Watch: NC State Downs 400 Free Relay Record, Dressel’s Final NCAA Swim

2018 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 21 – Saturday, March 24
• Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6 PM (Central Time)
• Defending champion: Texas (3x) (results)
• Psych Sheet
• Championship Central
• Event-by-Event Previews
• Team Power Rankings: Final Edition
• Saturday finals heat sheets
• Live Stream
• Live Results

The final swim of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship was one to remember.  Not only did NC State break the U.S. Open, NCAA, and American Records in the 400 free relay, finishing in 2:44.31, but the team battle between Cal and Texas wasn’t over until both teams touched the wall.  As if that weren’t enough, this race also featured Caeleb Dressel‘s very last college swim ever, as he split a 40.25 swimming 3rd for the Florida Gators to help them earn 2nd in the race.

In the video below, courtesy of YouTube user Anthony Preda, lane 1 is at the bottom of the screen, and lane 8 is at the top.  Of the aforementioned teams, Cal is in lane 2, Texas in lane 3, NC State in lane 4, and Florida in lane 6.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6etia-kDDLI

Courtesy of Anthony Preda

Live recap originally reported by Jared Anderson

400 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS

• NCAA record: NC State (Held, Molacek, McGlaughlin, Ress), 2018, 2:44.75
• American record: NC State (Held, Molacek, McGlaughlin, Ress), 2018, 2:44.75
• U.S. Open record: NC State (Held, Molacek, McGlaughlin, Ress), 2018, 2:44.75
• 2017 NCAA Champion: Texas (Ringgold, Conger, Haas, Schooling), 2017, 2:45.39

Top 8 finishers:

1. NC State – 2:44.31
2. Florida – 2:45.73
3. Cal – 2:46.54
4. Texas – 2:47.00
5. USC – 2:47.13
6. Indiana – 2:47.29
7. Auburn / Alabama – 2:49.01

NC State’s Ryan Held led off in 41.05 to stake NC State to a big lead. Justin Ress split 40.62, followed by a 41.02 from Jacob Molacek and a 41.62 from Coleman Stewart to go 2:44.31, breaking their own NCAA, U.S. Open and American records from this morning. That caps a three-win night for NC State, and launches them into 4th place as a team.

Florida took second, largely thanks to a 40.25 from Caeleb Dressel that stands up as one of the fastest relay splits in history, a tenth off his 40.15 from this morning. Khader Baqlah was 42.28, Jan Switkowski 41.25 and Mark Szaranek 41.95 as Florida went 2:45.73.

Cal put up a huge fight, hoping for a miracle to run down Texas for the team win, and they ultimately took 3rd. Justin Lynch led off in 41.97, much better than he was individually this morning. Andrew Seliskar was 41.84, Ryan Hoffer 41.19 and Michael Jensen 41.54.

Texas was 2:47.00 for fourth, getting 41.1 from Townley Haas, 41.5 from anchor Tate Jackson and a 41.7 from leadoff man Brett Ringgold, though Joseph Schooling was only 42.5 on his split, a second and a half slower than last year.

USC nearly took Texas, with a 41.8 leadoff from Santo Condorelli and a 41.6 from Dylan Carter early. Ralf Tribuntsov was 41.7 and Robert Glinta for a very consistent Trojan attack.

Indiana only gained a tenth from this morning but fell from 2nd to 6th, thanks mostly to other teams changing their lineups. Mohamed Samy got under 42 on his leadoff, but while Blake Pieroni was a wicked 40.77, the other two splits dipped above 42.

SEC rivals Auburn and Alabama tied for 7th place (picture 8 men sharing one podium spot) in 2:49.01. Auburn had a 41.7 leadoff from Zach Apple while Alabama got a 41.5 split from Robert Howard.