Utah Men Down 4 Pool Records in Dominant Win Over USC

USC vs. UTAH

• February 22, 2020
• Hosted by Utah
• Short Course Yards
• Full Results

TEAM SCORES

• UTAH: 164
• USC: 91

In their final dual meet of the season ahead of the Pac-12 Championships, the Utah men were dominant in their home meet with rival USC. The Utes won 12 of the 14 events, setting multiple Pool Records.

Utah got the ball rolling with a new Pool Record in the 200 medley relay. David Fridlander led them off with a 22.77 back split. Andrew Britton (breast- 24.10), Cooper Deryk (fly- 20.46), and Liam O’Haimhirgin (free- 19.48) followed as they set the mark in 1:26.81.

Following that relay, Britton went on to take down the Pool Record in the 100 breast, clocking in at 54.41. That’s his fastest in-season time by over a second. Fridlander picked up a backstroke sweep, turning in a 48.38 in the 100 back and a 1:48.97 in the 200 back. His 100 back was a career in-season best.

Tyler Klawiter also took down a Pool Record for Utah. He was dominant in the 1000 free, winning by nearly 10 seconds with his 9:12.49. That was a breakthrough swim for Klawiter. He took 4 seconds off his former best, lowering his time in the event for the first time since 2018.

USC’s Alexei Sancov prevented the Utes from sweeping the events as he won both butterflies. In the 100 fly, Sancov came from slightly behind to out-touch Utah’s Ben Waterman, 47.76 to 47.92. That was his fastest swim since 2018 in the event. Sancov’s 1:46.78 in the 200 fly was his first time swimming under 1:48 in a dual meet.

Utah bookended the meet with Pool Records as they won the 200 free relay. Deryk led them off in 20.37. Liam O’Haimhirgin (20.01) and Fridlander (19.67) took on the middle legs. Finn O’Haimhirgin then anchored them to victory in 20.03 as they took down the record in 1:20.08.

PRESS RELEASE – UTAH

SALT LAKE CITY – No. 25 Utah Men’s Swim rolled past Pac-12 rival No. 21 USC, 164-91, in the season finale at Ute Natatorium.

“We have made a conscious choice to do more lifting and harder training this season,” head coach Joe Dykstra said. “It has affected us in dual meets but we pulled off slightly as the season comes to a close. I think that preparation has us really popping and looking sharp heading into the Pac-12 Championships.”

The Utes took 12 of 14 events against the Trojans and put forth an impressive performance. Tyler Klawiter set a new Don Reddish pool mark in the 1000 free at 9:12.59 and Andrew Britton did the same in the 100 breast (54.41). Britton was back in the 200 medley relay with David Fridlander, Cooper DeRyk and Liam O’Haimhirgin and the group matched the pool mark in 1:26.81.

Utah was not finished making history in the relays with DeRyk, Fridlander and both O’Haimhirgins winning the 200 free and setting a new pool standard at 1:20.08.

Finn O’Haimhirgin also won the 200 free in 1:38.84 as DeRyk took the 50 free in 20.33. Fridlander, a Pac-12 Swimmer of the Week award winner, captured both the 100 (48.38) and 200 back (1:48.97)

Utah did not let its foot off the gas pedal and continued to dominate their counterparts from Southern California. Felix Chiun was first in the 100 free (44.77) and Jaek Horner was tops in the 200 breast (2:02.73). Rahiti De Vos was the best in the 500 free at 4:27.66 and Jackson Cunningham touched the wall in front of everyone in the 400 IM at 4:03.67

The Utes head to the Pac-12 Championships, Mar. 4-7 in Federal Way, Wash.

PRESS RELEASE – USC

Sophomore Alexei Sancov posted a pair of wins in the 100y and the 200y fly to lead the USC men’s swimming team in a 164-91 loss to Utah on Saturday (Feb. 22) at the Ute Natatorium.

With a relatively young squad, USC is now 0-6 after the loss to Utah. The Utes improve to 3-4.

Sancov won the 100y fly in 47.76 to prevent a Utah sweep in the event. He came back to win the 200y fly in 1:46.78, also a quarter second under his previous best, while leading a 1-2-3 USC finish. Sophomore Jackson Odgers was second, finishing in 1:51.76.

USC posted solid swims in the sprint free events against the Utes. In the 50 and 100y free, Nikola Miljenic finished third in 20.73 and 46.77. Freshman Max Saunders (46.22) touched second in the 100y free to pick up points for the Trojans.

Sophomore Victor Johansson finished second in the 1000y free in 9:26.85. Johansson also touched second in the 500y free, posting a 4:35.00. Freshman Dom Margarino (4:46.24) and Ivan Puskovitch (4:46.36) finished 3-4 in the 500y free.

The Trojans closed the meet with a 2-3 finish in the 200y free relay. USC A (Miljenic, Thomas Finello, Saunders, Jan Collazo Torres) finished second in 1:23.49, USC B (Sancov, Joao Ama, Thomas Reed, Jack Kirby) touched third in 1:23.67.

Next up for USC is the Pac-12 Championships in Federal Way, Wash., March 4-7.