Max McHugh on Bouncing Back From Sub-Par B1G Showing to NCAA Title

2021 NCAA MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, March 24 – Saturday, March 27, 2021
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center / Greensboro, NC (Eastern Time Zone)
• Prelims 10 AM/ Finals 6 PM (Local Time)
• Short course yards (SCY) format
• Defending champion: Cal (1x) – 2019 results
• Streaming:
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

Reported by Nick Pecoraro.

100 BREAST – FINALS

• NCAA Record: Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018) – 49.69
• American Record: Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018) – 49.69
• U.S. Open Record: Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018) – 49.69
• Meet Record: Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018) – 49.69
• Pool Record: Max McHugh, Minnesota (2021) – 50.87
• 2019 Champion: Ian Finnerty, Indiana – 49.85
• 2020 Top Performer: Max McHugh, Minnesota – 50.67

Top 3:

1. Max McHugh (Minnesota)- 50.18 *Pool Record
2. Dillon Hillis (Florida)- 50.96
3. Reece Whitley (Cal)- 51.03

Easily leading off the first 50 was Minnesota’s Max McHugh, splitting 23.53. The junior was untouchable during the last 25, winning the 2021 title at 50.18, shaving 0.01s off his lifetime best. McHugh remains the 4th-fastest 100-yard breaststroker in history. Also breaking 51 seconds to take second place was Florida’s Dillon Hillis, whose time of 50.96 makes him the 15th-fastest performer all-time and #13 in US history. Rounding out the top three was Cal’s Reece Whitley at 51.03.

This title for McHugh is a lot more than improving from his third-place finish in 2019 as a freshman. On July 27th, 2019, McHugh and teammate Nick Saulnier suffered injuries in the knee and arm from an unknown shooter. McHugh was back to regular shape by December 2019, making a full recovery from his injury. Two years and a pandemic later, McHugh took down adversity and is now an NCAA champion.