Two of Texas’ stable of stars, Jack Conger and Joseph Schooling, have each entered the 50 free as their 3rd event for the 2017 men’s NCAA Championships. This means that both swimmers will have identical individual lineups in Indy – the 50 free on day 1, the 100 fly on day 2, and the 200 fly on day 3.
Schooling is the defending champion and fastest-ever in both butterfly events, but neither wound up swimming a 3rd individual event at NCAAs last season. Conger scratched the 100 back, and Schooling only ever entered 2 individual events. Schooling wound up swimming on all 5 Texas relays, while Conger swam on all but the 200 medley relay.
Both Schooling and Conger swam the 50 free at the 2017 Big 12 Championships, which included Schooling breaking the Texas school, and Big 12 conference, records in the event with an 18.76. That makes him the 3rd seed behind 2016 U.S. Olympians Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Held. Conger swam 19.20 and is seeded 12th going into the meet.
Ultimately, Schooling swimming a 3rd individual event should give the Longhorns more points than putting him on all 5 relays like they did last year. The Longhorns are still the favorites for an NCAA 3-peat, but with Cal getting Schooling’s fellow Singaporean Olympian Zheng Wen Quah eligible at the last minute, the battle does tighten up to where Texas can’t as comfortably afford to sacrifice those points for a relay-chase.
While the 200free is very crowded this year, Conger has a best time of 1:31.8 from leading off the 800fr relay last march. I feel like there are more points he could earn there than in the 50.
I think everyone may be overthinking Eddie’s strategy. Conger is a graduating senior and has yet to win an NCAA title. The 200 Fly on the last day is his best shot and a big deal. Beating Schooling, Kalisz, and Seliskar will be no easy feat. The 200 Fly finals will be at least Conger’s 9th swim (more, if he swims relay prelims). The 50 takes less out of him and if he swims a great race he could be Top 8. At the end of the day, for Eddie, it’s not all about points. He wants each swimmer to have an NCAA experience they love and will treasure for a lifetime. Look at Townley Haas, he’s swimming the 100… Read more »
Yes, wouldn’t it be great to see Jack Conger win an NCAA title. He swims so many events well, but never reached the top of the podium.
Maybe the 200 fly this year will be his triumph.
Its so exciting for us in Singapore to see two of our own go head to head, go Singapore!
I know Conger is an all around great swimmer, but people saying he should do the 200 free/100 fly double is crazy. He’s already going to be pushed to get 3rd in fly. And yes, he went 1:31.89 leading off last year, but that was night 1, so he was fresh.
To think it might take a 1:32 low to go top 8, with a 100 fly right before, it would be a risk. I’m sure he could be top 8, but everyone thinking he could challenge for a win seems crazy to me.
I thought 200 IM was his best shot to win an event. He’s great at fly/back/free, so if he could’ve trained for a 50 breast this… Read more »
Putting them both in the 50 is the only move. Schooling is seeded as high or higher i the 50 than any other event and it’s the shortest and the mos out of the way of his main events on a separate day. Conger must be pretty bad at breastroker because I never see compete I’m and this year’s feels is loaded. To contend with licon kalish Murphy seliskar you can’t have a weak, just a less dominant one.
Also, I don’t see how conger being off a relay could relay effect Texas at all as ringold or Townley could almost do the exact the same as him on 200, medley relay respectively
Conger just went a 1:32.5 at the Big XII meet on what one would assume was not a full (or any) taper. He also went a 1:45.7 at Olympic Trials – which translates to a 1:31 mid. So I’d say 1:31 low would not be a huge stretch. The 50 seems riskier ignoring the schedule – but again I’m sure Eddie knows what he can do in the 50 – and no doubt that double would be a beast.
I’ve also been intrigued by the possibility of him doing the 200 IM. How bad could his breast be? But his fastest time on college swimming is from a HS meet in 2013 where he went 1:48 – so I… Read more »
I heard Ryan Hoffer was swimming at NCAA because it would be to easy for him at his highschool championships
No doubt he’ll beat shields time this NCAAs though
Schooling is second fastest ever in 100 fly, not the fastest. Tom shields 43 winter nats
Schooling will be able to Duke it out for silver in the 50. Don’t see Conger in a medal position. He’d probably contribute more by doing relays
If it made any difference at all he might bump Texas up a place or two in the relay — that’s 2 or 4 points… bet he outscores that in the 50.