NC State Reclaims American Record In 200 Medley Relay (1:20.98) To Open Up 2024 NCAAs

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ‘Ems Contest
• Live Results
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap

The first event of the 2024 Men’s NCAA Championships is in the books and a new American record was shattered in the men’s 200 medley relay. The NC State foursome of Aiden Hayes, Sam Hoover, Luke Miller, and Quintin McCarty hit the wall for 3rd overall in 1:20.98, eclipsing the previous record of 1:21.66 in the process.

Last month, NC State broke the American record in this very relay at ACCs before Florida reset the mark about 30 minutes later at the SEC Championships. The Wolfpack posted a time nearly a full second faster tonight compared to their performance last month (1:21.86).

The lead-off split of 20.07 by Hayes represents the fastest 50 backstroke in history, as he jumps ahead of the Bjorn Seeliger‘s 20.08 from the 2022 NCAA Championships. Behind Hayes’ record-breaking split, Hoover (breast — 23.40) and Miller (butterfly — 19.35) also dropped time from their swims at ACCs. McCarty was just 0.05 off his ACC benchmark, but his consistency in the 18-low realm is promising for the rest of the Wolfpack relays in Indianapolis.

NC State won the 2023 NCAA title in the 200 medley relay with a completely different quartet, as Kacper Stokowski (20.36) Mason Hunter (22.95), Nyls Korstanje (19.15), and David Curtiss (18.21) represented them there. They finished in a final time of 1:20.67 last year, which was the first performance ever in the sub-1:21 realm and stood as the NCAA record until just last month, where Arizona State (1:20.55) dipped under the mark at the Pac-12 Championships. That NCAA mark was lowered tonight by the University of Florida, who clocked 1:20.15 en route to the national title.

Hunter and Korstanje have since graduated, while Curtiss opted to leave the program to train with the TAC Titans. Stokowski is on NC State’s roster for these championships, as the 5th year with swim the 100 fly/100 back double on Friday in addition to the 200 back on Saturday.

Fastest 50 Backstroke Splits of All-Time: 

See a full splits comparison below, which showcases the new American record as well as the previous two from February.

Splits Comparison:

Full Results, 200 Medley Relay Final:

• NCAA Record: 1:20.55 — Arizona State (J. Dolan, L. Marchand, I. Kharun, J. Kulow), 2024
• Meet Record: 1:20.67 — NC State (K. Stokowski, M. Hunter, N. Korstanje, D. Curtiss), 2023
• American Record: 1:21.66 — Florida (A. Chaney, J. Smith, S. Buff, M. McDuff), 2024
• U.S. Open Record: 1:20.55 — Arizona State (J. Dolan, L. Marchand, I. Kharun, J. Kulow), 2024
• 2023 Champion: 1:20.67 — NC State (K. Stokowski, M. Hunter, N. Korstanje, D. Curtiss), 2023

Top 8:

1. Florida (A. Chaney, J. Smith, J. Liendo, M. McDuff) — 1:20.15 *NCAA, Meet, U.S. Open Record*
2. Arizona State (J. Dolan, L. Marchand, I. Kharun, J. Kulow) — 1:20.55
3. NC State (A. Hayes, S. Hoover, L. Miller, Q. McCarty) — 1:20.98 *American Record*
4. Cal — 1:21.01
5. Tennessee — 1:21.91
6. Indiana — 1:22.10
7. Stanford — 1:22.43
8. Auburn — 1:22.57