Brendan Burns Will Swim The 200 Back/200 Fly Double At The 2024 NCAA Championships

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Pre-Selection Psych Sheets

When the pre-selection psych sheets were publicized on Monday night, it was revealed that Indiana senior Brendan Burns would take on the 200 back/200 fly double.

Despite being known for tackling these two events, Burns has never entered both at the NCAA Championships. He’s had success in winning both at the B1G Ten Championships, which he did for three years straight (2021-2023). At this year’s B1G Ten Championship meet, Burns won the 200 back before ultimately finishing 3rd in the 200 fly.

Burns is the defending NCAA champion in the 100 back, as he won the event last year in a sizzling effort of 43.61. This year, many of the same contenders will be prominent, in addition to some newcomers. ASU’s Hubert Kos will arrive at the meet as top seed, as he swam to a national-leading performance of 43.75 at the Pac-12 Championships just last week. Kos chose the 400 IM in place of this event at last year’s meet, but he was ranked 2nd in that compared to 1st in the 100 back this year.

Burns is 7th seeded 100 back entrant (44.62), with Jonny Marshall (2nd — 44.12), Destin Lasco (3rd — 44.18), Kacper Stokowski (4th — 44.36 ), Will Modglin (5th — 44.49), and Ruard Van Renen (6th — 44.50) situated above him on the psych sheets.

Burns is seeded 13th in this year’s 200 back and 7th in the 200 fly, with A-final potential for both events. In the 200 back, his best time of 1:38.22 is likely to qualify for a championship final appearance. In 2023, the cut-off time for making the championship final was 1:39.54, and it was a similar 1:39.49 in 2022.

Many of the same 100 back competitors will be prominent in the 200-yard distance, with Kos (1:35.69) leading the way once again with his newly-minted NCAA record (1:35.69) from Pac-12s. Florida freshman Marshall (1:36.68) will also feature in the race, coming off a record-setting SEC Championships, where he eclipsed Ryan Lochte‘s school record in the event.

Burns’ ability to make the 200 fly final is quite evident, as he’s done it at every NCAA Championship meet that he’s contested. However, he’s never had to swim a full effort 200 back prior to qualifying for the NCAA final, and he’ll have to do it this year on the final day of the meet. He won the NCAA title in the event in 2022.

Burns’ Previous Individual NCAA Meet Line-Ups:

2021 NCAA Championships

Day 3

• 100 Fly (13th, 45.53 *45.39 in prelims)
• 100 Back (6th, 45.03 *44.87 in prelims)

Day 4

• 200 Fly (7th, 1:40.42)

2022 NCAA Championships

Day 3

• 100 Fly (9th, 44.54)
• 100 Back (2nd, 44.15)

Day 4

• 200 Fly (1st, 1:38.71)

2023 NCAA Championships

Day 3

• 100 Fly (9th, 44.60)
• 100 Back (1st, 43.61)

Day 4

• 200 Fly (2nd, 1:38.97)