2024 Big 12 Championships: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Tuesday, February 27 – Saturday, March 2
• Morgantown, West Virginia
  • The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park
• Defending Champions:
  • Men: Texas (27x)
  • Women: Texas (11x)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Results also available via Meet Mobile: “2024 Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships”
• Live Video (ESPN+ Subscription Required)
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

With the Big 12’s expanded five-day schedule, Thursday’s action will get underway with preliminary heats in just three events: the 100 fly, 400 IM and 200 free.

In the women’s 100 fly, Texas’ Olivia Bray has a shot at a fourth straight title, while teammate Kelly Pash could’ve gone for a three-peat in the 400 IM, but instead will race the 200 free.

On the men’s side, Longhorn fifth-year Sam Artmann is the lone returning champion in the field, having won the 100 fly last season.

• Day 3 Prelims Scratch Report
• Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.25, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• Big 12 Record: 49.79, Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 2023
• Big 12 Championship Record: 50.07, Olivia Bray (Texas) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.69
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 52.20

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Emma Sticklen (Texas), 51.18
2. Olivia Bray (Texas), 51.48
3. Ava Longi (Texas), 52.66
4. Joleigh Crye (Cincinnati), 53.34
5. Lydia Lafferty (Kansas), 53.76
6. Jeanne Dahmen (TCU), 53.83
7. Abbie Alvarez (Houston), 54.30
8. Noor El Gendy (Houston), 54.49

The Texas senior trio of Emma Sticklen, Olivia Bray and Ava Longi claimed the top three seeds heading to the final of the women’s 100 fly, with Sticklen taking the top spot after winning the sixth and final heat in 51.18.

Sticklen set the conference record of 49.79 last season, and leads the Big 12 in 2023-24 with her time of 50.36 from the Texas Invitational.

Bray clocked 51.48 for the #2 seed, coming in with a chance to win her fourth consecutive title. She’s been 50.37 this season and owns a PB of 50.07 from last year’s meet.

Longi, who was the runner-up to Pash last year, cruised to victory in the first circle-seeded heat in 52.66, having set a personal best of 51.39 in November.

Four other schools were represented in the five other finalists, with Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye setting a personal best to snag the 5th spot into the final in 53.34.

Kansas sophomore Lydia Lafferty broke 54 seconds for the first time to take 6th, clocking 53.76 to down her previous mark of 54.37 set at the 2023 Big 12s where she was 10th.

MEN’S 100 FLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018
• Big 12 Record: 43.75, Joseph Schooling (Texas) – 2017
• Big 12 Championship Record: 44.06, Joseph Schooling (Texas) – 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.64
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 45.57

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Jordan Tiffany (BYU), 45.58
2. Cole Crane (Texas), 46.38
3. Tanner Edwards (BYU), 46.48
4. Piotr Sadlowski (TCU), 46.60
5. Sam Artmann (Texas), 46.68
6. Alec Filipovic (Texas), 46.72
7. Ryan Branon (Texas), 46.93
8. Tony Puertas (BYU), 46.94

BYU junior Jordan Tiffany fired off a time of 45.58 in the final heat to lead the men’s 100 fly field by eight-tenths coming out of the prelims, as the only swimmer in the conference to be sub-45 this season was the only one sub-46 this morning.

Tiffany logged a best time of 44.85 at the Mizzou Invitational in November, and has raised the bar at Big 12s this season after only two swimmers broke 47 in last year’s final—it took sub-47 just to make it back into the championship final.

The 2023 runner-up, Texas’ Cole Crane, claimed the #2 seed in 46.38, notably producing some interesting splits as he was the only ‘A’ finalist who failed to crack 22 seconds on the opening 50 but closed like a freight train, out-splitting everyone by a wide margin on the third 25 (11.64) and recording a final back half of 23.92 (out in 22.46).

BYU’s Tanner Edwards dropped half a second to qualify 3rd overall in 46.48, while TCU’s Piotr Sadlowski advanced 4th in 46.60 after setting a PB of 46.26 earlier this season.

Defending champion Sam Artmann sits 5th in 46.68, with two more Texas swimmers in 6th and 7th as the Longhorns went four up in the event. BYU put three up, with Tony Puertas joining Tiffany and Edwards in the championship heat.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• Big 12 Record: 4:00.97, Madisyn Cox (Texas) – 2017
• Big 12 Championship Record: 4:01.15, Madisyn Cox (Texas) – 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 4:11.36

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Angie Coe (Texas), 4:14.41
2. Campbell Stoll (Texas), 4:16.11
3. Alondra Ortiz (Houston), 4:17.60
4. Alessandra Senis (TCU), 4:17.71
5. Libby Michel (Cincinnati), 4:17.81
6. Alicia Wilson (Texas), 4:20.93
7. Syd Nethercutt (Houston), 4:21.13
8. Sydney Inman (TCU), 4:22.09

The Texas freshman duo of Angie Coe and Campbell Stoll rolled to the two fastest times of the morning in the women’s 400 IM, coasting in to win their respective heats. Coe put up the top time in 4:14.41, while Stoll was 4:16.11 one heat prior.

After coming into the season with a lifetime best of 4:19.39, Coe blasted a massive PB of 4:07.45 in February (also going 4:14.55 in November) at the Sterkel Classic, ranking her #1 in the conference.

Stoll was a more established 400 IMer coming into her freshman year, with her PB sitting at 4:05.71 from March of 2023. Her fastest time this season comes in at 4:08.85, also set at the Sterkel Classic.

Houston’s Alondra Ortiz qualified 3rd overall in 4:17.60, taking a second off her season-best, while TCU’s Alessandra Senis broke 4:20 for the first time to take 4th in 4:17.71.

Houston freshman Syd Nethercutt cracked the ‘A’ final from Lane 8 in the non-circle-seeded Heat 3, clocking 4:21.13 for a new best time and a near seven-second drop from her season-best.

MEN’S 400 IM – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 2023
• Big 12 Record: 3:33.79, Carson Foster (Texas) – 2022
• Big 12 Championship Record: 3:35.49, Carson Foster (Texas) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.90
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 3:42.99

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Danny Berlitz (WVU), 3:51.31
2. Alec Enyeart (Texas), 3:51.63
3. Ivan Puskovitch (WVU), 3:52.20
4. Geremia Freri (TCU), 3:52.47
5. Tama Tuitama (BYU), 3:52.68
6. Kornel Kohalmi (TCU), 3:52.78
7. Kyle Bumgardner (Cincinnati), 3:53.30
8. Erik Menchhofer (Cincinnati), 3:54.08

WVU’s Danny Berlitz did just enough to secure Lane 4 for tonight’s final in the men’s 400 IM, touching in 3:51.31 in the last heat to edge out the 3:51.63 produced by Texas’ Alec Enyeart in Heat 2.

Berlitz and Enyeart had identical times at the 250-yard mark (2:24.91), but it was Berlitz’s second 50 of breast (32.11) that was the real difference maker between their splits. Enyeart was 33.59 on that 50, but made up most of the lost ground on the first 50 of free (27.39 to Berlitz’s 28.44).

Berlitz leads the conference this season with his 3:46.53 from the WVU Invitational, and he was 5th in the 2023 final in 3:46.88.

Enyeart was seeded with his 3:57.56 season-best, but has been as fast as 3:47.40, done at the 2022 Minnesota Invitational.

WVU’s Ivan Puskovitch and TCU’s Kornel Kohalmi made the ‘A’ final out of the first heat, with Puskovitch touching in 3:52.20 for his fastest swim since the 2022 Pac-12s while at USC (3:50.10) and his first time swimming the event since November 2022.

That qualified Puskovitch 3rd into the final, while Kohalmi, who was also entered with no time, touched in 3:52.78 for 6th. Kohalmi last swam the event in March 2023 and was 6th in last year’s Big 12 final in a PB of 3:51.76.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (Cal) – 2015
• Big 12 Record: 1:42.38, Kelly Pash (Texas) – 2022
• Big 12 Championship Record: 1:42.70, Kelly Pash (Texas) – 2021
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.84
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:45.31

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Erin Gemmell (Texas), 1:45.39
2. Kelly Pash (Texas), 1:46.39
3. Erica Sullivan (Texas), 1:47.15
4. Emma Davidson (Texas), 1:47.29
5. Julie Rose (Cincinnati), 1:48.13
6. Mikayla Popham (TCU), 1:48.34
7. Jessica Davis (Cincinnati), 1:48.50
8. Tatum Cooley (BYU) / Eleni Kotzamanis (Kansas), 1:49.09

Texas swept the top four spots in the women’s 200 free prelims, with freshman Erin Gemmell pacing the field with a very solid time of 1:45.39.

Gemmell set a personal best of 1:43.09 at the Texas Invitational and split 1:44.05 on the 800 free relay on Tuesday night.

Taking the #2 seed and winning the final heat was fifth-year Kelly Pash, who comfortably logged a time of 1:46.39 after showing impressive form with a 1:42.76 lead-off on the 800 free relay.

Junior Erica Sullivan and fifth-year Emma Davidson posted a pair of 1:47-lows to give the Longhorns the top four times, while Cincinnati put two up with freshman Julie Rose setting a new PB of 1:48.13 and senior Jessica Davis advancing as well.

A swim-off will be required after BYU’s Tatum Cooley and Kansas’ Eleni Kotzamanis tied for 8th in 1:49.09.

MEN’S 200 FREE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:29.15, Dean Farris (Harvard) – 2019
• Big 12 Record: 1:29.50, Townley Haas (Texas) – 2018
• Big 12 Championship Record: 1:32.01, Ricky Berens (Texas) – 2009
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.74
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:32.85

‘A’ Final Qualifiers:

1. Nate Germonprez (Texas), 1:35.26
2. Coby Carrozza (Texas), 1:35.29
3. Camden Taylor (Texas), 1:35.30
4. Manning Haskal (Texas), 1:35.35
5. Milan Fabian (TCU), 1:36.09
6. Luke Dimiceli (TCU), 1:36.17
7. Payton Plumb (BYU), 1:36.42
8. Joshua Reed (BYU), 1:36.98

Texas had four swimmers finish within a tenth of one another atop the field, with freshmen Nate Germonprez and Camden Taylor joined by sophomore Manning Haskal and senior Coby Carrozza.

Germonprez touched in 1:35.26 to edge out Taylor in Heat 3, with Taylor’s time of 1:35.30 marking a massive best time as he entered the meet with a best of 1:36.38 from November.

Germonprez, who owns a best time of 1:33.96 from last February’s NCSAs, anchored Texas’ 800 free relay in 1:31.86 on Tuesday, indicating he’s got a lot left in the tank for tonight’s final.

Germonprez holds the top seed, while Carrozza, last year’s runner-up, advanced in 2nd after winning the last heat in 1:35.29.

Carrozza set a new lifetime best of 1:31.97 leading off Texas’ 800 free relay on Day 1, so there should be a good battle tonight between him and Germonprez.

Haskal topped the first circle-seeded heat in 1:35.35, with his PB sitting at 1:34.47 from the 2023 Texas Invitational. On the 800 free relay, Haskal split 1:33.74 swimming second.