Will Modglin Fires off 100 Back American Record in Prelims with 43.26 (RACE VIDEO)

2025 Texas Hall of Fame Invitational

• November 18-21, 2025
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, TX
• 11:00 am ET swimming prelims/11:30 am diving prelims/7:00 pm ET finals (Tuesday exception: 5 pm ET relay timed finals)
• Championship Format
• SCY
• Live Results
• Results on Meet Mobile as “Texas Hall of Fame Swimming Invite”
• Live Recaps
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Prelims: Day 2

Texas junior Will Modglin has been on fire this week in Austin. Tuesday night, he became the fastest man ever in the 50 back, nearly going 19-point, with an even 20.00. Last night, he flashed his versatility with a 50.91 in the 100 breast.

But this morning, in a relatively slow prelims session at the Texas Hall of Fame Invite, Modglin moved to #3 all-time in the 100 back with a stunning 43.26. That time is the better part of a second faster than his previous best of 43.91, and also makes Modglin the new American Record holder.

He’s now only a few one-hundredths of a second shy of the all-time mark of 43.20, set by Texas teammate Hubert Kos last season.

All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 100-yard Backstroke:

1. Hubert Kos, Texas — 43.20 (2025)
2. Jonny Marshall, Florida — 43.22 (2025)
3. Will Modglin, Texas — 43.26 (2025)
4. Luca Urlando, Georgia — 43.35 (2022)
5. Ryan Murphy, Cal — 43.49 (2016)

Kos represents Hungary internationally. Jonny Marshall, the 2nd-fastest performer ever, grew up in the United States, but represents Great Britain internationally, so he’s not eligible for the American Record. Thus, Modglin takes over the American Record mark from Georgia Bulldog Luca Urlando, whose 400 medley leadoff time from the 2022 NCAA Championships was at that time the fastest swim ever.

Modglin arrived in Texas two years ago with a lifetime best of 45.01 He’s steadily improved since then, hitting personal bests of 44.20 as a freshman at NCAAs and 43.91 last year at this meet.

Both his first and 2nd 50 were faster than they were when he set his former best 43.91 at last year’s Hall of Fame Invite. Modglin gets out fast when he races, turning more than three tenths under Kos’s NCAA record pace at the 50 mark, but he didn’t have the same closing speed that Kos did last March.

Split Comparison

His long course times have followed a similar trajectory. He was 53.92 coming out of high school, improved to 53.59 the summer after his freshman year, and then went 52.54 this past summer at the World University Games.

He’s slated to represent Team USA at next summer’s Pan Pacific Championships, and the US could use an emerging backstroke star, but in the meantime, Modglin and the rest of the Longhorns appear to be cruising their way toward another NCAA title in March.

Race Video: