2016 ACC MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS
- When: Wednesday, Feb. 24 – Saturday, Feb. 27; Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
- Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
- Defending Champion: NC State (results)
- Streaming: watchESPN
- Championship Central
- Live Results
- Fan Guide
As reported by Jared Anderson:
200 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS
- NC State – 1:15.65
- UNC – 1:18.02
- Louisville – 1:18.15
To little surprise, NC State won the 200 free relay with flying colors after obliterating competition in the 50 free. The Wolfpack went 1:15.65, just missing their own meet and conference record from last year by .03 seconds.
Though it was Ryan Held who won the 50 earlier in the night, it was Bilis who provided the key split on the relay, going 18.24 on the second leg. Held led off in 19.31. Anchor Andreas Schiellerup also dipped under 19 with an 18.97, and Joe Bonk was 19.13. That was the same relay lineup as last year save for the graduated David Williams, whose spot was taken by Bonk, who transferred in from Virginia Tech this season.
That time is easily #1 in the NCAA for the season, and is faster than Texas went in winning the NCAA title last year. NC State, of course, would have won the national title in the relay in 2015 were it not for a false start disqualification for the second year in a row. Now leading former NCAA leaders Florida by almost a second, NC State should again be title favorites if they can keep their starts legal.
The other team from North Carolina, the UNC Tar Heels, took second in 1:18.02, getting twin 19.3s from Logan Heck and Nicolas Graesser and a leadoff 19.65 from Sam Lewis. They held off Louisville, as the Cards were charging home to a 1:18.15 finish. Grigory Tarasevich led the way there with a 19.06 split.
NC State’s relay win propelled the Wolfpack to its first team points lead of the meet, meaning it took only one full day and 6 events to erase the 247-point lead Virginia Tech was sitting on after diving.
If Held had led off with his individual time in the 50 we could have seen a new American record. I guess they are saving that for NCAAs.
US Open record, maybe. I don’t think Bilis and Schiellerup are Americans
I don’t think NC State was saving it for NCAAs. Rather, the 200 free relay in the ACC meet is the very next event after the individual 50 free where all four State swimmers competed in the A final. Not sure of the break between events – maybe 30 minutes?? Regardless, there will still be some residual fatigue or lactic acid. I think the 200 FR at NCAA is the first event of the day prior to the individual 50 free. State will be faster in this relay at NCAAs if for no other reason. I see other conferences (like Big Ten) have the 50 free and 200 free relay on different days.
Guess they are saving the false start for NCAAs….
That’s the only way they don’t win this relay.
LOL
Am I the only one who was distracted watching this by seeing a lifeguard sitting in the high chair holding a floatie? Water safety is no laughing matter 99.9999% of the time, but really. With these guys swimming and a few thousand people watching every move, think we’re good here. A Monty Python moment.
Joel Lin- yeah I think you’re the only one
Insurance and Lawsuits… This is the U.S. after all.