2019 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 27 – Saturday, March 30
- Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas
- Defending champion: Texas (4x) (2018 results)
- Psych Sheet
- Championship Central
- Live results
Stanford freshman Jack LeVant announced today on Instagram that he would not be attending next week’s NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships due to “unforeseen medical conditions.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXnEgCABOv/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1kdudu0yq3j5z
The post states,
Hello all,
Due to some unforeseen medical complications, I will not be competing at NCAA’s this year. I love my Stanford family with my entire heart and soul, and I cannot thank you all enough for the support. Life is full of setbacks, and this is just one of those moments. Hopefully my recovery will be swift, and I will be back to representing Stanford again soon. Best of luck to everyone competing, and like always… Go Card!
LeVant was seeded 12th in the 500 free and 7th in the 200 free and would’ve scored 17 individual points if he’d held those seeds. He also was likely to be a key piece of Stanford’s relays. At Pac-12s, he split 23.48 on the breast leg of the 200 medley relay, despite not being known primarily as a breaststroker, had the fastest split (1:33.04) on the 800 free relay, anchored the 400 medley relay in 42.69, and also split 42.89 on the 400 free relay.
That’s an additional blow for Stanford, who were already missing some pieces this year, including distance ace Grant Shoults, who was limited this season due to shoulder issues. The Cardinal looked like they might be a top 5 or top 6 team early in the season, but as injuries and absences have taken their toll, they’ll be hard-pressed to make even the top 10 at this point.
LeVant had a breakout summer in 2018, securing a spot on Team USA’s 2019 World Championships 4×200 free relay squad with a 5th place finish in the 200 free at last summer’s Phillips 66 Nationals.
While an updated psych sheet hasn’t been posted on the USA Swimming NCAA Division I information page, LeVant’s scratch should move Louisville’s Nikolaos Sofianidis into the meet on the strength of his 46.09 time in the 100 back. If there are any additional scratches, USC’s Alexei Sancov is the next man on the alternate list.
Stanford will struggle to be in the top-10 this year.
If this news was about a foreign swimmer some would suspect a failed drug test.
Not just foreign swimmers. This situation does not seem straight forward. When high profile athletes get an injury (Grant Shoults) or illness (Nathan Adrian,) they sometimes disclose exactly what is going on leaving no room for speculation. But in other cases, such as Lavant and Cameron Craig, we’re given vague information that is a bit strangely timed and you can’t help but wonder…But either way, it’s the choice of the family (and perhaps school?) to have privacy. Maybe more info will be disclosed, maybe not. But I do know that Jack Lavant is an incredible swimmer and my hope is that whatever the reason he’s not competing, I wish him a complete and speedy return to the sport he loves.
You sound a tabloid trying to build a story that just not there. Lets just wait and see. When he and his family are ready, they will give us a explanation.
I don’t think he actually swam that 50 breast split. From what I heard, the psych sheets didn’t update to the real swimmers and Stanford used one of their senior breaststrokers.
I believe it was Matt Anderson who swam that relay.
NCAA not NCCA I guess in the title
Perhaps he is skipping NCCAs to compete at NCAAs instead
Get well soon. Team USA needs you this summer.
Wow, hope it’s nothing too serious. Look forward to him recovering quickly and swimming fast this summer and next year.