With the team scores shifting around quite a bit between Day 1 and Day 2, primarily with Cal moving up 5th to 3rd in the standings, look for the Bears to continue in their fight to top today as well. There were some notable scratches today as swimmers are focusing on their signature events to maximize points in these Pac-12 Championships. Additionally, we will get to see Murphy vs. Nolan, Round 2 today, with each swimming the 100 backstroke.
Pre-Session Scratches
400 IM – 4th seed Will Hamilton (Cal) has scratched this event, in favor of focusing solely on the 200 freestyle where he is the 10th seed.
100 Fly – Cal’s Ryan Murphy, who was situated as the 4th seed in this event in 46.87, is opting out of the fly on his quest for a repeat title in the 100 backstroke today. Teammate Long Gutierrez is also a scratch for the fly; he was seeded 15th in a time of 47.64, channeling all his energy into the 200 freestyle where he is ranked 4th with a time of 1:35.50.
200 Free – Top seed Dylan Carter from USC has scratched the 200 free in favor of devoting all today’s strength in the 100 fly, where he is the 2nd seed in 46.16. Carter had already obtained the NCAA qualifying standard in the 800 free relay, where he led off in 1:33.55.
100 Breaststroke – No notable scratches.
100 Backstroke – Utah’s Kristian Kron is a scratch in favor of the 400 IM event today. Kron was placed 12th in 48.89.
Dylan Carter is not from Cal. USC?