University of Texas junior Will Modglin entered rare air last weekend at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational, becoming the new back-breast king of college swimming. First, he swam 50.91 in the 100 yard breaststroke, making him the 31st-best performer in the history of that event.
The next morning, he swam 43.26 in the 100 backstroke, breaking the American Record and ranking now as the 3rd-best performer in the history of that event.
That kind of backstroke/breaststroke versatility is among the rarest of versatilities. In the current all-time top 200 rankings of each event, only five men are on both lists:
- Leon Marchand
- Luke Barr
- Jordan Tiffany
- Jacob Molacek
- Will Modglin
And none of the other four are particularly close to Modglin in the back-breast duo.
All-Time Back-Breast Best (Top 200 Ranking in Both)
| Swimmer | 100 Back Time | 100 Breast Time | Total Time | 100 Back Rank | 100 Breast Rank | Total Rank |
| Will Modglin | 43.26 | 50.91 | 94.17 | 3rd | 31st | /34 |
| Leon Marchand | 44.77 | 51.01 | 95.78 | 51st | 36th | /87 |
| Luke Barr | 45.02 | 50.81 | 95.83 | 78th | 24th | /102 |
| Jordan Tiffany | 45.20 | 52.18 | 97.38 | 102nd | 199th | /301 |
| Jacob Molacek | 45.30 | 51.69 | 96.99 | 116th | 104th | /220 |
Modglin came out of high school already very accomplished in both events. His best 100 breaststroke time until last weekend was a 52.92 done during his senior year of high school, and he was the top 100 backstroker in the boys’ class of 2023 with a 45.01.
Not coincidentally, Modglin also made a big lurch forward in the 200 IM at the HOF Invitational, swimming a best time of 1:40.58 – though even that time still isn’t really reflective of his versatility. He swam a best time of 45.74 at a dual meet already this season, and he has been 42.08 in the 100 free – probably his weakest of the four 100 yard events.
Modglin started his career training under Eddie Reese, who loves versatile swimmers. He is now in his second season training under Bob Bowman, who coaches one of the other four guys on that list (Leon Marchand) and is the most successful men’s IM coach in history.
The double was an unlikely one under the old schedule, with the events back to back, but under the revamped schedule that will debut at this year’s championships, the 100 breaststroke is on day 2 and the 100 backstroke is on day 3, making it way more doable than before.
Sorry y’all, my parents wouldn’t stop talking at me while writing this. Fixed.
Hope that means it was a Happy Thanksgiving!
Impressive article to write while in family conversations! Loved it. Thanks for the creativity.
Where do you find overall rankings down 200+ deep? I don’t know where to look for such treasure.
Potential adjustments:
Modglin certainly had a great HOF ’25 meet but did NOT have a ‘big lurch forward’ in the 200 IM; it was a season best but not a personal best, which he set in the prelims of the ’25 NCAA (1:40.45), before being DQ’d in the final.
Comments on Marchand’s 100 Breast are of personal interest as I wrote to the ASU Sports Info Dept. for 2+ years to correct their listing of his :51.01 1/21/23 dual meet swim v Cal in Tempe as the school… Read more »
Hi, Docky?!
Hi, Lambo! Love you picture. The competitive spirit is all still inside there.
Super rare combo that two swimmers have done at NCAA recently: Gio Izzo (NCSU) and Luke Barr (Ind).
Other notables:
Where does Marchand rank if you update his 100 BR to 50.78, that was his first 100 split in his 200 BR.
Forgot about that, crazy split. 50.78 would tie him for 20th.
Look back a year.
Marchand split :50.78 in ’24 on his way to his current 200 Breast record of 1:46.35.
But…in ’23 when he set the ‘then’ record of 1:46.91 he actually split out at :50.65.
Still hope to see source of your top 200 ever, please.
Will Modglin 🤝 Kaylee McKeown
40% of the top 5 swimmers are from Omaha — the back-breast CENTER OF THE WORLD!
I know this article is about NCAA swimmers, but I wonder how MA’s best times would match up?
:46.50 SCY Backstroke; :51.18 SCY Breaststroke.
Is Anthony Grimm close to making this list? I think he was 45 and 52 in HS, I assume those are both borderline top 200 swims.
He’s #139 in the 100 back, never got faster in the 100 breast after hs, 52.51, about four tenths off the list.
I think Hugo Gonzalez would be shortly behind Leon in the 2×200 version of this?
I’m thinking Gretchen is first in every two stroke 100/100 combination? Back breast is the only maybe?