2021 Men’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2021 MEN’S  PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, February 28 – Wednesday, March 3
• Houston, TX (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Cal (3x) (results)
• Prelims: 11:00 AM Central Time (Days 2-4); Finals: 6:00 PM Central Time (Days 1-4)
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

The first full day of racing at the 2021 Men’s Pac-12s is set to get underway from Houston, with heats of the 500 free, 200 IM and 50 free on the schedule for this morning.

Cal had a strong start to the meet on opening night, winning both relays — included lowering a 2009 meet record in the 400 medley. However, with the diving portion of this meet having already been contested, the Bears still sit in last place, though that shouldn’t last for long.

Stanford senior Grant Shoults enters the day with a chance to win a fourth title in the 500 free, having also won in 2017, 2018 and 2020 (having taken a redshirt in his junior year). Dating back to the first Pac-12 Championship meet in 1961, several swimmers have won this event three times, but no one has ever had four.

Shoults will have his work cut out for him with top seed Trenton Julian appearing to be on top form in last night’s 800 free relay, while Zach Yeadon, Brooks Fail and freshman teammate Preston Forst will also likely be in the mix.

The 200 IM looks to be pretty wide open. Cal’s Daniel Carr is the defending champion, while Arizona sophomore David Schlicht holds the top seed at 1:42.97.

Cal’sRyan Hoffer will look to defend his 2020 title in the 50 free, with freshman teammateBjorn Seeliger figuring to be a factor after his 41.21 100 free relay leg on Night 1.

TEAM SCORES (THRU DAY 1 + DIVING)

1. Utah, 189
2. Stanford, 173
3. Arizona, 152
4. USC, 124
5. Cal, 102

500 Free Prelims

• Pac-12 Record: 4:08.92, Jean Basson (ARIZ), 2009
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 4:10.67, Grant Shoults (STAN), 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:11.82
• 2020 Champion: Grant Shoults (STAN), 4:12.45

200 IM Prelims

• Pac-12 Record: 1:38.14, Andrew Seliskar (CAL), 2019
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 1:40.07, David Nolan (STAN), 2015
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.34
• 2020 Champion: Daniel Carr (CAL), 1:41.79

50 Free Prelims

• Pac-12 Record: 18.58, Ryan Hoffer (CAL), 2019
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 18.80, Brad Tandy (ARIZ), 2014
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.96
• 2020 Champion: Ryan Hoffer (CAL), 18.87

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