2017 M. NCAA Analysis: Comparing Day 4 Prelim Times to 2016

2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 22 – Saturday, March 25
• IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Texas (results)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Event Previews
• Live Results

For the first time this week, every 8th or 16th place was faster this morning than at last year’s NCAA, and once again, most of the events have seen some big jumps in the times it took to make either final as compared to last year.

A couple events particularly stand out.  First, it took a sub-42 to make the championship final of the 100 free.  Last year, a 42.05 would have been good for the 6th fastest time in the morning.  Instead, Townley Haas will find himself swimming out of lane four in the B-final tonight, as that time ranked him 9th this morning.

Meanwhile, a 1:42.07 in the 200 fly could earn you a berth in the A-final last year.  This year that time only meant 15th place, and just a few hundredths a way from missing finals completely, and that was without Joseph Schooling being a factor.

But the most dramatic time drop had to be in the 400 free relay.  Last year, Texas scraped into the A-final with a 2:51.40.  Today, that time would have missed either final, ranking only 17th out of all the teams swimming.  This morning, Texas once again rested a couple swimmers, but still came away with the top seed with a time of 2:47.78, a mark that would win NCAAs most years.

Crazy fast swimming indeed, and more to come tonight.