ACC VS BIG TEN COLLEGE CHALLENGE
- November 10-11, 2018
- West Lafayette, Indiana
- Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center
- Dual meet scoring format
- SCY (25y)
- Meet Central
- Entries / Heat Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Diving Results
- BTN2Go Live Stream (Subscription Required)
In what turned into the fastest meet of the collegiate season so far, Michigan sophomore Ricardo Vargas won the first men’s event of the day on Sunday at the 2018 ACC vs. Big Ten College Challenge with an 8:46.64 in the 1000 free.
Besides being the fastest 1000 free in the country this season by more than 5 seconds (the top 3 times so far all came in that race), undercutting the previous top time by 12.5 seconds.
That also moves Vargas into 16th place in the all-time rankings in the event. Only Jordan Wilimovsky (8:46.34) has been faster in the last 3 collegiate seasons. It also moves Vargas to 4th place all-time in the legendary Michigan distance tradition in the event – jumping Tom Dolan and Peter Vanderkaay but still behind PJ Ransford, Chris Thompson, and Connor Jaeger (who swam 8:43.99 on the back-end of his 1650 free at the 2014 NCAA Championships).
1000 yard free records are kind of unusual records, because the event isn’t on the NCAA Division I National Championship schedule, nor is it included in the biggest mid-season invites. That means that most of the top times have been done either by post-grads and professional swimmers, or as splits en route to full mile swims. The best-time ever in the 1000 free, an 8:33.93 done at the Texas Invite by Clark Smith during his junior season at Texas in 2015. That was part of a mile split where he eventually finished in 15:41. A season earlier he won the 500 free NCAA title but didn’t swim the 1650 at nationals.
The fastest time (that we can find) that was ever done by an NCAA sophomore is an 8:46.50 done in 2009 by Virginia’s Matt McLean, while another Michigan Wolverine PJ Ransford swam an 8:46.40 as a freshman in 2015.
Vargas finished 7th in the 1650 free at last year’s NCAA Championship meet (14:40.27) and 8th in the 500 free (4:17.23).
It would be good to see the list of all-time performances & performers for this event, thanks. Also, presuming Connor J’s time at the back end of that 1650 is just in here for reference, yes? Please clarify.
You can find the lists on the USA swimming website.
Michigan consider’s Connor’s time to be its school record.
What?! A distance swimmer in the NCAA? Surely you jest sir.
Just joking, great swim for Mr. Vargas. Is he American? I hope so!
Ricardo is from Mexico.
Soooooo fast! Must have been a rush to be there and watch that performance. Wow!
Let’s go Ricky!!