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Louisville Freshman Mitchell Whyte Explodes for 45.3 Backstroke in TT

ACC – Men’s Swimming

Only 6 swimmers swam time trials on day 1 of the ACC Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships in Greensboro, but in spite of a small group, they produced some big times.

That’s especially true for Louisville freshman Mitchell Whyte, who swam a 45.34 in the 100 backstroke that is a surefire qualifying time for the NCAA Championship meet in March.

Whyte’s previous best time, done in high school, was a 47.76 – he cut nearly 2-and-a-half seconds off that time in his time trial swim. His new time ranks him 6th in the country so far this season, and 2nd in the ACC behind only the defending national champion Coleman Stewart of NC State (45.04).

Whyte was originally committed to Eastern Michigan before that school cut their men’s swimming team. That led him to Louisville.

He was one of two likely NCAA qualifying times to come out of the session. The other went to Florida State junior Maxim Polianski, who swam a 1:42.09 in the 200 fly. That’s under the 1:42.37 projected NCAA qualifying time, though still within the range of uncertainty.

Polanski’s previous season-best was a 1:45.29 done in November at the Georgia Tech Invite, and his previous lifetime best was a 1:42.44 at ACCs last season that earned him a spot at the NCAA Championships.

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MAC Daddy
5 years ago

Absolutely brutal for Eastern Michigan alumni to see this kid exploding elsewhere. Another would-be Eagle went a :53+ 100 Breaststroke for Cardinals in December. Have I mentioned I hate Scott Weatherby?

MinnesotaFan
5 years ago

First Jack Dahlgren and now Mitchell Whyte. Minnesota’s producing extremely underrated swim talent!

Coach Cwik
5 years ago

Go Pittsburgh

PACFAN
5 years ago

I also dropped two and a half seconds off my PB in a 100.

I woke up afterwards, but still.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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