NC State Coaches: “Ryan wanted that lead off position” (Video)

^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 22 – Saturday, March 25
• IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Texas (results)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Event Previews
• Live Results

The 2017 Men’s NCAA Championships kick off tonight at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Swimmers will get the meet started with a quick session, competing in only the 800 free relay tonight.

Texas will look to defend their title in tonight’s race, with 3 of Team USA’s Olympic gold medalists in the 800 free relay stepping up to the plate for the Longhorns: Townley Haas, Jack Conger, and Clark Smith.

Among the challengers looking to upend Texas are the Florida Gators, who have plenty of starpower to potentially use on this relay including the likes of freshman standout and SEC Champion Maxime Rooney, Khader Baqlah, Mitch D’Arrigo, Mark Szaranek, and maybe even Caeleb Dressel.

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY

• NCAA record: 6:08.03, Texas, 2016
• American record: 6:10.16, Texas, 2009
• U.S. Open record: 6:08.03, Texas, 2016
• 2016 NCAA Champion: 6:08.03, Texas, 2016

1. NC State- 6:06.53
2. Texas- 6:08.61
3. Florida- 6:09.30

In heat 2, USC’s Dylan Carter led off with a phenomenal 1:30.95, making him the 2nd fastest 200 freestyler of all time. Indiana’s Blake Pieroni topped that with a 1:30.87 leadoff in the next heat.

NC State exceeded all expectations tonight, pulling off the upset by a landslide with a new NCAA and U.S. Open Record of 6:06.53. Ryan Held led them off in 1:31.37, followed by teammates Andreas Vazaios (1:32.23), Justin Ress (1:32.26), and Soeren Dahl (1:30.67).

Texas followed, finishing just half a second shy of their former NCAA Record. The team of Jack Conger (1:31.54), Jeff Newkirk (1:33.25), Clark Smith (1:33.49), and Townley Haas (1:30.42) set a new American Record, breaking the former mark of 6:10.16 set by Texas in 2009.

Florida’s Mark Szaranek put up a 1:31.46 anchor split to help the Gators take 3rd, running down Cal’s Ryan Murphy (1:32.06). Andrew Seliskar had the fastest split for the Bears, turning in a 1:31.58 on the 2nd leg.

Harvard’s Dean Farris (1:31.31) and Stanford’s Tom Kremer (1:31.75) were also in the 1:31-range from a rolling start.