2024 MEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Dates: Wednesday, March 6 – Saturday, March 9
- Location: Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, WA
- Defending champions: Arizona State (1x)
- Live Results
- Live Video (Pac-12 Network)
- Championship Central
- Fan Guide Preview
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap| Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
The day 3 finals session of the 2024 Men’s Pac-12 Championships is about to be underway in Federal Way. Tonight’s session will feature finals of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back. There will also be timed finals of the 400 medley relay at the end of tonight’s session.
TEAM SCORES (AFTER DAY TWO)
- Arizona State – 401
- Stanford – 304.5
- Cal – 237
- Arizona – 224.5
- USC – 221
- Utah – 111
In this morning’s prelims Arizona State sophomore Hubert Kos made the biggest splash, breaking the Pac-12 Championship record in the 100 back with a 44.03. Kos was the fastest swimmer in the field this morning by a little over a second, so he’s in a great position to pick up his second title of the week in finals tonight.
ASU junior Leon Marchand was 2nd in prelims of the 400 IM with a 3:39.20 this morning. We saw Marchand drop big from prelims to finals in the 500 free yesterday, so we can expect Marchand to put up a much faster time tonight. Sun Devil teammate David Schlicht was the fastest swimmer in the field this morning with a 3:38.29.
The 100 fly should also be a great showdown tonight. Sun Devil freshman Ilya Kharun posted the top time this morning with a 44.42, while Stanford’s Rafael Gu was 44.99 for 2nd.
MEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 3:28.82 – Leon Marchand, ASU (2023)
- Pac-12 Record: 3:28.82 – Leon Marchand, ASU (2023)
- Pac-12 Championship Record: 3:31.57 – Leon Marchand, ASU (2023)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.90
TOP 8:
- Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 3:34.66
- David Schlicht (Arizona State) – 3:37.97
- Rex Maurer (Stanford) – 3:38.10
- Zalan Sarkany (Arizona State) – 3:40.50
- Cale Martter (Arizona State) – 3:40.53
- Daniel Matheson (Arizona State) – 3:42.07
- Tyler Kopp (California) – 3:42.16
- Rick Mihm (Stanford) – 3:44.05
Leon Marchand picked up his 2nd individual title of the week, swimming a 3:34.66 to take the 400 IM tonight. The swim marks a new season best for Marchand, blowing away his previous season high of 3:37.96. Additionally, Marchand’s 3:34.66 tonight stands as the top time in the NCAA this season. Marchand has, of course, been much faster in his career, holding the NCAA record at 3:28.82. Tonight, he had opened up a massive lead on the front half of the race, splitting 47.40 on fly and 53.81 on back, for a 1:41.21 on the opening 200.
ASU teammate David Schlicht came in 2nd with a 3:37.97 tonight, dipping under 3:38 for the first time in his career. Schlicht’s time tonight moves him up to 3rd in the NCAA this season. That also means the Sun Devils have the top 3 400 IMers in the NCAA this season, with Marchand, Hubert Kos (3:35.82), and Schlicht.
Stanford freshman Rex Maurer followed up a career best of 3:40.99 this morning with a massive performance tonight. Maurer clocked a 3:38.10, blowing through the 3:40 barrier and finishing 3rd. He was out the 2nd-fastest to Marchand, splitting 50.47 on fly and 53.23 on back for a 1:44.70 on the first 200. Moreover, Maurer is now 5th in the NCAA this season in the event. For what it’s worth, he also picked up the NCAA ‘A’ cut, which is 3:38.90.
ASU showed their IM depth once again tonight, as Zalan Sarkany posted a career best of 3:40.50 for 4th, Cale Martter went a career best of 3:40.53 for 5th, and Daniel Matheson came in 6th with a season best of 3:42.07.
MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 42.80 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
- Pac-12 Record: 43.71 – Andrei Minakov, Stanford (2022)
- Pac-12 Championship Record: 43.90 – Andrei Minakov, Stanford (2022)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.64
TOP 8:
- Ilya Kharun (Arizona State) – 44.32
- Rafael Gu (Stanford) – 45.00
- Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) – 45.09
- Filip Senc-Samardzic (Arizona State) – 45.18
- Jonny Kulow (Arizona State) – 45.80
- Alex Colson (Arizona State) – 45.90
- Haakon Naughton (Arizona) – 46.08 (Tie)
- Jadan Nabor (Arizona) – 46.08 (Tie)
Arizona State freshman Ilya Kharun earned his first individual Pac-12 title tonight, swimming a 44.32 to win the 100 fly. The performance marks a new career best for Kharun by 0.01 seconds. His previous best of 44.33 was set at the NC State Invite back in the fall. With the swim, Kharun is now tied for 5th in the NCAA this season.
Stanford’s Rafael Gu was just off the 44.99 he swam in prelims, touching 2nd tonight with a 45.00. He came in just ahead of Stanford teammate Aaron Sequeira, who finished 3rd in a season best of 45.09. Sequeira is swimming a double tonight, as we’ll see him in the 100 back ‘A’ final later as well.
Stanford’s Andrei Minakov came in 4th this morning but scratched the race in finals. Minakov is the Pac-12 record holder in the event with his career best of 43.71.
ASU freshman Filip Senc-Samardzic had a great swim as well, clocking a career best of 45.18 for 4th tonight.
MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:29.15 – Dean Farris, Harvard (2019)
- Pac-12 Record: 1:30.14 – Andrew Seliskar, Cal (2019)
- Pac-12 Championship Record: 1:30.23 – Grant House, ASU (2022)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.74
TOP 8:
- Patrick Sammon (Arizona State) – 1:31.87
- Henry McFadden (Stanford) – 1:32.03
- Owen McDonald (Arizona State) – 1:32.21
- Julian Hill (Arizona State) – 1:32.31
- Ralph Daleiden (Arizona) – 1:32.78
- Luke Maurer (Stanford) – 1:32.90
- Tiago Behar (Arizona State) – 1:33.43
- Keaton Jones (California) – 1:35.29
Arizona State continued their undefeated streak at this meet, seeing Patrick Sammon take the 200 free in 1:31.87 tonight. The time is a season best for Sammon, marking his first time under 1:32 this year. He was also just off his career best of 1:31.82, which he swam at last year’s NCAAs. Sammon is now 7th in the NCAA this season in the event.
Stanford freshman Henry McFadden clocked another career best tonight, finishing 2nd in 1:32.03. His performance tonight marks his 3rd career best in the 200 free in the past 2 weeks. McFadden also had the fastest closing 50 in the field tonight, putting up a 23.39 on the final lap.
Arizona State’s Owen McDonald rounded out the top 3 tonight with a 1:32.21. McDonald posted his season best of 1:32.06 in prelims this morning.
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 49.69 – Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
- Pac-12 Record: 50.04 – Kevin Cordes, Arizona (2014)
- Pac-12 Championship Record: 50.78 – Carsten Vissering, USC (2019)
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.10
TOP 8:
- Liam Bell (California) – 50.89
- Ron Polonsky (Stanford) – 51.17
- Zhier Fan (Stanford) – 51.29
- Andy Dobrzanski (Arizona State) – 51.80
- Jaek Horner (Utah) – 51.85
- Matt Jensen (California) – 51.89
- Hank Rivers (California) – 52.12
- Ryan Purdy (Arizona) – 52.56
It took all the way until the 100 breast for it to happen, but Cal’s Liam Bell became the first non-ASU swimmer to win an event this week. Bell, a Cal fifth year, snapped the ASU win streak with a huge season best of 50.89. With the swim, Bell picked up an NCAA ‘A’ standard (51.10), automatically earning him an invite to NCAAs in a few weeks. Bell has a career best of 50.50.
Cal’s Matt Jensen had a big swim as well, taking 6th with a season best of 51.89. Jensen has been as fast as 51.42 in his career, but his swim tonight marks his first time under 52 seconds this year.
The Stanford duo of Ron Polonsky and Zhier Fan was fantastic tonight as well. Polonsky came in 2nd with a 51.17, a new season best. He was also just off his career best of 51.14, which he swam at last year’s NCAAs. Fan came in 3rd tonight in 51.29, taking nearly half a second off his previous career best of 51.70.
MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 43.35 – Luca Urlando, Georgia (2022)
- Pac-12 Record: 43.49 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2016)
Pac-12 Championship Record: 44.03, Hubert Kos, ASU (2024)- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.71
TOP 8:
- Hubert Kos (Arizona State) – 43.75 (CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD)
- Jack Dolan (Arizona State) – 45.15
- Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) – 45.23
- Jack Wadsworth (Arizona State) – 45.93
- Kai Crews (California) – 46.01
- Ryan Hardy (Arizona) – 46.28
- Vaggelis Makrygiannis (USC) – 46.42
- Sebastian Somerset (California) – 46.89
ASU sophomore Hubert Kos rebroke the Pac-12 Championship record he set this morning when he went 44.03. His 43.75 tonight makes him the first swimmer in the NCAA to go under 44 seconds in the 100 back this season. It also puts him #6 all-time in the event and within striking distance of Ryan Murphy’s Pac-12 record of 43.49.
Kos was out fast tonight, splitting 21.06 on the opening 50, then came home in 22.69. Teammate Jack Dolan was out almost as fast as Kos, splitting 21.38 on the 1st 50, but wasn’t nearly as strong coming home, going 23.77 on the 2nd 50.
Operating in a tough double, Stanford’s Aaron Sequeira came in 3rd tonight with a 45.23. That performance marks a new career best for Sequeira, clipping his previous mark of 45.44, which he swam at last year’s Pac-12s. Sequeira wasn’t far removed from his 3rd place finish int he 100 fly earlier in the session.
MEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 2:58.32 – Florida (2023)
Pac-12 Record: 2:59.18 – Arizona State (2023)Pac-12 Championship Record: 3:00.36 – Cal (2022)- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:04.96
RESULTS:
- Arizona State (Kos, Marchand, Kharun, Kulow) – 2:58.49 (PAC-12 RECORD)
- Stanford (Maurer, Polonsky, Gu, Maurer) – 3:03.55
- Cal (Crews, Bell, Quarles, Frandson) – 3:04.02
- Arizona (Hardy, Purdy, Nabor, Daleiden) – 3:05.60
- USC (Makrygiannis, Dillard, Chmielewski, Selin) – 3:08.59
- Utah (McOmber, Horner, Van Brocklin, Woodall) – 3:11.31
Arizona State broke yet another relay record tonight, taking the 400 medley relay in 2:58.49. That performance takes the Pac-12 Championship record under 3:00 for the first time, breaking Cal’s mark from 2022, and broke the conference record as well, moving that mark under 2:59 for the first time. The Sun Devils were just off the NCAA record of 2:58.32, which Florida set at last year’s NCAAs.
Hubert Kos led the team off in 44.04, just off the 43.75 he swam to win the individual 100 back right before the relay. Leon Marchand then put up a phenomenal 49.87 on the breaststroke leg, while Ilya Kharun was 43.84 on fly, and Jonny Kulow anchored in 40.74. Notably, Marchand’s 49.87 breast split is historically fast, and would seemingly indicate he likely could have won the 100 breast individually tonight as well.
Stanford’s team of Rex Maurer (45.40), Ron Polonsky (51.06), Rafael Gu (44.91), and Luke Maurer (42.18) combined for a 3:03.55, which was good for 2nd. Additionally, Stanford took well over 2 seconds off their season best and picked up the NCAA ‘A’ cut with their swim.
TEAM SCORES (AFTER DAY THREE)
- Arizona State – 725
- Stanford – 505.5
- Cal – 406
- Arizona – 372
- USC – 288.5
- Utah – 167
I know Marchand wasn’t trying all that hard here, but in hindsight Kos could have probably given him a good race after all.
The final was not the first time Cal’s Matt Jensen was under :52 seconds this season, as he was :51.90, behind the :51.40 of ASU’s David Schlicht, in the time trials there first night between the 4×50 Medley and the 4×200 Free. tonight he was 0.01 faster than that time trial.
There’s AVDs in every profession, someone who once upon a time was the big shot at the top of the game but now won’t shut up with out of touch garbage…
Nice to see Luke and Rex on the relays together again
Good lordy that 400 medley was quick, the fact that 3 of those legs have all been multiple tenths faster and they were only .2 off the NCAA record is crazy.
Like you’re pointing out, that relay was fast, really fast, but it’s not that interesting to say “they could have been faster”. It’s extremely rare that all swimmers go lifetime bests on a relay during a championship. The closest we get to that is the 800 FR and the 200 MR on day 1 at NCAAs since no other races occur on that day.
On the other hand, based on last year, we can expect this relay to be significantly at NC’s.
Significantly faster.
“Based on last year …” famous last words, my friend 😂
And what proof other than “hope” do you have that they will be slower, my dude?
You’ve said after the ASU vs Arizona dual meet that the Cal dual meet was going to be the fastest ASU is going to get this season. Look how that turned out.
It’ll have to be more than tenths to knock of The Gatas going 2:56.0
huge shoutout to poolside perspective for the lighting quick race video uploads on youtube
Fr they’ve been coming in clutch this week
McFadden would have broken 17-18 NAG. Thanks for the filthy 2free Maximus.
Durden doesn’t have Reece Whitley on the team anymore to mysteriously leave Bell off the medley after he smoked the individual. Going to make the Cal medley more dangerous at NCs with Lasco, Rose, and Alexy back on it.
Pretty sick for Cal to get the A cut in that relay with only one guy who will be on the relay at NCs. Even if they swim lights out in three weeks though probably not enough to take down ASU’s relay.