The first midseason invite kicks off tomorrow, and before that happens, we wanted to look at the top three times in the country in each event so far this season.
- Related: Women’s Edition
Note that we are only including yards swims which affects athletes who swam at the World Cup Tour in October.
| EVENT | Fastest | 2nd Fastest | 3rd Fastest |
| 50 free | Ilya Kharun (ASU), 18.54 | Josh Liendo (FLOR), 18.68 |
Gui Caribe (TENN), 18.77
|
| 100 free | Kaii Winkler (NCST), 41.21 | Ilya Kharun (ASU), 41.23 |
Remi Fabiani (ASU), 41.46
|
| 200 free | Tomas Koski (UGA), 1:32.19 | Guy Brooks (LOU), 1:32.22 |
Maximus Williamson (UVA), 1:32.32
|
| 500 free | Rex Maurer (TEX), 4:10.75 | Zalan Sarkany (IU), 4:11.29 |
Tomas Koski (UGA), 4:13.85
|
| 1650 free | Zalan Sarkany (IU), 14:29.87 | Freddy Klein (CAL), 15:17.06 |
Luke Ellis (IU), 15:19.06
|
| 100 back | Adam Chaney (ASU), 44.46 | Will Modglin (TEX), 44.57 |
Luca Urlando (UGA), 44.89
|
| 200 back | Will Modglin (TEX), 1:39.41 | Adam Chaney (ASU), 1:39.59 |
David King (UVA), 1:39.86
|
| 100 breast | Nate Germonprez (TEX), 50.62 | Yamato Okadome (CAL), 50.89 |
Mariano Lazzerini (PSU), 51.52
|
| 200 breast | Yamato Okadome (CAL), 1:51.66 | Nate Germonprez (TEX), 1:52.25 |
Ben Delmar (UNC), 1:52.25
|
| 100 fly | Ilya Kharun (ASU), 43.55 | Josh Liendo (FLOR), 43.87 |
Thomas Heilman (UVA), 44.59
|
| 200 fly | Ilya Kharun (ASU), 1:37.94 | Luca Urlando (UGA), 1:38.47 |
Krzysztof Chmielewski (USC), 1:41.16
|
| 200 IM | Baylor Nelson (TEX), 1:42.72 | Rex Maurer (TEX), 1:42.78 |
Owen McDonald (IU), 1:42.91
|
| 400 IM | Rex Maurer (TEX), 3:41.19 | Baylor Nelson (TEX), 3:42.19 |
Tristan Jankovics (OSU), 3:43.29
|
| 200 free relay | ASU, 1:15.52 | Tennessee, 1:16.19 | Texas, 1:16.51 |
| 400 free relay | ASU, 2:47.01 | Tennessee, 2:48.02 |
NC State, 2:48.26
|
| 800 free relay | ASU, 6:13.37 | Stanford, 6:18.49 | Cal, 6:20.11 |
| 200 medley relay | ASU, 1:21.88 | Texas, 1:22.70 | LSU, 1:23.26 |
| 400 medley relay | Georgia, 3:02.66 | Texas, 3:04.92 |
NC State, 3:05.09
|
This table has a glaring absence from Texas senior Hubert Kos. He has not swum any meets for the University of Texas so far this year, but his performance at the 2025 World Cup series indicates that he is in top form going into midseason invites.
Reigning men’s team champion Texas has the most swimmers in the top three with nine of the 42 individual spots being shared by four different men. Rex Maurer leads the team with two top times in the 500 free (4:10.75) and the 400 IM (3:41.19). He also has the 2nd fastest time in the country in the 200 IM (1:42.78).
Despite having the most swimmers on the list, Texas does not hold the most number one spots. That honor goes to the Arizona State Sundevils who lead eight events: the 50 free, 100 back, 100 fly, and 200 fly and the 200, 400, and 800 free, and 200 medley relays.
This is actually one less event than the nine they led last year with Georgia holding the top time in the 400 medley relay, which they were leading this time last season.
Ilya Kharun has the most top times, as he goes into midseason leading the country in the 50 free (18.54), 100 fly (43.55), and the 200 fly (1:37.94). He is also ranked 2nd in the 100 free (41.23).
The men were faster in the first half of this season than they were at this point last season in nine of the 14 individual events. All the times that aren’t faster come in events 200 yards and above: 200 free (Luke Hobson — 1:31.86), 200 back (Owen McDonald — 1:38.13), 200 breast (Carles Coll Marti — 1:50.77), 200 IM (Hubert Kos — 1:40.51), and 400 IM (Rex Maurer — 3:40.90).
The top two teams on the men’s side seem clear cut when looking at this table. There are only five events not led by Texas or ASU. NC State’s Kaii Winkler has the top time in the 100 free (41.21). Georgia’s Tomas Koski leads the 200 freestyle (1:32.19). Zalan Sarkany tops the 1650 rankings for Indiana (14:29.87). Cal’s Yamato Okadome has the top time in the 200 breast (1:51.66), and Georgia leads the men’s 400 medley relay in 3:02.66.
Luka Mijatovic would lead the NCAA 5 free bruh
In addition to Kos not yet swimming, Texas has not yet done a mile or an 800 free relay. Should see some top three times there.
Most teams haven’t
I didn’t see the interview where he talked about it, but didn’t Kos say he had to refuse a lot of his World Cup winnings to keep his NCAA eligibility? With him having not swum yet this season, are we sure he’s actually decided to do that?
Would love more information on this
He intends to compete in the NCAA – he just decided to postpone his university studies until January (upon Bob’s advice), and do pro racing during fall. He is basically semi-pro now, I personally would have preferred him to just go pro but I’m sure he has his reasons.
Not sure whether or not he intends to swim the fall invite.
And yes, he indeed had to refuse basically all his World Cup earnings, as per an interview with a Hungarian media outlet.
snailSpace — how well do you know Hubi? Do you think you could convince him to comply with your preference that he ‘just go pro?’
Without classes he could concentrate more directly on the likes of Kolesnikov, Xu, Samusenko, Casas, Christou, Lifintsev, Masiuk, Morgan, Lasco, Coetze, Ndoye-Brouard, Cooper, Murphy, Gonzalez, Siskos, Mityukov, Tomac, Tierney, Cejka, Greenbank, Yoon, Ceccon, Bacico, Arkhangeskiy, Nishionio, Edwards-Smith, Shortt, Stokowski, Martens, Ekk, Armstrong, Woodward, Foster, Rylov, Telegdy, Ress, anyone else that comes out of the woodwork, or that I forgot, and the ghost of Aaron Peirsol.
He’s already swum the same number of NCAAs as Leon did before he turned pro(3); beyond that, he already won more rings than Marchand. They shared ’24 with… Read more »
I don’t know him personally (although I do have his autograph!), my insider info is exlusively from Hungarian media. He is one of the stars here, so he gets a lot of attention and usually shares more than with international outlets.
I agree NC’s would be more interesting without him, although one thing I *would* very much like to see is a 1:33 200 back. And I do think Texas would still win…
To be fair, ASU has not swum the 4 medley yet this season, so it would be difficult for them to lead the nation in it.
Actually, if you add their flat start times — no advantage of rolling starts for breast, fly or free — ASU totals 3:01.26 (Chaney – :44.46 ; Dobrzanski – :51.79; Kharun :43.55; Fabiani :41.46)
Then if we can substitute a :40.53 (an improvement of 0.93 over his flat start time) on the freestyle leg as Fabiani anchored one of the ASU 4×100 Freestyle relays at that time this last weekend. 3:00.33, with two legs flat that should be rolling, but aren’t. :2.33 seconds faster than Georgia.
Should Jaoudi not be there for the 500/1650??
He’s 4:14 in the 500, no mile time yet.
Baylor Nelson winning a national title this year would be cool to see
I agree. His career has always had him near the top of the sport but an individual NCAA title would be awesome. I think he makes their 8 free relay with Maurer/ Nelson/ Taylor/ Kos?
From top recruit in 2022 to being in the mix but never really the guy getting spotlight since he was in high school/freshman year, it will be cool to see what happens. If Kos drops the 200 IM for the 100 back, that could open up the 200 IM to where a 1:39 low wins it
Tbh, I’m gonna wait until we see Alexey Glivinsky and Evan Bailey show up. Kinda feel like one or both would make the 800 free relay.
I forgot Bob has some mid-season guys coming in with some chops in the 200 free. I wonder how far off the winning time is going to be from that sub-6:00 team from last year.
Kinda hard to replace a 1:28.9 lead off. But we shall see.
I figure they’ll go 6:02 or 6:03. Don’t see anyone challenging them except UVa
Not sure why you’re getting downvotes. Heilman/Williamson/King/Sergile is gonna be a legit relay. Idk if they challenge Texas but they’re my 2nd place team rn
Would be great to see.