2020 Men’s Big Ten Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2020 B1G MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 26th to Saturday, February 29th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
• Where: Indiana University (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Indiana Hoosiers (3x) (results)
• Streaming: here
• Championship Central: here
• Estimated NCAA Invite Times
• NCAA ‘A’ Cuts
• Fan Guide
• Heat Sheet
• Live Results 

The 2020 Men’s Big Ten Championships continue tonight with finals of the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter diving, and 200 free relay. Michigan looks to extend their lead tonight, as Ohio State and Indiana battle for 2nd.

After setting the Pool Record in prelims, Indiana’s Bruno Blaskovic headlines the 100 fly. Pool Record holder Andrew Loy of Ohio State will race in the 200 free, but Michigan’s Patrick Callan leads the way. Minnesota All-American Max McHugh, the reigning NCAA runner-up, is one to watch in the 100 breast after breaking the Pool Record in prelims.

Michigan’s Charlie Swanson looks to defend his title in the 400 IM. Indiana’s Gabriel Fantoni is also a defending champion in the 100 back.

MEN’S 100 FLY

• B1G Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 44.37
• Meet Record: Vini Lanza (IU) – 44.79
• Pool Record: Bruno Blaskovic (IU) – 45.29
• 2019 Champion: Miles Smachlo (MICH) – 44.82
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 45.05

1. GOLD: Miles Smachlo, Michigan, 45.05
2. SILVER: Bruno Blaskovic, Indiana, 45.44
3. BRONZE: Brendan Burns, Indiana, 45.47

Michigan’s Miles Smachlo defended his title in 45.05, taking down the Pool Record Indiana’s Bruno Blaskovic set in prelims and matching the NCAA ‘A’ cut. Blaskovic was just off that record tonight in 45.44. Freshman teammate Brendan Burns dropped half a second to take bronze in 45.47.

Ohio State’s Noah Lense was just off the podium in 45.74, followed by Wisconsin’s Jian Mao (46.09), who touched a hundredth shy of his lifetime best from prelims. Minnesota’s Matt Thomas, who was 2nd at the 50, tied his best from prelims in 46.26 for 6th.

Michigan freshman River Wright lowered his best to win the B final in 46.13.

MEN’S 400 IM

• B1G Record: Tyler Clary (MICH) – 3:35.98
• Meet Record: Tyler Clary (MICH) – 3:38.03
• Pool Record: Michael Weiss – 3:39.17
• 2019 Champion: Charlie Swanson (MICH) – 3:39.87
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:39.16

1. GOLD: Charlie Swanson, Michigan, 3:40.26
2. SILVER: Ricardo Vargas, Michigan, 3:42.68
3. BRONZE: Tommy Cope, Michigan, 3:42.80

Michigan senior Charlie Swanson successfully defended his title in his final Big Ten meet. Swanson moved ahead of teammate Tommy Cope on the back leg and never let up, winning the race in 3:40.26. That mark’s Swanson’s 4th-straight win in the event.

In a tight race for silver, Ricardo Vargas used his freestyle speed to edge out Cope, 3:42.68 to 3:42.80. Swanson, Vargas, and Cope have swept the podium every season over the last 3 years.

Penn State’s Michael Daly nearly closed the gap on the final 50, but was just shy of the podium in 3:43.00. Wisconsin’s Joseph Milinovich rounded out the top 5 in 3:45.05. Teammate Caleb Aman, who swam a lifetime best 3:43.32 in prelims, was 7th tonight in 3:4.83. Indiana’s Spencer Lehman hit a lifetime best 3:44.30 to win the B final.

MEN’S 200 FREE

• B1G Record: Blake Pieroni (IU) – 1:29.63
• Meet Record: Blake Pieroni (IU) – 1:31.14
• Pool Record: Andrew Loy (OSU) – 1:32.37
• 2019 Champion: Zach Apple (IU) – 1:32.68
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:32.05

1. GOLD: Andrew Loy, Ohio State, 1:31.88
2. SILVER: Paul DeLakis, Ohio State, 1:32.08
3. BRONZE: Mohamed Hassan, Indiana, 1:32.91

Ohio State’s Andrew Loy and Paul DeLakis went 1-2 again. Loy had the early speed, flipping in 44.64. Though DeLakis closed faster, Loy never gave up his lead, winning with a new Pool Record in 1:31.88. That was his first time breaking 1:32. DeLakis took the silver in 1:32.08, just 7 hundredths shy of a best.

Indiana’s Mohamed Hassan (1:32.91) narrowly out-touched Michigan’s Felix Auboeck (1:33.03), the 500 free champion, for bronze. Michigan’s Patrick Callan was also a nail shy of the podium to come up a tenth shy of his best. Wisconsin’s Nicholas Saulnier was 6th, matching his lifetime best from 2018 in 1:34.88.

MEN’S 100 BREAST

• B1G Record: Ian Finnerty (IU) – 49.69
• Meet Record: Ian Finnerty (IU) – 50.60
• Pool Record: Max McHugh (Minnesota) – 50.77
• 2019 Champion: Ian Finnerty (IU) – 50.77
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.67

1. GOLD: Max McHugh, Minnesota, 50.67
2. SILVER: Zane Backes, Indiana, 51.37
3. BRONZE: Jeremy Babinet, Michigan, 51.44

Minnesota’s Max McHugh clipped his own Pool Record from prelims and narrowly matched Ian Finnerty’s Big Ten Meet Record in 50.67. Indiana’s Zane Backes was just off his lifetime best from prelims with a 51.37 for silver. Michigan’s Jeremy Babinet nearly caught him on the back half with a lifetime best 51.44 for bronze.

Ohio State’s Jason Mathews came from behind to out-touch Purdue’s Trent Pellini for 4th, 52.04 to 52.20. Teammate Hudson McDaniel, who was 3rd at the 50, held on for 6th in 52.40. Wisconsins Jian Mao swam a double, placing 7th here in 52.43 shortly after his 100 fly.

Northwestern freshman Kevin Houseman shaved a few tenths off his best to win the B final in 52.46.

MEN’S 100 BACK

• B1G Record: Shane Ryan (PSU) – 44.65
• Meet Record: Shane Ryan (PSU) – 44.65
• Pool Record: James Wells – 45.52
• 2019 Champion: Gabriel Fantoni (IU) – 44.91
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.95

1. GOLD: Gabriel Fantoni, Indiana, 44.92
2. SILVER: Brendan Burns, Indiana, 45.75
3. BRONZE: Cameron Tysoe, Wisconsin, 46.03

Indiana’s Gabriel Fantoni repeated as champion, just a hundredth shy of his 2019 winning time. He took down the Pool Record in a dominant 44.92. Freshman teammate Brendan Burns earned his 2nd medal of the night. breaking 46 for the first time to take 2nd in 45.75. He outsplit Wisconsin’s Cameron Tysoe on the back half, as Tysoe took bronze in a lifetime best 46.03.

Ohio State freshman Jonah Cooper pushed ahead of teammate Colin McDermott on the back half for 4th, 46.25 to 46.25. After taking 8th in the 100 fly final, Wisconsin freshman Wes Jekel swam in his 2nd final of the night. He was 8th here in 48.00.

MEN’S 3-METER DIVING

• Meet Record: Steele Johnson (Purdue), 2015, 540.55
• 2019 Champion: James Connor (Indiana), 494.10

1. GOLD: Greg Duncan, Purdue, 448.20
2. SILVER: Todd Ross , Michigan, 414.25
3. BRONZE: Lyle Yost, Ohio State, 400.40

Tonight’s final saw the same 3 medalists as the 1-meter, only this time it was Purdue’s Greg Duncan taking the win. Michigan’s Todd Ross, the 1-meter champion, was 2nd ahead of Ohio State freshman Lyle Yost, the 1-meter silver medalist.

Ohio State got big points here with 3 men in the top 5. Joseph Canova was 4th and Jacob Fielding was 5th.

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY

• B1G Record: Indiana, 2019, 1:15.41
• Meet Record: Indiana, 2019, 1:16.01
• Pool Record: NC State, 2018, 1:16.41
• 2019 Champion: Indiana, 1:16.01
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:17.17

1. GOLD: Indiana, 1:16.30
2. SILVER: Michigan, 1:16.69
3. BRONZE: Ohio State, 1:16.98

Indiana repeated as champions, with Bruno Blaskovic leading off in 19.25. Jack Franzman (18.74) and Brandon Hamblin (19.03) took on the middle legs. Mohamed Hassan then anchored them to victory with a 19.28. They took the title in 1:16.30.

Michigan took the silver in 1:16.69, with Cameron Peel (19.01) and River Wright (19.09) putting up a pair of 19-flats on the back half. Oho State (1:16.98) was 3rd with a 19.27 leadoff from Sem Andreis. Andrew Loy had their fastest split on the 2nd leg in 19.12.

Wisconsin won the first heat in 1:18.43, highlighted by a 19.22 from Kevin Braun on the 2nd leg. They wound up 7th overall.

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 3

1. Michigan 1063
2. Ohio State 865
3. Indiana 857.5
4. Wisconsin 569
5. Purdue 422
6. Minnesota 420
7. Northwestern 407.5
8. Penn State 379
9. Iowa 360
10. Michigan State 218