How Do the 2022 Men’s DI NCAA Cutlines Stack up Against Previous Years?

2022 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Wednesday, March 23 – Saturday, March 26, 2022
  • McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Official Psych Sheets

The official psych sheets for the 2022 Men’s NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships were released on Wednesday morning, with the University of Texas forced to scratch one swimmer after the team qualified 19 (one over the maximum) for the competition.

YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS HERE:

Now that the official psych sheets are available, let’s take a look at how the 2022 cutlines in each event stack up against previous years. For those who may not know, when we talk about “cutlines” in this post, we’re referring to the slowest time that earned an invite in each event.

The invite times got significantly faster in all 13 events this year versus last year. Some of the most significant changes came in the 200 breast and 200 fly, both of which got 1.05 seconds faster this year. Here is the chart comparing 2022 invited times to 2021’s:

Event 2022 Cutline 2021 Cutline 2022 vs 2021 Change
50 free 19.28 19.46 -0.18 seconds
100 free 42.34 42.88 -0.54 seconds
200 free 1:33.08 1:34.04 -0.96 seconds
500 free 4:14.96 4:16.75 -1.79 seconds
1650 free 14:55.21 15:01.33 -5.12 seconds
100 back 45.87 46.37 -0.50 seconds
200 back 1:40.92 1:41.81 -0.89 seconds
100 breast 52.20 52.40 -0.20 seconds
200 breast 1:53.23 1:54.28 -1.05 seconds
100 fly 45.57 46.29 -0.72 seconds
200 fly 1:42.42 1:43.47 -1.05 seconds
200 IM 1:43.36 1:44.15 -0.79 seconds
400 IM 3:43.50 3:45.67 -2.17 seconds

Let’s take a moment to explore just how fast breaststroke has gotten in the NCAA. The invited time this year came down to 52.20 in the 100 breast. That time would have been fast enough to qualify for the A final at NCAAs as recently as 2018. Just think about that: the time it took just to qualify for the meet this year would have been fast enough to make you an All-American just 4 years ago.

Now, let’s examine the last 3 years of invited times. What you’ll notice is that most of the events had slower cutlines in 2021, which was due to the number of swimmers and teams sitting out of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event 2022 Cutline 2021 Cutline 2020 Cutline
50 free 19.28 19.46 19.32
100 free 42.34 42.88 42.57
200 free 1:33.08 1:34.04 1:34.07
500 free 4:14.96 4:16.75 4:16.49
1650 free 14:55.21 15:01.33 14:57.07
100 back 45.87 46.37 46.22
200 back 1:40.92 1:41.81 1:41.49
100 breast 52.20 52.40 52.46
200 breast 1:53.23 1:54.28 1:54.03
100 fly 45.57 46.29 45.97
200 fly 1:42.42 1:43.47 1:43.18
200 IM 1:43.36 1:44.15 1:43.79
400 IM 3:43.50 3:45.67 3:44.36

Notably, the cutline this year is faster in every single event, not only versus 2021, but 2020 as well. The 200 free is another event that has gotten notably faster. The invited time has come down from its pre-pandemic mark of 1:34.0 and is now down at 1:33.0.

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Saltymuch?
2 years ago

5th years making it much faster this year. Suspect it will go back to 2021 levels next year.

Admin
Reply to  Saltymuch?
2 years ago

There were tons of redshirts last year that made a lot of cuts slower than the previous two years.

2020 levels are probably a better representation of what we’ll see in the future.

James Beam
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

I agree. Very good points…but we have 3 more years of possible 5th year swimmers. Probably will stay crazy fast for a while.

How much can CD bench???
2 years ago

It wasn’t too long ago 1:33 would have won NCAAs in the 200 free! Also, those breaststroke and fly cuts would have won many years in the early 2000s

Anonymous
Reply to  How much can CD bench???
2 years ago

95% of qualifiers were born 2000 or after.

Swimmy
2 years ago

Does Dean Farris get to swim the 50?

bob
Reply to  Swimmy
2 years ago

Yes – any invite can swim up to 2 additional individual events that they have B cuts in. The men 50 free B standard is a 19.96

PK Doesn’t Like His Long Name
2 years ago

Is this year the fastest cut line in every event?

Nonrevhoofan
Reply to  PK Doesn’t Like His Long Name
2 years ago

Everything but the 1650 (14:53.34 in 2018), 200 Fly (1:42.35 in 2019) and 400 IM (3:43.42 in 2019).