University of Texas junior All-American John Shebat, who missed his 3rd-straight meet for Texas on Friday, is expected to return for post-season competition, a spokesperson for the school told SwimSwam on Saturday. Shebat hasn’t raced since he January 8th dual against Auburn, where he was 20.78 in the 50 free, 48.60 in the 100 back, and 1:46.77 in the 200 back.
Texas beat Auburn 160-140 at that meet, which they followed with a 162-138 loss to Arizona State and a 155-143 win over Arizona in a southwestern-swing. Shebat was absent for both meets, but the spokesperson said that he will race at the Big 12 and NCAA Championship meets.
Shebat’s season-bests in his primary events, the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes, are 46.73 and 1:41.52, respectively. Those times both came at the mid-season Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in December – the 100 was about half-a-second slower than his time at the same meet last season, while the 200 was about a full-second faster than he swam a year earlier.
In 2017, Shebat would move on to finish 2nd in the 100 back (44.35) and 200 back (1:37.24) behind only Ryan Murphy. He finished half-a-second clear of any other returning swimmer in those events at NCAAs. He also led-off Texas’ record-setting 200 and 400 medley relays and swam a prelims leg of their 200 free relay.
Austin Katz and Ryan Harty have been dividing the medley relay leadoff duties for the Longhorns in his absence. Harty split 22.68 against Arizona State opening the 200 medley relay, while the freshman Katz split 22.72 on Friday against TCU.
Report has it that John Shebat had knee surgery on Friday so let’s pray he can recover in time
What report? That is a pretty big turn around for knee surgery to Big 12 action.
Possible if just arthroscopic and nothing major found
How did the surgery go?
I’m a huge Cal fan, but I will be extremely disappointed if he’s not 100% ready to take us on. Shebat is fun to watch. Hopefully he tears up the pool in March (but still loses to Cal).
Why has he been out? Injured?
Good to hear he’ll be there for NCAA”s. That’s all that matters.
He’s gotta make it first. Definitely still has some work to do with as strong as backstroke is going to be this year.
Texas has five 200 backstrokers 1:41 or faster and he’s one of those with times this year. Think he’s made it.
1:41 Is bubble. Yes, it might make it, but it certainly isn’t guaranteed.
Last year, a 46.28 made it in the 100 back and 1:41.74 made it in the 200 back. His season-best in the 100 for sure won’t be invited (it’s a B cut though, so if invited in the 200 he’d be able to swim it). His 1:41.52 currently ranks 17th in the country. The line typically falls around top 29. 29th is currently 1:42.39.
Here’s what the Swimulator guys project for cut lines, keeping in mind this is just sort of a math-based projection, and doesn’t take into account “who is due for a monster taper because they’ve been working so much harder than everyone else this year.”
https://swimswam.com/estimating-ncaa-d1-nationals-cut-times/?preview_id=241970&preview_nonce=39a51d5b19&_thumbnail_id=181296&preview=true