2024 MEN’S BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Dates: February 28 – March 2, 2024
- Location: McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion – Columbus, Ohio
- Defending champions: Indiana (2x)
- SCY (25 yards)
- Championship Central
- Live Results
- Live Video
- Day 1 Recap
TEAM SCORES (AFTER DAY ONE)
- Indiana – 128 points
- Michigan – 108 points
- Wisconsin & Penn State – 102 points
- –
- Ohio State – 100 points
- Minnesota – 98 points
- Purdue – 96 points
- Northwestern – 94 points
The first full day of the 2024 Men’s Big Ten Championships are here. This morning’s prelims session will be a short one, featuring heats of the 500 free, 200 IM, and 50 free. Following the conclusion of the 50 free, 1-meter diving prelims will commence.
Michigan standout Gal Groumi comes into this morning as the top seed in the 200 IM, where he holds a season best of 1:42.67. Ohio State’s Tristan Jankovics has been 1:42.76 this season, while IU’s Luke Barr has been 1:42 as well, coming in as the 3rd seed with a 1:42.88. Barr has been having an excellent season, so definitely keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, Groumi holds a career best of 1:41.09, which means the Big Ten meet record of 1:41.05 could very well be in play today.
The Wolverines also come in with the top seed in the 50 free this morning, where Bence Szabados is entered with a 19.22. Of course, the seeding in the 50 is tight, seeing another handful of guys entered under 19.5. Szabados was excellent on the 200 medley relay last night, anchoring Michigan’s team in 18.60, which was the fastest free split in the field. Penn State’s Victor Baganha was right there as well, anchoring in 18.65 last night, while Ohio State’s Daniel Baltes split 18.62.
Ohio State’s Tomas Navikonis comes in with the top time in the 500 free, entering with his season best of 4:15.65.
500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 4:06.32 – Kieran Smith, Texas (2020)
- Big Ten Record: 4:08.60 – Peter Vanderkaay, Michigan (2006)
- Big Ten Championship Record: 4:09.29 – Felix Auboeck, Michigan (2018)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.74
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Bar Soloveychik (Minnesota) – 4:12.76
- Yigit Aslan (Wisconsin) – 4:13.35
- Alex Axon (Ohio State) – 4:14.89
- Sam Campbell (Ohio State) – 4:15.49
- Andrew Martin (Northwestern) – 4:16.06
- Charlie Clark (Ohio State) – 4:16.41
- Logan Zucker (Michigan) – 4:17.31
- Alex Metzler (Ohio State) – 4:17.78
Though Ohio State got off to a bit of a shaky start last night, finishing last in the 200 medley relay, that performance doesn’t seem to be indicative of their performance as a team. They were strong in the 800 free relay last night, and they showed up big in the 500 this morning, seeing 4 swimmers make it into the ‘A’ final.
Sophomore Alex Axon put up a big swim, clocking a career best of 4:14.89 to finish 3rd this morning. Fellow sophomore Sam Campbell came in 4th with a 4:15.49, taking 4 seconds off his career best in the event. Distance ace Charlie Clark put up a season best of 3:16.41 for 6th, while junior Alex Metzler came in 8th with a 4:17.78, which was his first time under 4:20 in the event.
It was Minnesota junior Bar Soloveychik who put up the top time of the morning, swimming a 4:12.76. The time ties, Soloveychik’s career best, which he had previously swum at the 2022 NCAA Championships. He swam a well balanced race this morning, splitting 2:05.63 on the opening 250, then coming home in 2:07.13.
Wisconsin’s Yigit Aslan swam a new career best of 4:13.35, which came in well under his previous mark of 4:15.20. Aslan was also very consistent, splitting 2:06.37 on the first 250 yards, then coming home in 2:06.98.
200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 1:36.34 – Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
- Big Ten Record: 1:40.23 – Vini Lanza, Indiana (2019)
- Big Ten Championship Record: 1:41.05 – Vini Lanza, Indiana (2019)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.03
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Gal Groumi (Michigan) – 1:41.76
- Eitan Ben Shitrit (Michigan) – 1:42.61
- Dominik Mark Torok (Wisconsin) – 1:43.07
- Kaiser Neverman (Minnesota) – 1:43.08
- Colin Geer (Michigan) – 1:43.22
- Luke Barr (Indiana) – 1:43.45
- Chris Morris (Wisconsin) – 1:43.95
- Jacque Wenger (Michigan) – 1:44.02
It was Michigan’s turn to put up a huge team performance, seeing 4 men make it into the ‘A’ final. They were led by Gal Groumi, who was the top seed coming into the morning. Groumi put up a new season best of 1:41.76, marking his first time under 1:42 this season. Groumi has been as 1:41.09 in his career, so he’ll surely have his sights set on a swimming a personal best in tonight’s final. He was out pretty fast this morning, splitting 21.72 on fly and 24.93 on back for a 46.65 on the opening 100.
Michigan’s 1-2 punch in the 200 IM was on full display this morning, as sophomore Eitan Ben Shitrit clocked a 1:42.61 for 2nd overall. That swim marks a new career best for Ben Shitrit, clipping his previous top mark of 1:42.90 from last year.
Michigan also saw freshman Colin Geer rip a new career best of 1:43.22 to make it into the ‘A’ final. The time this morning was good for 5th, and blew away Geer’s previous best of 1:44.76, which he swam at his high school state meet last May. Geer was particularly impressive on free this morning, coming home in 25.00, which was one of the fastest free splits in the field.
Junior Jacque Wenger came in 8th this morning, swimming a 1:44.02. That marks yet another Wolverine career best, as Wenger’s previous best was a 1:45.69 set at last year’s Big Tens.
As expected, Indiana’s Luke Barr advanced to tonight’s ‘A’ final. Barr went 1:43.45 this morning, which is just over half a second off his season best of 1:42.88, which is also his career best.
Wisconsin’s Dominik Mark Torok clocked a huge career best of 1:43.07 to finish 3rd overall this morning. His previous top time was a 1:45.22 from last year’s NCAA Championships, meaning he dropped more than 2 seconds from it this morning. The sophomore was exceptional on the back half of the race this morning, clocking a 29.41 on breast and a 24.82 on free for a 54.23 on the 2nd 100, which was the fastest closing 100 of anyone in the field this morning.
50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS
- NCAA Record: 17.63 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- Big Ten Record: 18.69 – Bowe Becker, Minnesota (2018)
- Big Ten Championship Record: 18.69 – Bowe Becker, Minnesota (2018)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.82
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (Wisconsin) – 1915
- Bence Szabados (Michigan) – 19.18
- Victor Baganha (Penn State) – 19.37
- Finn Brooks (Indiana) – 19.41
- Tyler Ray (Michigan) – 19.47
- Andrew Benson (Wisconsin) – 19.58
- Ben Wiegand (Wisconsin) – 19.59
- Daniel Baltes (Ohio State) – 19.60 (TIE)
- Will Fentress (Ohio State) – 19.60 (TIE)
Firstly, the 50 free prelims this morning saw a tie for 8th between Ohio State teammate Daniel Baltes and Will Fentress, both of whom clocked in at 19.60. Since it was a tie for 8th, it will have to be resolved via swim-off, which should take place shortly and we will update with the winner once those results have been put through.
Update: It appears Ohio State opted to resolve the tie between Baltes and Fentress without doing the swim-off. The heat sheets for finals show that Baltes will be competing in the ‘A’ final tonight, while Fentress will be in the ‘B’.
If we’re marking out the top team in each event this morning (Ohio State in the 500, Michigan in the 200 IM), it was Wisconsin that had the best showing in the 50 free. The Badgers saw sophomore Taiko Torepe-Ormsby clock the top time of the morning with a 19.15. That’s a career best for Torepe-Ormsby, clipping his previous mark of 19.24, which he set at the Texas Invite back in November.
Senior Andrew Benson tied his season best of 19.58 to take 6th this morning, while sophomore Ben Wiegand came in 7th with a 19.59. Wigand’s career best is a 19.57, which he swam at last year’s Big Tens.
Michigan’s Bence Szabados took 0.04 seconds off his season best to take 2nd this morning with a 19.18. Szabados set his career best of 19.05 at last year’s Big Tens. The Wolverines also saw sophomore Tyler Ray swim a massive career best of 19.47 to take 5th this morning. Ray had been 19.99 so far this season and held a career best of 19.98 from last year’s Big Tens, meaning he dropped mare than half a second with his swim this morning.
Peter Vanderkaay’s Big Ten record of 4:08.6 remains undefeated since 2006.
Is that the oldest record in the book?
Not a super suit record either.
Funny that the #2 Big Ten time then is probably Tom Dolan from I think 1994, 30 years ago.
4:08.75 from 1995. Felix was close with 4:08.95 (2017)
Huge turnaround under Matt Bowe and staff beginning to show… impressive morning from the Wolverines.
Since it was a swim-off between guys from the same school, did they flip a coin to see who got the A final over the B final? Rocks/Papers/Scissors?
All jokes aside, very impressive morning from Michigan. Heckava lot better than last year, Bowe is doing a nice job.
If it was me, I’d want to do the swim-off. You’re shaved/tapered, you got your fancy suit on, an opportunity for clean water, no pressure… Who knows? You could pop off a best time!
Wait, I just remembered that sprinters think racing 3x 50 in a day is winter training…
Indiana 2-10-1 OSU 5-3-1 Michigan 7-3-5 Wisconsin 6-3-2
Big morning for Michigan!
Wow didn’t expect getting 4 in 2 IM A final! Go Blue!
Seems like all teams are doing better than last night. Pretty solid morning for WI & MICH!
Wisconsin seems to have turned their sprint program around. The 200 free will be exciting
Distance ace Charlie Clark put up a season best of 3:16.41 A new record! (Sarcasm)
Didn’t catch the live stream…is it true that Bar S. of Minnesota consistently breathes EVERY stroke? Or was that just a technique he tried in the past?
Matheny is just one example of many, but why did 12 swimmers split faster than his breaststroke in IM? Just not motivated for an off event? Going out hard (23.8-28.5 ain’t exactly fast)? Saving it for the freestyle?
Blud just sandbags whenever he doesnt feel like swimming. Jassen Yep or even Finn Brooks could take his 4 MRR spot both are capable of going 50 high flat
No Jake Newmark in the 500 @swimswam do you know if he’s sick or injured?
he swam the 50. probably tried to hit his 500 pace
Swam a PB in the 50. Seems like he has just retired from the event? Hoping he still goes for the 200 > the 100 back.
Yes, but he has also been 19.19 on a relay. Looks like he doesn’t do many flat start 50’s. I don’t think we will truly know how he is until Saturday.
Wasn’t he not on the 800 free relay?
There’s got to be some back story there that I have missed.
He hasn’t swum a 500 all year.
His best swims have been :46.89 100 back at Texas Invite and 1:36.92 in 200 free at AZ/Michigan in October. \\
For a swimmer of his historical caliber, nothing else even worth mentioning. Based on what is available on SwimCloud, he can’t even be thinking of an Invited Swim.
he’s withdrawn from several meets including ncaa’s last year due to illness where he was supposed to swim the 500. i would guess it might be something related to health issues but i could be totally off…