By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Over the weekend, 22 NCAA Division I teams were awarded conference championships for 2020. While the SEC (Tennessee women, Florida men), ACC (Virginia women), and Big Ten (Ohio State women) caught the most national attention, all over the country collegiate teams were fighting for titles from coast-to-coast.

For most of the teams at these meets, last weekend was the conclusion of their 2020 season.

While we wrote daily recaps for each of these meets, below are mini capsules highlighting team champions and award winners from each of the mid-major conferences this week

Atlantic 10 – Women’s

Courtesy: A-10 Conference

• Women’s Most Outstanding Performer – Mia Bullock, Fordham
• Women’s Coach of the Year – John Young, Davidson
• Women’s Most Outstanding Rookie – Shelby Stanley, Davidson
• Women’s Diving Coach of the Year – Mandy Hixon, UMass
• Women’s Most Outstanding Diver – Maja Boric, UMass
• Team Champions – George Washington University

The George Washington University women won their first-ever Atlantic 10 Conference Championship meet, while Fordham’s Mia Bullock was named the Most Outstanding Performer in the Pool.

Bullock won the 100 fly and 200 fly at the meet, breaking Conference Records in times of 53.03 and 1:57.60, respectively. She also placed 3rd in the 100 breaststroke.

Atlantic 10 – Men’s

Courtesy: Atlantic 10 Championships

• Men’s Most Outstanding Performer – Moritz Fath, George Mason
• Men’s Coach of the Year – Peter Ward, George Mason
• Men’s Most Outstanding Rookie – Luke Devore, George Mason
• Men’s Diving Coach of the Year – Wesley Mattice, George Washington
• Men’s Most Outstanding Diver – Peter Nachtwey, George Washington

The George Mason men overcame a 400 medley relay disqualification to win their first-ever Atlantic 10 Championships. The team was led by Moritz Fath, who won the 100 free (44.31), 200 free (1:35.92), and 500 free (4:20.62).

AAC – Men’s & Women’s

Courtesy: American Athletic Conference

Courtesy: American Athletic Conference

Most Outstanding Swimmers

• Will Kearsey, UConn (Men)
• Zarena Brown and Peyton Kondis, Houston (Women)

Most Outstanding Divers

• Peter Smithson, SMU (Men)
• Lauren Burrell, Houston (Women)

Swimming and Diving Freshmen Of The Year

• Michael Balcerak, Cincinnati (Men’s Swimming)
• Peter Smithson, SMU (Men’s Diving)
• Lilly Byrne, Tulane (Women’s Swimming)

Swimming Coaches of the Year

• Matthew Jabs, ECU (Men’s Swimming)
• Ryan Wochomurka, Houston (Women’s Swimming)

Diving Coaches of the Year

• Darian Schmidt, SMU (Men’s Diving)
• Bob Gunter, Houston (Women’s Diving)

Team Champions

• Women – University of Houston
• Men – East Carolina University

The Houston women cruised to their 4th-straight AAC Championship, while East Carolina’s men fought to the wire for a narrow 7-point win over Cincinnati.

UConn’s Will Kearsey won the 50 free in a new Meet Record of 19.47 in prelims, the 100 back in a new Meet Record of 46.08 in finals, and the 100 free in 42.64. All 3 times are just shy of what earned NCAA Championship invites last season. That effort earned him the Male Most Outstanding Swimmer award.

University of Houston teammates Zarena Brown and Peyton Kondis shared the women’s honor after combining for 4 individual wins. Brown won the 500 free in a new Meet Record of 4:41.89 and the 200 free in 1:44.33, while Kondis won the 100 breast in 59.34 and 200 breaststroke in 2:09.93.

CCSA – Women’s

Courtesy: CCSA

• Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Championship – Mikayla Herich, Liberty
• Most Outstanding Freshman Performer of the Championship – Ximena Conde Merlos, Incarnate Word
• Most Outstanding Diver – Reese Wakefield, Florida Gulf Coast
• Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year – (TIE) Phillip Davis, Incarnate Word/Elizabeth Lykins, UNC Asheville
• Women’s Diving Coach of the Year – (TIE) Tori Wood, Liberty/David Boyko, Florida Gulf Coast
• Team Champions – Liberty

The Liberty women rolled to a 163-point margin of victory over Florida Gulf Coast to win their 2nd consecutive title.

Liberty was led by senior Mikayla Herich, who won the 200 IM (1:59.34), 400 IM (4:13.29), and 1650 free (16:38.96). She was dominant en route to all 3 individual victories.

Florida Gulf Coast’s Petra Halmai swam a 2:07.38 in the 200 breaststroke that ranks 8th nationally so far this season.

CCSA Men’s Championships

Courtesy: CCSA

• Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Championship – (TIE) Alvaro Ibarra, Incarnate Word/Leonardo Sanchez, Incarnate Word
• Most Outstanding Freshman Performer of the Championship – Alvaro Ibarra, Incarnate Word
• Most Outstanding Diver – Logan Downey, Florida Atlantic
• Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year – (TIE) Phillip Davis, Incarnate Word/Nicolas Askew, Howard
• Men’s Diving Coach of the Year – Dora Fyfe, NJIT
• Team Champions – Incarnate Word

The Incarnate word men rolled their way to a 3rd-straight CCSA Championship, beating Gardner-Webb by almost 200 points.

Incarnate Word freshman Alvaro Ibarra made a big impacted in his first championship, sharing Swimmer of the Meet honors. He won the 500 free in 4:23.96, finished 4th in the 200 free, and won the 1650 free in a new Conference Record of 15:12.25.

Leonardo Sanchez, who shared the honor, was 4th in the 500 free, won the 200 free, and won the 100 free.

Ibarra and Sanchez combined with Norbert Aranyi and Hector Cruz to also break the Conference Record in the 800 free relay.

Summit League – Men & Women

Courtesy: Summit League

Men

• Championship Swimming MVP – Adriel Sanes, Denver
• Championship Diving MVP – Mitch Raihle, South Dakota State
• Newcomer of the Championship – Riley Babson, Denver
• Diving Coach of the Year – Elyse Brouillette, South Dakota State
• Swimming Coach of the Year – Alicia Hicken-Franklin, Denver
• Team Champions – Denver

Women

• Championship Swimming MVP – Josie Valette, Denver
• Championship Diving MVP – Sammy Walker, Denver
• Newcomer of the Championship – Natalie Arky, Denver
• Diving Coach of the Year – Aaron D’Addario, Denver
• Swimming Coach of the Year – Alicia Hicken-Franklin, Denver
• Team Champions – Denver

The Denver men and women won their 7th-straight Summit League Championship, including a record-setting 1,183 point total for the Denver women.

On the men’s side, among a Denver team full of NCAA qualifiers, Adriel Sanes stood out with wins in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, setting new Summit League Records in both in times of 52.32 and 1:55.70, respectively. He also finished 2nd in the 200 IM.

The Denver women, who didn’t lose a single event swimming or diving throughout the meet, were led by Josie Valette. She won the 200 fly in a new Summit League Record of 1:57.91, and also picked up a win in the 100 fly (53.16).

Mountain West Conference – Women

Courtesy: Mountain West Championships

• SWIMMER OF THE MEET – Klara Thormalm, Jr., San Diego State
• DIVER OF THE MEET – Melissa Mirafuentes, Fr., Wyoming
• FRESHMAN OF THE MEET – Athena Clayson, Fresno State
• SENIOR RECOGNITION AWARD – Heidi Schellin, Air Force
• TEAM CHAMPIONS – San Diego State

The San Diego State women dominated the Mountain West Championship by almost 450 points.

That included an NCAA “A” cut in the 200 medley relay and a probable individual invite time from Swimmer for the Meet Klara Thormalm in 59.36. She is one of 3 Aztecs swimmers who went under a minute in that race, along with Morganne McKennan and Sammy Geyer.

Ivy League – Women’s

By Zoe Gregorace on SwimSwam

Who doesn’t love carbs, especially in the form of pasta! As an athlete, carbohydrates are incredibly important, as they are our body’s preferred source of energy. As I mentioned in my previous article, carbs are not the enemy. I’m talking about complex carbohydrates, which are more nutritious and fiber filled as compared to simple carbohydrates. A balanced diet containing quality complex carbs includes whole grains, beans, oatmeal, sweet potatoes as well as some types of fruit. These are the types of carbohydrates that you should focus on incorporating into your daily diet. When it comes to pasta, choose whole grain or plant-based options as opposed to your traditional white pasta made from refined flour. These types of pastas are a form of complex carbohydrates and have more fiber and nutrients.

Here are some of my current favorite pasta recipes that will not disappoint!

Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles

Ingredients

• Spaghetti (I used Explore Cuisine’s Edamame Spaghetti)
• Handful of broccoli florets
• Handful of kale
• 1 red bell pepper
• Handful of sliced white mushrooms
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos
• Pinch of garlic powder
• Pinch of ginger powder 

This combo hits the spot when you’re craving some lo-mein from your favorite Chinese take-out place. Not only is it simple to make, but it also has less sodium than your typical Asian inspired noodle dish. For this recipe, I used edamame spaghetti but you can use any type of noodles you want. While you cook the spaghetti, heat up a pan with some olive oil or cooking spray. Sautee the kale for a few minutes until it wilts a bit then add in the mushrooms, peppers and broccoli. Sautee the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Once the pasta has cooked, drain and then add to the pan with the vegetables. Add in the liquid aminos, garlic powder and ginger powder. Thoroughly combine and let the noodle vegetable mixture cook for a few more minutes to soak up the flavors from the seasonings. Once the noodles are coated in the liquid aminos, it’s time to enjoy!

Mushroom & Spinach Rotini

Ingredients

• Rotini pasta (I used Blue Evolution’s Rotini with Superfood Seaweed, which uses durum wheat)
• Handful of spinach
• Handful of cherry tomatoes
• Handful of sliced mushrooms
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Pinch of garlic powder

If you don’t have much cooking experience or are looking for a quick and easy pasta meal, you can never go wrong with an olive oil and vegetable combination. For this recipe, I threw together some spinach, sliced white mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. To sautee the vegetables, warm up a pan with some olive oil. Cook the spinach until wilted, the mushrooms until soft and the tomatoes until they’re shriveled. After cooking the pasta, add in a drizzle of olive oil and combine with the warm vegetables. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, continue to combine and enjoy!

Broccoli Pesto Casarecce

Ingredients

• Banza Casarecce pasta
• Pesto
• 1 cup fresh/frozen broccoli
• Handful of sliced white mushrooms
• Handful of kale
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Red Pepper flakes (optional)

If you really want to jazz up your pasta, pesto is such a game changer. Some of my favorite pestos are the vegan kale, cashew, & basil pesto from Trader Joes and the Gotham Greens vegan pesto. For this recipe, I used the Banza casarecce pasta. I really like this shape because the sauce can seep into the folds of the noodle, ensuring that each bite has a bit of pesto flavor! Just as with the other recipes, you will need to heat up a pan to sautee the vegetables. I recommend adding the kale and broccoli first because these will take a bit longer to wilt. After a few minutes, add in the mushrooms and continue to sautee. While the vegetables are cooking, boil your pasta. After the pasta has cooked, drain and add into the pan with the vegetables. Add in the pesto and combine with the pasta and vegetables. Finish it off with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Check out my page for more recipe inspiration and be sure to share your pasta creations with me @whatzoeeeats.

About Zoe Gregorace

Zoe Gregorace is currently studying Nutrition Policy at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and recently graduated from Tufts University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and was a proud member of the Tufts Swimming and Diving team (Go Jumbos!). During her 16 year career as a competitive swimmer, she developed a passion for sports nutrition. She enjoys writing on the topic of nutrition, health and wellness and posts her meal creations on her Instagram page @whatzoeeeats. As a former college swimmer, she strives to share recipes and nutrition tips to promote balanced eating and optimize sports performance.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: The Hungry Swimmer: Let’s Talk About Pasta 2.0

By Giusy Cisale on SwimSwam

Gli sport acquatici colpiti dall’emergenza coronavirus.

Il CoronavirusCOVID-19 in Italia, ha contagiato 155 persone, 3 delle quali sono decedute.

Ciò significa che l’Italia è il terzo Paese al mondo per numero di casi, dietro solo alla Cina e alla Corea del Sud (esclusa la nave da crociera nelle acque territoriali giapponesi).

L’Italia ha ora più casi, e morti, di tutti i paesi vicini al Giappone.

Questa situazione ha provocato nel fine settimana la cancellazione di diverse manifestazioni pubbliche.

Pochi minuti fa, la Federazione Italiana Nuoto ha diramato il seguente comunicato stampa:

Il consiglio federale riunitosi a Roma, preso atto delle ordinanze disposte dalle autorità competenti, ed in particolare da alcune Regioni italiane, sospende lo svolgimento di tutte le competizioni e manifestazioni sportive, di ogni livello e dislocazione, fino a domenica 1 marzo compreso, al fine di evitare difformità nelle attività programmate sul territorio nazionale.

Sono pertanto sospese tutte le competizioni delle discipline acquatiche rientranti nella Federazione.

Le competizioni di nuoto, pallanuoto, nuoto artistico, salvamento, tuffi e master si sospendono fino a Domenica 1 Marzo inclusa.

EMERGENZA CORONAVIRUS

Il COVID-19, che è stato identificato per la prima volta in Cina alla fine di dicembre, secondo coronatracker.com ha infettato oltre 79.500 persone in tutto il mondo.

Ci sono stati 2.626 decessi confermati in tutto il mondo, di cui 2.345 in Cina. Nel tentativo di fermare la malattia, diversi Paesi hanno istituito restrizioni di viaggio e quarantene.

L’Italia attualmente è il quarto paese al mondo per contagi con 132 casi confermati.

Di seguito vi riportiamo tutti i link degli approfondimenti pubblicati negli ultimi giorni e delle manifestazioni sospese o annullate per contenere la diffusione del virus:

• World Para Swimming World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro
• Torino: sospese le gare della sessione pomeridiana
• Coronavirus: La Federnuoto sospende le attività nel lodigiano
• Anche FIN Veneto sospende le attività
• Trofeo Città di Milano sospeso
• Il Coronavirus sospende tutto lo sport nel Nord Italia

Read the full story on SwimSwam: FIN Sospende TUTTE Le Competizioni Fino Al Primo Marzo

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

2020 NHIAA DIVISION I SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February, 17th, 2020
• Swasey Pool, Durham, New Hampshire
• Short Course Yards
• Results

Top 5 Team Scores

Girls

1. Exeter – 266
2. Bedford – 251
3. Pinkerton – 168
4. Dover – 131
5. Bishop Guertin – 110

Boys

1. Bishop Guertin – 263
2. Exeter – 177.5
3. Nashua North – 153
4. Bedford – 135
5. Alvirne – 104

Girls Recap:

Exeter came away with the team title in the girls meet, winning 2 out of 3 relays, and 3 of 8 individual events. The Exeter 200 medley relay squad of Mackenzie Patch (junior), Isabella Gerkin (sophomore), Kaelyn Patch (senior), and Erin Madden (senior) split 27.10, 32.11, 27.94, and 26.07 respectively for a 1:53.22. Exeter was dominant in that relay, touching as the only squad in the field to break 2:00. Mackenzie Patch and Madden were also members of the winning 400 free relay, teaming up with sophmore Jalen Howarth and junior Olivia Pelletier. Patch led off with a 55.13, with Howarth (56.73), Pelletier (57.93), and Madden (56.43) following for a 3:46.22.

Mackenzie Patch went on to win two events: the 100 fly and 100 back. Patch swam a 59.07 to win the women’s 100 fly, with sister Kaelyn in tow, touching in 1:02.43 for 2nd. Mackenzie was the fastest swimmer in the field on both 50s, splitting 27.38 and 31.69 respectively. Patch went on to win the 100 back, swimming a 58.79 to touch as the only swimmer in the field to break 1:00. She was out in 28.27, and come home in 30.52. Kaelyn Patch had won the women’s 200 IM earlier in the meet, touching in 2:16.79. Patch won a tight race with Bishop Guertin sophomore Mia Januario, who finished 2nd in 2:16.98. Patch came home faster than Januario to take the title, splitting 31.41 on the final 50, compared to 31.88 for Januario.

Londonderry freshman Maraget Edwards picked up two wins at her first NHIAA state meet. Edwards swam a 25.18 to win the women’s 50 free by a huge margin. The time marked a lifetime best for Edwards. Another freshman, Ela Goucher of Bedford, came in 2nd in the race, swimming a 25.87. Edwards went on to win the 100 breast in a nother lifetime best of 1:09.87. She won a tight with with Exeter sophomore Isabella Gerkin (1:10.00). Gerkin got out to an early lead, splitting 32.89 on the first 50 to Edwards’ 33.04. Edwards then came home faster, clocking a 36.83 on the 2nd 50 to Gerkin’s 37.11.

Bedford junior Isabelle Tagliaferro was another double event winner, claiming titles in the 100 and 200 free. Tagliaferro swam a 1:58.32 to take the women’s 200 free title, splitting 28.15, 29.60, 30.53, and 30.04 respectively, getting her hand on the wall first, ahead of a tight race for 2nd. Manchester Central junior Allison Gowern and Bishop Guertin junior Olivia Shusta battled it out for 2nd, touching in 1:59.13 and 1:59.18 respectively. Shusta got out to the fastest start in the field, splitting 57.00 at the 100 mark, compared to 58.35 for Gowern. Shusta fell off a bit, however, splitting 1:02.18 coming home, compared to 1:00.78 for Gowern. Tagliaferro was dominant in the 100 free, tearing to a 54.14, finishing as the only swimmer in the field to break 57 seconds. Tagliaferro was the hero of the Bedford women’s 200 free relay, anchoring in a field-leading 24.41. Senior Brooke Gould led the relay off in 26.59, with freshman Lauren Polce following in 27.17, then junior Jessie O’Leary in 26.89, and Tagliaferro anchored. Tagliaferro’s anchor leg put Bedford well ahead of any other team, as they finished over 2 seconds ahead of the field. She also provided a 52.56 anchor split on the 400 free relay, although Bedford ended up in 2nd.

Boys Recap:

The Bishop Guertin men won the NHIAA DI boys title, winning every event except the 100 back. They kicked off the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay, taking the title by almost 3 seconds. Junior Jack Januario led the squad off in 24.73, with senior Connor Donoghue going next in 29.10, then junior Ivan Dodor went 24.27, and freshman Eamon Griffin anchored in 22.68. They had the fastest split in the field in every stroke excpet backstroke, where Nashua North freshman Rittivuth Chea led their squad off in 24.66.

Jack Januario went on to win two events in dominant fashion. Right after the 200 medley relay, Januario turned around and won the 200 free with a 1:42.29, besting the field by over 5 seconds. The time was actually off Januario’s personal best of 1:41.40, which he swam back in December. He went on to win the 500 free by over 10 seconds, finishing in 4:37.73. Januario had no problems claiming the title, although he came in well off his personal best of 4:29.72, which is also from back in December.

Jack Januario also led the Bishop Guertin 400 free relay off in 48.38, giving the relay a huge lead to start the race. Freshmen Brennden Dion went next, splitting 55.09, with senior Connor Donoghue going 3rd for a 52.27, and junior Matthew Crane anchored in a field-leading 47.15. Bishop Guertin clocked a final time of 3:22.89.

Matthew Crane swept the sprint events, taking the 50 free in 22.02. The time was off his personal best of 21.47. Crane also took the 100 free in 47.89, beating the field on both 50 splits. His personal best stands at 47.11. Crane also helped the Bishop Guertin win the 200 free relay, anchoring in a blisterin 21.37. Brennden Dion led the relay off in 25.31, with Eamon Griffin following in 23.59, Ivan Dodor going next in 22.63, and Crane’s anchor. The team finished in 1:32.90, touching first by well over 6 seconds.

Ivan Dodor was another double event winner, taking the 100 fly and 100 breast. In the 100 fly, Dodor swam a 52.58, taking the title by over 4 seconds, but finishing slightly off his personal best of 52.17. He went on to swim a 1:00.77 to take the 100 breast title, with teammate Eamon Griffin finishing runner-up with a 1:03.30. Dodor was also off his best of 59.36 in this race. Connor Donaghue won another title for Bishop Guertin, taking the 200 IM with a 2:00.93.

The lone event not won by Biship Guertin came in the 100 back, and by a freshman no less. Nashua North freshman Rittivuth Chea blew away the field with a 53.00 to take the title. The time was actually off Chea’s personal best, which stands at 52.79.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Exeter Girls, Bishop Guertin Boys Win NHIAA DI Titles, BG Nearly Sweeps

By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

2020 MIAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 19-22, 2020
• Venema Aquatic Center
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Defending Champions: Hope Women; Albion Men
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Day One Recap
• Day Two Recap
• Day Three Recap
• Day Four Recap
• Complete Results

The final two days was a tough battle for both genders of the 2020 MIAA Championships held at the Venema Aquatic Center in Grand Rapids, MI. On the men’s side, the Albion men had a monstrous Saturday night that propelled them past Calvin, defending their 2019 MIAA title. The Calvin women, who lost their 14-year streak to Hope last year, re-gained the MIAA team title at their home pool on Saturday by 10 points.

Men’s Meet

Final Team Scores

• 1. Albion College— 933.5
• 2. Calvin University — 838
• 3. Hope College— 693
• 4. Kalamazoo College— 546.5
• 5. Olivet College — 330
• 6. Alma College — 187

Friday

The Albion Brits started Friday in third place but utilized their deep field to catch up to the first-place Calvin Knights. In the 200 medley relay, Albion took the win at 1:30.12, powered by Evan Wonner‘s 21.46 fly split and Len Ciemniecki‘s 19.99 free anchor. The title-winning relay currently ranks 12th in Division III. Calvin’s relay took second at 1:30.99, yet swam a 1:29.95 during a time trial Saturday afternoon, ranking 9th in D3.

Into the 100 breast, Albion senior Tyler Kimbrell completed a career 4-for-4 sweep in the 100 breast, sealing the title in 55.63. Kalamazoo’s Brenden French also swam under 56 seconds, clocking in the runner-up time of 55.97.

After taking the 50 free on Thursday, Calvin sophomore Noah Holstege carried on a family tradition by winning the 100 back in a sub-50 swim of 49.72. Albion senior Ian Moran (51.06) out-touched Calvin junior Colin Murphy (51.18) by 0.12s to lead a 2-5-6-8 finish for the Brits.

Saturday

Albion once again showcased their depth on Saturday, beginning with sophomore Connor Robertson leading an Albion 1-3-4-5 finish in the 200 back at 1:49.82. Shortly after, versatile Calvin junior Julian Iturbe (44.51) ran down 200 free champion Hope Dutchman Gabe Boonstra (44.93) in the 100 free. Boonstra’s season-best time now ranks 18th in D3, meanwhile, Iturbe’s season best of 44.30 sits in 5th.

Albion’s Kimbrell then capped his MIAA career with another 4-for-4 career sweep in the 200 breast (2:02.75), making that a perfect 4-year breaststroke sweep in the conference from 2017-2020. Junior teammate Jake Huttenlocher took a tight second place at 2:02.92. The Brits once again had 4 A-finalists, finishing 1-2-6-8 in the event.

In the final individual event, Albion’s Gerardo Huidobro led the Brits’ second 1-2-3 fly finish in the 200 fly, clocking in a 1:53.14. The meet then ended with the Calvin men winning the 400 free relay at 3:01.86. Calvin’s season best of 3:01.18 from December remains 8th in D3.

The Albion Brits then successfully defended their 2019 title with 933.50 points, making this their 3rd title in 4 years with the inclusion of their 2017 win.

Women’s Meet

Final Team Scores

• 1. Calvin University — 867
• 2. Hope College— 857
• 3. Albion College— 819
• 4. Kalamazoo College— 558
• 5. Alma College — 246
• 6. Olivet College — 218

Friday

Albion senior Rileigh Eding zipped to the early lead in the 100 fly final, but she slowly decelerated and it became a four-woman race during the finishing 10 yards. At the finish, Eding (57.12) touched out Calvin junior Jenna Oezer (57.20) by 0.08s for the MIAA title while Albion junior Tia Ulieme (57.24) settled for third place by 0.04s behind Oezer.

Hope then saw two back-to-back Dutchman wins, starting with Tarah Lang‘s 200 free victory (1:54.40). Shortly after, 200 IM champion Emma Schaefer went on to defend her 2019 title in the 100 breast with a 1:04.44.

After leading off the 200 medley relay (1:44.19) to victory, Calvin junior Hannah Chao stormed the 100 back to win her first individual MIAA title at 56.10. Hope senior Nicky McCann finished 0.26s behind Chao at 56.36 while Calvin senior Abbey Wellman sealed third place at 57.30. Looking at the D3 ranks, Chao sits in 17th while McCann is tied for 24th.

Saturday

After Hope’s Emma Engle won the 1650 free at 17:41.14, Calvin teammates Chao and Wellman duked it out in the 200 back final. At the finish, it was Chao who completed the backstroke sweep with her final time of 2:03.05. Wellman topped off her MIAA career with a valiant runner-up time of 2:03.75, finishing 2.52 seconds ahead of Hope’s Erin Emmert (2:06.27).

Albion’s Eding then tore up the 100 free final with a 51.81 to earn her 3rd MIAA title at her senior meet. Kalamazoo’s Erin Radermacher (52.66) finished 0.04s ahead of Calvin’s Gunderson (52.70) for second place. Transitioning to the 200 breast, Hope’s Schaefer would then earn her 3rd MIAA title over the weekend with her 200 breast win of 2:20.78.

The 200 fly final would feature a thrilling battle between Hope’s Emmert and Albion’s Samantha Swingewood. At the touch, it was Swingewood who took out Emmert by 0.40s for her second MIAA title of the weekend at 2:07.00.

On the 1-meter diving boards, Calvin junior Hannabeth Magnussen completed a diving sweep with her MIAA title-winning score of 455.75 points.

In the 400 free relay, the Calvin Knights led from start to finish over the Kalamazoo Hornets. At the finish, the Calvin women would then seal the MIAA team title with a 3:31.07, Kalamazoo settled for second at 3:32.20. The Hope women would seal their runner-up team finish with their third-place time of 3:33.15.

#D3MIAA Swimming and Diving awards:
Men's Most Valuable Diver, @HopeAthletics Kamaron Wilcox
Women's Most Valuable Swimmer, @HopeSwimAndDive Emma Schaefer
Women's Most Valuable Diver, @CalvinKnights Hannabeth Magnussen
Men's Most Valuable Swimmer, @calvinswimming Julian Iturbe pic.twitter.com/aQFnCvQyXa

— #D3MIAA Sports (@MIAA1888) February 23, 2020

Albion men, Calvin women win #D3MIAA Swimming and Diving Championships

https://t.co/l4PergxTccpic.twitter.com/v03dE9N2uw

— #D3MIAA Sports (@MIAA1888) February 23, 2020

**MIAA record, B (NCAA B Cut)

By Giusy Cisale on SwimSwam

Benedetta Pilato, stella nascente del nuoto italiano, lo scorso fine settimana ha gareggiato all Swim TO 2020, a Torino.

Durante la sessione di gare del secondo giorno, ha nuotato nelle batterie dei 50 metri rana il tempo di 29.42, a solo un decimo dal Record Italiano da lei stessa stabilito ai Campionati Europei di Glasgow in vasca corta del 2019.

Ai Campionati Europei in vasca corta di Glasgow 2019, Benedetta Pilato ha conquistato la medaglia d’oro. Il tempo di 29.32, non era solo il nuovo Record Italiano, ma anche  il World Junior Record.

Balzata sulla scena internazionale la scorsa estate, Benedetta, a soli 14 anni, conquistò la medaglia d’argento nei 50 metri rana femminili ai Campionati del Mondo FINA di Gwangju. 

In Corea la Pilato, siglò anche il Record Italiano Assoluto (vasca lunga) nelle batterie di qualifica. Con il tempo di 29.98 è diventata la prima donna nella storia del nuoto ad abbattere il muro dei 30 secondi nei 50 metri rana.

Durante il Meeting Torinese, la Pilato ha rilasciato un’intervista a Tuttosport dove ha espresso la sua opinione sull’assenza della gara dei 50 metri rana nel programma olimpico e su un eventuale spostamento delle Olimpiadi di Tokyo del 2020 a causa della diffusione del coronavirus.

L’INTERVISTA A TUTTOSPORT

Sulla possibilità di rinviare le Olimpiadi dichiara:

“Speriamo che le rimandino, così ho più tempo per allenarmi e andarci. Seriamente, con questo virus è un problema mondiale, ma non si può neppure vivere nella paura. Sarei preoccupata ad andare in Cina, dove d’altronde ora non si può, ma in Giappone no”.

I 50 metri rana, specialità di Benedetta non sono inclusi nel programma olimpico. La giovane ranista dovrebbe dunque qualificarsi sulla distanza dei 100 metri. Su questo punto la Pilato afferma:

“Vedremo, vedremo.

Certo che mi piacerebbe gareggiare a Tokyo, ma siamo in tre e ci sono solo due posti.

Martina (Carraro ndr ) e Arianna (Castiglioni ndr ) devono solo rifare il tempo già nuotato, io invece devo migliorare e tanto.

Più che parlare della qualificazione ai 100, bisognerebbe discutere sul fatto che non avere i 50 rana alle Olimpiadi è un’ingiustizia.

Non è vero che i 50 non sono distanza olimpica, visto che ci sono i 50 stile.

Ma perché solo lo stile? Perché i velocisti devono essere solo quelli che nuotano a stile libero?”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Benedetta Pilato Sulle Olimpiadi: “Ingiusti I 50 Metri Solo A Stile”

By Reid Carlson on SwimSwam

2020 MEN’S BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS FAN GUIDE

• When: Wednesday, February 26th to Saturday, February 29th | Prelims 10:00 am | Finals 6:00 pm
• Where: Aquatic Center at Mylan Park, University of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: University of Texas (Texas) (40x — yes, 40-consecutive) (results)
• Live Results (coming soon)
• Streaming:
• Championship Central:Here
• Detailed Timeline:Here

The Texas Longhorns haven’t lost the Big 12 Championships in 40 years and 2020 looks to be no different. Though Texas was knocked off the top of the podium at NCAAs by California in 2019, the team is as strong as ever and will benefit from new additions such as Maxime Rooney and Jake Foster.

Though top freestylers Townley Haas and Jack Conger are no longer with the program, Drew Kibler had a breakthrough summer in 2019 and has carried that momentum into the NCAA season.

While Texas placed 2nd at NCAAs in 2019 and won the National Championship the four years prior, neither West Virginia nor Texas Christian placed at the 2019 championships. Texas’ top-end strength and depth, combined with its 40-year win streak, all but guarantees a 41st Longhorn victory at the Big 12 Championships.

Though the Longhorn monopoly on the Big 12 did not secure Texas a win in every event at the Big 12 Championships in 2019, it’s entirely possible that Texas could top the podium in every single men’s event this year. In 2019, West Virginia’s David Dixon won the 100 and 200 butterfly races. In 2020, Dixon will have to contend with either Rooney or Alvin Jiang (or both) in the fly races, neither of which was with Texas in 2019. it’s entirely possible that Texas could top the podium in every single men’s event this year.

Texas Christian University will put its large freshman class to the test against some of the best swimmers in the nation and vie with West Virginia for the second-place finish.

SCHEDULE

Wednesday

• 200 Medley Relay
• Men’s 1-meter diving
• 800 Freestyle Relay

Thursday

• 500 Freestyle
• 200 IM
• 50 Freestyle
• Women’s 1-meter diving
• 200 Freestyle Relay

Friday

• 100 Butterfly
• 400 IM
• 200 Freestyle
• 100 Breaststroke
• 100 Backstroke
• Men’s 3-meter diving
• 200 Freestyle Relay

Saturday

• 200 Backstroke
• 100 Freestyle
• 1650 Freestyle
• 200 Breaststroke
• 200 Butterfly
• Women’s Platform Diving
• 400 Freestyle Relay

STARS

Texas

Maxime Rooney (senior, free/fly), Caspar Corbeau (freshman, breaststroke), Jake Foster (freshman, IM/breast), Ryan Harty (senior, backstroke), Jacob Huerta (senior, fly), Alvin Jiang (junior, fly/back), Austin Katz (junior, back), Drew Kibler (sophomore, free), Sam Pomajevich (junior, fly/free), Chris Staka (junior, fly/back), Matthew Willenbring (sophomore, free/IM), Chris Yeager (junior, free), Alex Zettle (sophomore, freestyle).

There is really no debate as to whether Texas will win its 41st Big 12 Championship. Maxime Rooney, Austin Katz, Sam Pomajevich, and Drew Kibler are all in the conversation for individual NCAA titles. Furthermore, Texas is the odds-on favorite to win the NCAA team title this year, wresting the championship away from Cal, who prevented Texas from hitting a 5-year win streak in 2019.

West Virginia

David Dixon (junior, fly), Sam Neaveill (senior, sprint free/fly), Philip Kay (junior, IM/back), Fausto Huerta (sophomore, breast), Hunter Armstrong (freshman, free/back).

West Virginia lost several key-players in 2019, though the Mountaineers remain the solid choice for the runner-up in the team standings in 2020. David Dixon is the defending champion in the 100 and 200 fly and stands a chance at making noise in the 200 IM. WVU lost its top breaststroker last year, though sophomore Fausto Huerta has the potential to make the ‘A’ final and potentially medal.

Texas Christian

Joao Andrade (junior, freestyle), Jackson Boersma (junior, sprint free/breast), Hugh McPherson (sophomore, breast), Piotr Sadlowski (freshman, fly), Janis Silins (freshman, breaststroke).

Though the Horned Frogs graduated some of their fastest swimmers in 2019, a freshman class of 10 makes for a promising cohort to take on the Big 12 over the coming three years. While Texas Christian was thoroughly out-done by its two competitors in 2019, the winds could be changing for the Horned Frogs–especially if their recruiting game remains strong.

SHOWDOWNS

100 and 200 Backstroke: Texas senior Ryan Hartyand junior Austin Katz are not only Big 12 title contenders in the 200 backstroke, but also in the conversation for the NCAA title, with the edge going to 2018 National Champion and 2019 NCAA runner-up Katz. Harty has been slightly faster than Katz this season in the 100, with Alvin Jiang also having been 45.2 in December. Jiang is also a contender for a top finish in the 100 fly, which gives Texas options–taking on the 100 fly/100 back double might not be ideal and Jiang might be better utilized in the 50 free/100 fly/200 fly in order to space out his events.

500 Freestyle: Drew Kibler is once again a stout contender for the 500 freestyle title at Big 12s, though 200 fly specialist Sam Pomajevich posted a 4:12 in NCAA prelims in 2018. Though Pomajevich has not improved his PR in the 500 since 2018, he experienced a fantastic time drop in the 200 fly at the Minnesota Invite in December. If Pomajevich experiences a similar improvement in freestyle he could upset Kibler for the title in Morgantown. Texas sophomore Alex Zettle and junior backstroke specialist Austin Katz could also make for an interesting race and potentially take the 2020 Big 12 title in this event.

100 Butterfly: A freestyle specialist until the 2019 SEC Championships when he took up the 100 and 200 fly, Texas senior Maxime Rooney is a favorite for not only the Big 12 title in the 100 fly but also a confident pick for the NCAA title in March. Alvin Jiang, another transfer, is one of only two men in the Big 12 (alongside Rooney) to have been sub-46 in the 100 fly this season with a 44.93. West Virginia’s David Dixon won this event in 2019 though the 46.73 Dixon posted last year is unlikely to get it done this year. Dixon has had success in the 100 LCM butterfly that Jiang has not, and if he’s able to translate his 51.4 from 2018 into a 45-mid or 44-high performance in yards then he will be in serious title contention.

SWIMULATOR

The Longhorns’ reign in the Big 12 is unlikely to come to an end anytime soon. While Texas is always a fun team to watch in competition, the more interesting team battle will be for 2nd and 3rd between West Virginia and Texas Christian University. Though TCU has a strong freshman class, they will have a tough battle to secure the title of Big 12 runner-up with the Mountaineers.

Based on current conference rankings, West Virginia boasts more likely individual scorers in the 50 and 100 freestyles with deep rosters in the butterfly, backstroke, and Individual Medley races. The freestyles especially indicate an edge over TCU in every relay, save the 800 freestyle. This has also been shown in current season-bests for each team.

In regards to diving, Texas is favorited to bring home the lion’s share of points on the boards, though West Virginia has more divers than TCU which will benefit them in picking up the leftover points.

1. Texas – 1013
2. West Virginia – 677
3. TCU – 646

SWIMSWAM PICKS

1. Texas
2. West Virginia
3. TCU

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2020 Men’s Big 12 Championships Fan Guide: Texas Eyeing 41st-Consecutive Title

By Andy Hardt on SwimSwam

When watching elite sport, we always imagine ourselves there. You know, I would have found that open teammate, I would have laid off that curveball in the dirt, and you’d better believe I wouldn’t have taken that extra breath right before the finish. Swimming is one of the easiest sports for which to adopt this intrinsic perspective: all of us have won races before, it doesn’t look as fast as it is from above, and speed is relative anyway.

The fantasy does get stretched a little bit by some of the very top swimmers. I don’t watch Caeleb Dressel and think: “Yeah, that’s totally me. I also do that butterfly-stroke-thing on my start because my massive arms are just too powerful to do it any other way. Then after a couple dolphin kicks that rival an actual dolphin’s, I pop up way in front (how convenient!), and just extend my lead until the finish. Sometimes on the last 25 of my 100 butterfly, I’ll just not breathe, because that’s a thing I can do.”

I’ve never had the length and ridiculous turnover of Sarah Sjostrom or muscles on muscles (and ridiculous turnover) of Adam Peaty. I never could dream of Ryan Lochte’s absurd underwaters or Mary T. Meagher’s unrelenting butterfly stroke, and I certainly can’t match the impossible smoothness of Regan Smith or Michael Phelps or Federica Pellegrini or Ian Thorpe.

But that’s not the feeling I got watching Bobby Finke’s 14:12.08 world record* in the 1650 free at SECs this weekend**. The distance events in general, and Finke’s swim in particular, feel approachable in a way that other races do not. And that’s what made it one of the most beautiful races I’ve seen in a long time.

*OK, annoying caveat here…yards time are not technically world records

**Unfortunately, only watched the replay and not the real thing

To be sure, I don’t mean that all distance swimmers make me feel this way. Sun Yang was the stallion who sat astride the swimming world. Janet Evans swung her arms high into the sky, summoning Zeus’ thunderbolt to smite her competition. Felix Auboeck does the same thing now, and he’ll take on Finke at NCAAs next month. And let’s agree not to even mention Katie Ledecky.

But Finke’s swim: first, let’s talk about the splits. He averaged 25.82 per 50, swimming fairly even from split to split, but not crazily so. On one hand, whoa! He’s the first ever to average sub-26, and he did so emphatically. But on the other hand, well, many thousands of swimmers can keep up with that pace for a little bit. If you can swim a 50 at that speed, or a 100 (or even a 200 for men), you’re a good swimmer certainly, but you’re not usually a particular standout in the sport. We can plop a decent age-group swimmer next to Finke, and they’ll keep up long enough to say hi. An endless relay of high schoolers could totally take him down.

Plus, can’t you relate to how Finke swam the race, if you add many, many seconds to his time? He went out kind of hard, but wasn’t quite in the lead at the 50. He took over by the 100, and then put down some ridiculous splits as he pulled away: 51-point for each 100 until halfway. Then he started to struggle. The 12 strokes per length became 13, which became 14. His stroke was clearly less powerful than it started out. He would slip in an extra breath before the turn: to the right if he was close to the wall, and to the left if he was farther away. The 51-point 100s became 52s. But Finke kept fighting. His kick was strong throughout, but it really came alive in the second half. His already-high cadence held, and increased. And with more of a gutsy drive than a sprint finish, he hit the wall, more than a full lap ahead of his competition, and half a length ahead of the Grothe ghost he set out to chase. It was, by any standard, an enthralling and beautiful swim.

So how does Finke’s record race differ from how you or I might swim? Well, not much, if you think about it in just the right way. He’s 6-foot-1; that’s not that tall! Certainly not a 6’ 6” beast like Kieran Smith. Sure, Finke’s kick is excellent, his stroke is excellent, his turns are smooth and efficient. Well, of course they are, what did you expect from a world record holder? He’s got that high body position and snappy turnover, which anyone can do, just not for a whole 1650. And he had the same problem we all have when we go out fast: he slowed down.

Finke doesn’t have unbelievable speed: his 500 PR is “only” 4:10.86, and he didn’t make Florida’s 800 freestyle relay. He obviously does have unbelievable endurance, the hardest skill to really feel from behind a computer screen. Plus, we also know that swimmer who’s an even more extreme miler than he is. And Finke has another humanizing mark on his record: last year he swam 14:23.01 as a freshman at SECs, at the time the 5th fastest 1650 ever swum. His NCAA finish a month later? Only 12th.

It makes you almost believe, almost head over to the pool just to check, because what if something crazy happened last night and that’s you now? If I squint until my eyes are closed, I can see myself in his place. The easy speed early in the race, check. The ever-building suffering, the stroke that begins to weaken and flail just a little bit; you build up your kick, you build up your resolve, and you fight against the taunt of your slipping splits, your slipping spirits. But you give it what you’ve got, you give it 100%, because you, like every coach who’s ever tried to inspire, like every swimmer whose glory days are far enough in the past, you will put everything you have into what you already know is the best swim of your life. Bobby Finke swam the fastest time in history this weekend. And he swam it the way I would have done, if only in my own mind.

I want to make one thing clear at the end of this essay: I’m not trying to say that Finke’s swim is any more approachable that any other yards record, or that his abilities are any more human than the superheroes whose legacies he has now been approved to chase. I’m just trying to say that it felt that way to me. I swam every stroke of that race with Bobby Finke. And I celebrated more than he did, because, honestly, I wasn’t even that tired.

You see, I’m pretty sure I could have gone even faster.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: How Bobby Finke’s 14:12 Made Me Feel

By SwimSwam on SwimSwam

By Daniel Takata Gomes

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

We’re revisiting NCAA ranks after last weekend’s flood of major conference championship meets, including men’s & women’s SECs, women’s ACCs and women’s Big Tens.

What will follow are post-season NCAA top 10 ranks – the top 10 times in each event from the entirety of this year’s post-season meets so far. That includes all of last week’s action, but also a few “week zero” meets including MAACs and the America East Championships that took place the week prior.

For the women’s side, specifically, these will be getting close to final ranks going into NCAAs – though they don’t include women’s Pac-12s, a few other week 3 meets, or any last chance meets that will take place in the next week or so.

50 Free

100 Free

200 Free

By Aglaia Pezzato on SwimSwam

MCCULLAGH MEET 2020

• February 20th-23rd
• Bangor Aurora Leisure Complex, Northern Ireland
• 50m (LCM)
• Meet Info
• SwimSwam Preview 
• Meet Entries
• Live Stream
• Live Timing

Il campione olimpico Adam Peatyè tornato in acqua nell’ultimo giorno della McCullagh International 2020, portando a casa con facilità i 50 metri rana maschili.

L’atleta di Loughborough si è imposto nella vasca secca segnando il secondo tempo più veloce della stagione al mondo, un 26. 83 che gli è ovviamente valso la corsia centrale nella finale. Ad oggi questo tempo si piazza alle spalle del 26. 78 di Ilya Shymanovich e davanti al 26. 88 nuotato da Nicolò Martinenghidurante la World Cup. Pur non essendo gara olimpica i 50 rana maschili si dimostrano di altissimo spesso tecnico in questa stagione.

Durante la finale del McCullagh Peaty ha peggiorato leggermente nuotando in 27. 01, tempo comunque utile a mantenere a distanza di sicurezza il secondo classificato Ross Murdoch in 27. 48. James Wilby, campione dei Giochi del Commonwealth in carica dai 200 metri, ha concluso al terzo posto in 27.72.

DOPPIETTA DUNCAN SCOTT

2 vittorie nell’arco di pochi minuti per Duncan Scott. Il 22 enne britannico ha dimostrato durante la 3 giorni del McCullagh Meet tutta la sua poliedricità vincendo i 100 e i 200 stile nelle prime sessioni. Nell’ultima giornata Scott si è cimentato nei 100 farfalla prima, vinti in 52. 84 e nei 200 misti poi, vinti in 2:00. 05. In questa distanza Scott arrivò 5° ai Campionati Mondiali di Gwanjiu con il tempo di 1:56. 91 a pochi decimi dal Record Nazionale di Max Litchfield.

Il McCullagh Meet è sembrato un ottimo test per gli atleti di punta della Union Jack, in un periodo sicuramente caratterizzato da carichi di lavoro importanti e con la preparazione finalizzata ai Campionati Britannici previsti dal 14 al 19 aprile 2020 che valgono come qualifica olimpica.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: McCullagh Meet: Peaty Vince Anche I 50, Doppietta Duncan Scott

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

Four of ten NCAA major conference meets are out of the way this week after a dizzying weekend of fast swimming. We count down our top 10 swims of the week.

It’s always hard to pare down these lists, and we had several top contenders just outside our top 10, including the fourth-ever sub-19 swimmer from a mid-major school, and a couple of swimmersranked #4 all-time.

#10: Three-Person Battle Royale For ACC 200 Breast Title

The women’s ACC 200 breast was notable for the times, but probably even more notable for the race. Two freshmen and a sophomore from one of the nation’s most heated school rivalries battled for the title, putting up the nation’s top three times this season by a wide margin. NC State’s Sophie Hansson went 2:05.59 for the win despite sitting third at the halfway point. That was a drop of six tenths. Virginia freshman Ella Nelson capped off a huge meet with a 2:05.68 for second, dropping 1.6 seconds and breaking the National Age Group record for swimmers in the 17-18 age group. Meanwhile fellow Virginia freshman Kate Douglass was 2:05.89, leading the first 150 and moving to #3 all-time in the 17-18 age group.

#9: Douglass’s IM Explosion to 1:51.36

It’s a second-straight appearance for UVA freshman Kate Douglass, who won the ACC 200 IM title in her first-ever individual event at ACCs. Douglass was 1:52.89 at mid-season, but cut a second and a half to go 1:51.36 for the win. That’s the 4th-fastest 200 IM ever swum, and puts her within seven tenths of the American record. It’s also a National Age Group record in the 17-18s and would have placed second at NCAAs last year.

#8: Nelson’s 49.70 Backstroke

BeataNelson’s own track record probably hurts her standing here. The senior Nelson was 49.70 leading off (and completely carrying) Wisconsin’s 400 medley relay at Big Tens. That’s tied for the #4 swim of all-time, and Nelson now owns the 1st, 2nd and 4th-fastest swims in history in the event. Had she not swum American records of 49.67 and 49.18 last season, Nelson’s Big Tens swim would have been a hundredth off an American record. Her swim also allowed Wisconsin to be 2nd at Big Tens in the 400 medley relay despite their other legs ranking 6th (breaststroke), 4th (butterfly) and 5th (free) in the conference.

#7: Casas’ 1:37.20 in 200 Back

Texas A&M’s sophomore Shaine Casas cut a full second from his best time in the 200 back, breaking Ryan Lochte‘s SEC meet record and moving to #4 all-time in that race. Casas didn’t even swim this race at NCAAs last year, but is coming off of a breakout summer in the long course 100 back. Casas leads the nation in this race now and his swim was the 6th-best in history, behind three Ryan Murphy races as well as one apiece by John Shebat and Austin Katz.

#6: Brown Goes 49.38 in Fly

Easily the fastest event in the women’s NCAA right now, the 100 fly is a slugger’s row of superstars. Tennessee senior Erika Brown won an early cross-country battle against Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil, going 49.38 to win the SEC title. (MacNeil was 49.42 to win Big Tens). Brown moves to the #3 performance of all-time, and is just a tenth off the NCAA record of 49.26. She owns the American record. Brown also gets major credit for two swims that didn’t make this list: a 21.03 in the 50 free and 45.83 in the 100 free, both ranking her as the #2 performer all-time.

#5: White’s Arrival With 1:48.1/1:48.0s in 200 Back

The big dropper of the year has been Alabama sophomore Rhyan White. Coming into the season, her best times were 1:53.54 in the 200 back and 52.08 in the 100 back. But at SECs, White blasted two of the fastest 200 backs in history, going 1:48.06 in prelims and 1:48.15 in finals. Those rank as the #6 and #7 swims in history in an event where the top performers of all-time have typically not put up multiple top-ranked swims. In fact, the top 10 swims in history come from 7 swimmers, and White joins Kathleen Baker as the only swimmer with multiple top-10 swims. White also cut her 100 back to 50.02.

#4: Auburn Hits #2 200 Free Relay All-Time

Auburn crushed the second-fastest 200 free relay of all-time early in the SEC Championships, going 1:25.41. The group of Julie Meynen (21.65), Claire Fisch (20.99), AJ Kutsch (21.15) and Robyn Clevenger (21.62) blew out the SEC field and joined some elite names on the all-time top relay list. The current American record-holding relay from Cal included Olympian Abbey Weitzeil. The #3-ranked team from Stanford (leapfrogged by Auburn) included Olympic champ Simone Manuel. Auburn’s crew showed outstanding depth, great improvements from previous seasons and very disciplined relay exchanges, all between 0.12 and 0.19.

#3: MacNeil’s 23.05 in 50 Back – Fastest Leadoff Ever

What is it with the Big Ten and relay leadoffs? Sophomore flyer Maggie MacNeil blew out the fastest 50 back leadoff split in history, going 23.05 on the front of Michigan’s 200 medley relay. Previously, the fastest swim on record was a 23.36 from NCAA backstroke champ and Olympian Rachel Bootsma. MacNeil’s split gave Michigan a lead of almost a full second from the field, and would provide about the same margin if she can do it again at NCAAs. Michigan went on to break the pool record despite having the field’s 7th best fly split.

#2: Former IMer Smith Smashes 500 Free Record

A year ago, Kieran Smith was a 200/400 IMer who crossed over into backstroke on day 4 of NCAAs. This year, Florida sophomore Smith posted the #4 200 free of all-time and crushed the American record in the 500 free by almost a second. Coming into the meet, Smith’s career-best 500 free was 4:16.96, set as a high schooler back in 2017. Smith went 4:14.55 in SEC prelims, then exploded with a 4:06.32 in finals to shatter records. The previous American record was 4:07.25, the previous NCAA record 4:08.19.

#1: Finke Obliterates Fastest Mile Ever

It’s hard to pass up a swim that took six seconds off the best previous swim in history. Florida sophomore Bobby Finke went 14:12.08 to win the SEC 1650 free. That’s 6.2 seconds better than former American record-holder Zane Grothe, and more than ten seconds better than former NCAA record-holder Clark Smith. Finke’s previous best was 14:23.01, set last year at SECs, and prior to that, he was 14:37 out of high school. Finke has a chance to take this record to extraordinary levels, and his current pace of time drops is nothing short of incredible.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Top 10 Swims From Week 1 of NCAA Major Conference Championships

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2020 U SPORTS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 20-22, 2020
• Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, British Columbia
• Prelims: SCM (25m) / 10 am PT
• Finals: LCM (50m) / 6 pm PT
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Webcast
• Meet Records (LCM)
• Meet Records (SCM)

The University of British Columbia men and women won the 2020 U SPORTS Swimming Championship titles over the weekend to give the Thunderbirds a fourth consecutive sweep at the event.

In what was expected to be a close men’s race between UBC and Calgary, the Thunderbirds ended up winning by over 200 points thanks to the appearance of Markus Thormeyer (who didn’t compete at the Canada West Championships in November where the teams were separated by just five points).

The women topped runners-up Toronto by over 100 points after beating them by just 25 one season ago.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

MEN

1. UBC, 1087
2. Calgary, 873
3. Toronto, 765
4. McGill, 691
5. Ottawa, 515.5
6. Victoria, 494
7. Regina, 400
8. Montreal, 328
9. Alberta, 303
10. Western, 291.5
11. Laval, 229.5
12. Waterloo, 163
13. Acadia, 118
14. McMaster, 115
15. Manitoba, 69
16. Dalhousie, 46
17. Lethbridge, 39
18. Guelph, 38
19. Brock, 36
20. Thompson Rivers, 34.5
21. Sherbrooke, 20
22. New Brunswick, 15

WOMEN

1. UBC, 1092.5
2. Toronto, 978.5
3. Calgary, 864
4. Victoria, 552.5
5. Montreal, 499
6. Ottawa, 377
7. McGill, 343.5
8. Western, 290
9. Laval, 254
10. McMaster, 252.5
11. Dalhousie, 231.5
12. Manitoba, 212.5
13. Alberta, 147
14. Guelph, 111
15. Regina, 86
16. New Brunswick, 63
17. Waterloo, 59.5
18. Sherbrooke, 57
19. Wilfrid Laurier, 54
20. Acadia, 51
21. UQTR, 48
22. Laurentian, 45
23. Lethbridge, 37

For the men, this is the longest run any team has been on since UBC won 10 straight from 1998 to 2007. They now have 17 total titles, second only to Toronto’s 19.

The women match their streak of four from 2012 to 2015 (only interrupted by Toronto’s win in 2016). They have now won 24 team titles, the most in history.

ALL-TIME U SPORTS (FORMERLY CIS) CHAMPIONS

Individually the meet was dominated by a select few. On the women’s side, Kelsey Wog and Danielle Hanus went a perfect four-for-four individually, and Emily Overholt won three individual events along with three relay golds for six total (along with one individual silver).

For the men, Markus Thormeyer won the maximum seven gold medals with four individual victories and three relay titles. Clement Secchi, Jaren LeFranc and Davide Casarin also won two individual golds apiece.

2020 U SPORTS SWIMMING CHAMPIONS

WOMEN

^{*new U SPORTS Championship Record}

MEN

^{*U SPORTS Championship Record}

TOP INDIVIDUAL SCORERS

By Reid Carlson on SwimSwam

2020 WOMEN’S ACC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 19th to Saturday, February 22nd | Prelims 10:00 am | Finals 6:00 pm (1650 prelims Saturday at 4:00 pm)
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: North Carolina State University (NC State) (1x) (results)
• Streaming: ACC Network
  • Day 2 Finals
  • Day 3 Finals
  • Day 4 Finals
• Championship Central: Here
• Detailed Timeline: Here
• Psych Sheets: Here
• Live Results

While swimming is far from an injury-free sport, breaks and sprains are relatively uncommon, and rarer-still are coaches the injured party.

On Saturday, February 22nd shortly before the afternoon heats of the women’s 1650 dove in at the 2020 ACC Championships in Greensboro, NC, Virginia Tech Head Coach Sergio Lopez slipped and fell, injuring his right lower leg in the process. Unable to stand for long periods of time or walk very far, Lopez spent the majority of the Saturday PM session sitting in a chair on the pool deck just behind the Virginia Tech bleachers.

According to Lopez’s Instagram, the injury is a “closed tibial fracture” and will likely require surgery. Even so, Lopez intends to remain in Greensboro to coach the men’s team through their upcoming 2020 ACC Championships, which will kick off with the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays on Wednesday, February 26th at the GAC. Lopez said on Instagram that he will likely have a scooter to aid him on deck throughout the men’s competition, which will wrap up exactly one week after the day of his fall.

With his purpling ankle elevated on a cooler and wrapped with an ice pack, Sergio maintained high spirits and a positive attitude throughout the session and even granted us an interview.

From Coach Lopez’s Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

What can I say? I had an accident in the pool and not sure what I did to my right ankle but this present I just got from Corinne Vereb has made a huge difference and I already feel so much better. Thank you Corrine! #HokieFamily #LivingTheDream #SharingThePositiveEnergy

A post shared by Sergio Lopez Miro (@sergiolopezmiro) on Feb 22, 2020 at 4:24pm PST

View this post on Instagram

Interesting hair cut hahahaha ;-), overweight, sleep apnea and yesterday I gain a "closed tibial fracture" that the orthopedic doctor told me today that I probably need surgery. Not bad for an over 50 years old guy. Now over 30 hours laying in bed with my ankle up trying to do some work or better watching some TV, Netflix or Amazon Prime waiting for the men's team to arrive tomorrow night to compete this week at the ACC Championships. Really #LivingTheDream Tomorrow I get one of those scooters to move around, it will be an interesting experience #LifeIsAnAdventure my friends

A post shared by Sergio Lopez Miro (@sergiolopezmiro) on Feb 23, 2020 at 12:50pm PST

FINAL SCORES

1. Virginia – 1492.5
2. NC State – 1333
3. Louisville – 1105.5
4. North Carolina – 839
5. Notre Dame – 784
6. Duke – 675.5
7. Florida State – 555
8. Virginia Tech – 469
9. Georgia Tech – 407.5
10. Pitt – 359
11. Miami – 298
12. Boston College – 164

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sergio Lopez Coached Saturday Finals With A Fractured Tibia (Video)

By Lauren Neidigh on SwimSwam

OREGON 6A HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 21-22, 2020
• Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center
• Meet Info
• Results

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – GIRLS

1. Jesuit 110.5
2. Sunset 89.5
3. West Linn 63
4. Bend 53
5. Oregon City 48

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – BOYS

1. Jesuit 124
2. Lakeridge 68
3. West Linn 44
4. Sunset 41
5. Roseburg 39

Aloha’s Kaitlyn Dobler, a USC commit, took down multiple State Records and a National Public High School Record at the Oregon 6A State Championships. In the 100 breast, Dobler raced to a lifetime best 58.35, clipping the former National Public High School Record set by Emily Weiss in 2018. Dobler was also the 50 free champion in 22.30 for a new State Record. That was just 9 hundredths shy of her lifetime best 22.21 from Winter Juniors.

The Jesuit boys and girls swept the team titles. Combined, they won 8 events. Jesuit set a new State Record in the boys’ 200 medley relay. Nick Simons led them off with a 23.21 back split, handing off to Marco Nosack for a 25.95 breast leg. Diego Nosack, a freshman, put up a 23.37 on the fly. Matthias Kreutzer then anchored them to victory in 20.89 as they set the record in 1:33.42. That clipped the former mark set by Sunset in 2013.

Simons picked up an individual double for Jesuit. He shaved a few tenths off his best to win the 100 fly in 50.16. Simons was just off his best from Winter Juniors as he won the 100 back title in 49.57. Relay teammate Kreutzer went on to win the individual 50 free in a lifetime best 21.41. Marco Nosack was within 3 tenths of his best from Winter Juniors as he won the 100 breast in 56.40.

Jesuit sophomore Fay Marie Lustria put up an individual win for the girls. She was half a second shy of her best as she dominated in 54.93. Jesuit also won the girls’ 200 medley relay and boys’ 400 free relay.

Central Catholic’s Kevin Keil missed the State Record in the 200 IM by just 5 hundredths. He dropped nearly 2 seconds with his 1:48.06. The record stands as a 1:48.01 done by Van Mathias in 2018. Keil was also the 500 free champion, dropping over 4 seconds in 4:30.80.

Additional Event Winners

• Girls 200 medley relay: Jesuit, 1:46.16
• Girls 200 free: Jessica Maeda, Mountainside, 1:50.41
• Boys 200 free: Jacob Folsom, Sherwood, 1:39.07
• Girls 200 IM: Tia Lindsay, Sunset, 2:01.46
• Girls 100 free: Helena Jones, West Linn, 50.83
• Boys 100 free: Cody Soo, Cleveland, 45.77
• Girls 500 free: Sara Garcia Lacueva, McMinnville, 5:02.53
• Girls 200 free relay: Sunset, 1:36.98
• Boys 200 free relay: McMinnville, 1:26.89
• Girls 100 back: Anna Rauchholz, St Mary’s, 54.60
• Girls 400 free relay: Sunset, 3:29.50
• Boys 400 free relay: Jesuit, 3:09.05

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Jesuit Sweeps Oregon 6A State Titles; Dobler Downs 50 Free State Record

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

Kristof Milak of Hungary stunned everyone when he smashed American icon Michael Phelps’ 200m fly mark of 1:51.51 to establish a new World Record of 1:50.73 en route to World Championships gold last year.

The teen had been on the rise for some time, setting the World Junior Record at 1:52.71 in 2018. But the fact he beat the fastest ever in the event, by well over half a second to boot, was really quite spectacular.

Now a 20-year-old, Olympic gold is on Milak’s mind, with the Hungarian wanting to follow-up his breakthrough performance with that coveted shiny medal this summer in Tokyo.

While at a training camp in Thailand, Milak spoke with news outlet Index on what he’s been doing to prepare for this summer’s highly-anticipated Olympics. The fly specialist who also can throw down solid freestyle and backstroke performances has typically trained on his own but has been mixing it up with Bence Biczo and Richard Marton.

“[Training alone] had its advantages,” Milak said. “I was concentrating only on myself. But swimming in a team also has its advantages and I am happy that I can swim with them. I like it that way; they do not let me relax, as we’re competitive.”

Also among the subjects of conversation are who Milak has his eye on in terms of competition for the 200 fly, including Japan’s on-fire Daiya Seto. “Seto has swum a time of 1:52.53 in January; no one had done a time like that this early in the season before.”

Milak also speaks to American Luca Urlando, as well as countrymen Laszlo Cseh and Tamas Kenderesi.

“Gianluca is even younger than I am and will put on a show this year.”

“World Records are so precious because they are so hard to do again. If we were at home, I’d be training next to Katinka [Hosszu] and see how hard she has to work to stay on top.

“My other hero, Michael Phelps, needed 3 years to get to a new personal best. After 2003, he was only chasing himself until 2006.”

The man reveals how he is hoping to shave tenths of seconds off of his time by focusing on the mechanics of his turns. “I can save time on my turns and start. I still have room for improvement.

“I do not have issues with reaching the wall and getting back to speed or dolphin kicks, but no one taught me how to turn properly. Strange to say it after a World Record, but I still have the feeling I sometimes die at the turns.”

Other events besides the 200m fly are under consideration for the talented Milak, although he says that he is keeping it a secret for now and, when the time is right, ‘everyone will know.’

In the meantime, as well as dealing with pressure in the pool, Milak is contending with a type of fame he had never experienced. “I feel like my life has been changed. I have been invited to events I never would have been invited to before. I see myself on posters and this is really an unusual feeling.

“This is why I really need to be smart now.”

You can read the interview in its entirety, in Hungarian, here.

Translation assistance provided by Eszter Domokos.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: World Record Holder Kristof Milak Talks Olympics, Focus & Luca Urlando

By SwimSwam on SwimSwam

By Daniel Takata Gomes

By Lauren Neidigh on SwimSwam

OHIO DIVISION 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 20-22, 2020
• C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton, Ohio
• Meet Info
• Preview
• Results

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS

1. Cincinnati St Xavier 310
2. Upper Arlington 201
3. Mason 190
4. Beavercreek 136.5
5. Cleveland St. Ignatius 132

The St. Xavier boys defended their title at the 2020 Ohio Division 1 State Championships with a 12th-straight win. They took down the State Record in the 200 medley relay to kick off their meet, setting the mark in 1:27.97. Nate Buse got the ball rolling with a 22.66 back split, handing off to breaststroker Scott Sobolewski for a 24.57 on the 2nd leg.Jean-Pierre Khouzam raced to a 20.75 on the fly, while Owen Taylor anchored in 19.99.

They set their 2nd relay record of the day in the 200 free relay. Khouzam led off with a lifetime best 20.37. Buse (20.23),Ian Van Gorp (20.55), and Taylor (19.69) followed as they set the State Record in 1:20.86. St. Xavier swept the relays, winning the 400 free relay in 2:59.30. Khouzam was again first up, taking over a second off his best in 44.10. Sobolewski (45.30) and Van Gorp (45.42) took on the middle legs. Taylor closed in 44.48.

In his only individual race, Khouzam, an Ohio State commit, took down the State Record in the 100 fly. He set his lifetime best 47.01 in the final, breaking the former record set by Westerville Central’s Austin Staab back in 2007, Staab went on to set the American Record in the event as he was an NCAA Champion for Stanford.

Mason’s Adam Chaney also set an individual State Record as he swept the sprints. Chaney, a Florida commit, clipped his lifetime best to set the 50 free State Record in 19.62, breaking his own mark from 2019. He also won the 100 free in 43.93. He owns the State Record there with a 43.27 from 2019. Chaney had the fastest 200 free relay split of the field as he anchored in 19.13. He also put up a field-best 21.99 in the 50 back on the 200 medley relay.

Walnut Hills’ Aaron Sequeira took silver behind Chaney in the 50 free, hundredths shy of his best in 19.99. He went on to win the 100 back title in 47.02. Sequeira has committed to join the Stanford Cardinal next season.

Liberty Township’s Jacob McDonald swept his individual events. He was within tenths of his best as he won the 200 free title in 1:37.62. McDonald, a Tennessee commit, returned for the 500 free. He was also within tenths of his best in that event, repeating as champion in 4:22.75.

Also winning individual titles were St. Ignatius’ Tyler Hong and Brecksville’sPete Krusinski. Hong dropped 2 seconds in the 200 IM with a 1:47.26. Sycamore’s Ansel Froass was a close 2nd after closing the gap on the back half. He put up a lifetime best 1:47.55 for silver. Krusinski won the 100 breast title, dropping nearly a second in 54.27.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ohio State Commit Khouzam Breaks Austin Staab’s 100 FL Record at Ohio D1 States

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Abbey Ketslakh from Ann Arbor, Michigan has elected to remain local with a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan women’s swimming and diving team for 2021-22.

“I could not be more excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim for the University of Michigan! A huge thank you to my family, friends and coaches for helping me make my dream come true. Go Blue!”

A USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, Ketslakh is a junior at Huron High School. She swims year-round for Club Wolverine and specializes mainly in sprint freestyle. As a sophomore, she placed 7th in the 100 free (51.58) and 13th in the 200 free (1:53.60) at the 2018 Michigan Division 1 State Swimming and Diving Championships. She competed at 2019 Winter Juniors East in the 50/100/200 free and 50/100 fly and finaled in the 50 free (22nd). She earned new lifetime bests in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly.

Michigan has five sprinters this season who have cracked the 23-second barrier, including Maggie MacNeil (21.30), Daria Pyshnenko (21.82), Miranda Tucker (22.26), Vanessa Krause (22.63), and Olivia Carter (22.95). MacNeil and Carter will be seniors when Ketslakh arrives.

Ketslakh will suit up in the fall of 2021 with fellow Michigan verbal commits Annie Costello, Maddie Seltzer, and Letitia Sim.

Top SCY times:

• 50 free – 23.34
• 100 free – 50.96
• 200 free – 1:51.60
• 100 fly – 56.27

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Club Wolverine’s Abbey Ketslakh Gives Verbal to the Michigan Class of 2025

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

We’re revisiting NCAA ranks after last weekend’s flood of major conference championship meets, including men’s & women’s SECs, women’s ACCs and women’s Big Tens.

What will follow are post-season NCAA top 10 ranks – the top 10 times in each event from the entirety of this year’s post-season meets so far. That includes all of last week’s action, but also a few “week zero” meets including MAACs and the America East Championships that took place the week prior.

For the women’s side, specifically, these will be getting close to final ranks going into NCAAs – though they don’t include women’s Pac-12s, a few other week 3 meets, or any last chance meets that will take place in the next week or so.

50 Free

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