Hoffer Sweeps Sprints as Cal Men Take Down USC on the Road

CALIFORNIA VS. SOUTHERN CAL

  • Results
  • Hosted by USC
  • Friday, February 2nd
  • 25 Yards
  • Dual Meet Format

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

  • CAL: 168
  • USC: 123

Freshman standout Ryan Hoffer won multiple events for the Cal Bears as they took down Pac-12 rival USC on Saturday. A tight battle in the 50 free saw 4 Bears break 20 seconds, but Hoffer got there first in 19.79 ahead of teammates Pawel Sendyk (19.82), Justin Lynch (19.84), and Michael Jensen (19.99). Hoffer prevailed again in the 100 free, out-touching Lynch (44.24) and Jensen (44.38) to win it in 44.20.

Hoffer wasn’t the only freshman to pick up a win for the Bears. Bryce Mefford rocked a 1:42.96 in the 200 back to outswim USC’s Patrick Mulcare (1:43.70).

Nick Norman and Andrew Seliskar also contributed winning doubles for the Bears. Norman swept the distance freestyles, posting a 4:26.48 in the 500 free and a 9:04.39 in the 1000 free. Seliskar, who may take a shot at the 200 breast in the post season this time around, dominated the 200 breast in 1:55.52 ahead of USC’s Carsten Vissering (1:59.74). In his 2nd meet back since taking a semester abroad in the fall, Vissering picked up a win of his own with a quick 52.66 in the 100 breast. Seliskar went on to win the 200 IM in 1:45.09.

In addition to his wins, Seliskar also finished 2nd in the 200 free. He trailed USC’s Dylan Carter by about a half a second in the front half, but Carter extended his lead through the back half. At the finish, Carter set a new Pool Record with his 1:33.24. Seliskar was just over a second back in 1:34.47.

Notably absent for USC at this meet was ace sprinter Santo Condorelli. A representative for USC tells SwimSwam that Condorelli is resting his shoulder. His status for tomorrow’s meet is still to be determined.

PRESS RELEASE – CAL:

LOS ANGELES – A trip to Los Angeles gave the Cal men’s swimming and diving team another chance to test itself in a racing environment and another strong team performance yielded a victory as the Bears earned a 168-123 dual meet win over USC at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

A warm Southern California day provided the backdrop and Cal didn’t take long to heat up when it came to winning races. Daniel CarrConnor HoppeMatthew Josa and Ryan Hoffer got the Bears on the board right away as their 200-yard medley relay time of 1:26.07 provided a win in the opening event.

Cal’s distance swimmers continued to build the team lead with a 1-2-3 finish in the 1,000 free. Nick Norman touched the wall first with a time of 9:04.39, Sean Grieshop followed in second and Ken Takahashi rounded out the Cal contingent in third.

Though USC managed wins in the 200 free, 100 back and 100 breast, Cal continued to score points thanks to its depth. Andrew Seliskar and Michael Jensen finished 2-3 in the 200 free, Zheng Wen QuahBryce Mefford and Carr went 2-3-4 in the 100 back and Hoppe, Carson Sandand Matt Whittle equaled that 2-3-4 showing in the 100 breast.

Cal went into the first break with plenty of momentum thanks to wins in the 200 fly and 50 free. Mike Thomas led a 1-2-3 Cal finish in the 200 fly, finishing in a time of 1:44.96 to edge teammates Josa and Jack Xie. The Bears followed by taking the top four spots in the 50 free as Hoffer (19.79), Pawel SendykJustin Lynch and Jensen scored maximum points in the event.

Once racing resumed, Cal’s sprint crew picked up where they left off with Hoffer clocking a time of 44.20 in the 100 free to earn his second win and Lynch and Jensen rounding out the top three. Freshman Bryce Mefford picked up a win in the 200 back with a time of 1:42.96, Norman secured his own double with a winning time of 4:26.28 in the 500 free, Josa won the 100 fly in 46.64 and Seliskar found the winner’s circle with a time of 1:45.09 in the 200 IM. The Bears capped their victory by going 2-3 in the 400 free relay.

Cal wraps up the 2017-18 dual meet schedule on Feb. 17 when it travels to Stanford for a noon showdown. The postseason gets underway from Feb. 21-24 with the Pac-12 Diving Championships and continues from Feb. 28-March 4 with the Pac-12 Swimming Championships. Both will be held in Federal Way, Wash. The NCAA Zone E Diving Championships are set for March 5-7 in Flagstaff, Ariz. and the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships will be held March 21-24 at the University of Minnesota.

PRESS RELEASE – USC:

No. 10 USC won five events, including a sweep of the springboards, but fell to No. 1 California, 168-123, Friday (Feb. 2) at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

The Trojans lost for the first time this season and drops to 6-1, 2-1. Cal improves to 5-0, 4-0.

Cal edged USC in the opening 200 medley relay, the Bears winning in 1:26.08 to the Trojans’ season-best set by freshman Robert Glinta, juniors Carsten Vissering and Kyle Grissom and senior Ralf Tribuntsov.

The Bears swept the 1000y free, led by Nick Norman‘s 9:04.39. Pawel Furtek led USC in fourth in 9:23.14.

USC’s Dylan Carter nailed down Troy’s first win of the day (the first of three in a row), fighting back Cal’s Andrew Seliskar to win the 200y free in 1:33.24 in a pool record, breaking former Bear Tom Shields’ mark of 1:3370. Trojan freshman Jake Sannem was fourth in 1:37.13.

Glinta followed with a win in the 100y back in 47.28 while Vissering, rounding into form in his second meet of the season, won the 100y breast in USC season-best 52.66. The Bears filled in the next three spots in both races.

Cal countered with sweeps in the 200y fly and the 50y and 100y free. Bear Bryce Mefford won the 200y back in 1:42.96 with USC’s Patrick Mulcare second in 1:43.70, Glinta third (1:44.84).

Seliskar won the 200y breast in 1:55.52 while Vissering posted a second-place finish in 1:59.24.

The Trojans got their first 1-2 finish on the 3-meter springboard as sophomore Henry Fusaro(366.45) and senior Dashiell Enos (325.05) took the top two spots. Dylan Marin was fifth (250.20). USC flipped the top 2 spots on 1-meter with Enos first with 356.85, Fusaro second with 348.60.

Sannem led USC in the 500y free in third with a 4:27.90 and junior Alex Valente took second in the 100y fly in 47.43.

USC closed with a win in the 400y free relay with Carter, Tribuntsov, freshman Justin Nguyen and Glinta touching first in 2:54.68.

The Trojans host Stanford at noon on Saturday on Senior Day, when USC will honor eight swimmers and divers in their final home meet.

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JohnJ
6 years ago

Were both teams wearing tech suits or breifs?

1:33 from Dylan seems awfully fast in a brief.

Lpman
6 years ago

Maybe Santo Candorelli had to rest his middle finger, and not his shoulder

mikeh
6 years ago

We’ll find out soon enough whether Ryan Hoffer is as good as he looks, or if his age group coaches stifled his development by developing him as a sprinter from such a young age. Hopefully the former!

rumbuns
Reply to  mikeh
6 years ago

What? You’re telling me if you could get a swimmer to go 18.7/41.2 you’d actively prevent it because of age? He goes 45 in the 100 fly and back. Ryan is in good hands with Durden

mikeh
Reply to  rumbuns
6 years ago

Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. I wouldn’t sacrifice developmental years of aerobic expansion and neural pattern building to force that kind of early speed at 16. It could truncate future development and shortchange the athlete. I would only do that if a college scholarship depended on it. In Mr. Hoffer’s case a four year scholarship was in the bag minus the incredible 41.2

But Florida found a way to make Dressel faster. Durden is an outstanding coach, perhaps he will help Hoffer go faster.

Bigly
Reply to  mikeh
6 years ago

Sprinting stifling development as a sprinter —- interesting concept.

mikeh
Reply to  Bigly
6 years ago

It is certainly not new or novel.

Maverick
Reply to  mikeh
6 years ago

I started swimming the end of my junior year of high school. No aerobic base at all, I was trained most as a sprinter and turned out just fine. I got faster every year.

He is trained at a high level in high school before being handed off to one of the top programs/coaches in the country. He will be just fine….

SACWatcher04
Reply to  mikeh
6 years ago

There was plenty of aerobic development at Scottsdale. If you look at the range of performances they have achieved across a range of strokes and distances and athletes, and spent any time with the coaches, you know they understand how to creat great athletes for the long haul.

Swim
Reply to  SACWatcher04
6 years ago

I am still waiting for LC times

Nate Moore
Reply to  mikeh
6 years ago

I have been on SwimSwam for many years, but I have to say this comment is one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read. It is a comment posted by a person with absolutely no knowledge of anything Hoffer did when he was swimming in Arizona. It shows a level of absurdity that really makes you look silly and foolish. It is typical though. People will always try to bring down swimmers like Hoff to make themselves feel better. It is unfortunate. It is petty. I also think it is expected the way some people are in the swimming community these days. MIKEH…please feel free to contact me directly if you want to know anything regarding the way… Read more »

samuel huntington
6 years ago

wow Vissering at 52.6, quick

Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

Jee wilikers them Bears got some depth. Also whoa that 2 free is moooovin. Musta hurt quite a bit as Carter equalled his 100 split in the actual 100 with a hand instead of a foot touch… not often ya see that.

SC is gonna be right there in the postseason fighting for 5th at NCs with Stanford, IU, maybe Michigan or A&M? I’m missing some teams I reckon. I predict em in 6th behind IU.

I’m beginning to think this might be the best overall freshman class we’ve ever seen. So much depth throughout D1 swimming. Glinta, Hugo, Hoff for starters are gonna be almost 150 individual points. Throw in G House, Pomejavich, IU backstroker guy, Izzo… Who’m… Read more »

Riley
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

Caio Pumputis will put up some points as well

Bigly
Reply to  Riley
6 years ago

They call him the Pumputis of Love.

Jay ryan
Reply to  Bigly
6 years ago

Bigly. What a Joker!

jmanswimfan
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

Katz, Carr, Mefford maybe.

Tea rex
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
6 years ago

Almeida-Gonzalez-Grieshop = 3 freshman at 4:14 LCM.

In terms of best classes, it’s hard to beat Schooling-Dressel, Held, class of 18.

Tammy Touchpad Error
Reply to  Tea rex
6 years ago

Those guys are great, but my point was on depth of class and NC scoring as a freshman. Everyone provided so many names, I see this class being way up there relative to even that class (what was Held doing freshman year? And wasnt dressel only in 1 A final?)

jmanswimfan
6 years ago

Vissering looks really good.

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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