Dressel Hits 3rd-Fastest 100 Free All-Time With Leadoff 40.48

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

It’s been a banner meet for Florida’s Caeleb Dressel, and he capped it off with the third-fastest 100 freestyle in history at 40.48 leading off Florida’s 400 free relay.

The Gators had no business contending for the national title were it not for Dressel, who staked the team to almost a full second lead on the opening leg. He now holds the three fastest swims in history here along with all of the top 10 swims in history in the 50 free.

Now perhaps the frontrunner for Swimmer of the Meet, Dressel has been a relay hero this week. He put up the fastest 50 free split in history with his 17.71 anchoring the 200 medley relay in prelims, and has split 17 in the 50 three times this week.

In addition, he won all three of his individual races, repeating as 50 and 100 free champ and upsetting Olympic champ Joseph Schooling to win the 100 fly in an American, NCAA and U.S. Open record last night. His 100 free earlier in this meet was 40.00, another American, NCAA and U.S. Open record swim.

Other key splits from that 400 free relay:

• Ryan Held, NC State: 41.36 leadoff
• Michael Chadwick, Missouri: 40.58
• Townley Haas, Texas: 41.01
• Joseph Schooling, Texas: 41.02
• Dylan Carter, USC: 41.10