The NCAA has released the pre-selection psych sheets for the 2016 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships and although they don’t yet confirm who will receive a championship meet invite, they do give details on which swimmers will be entering which events.
- View the pre-selection sheets here.
The Texas men are the defending champions, and upon first glance will be heavy favorites to repeat as such. Junior Jack Conger is listed in 3 individual events to help the Longhorns’ cause, including one event one may not entirely expect.
Holding the NCAA’s 2nd-fastest 200 butterfly and 3rd fastest 100 butterfly times this season with marks of 1:40.57 and 45.19, respectively, Conger finds himself on the entry list ready to take on the field in those races.
But, Conger is also listed as swimming the 100 backstroke, an event he has only raced at two meets during this NCAA season. At the Texas Hall of Fame meet in December, Conger clocked marks of 47.09 and 46.86, which he then followed up with results of 47.45 and 46.71 at the Big 12 Championships.
All of Conger’s 100 backstroke times this season sit well above the NCAA “B” cut of 48.49, but well below the automatic qualifying time of 45.44. However, with his having achieved A cuts in both butterfly events, he’s free to swim this 100 backstroke as a 3rd individual event having just achieved a B cut.
Last year headed into NCAAs, Conger had scored 4 sub-46-second times and entered the championship meet as the 9th seed (45.68). As a sophomore, Conger finished 7th at the 2015 NCAA Championships with a time of 45.76. This year, Conger is seeded 34th with his 46.71, quite a ways behind the top 5 led by Cal’s Ryan Murphy (44.75), indicating Conger’s focus on the butterfly races ahead of backstroke up until this point.
With both the 100 fly and 100 back taking place on the same day of the Championships, Conger would have a fairly quick turnaround with just the 200 free and 100 breast events taking place in between. But, his more grueling individual event, the 200 fly, isn’t until the following day, so the back may serve as just another warm-up-type swim for the Longhorn junior.
I’ve always wondered what Conger could do in the 200 IM. We know three of his strokes are there. I can’t see any record of him doing it since a HS meet at Villanova in 2013 where he did a 1:48 (surely unrested).
I have a hard time believing he couldn’t put together something on the order of a 1:40, but I guess we’ll never know.
I’ve heard Conger’s breaststroke is very dangerous.
For him.
I’m sure he’s thinking about the 100 back, “Sure beats swimming the 500 free.”
honestly, thought he might try and go for the 100 free.. but off the top of my head, I think that falls on the last day with the 200 fly (and the 4 x 100 free relay)
will be great to see schooling, dressel and conger go at it in the 100 fly
Thought the same thing, especially after his 40.9 on the medley relay last year. But I agree about the schedule dictating this choice. Joe and Jack both have a loaded schedule, so anything to stagger that a little bit makes sense. 200 fly / 100 free / 400 free relay would be a bit much for anybody.
Of course, 100 back is one of Cal’s best events, so having someone else who might score alongside Shebat seems prudent as well.
same issue with conger possibly doing the 200 free (100 fly is just before it I think.. and then the 4 x 200 relay after)..
we know he should have it in him with his 500 free background.. what he has shown in the 200 fly.. what he did LC 200 back (1:55 at the world university games)..
and he has shown he has serious speed too (as you mentioned)
800 free relay looks to be on Wednesday night now (!). Had no idea until today. Should be good for some added excitement and fresher swimming on that relay.
Fastest highschooler ever in the 500 free doesn’t swim it after his freshmen year
He was also the NAG record holder in the 100 back coming out of high school so this comment is a little misleading.