0
Conger 40.8
2:58.8
Murphy 43.2
Seliskar 51.0
Josa 44.4
Jensen 41.5
3:00.1
It would have been funny if Nc State saw they where behind so they ran Ryan Held out