After the first round of mid-season invites, there have been 40 individual NCAA ‘A’ cuts achieved by 6 men and 17 women, thus qualifying them for the NCAA Championships in March. Leading the way is Katie Ledecky, who has swam her way to 4 individual ‘A’ cuts, followed by Ella Eastin and Kathleen Baker, who each have 3. On the men’s side, Caeleb Dressel and Blake Pieroni are both tied for the most cuts with 2 apiece.
In addition, 9 men’s teams and 11 women’s teams have achieved at least 1 ‘A’ cut in a relay. Under the NCAA rules, if a team achieves and individual ‘A’ cut and a relay ‘A’ cut, then all of that team’s relays with a ‘B’ cut are automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in March.
Of the men’s teams with an ‘A’ relay cut, NC State, Florida, Indiana, Alabama, and Grand Canyon also have an individual ‘A’ cut, allowing them to automatically qualify relays for the NCAAs with ‘B’ cuts. NC State is also the only men’s team as of now that has an ‘A’ cut in all 5 relays. The men’s teams with a relay ‘A’ cut but without an individual ‘A’ cut are Texas A&M, Florida State, Mizzou, and Utah.
Out of the 11 women’s teams with a relay ‘A’ cut, Stanford, Texas A&M, Michigan, Mizzou, Louisville, and Kentucky all have at least one individual ‘A’ cut. Indiana, Alabama, Auburn, NC State, and Florida State have a relay ‘A’ cut, but have not yet achieved an individual cut.
Here is a review of the NCAA ‘A’ cuts for this season:
Event | Men’s ‘A’ cut | Women’s ‘A’ cut |
50 free | 19.05 | 21.80 |
100 free | 42.11 | 47.53 |
200 free | 1:32.54 | 1:43.30 |
500 free | 4:12.49 | 4:36.30 |
1650 free | 14:40.75 | 15:53.50 |
100 fly | 45.49 | 51.19 |
200 fly | 1:41.44 | 1:53.80 |
100 back | 45.25 | 51.16 |
200 back | 1:39.66 | 1:50.99 |
100 breast | 51.74 | 58.85 |
200 breast | 1:52.94 | 2:07.18 |
200 IM | 1:41.88 | 1:55.00 |
400 IM | 3:39.95 | 4:04.70 |
200 free relay | 1:17.62 | 1:28.71 |
400 free relay | 2:52.10 | 3:15.43 |
800 free relay | 6:20.05 | 7:03.86 |
200 medley relay | 1:24.82 | 1:36.89 |
400 medley relay | 3:07.46 | 3:32.67 |
Men’s individual ‘A’ cuts achieved as of 11/28:
- 50 free: Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 18.66
- 100 free: Robert Howard (Alabama) – 41.99, Blake Pieroni (Indiana) – 42.10
- 200 free: Blake Pieroni (Indiana) – 1:32.33
- 1650 free: Anton Oerskov Ipsen (NC State) – 14:39.05
- 200 fly: Andreas Vazaios (NC State) – 1:41.07
- 100 back: Mark Nikolaev (Grand Canyon) – 44.99
- 200 IM: Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 1:40.61
Women’s individual ‘A’ cuts achieved as of 11/28:
- 50 free: Abbey Weitzeil (California) -21.63, Beryl Gastaldello (Texas A&M) – 21.69
- 100 free: Mallory Comerford (Louisville) – 47.00, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 47.22
- 200 free: Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 1:41.60, Mallory Comerford (Louisville) – 1:41.70, Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) – 1:42.44, Louise Kansson (USC) – 1:43.19
- 500 free: Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 4:27.84
- 1650 free: Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 15:03.31
- 200 fly: Katie Drabot (Stanford) – 1:51.74, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 1:52.03
- 100 back: Kathleen Baker (California) – 50.62, Ally Howe (Stanford) – 50.91, Hannah Stevens (Mizzou) – 51.16
- 200 back: Lisa Bratton (Texas A&M) – 1:50.10, Kathleen Baker (California) – 1:50.62, Janet Hu (Stanford) – 1:50.66, Asia Seidt (Kentucky) – 1:50.67
- 200 breast: Sydney Pickrem (Texas A&M) – 2:05.96, Bethany Galat (Texas A&M) – 2:06.52, Margaret Aroesty (USC) – 2:06.88
- 200 IM: Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 1:53.24, Kathleen Baker (California) – 1:53.24, Sydney Pickrem (Texas A&M) – 1:53.38, Asia Seidt (Kentucky) – 1:53.84
- 400 IM: Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 3:59.69, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 4:00.02, Brooke Forde (Stanford) – 4:02.02, Bethany Galat (Texas A&M) – 4:02.85, Sharli Brady (Mizzou) – 4:04.37
Men’s relay ‘A’ cuts:
- 200 free relay: NC State – 1:15.83, Florida – 1:16.67, Alabama – 1:16.68, Florida State – 1:16.95
- 400 free relay: NC State – 2:48.75, Alabama – 2:50.46, Florida State – 2:51.27, Florida – 2:51.53, Mizzou – 2:51.86
- 800 free relay: Indiana – 6:17.75, Florida – 6:18.18, NC State – 6:19.60
- 200 medley relay: NC State – 1:23.53, Grand Canyon – 1:24.46, Alabama – 1:24.60, Texas A&M – 1:24.67, Utah – 1:24.80
- 400 medley relay: Indiana – 3:05.57, Mizzou – 3:06.16, NC State – 3:07.04, Alabama – 3:07.04, Texas A&M – 3:07.29, Florida – 3:07.42
Women’s relay ‘A’ cuts:
- 200 free relay: Texas A&M – 1:28.37, Florida State – 1:28.49, Stanford – 1:28.52, NC State – 1:28.52
- 400 free relay: Stanford – 3:11.59, Auburn – 3:13.88, Texas A&M – 3:14.38, Alabama – 3:15.39
- 800 free relay: Michigan – 7:00.71, Mizzou – 7:03.59
- 200 medley relay: Indiana – 1:34.58, Texas A&M – 1:35.90, Stanford – 1:36.79
- 400 medley relay: Texas A&M – 3:29.47, Stanford – 3:29.54, Indiana – 3:32.04, Kentucky – 3:32.31, Louisville – 3:32.65
Here is the current list of NCAA top times:
Event | Men’s Top Time 11/28 | Women’s Top Time 11/28 |
50 free | Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 18.66 | Abbey Weitzeil (California) – 21.63 |
100 free | Robert Howard (Alabama) – 41.99 | Mallory Comerford (Louisville) – 47.00 |
200 free | Blake Pieroni (Indiana) – 1:32.33 | Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 1:41.60 |
500 free | Anton Oerskov Ipsen (NC State) – 4:13.19 | Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 4:27.84 |
1650 free | Anton Oerskov Ipsen (NC State) – 14:39.05 | Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 15:03.31 |
100 fly | Ryan Held (NC State) – 45.92 | Janet Hu (Stanford) – 51.27 |
200 fly | Andreas Vazaios (NC State) – 1:41.07 | Katie Drabot (Stanford) – 1:51.74 |
100 back | Mark Nikolaev (Grand Canyon) – 44.99 | Kathleen Baker (California) – 50.62 |
200 back | Hennessey Stuart (NC State) – 1:40.32 | Lisa Bratton (Texas A&M) – 1:50.10 |
100 breast | Ian Finnerty (Indiana) – 51.99 | Silja Kanakoski (Arizona State) – 58.96 |
200 breast | Caio Pumputis (Georgia Tech) – 1:53.80 | Sydney Pickrem (Texas A&M) – 2:05.96 |
200 IM | Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 1:40.61 | Ella Eastin (Stanford)/ Kathleen Baker (California) – 1:53.24 |
400 IM | Jan Switkowski (Florida) – 3:42.50 | Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 3:59.69 |
200 free relay | NC State (Ryan Held, Justin Ress, Jacob Molacek, Giovanni Izzo) – 1:15.83 | Texas A&M (Beryl Gastaldello, Raena Eldridge, Golf Sapianchai, Kristin Malone) – 1:28.37 |
400 free relay | NC State (Justin Ress, Ryan Held, Jacob Molacek, Andreas Vazaios) – 2:48.75 | Stanford (Janet Hu, Katie Ledecky, Ella Eastin, Lauren Pitzer) – 3:11.59 |
800 free relay | Indiana (Ian Finnerty, Blake Pieroni, Mohamed Samy Mohamed, Vini Lanza) – 6:17.75 | Michigan (Gabby DeLoof, Catie DeLoof, Rose Bi, Siobhan Haughey) – 7:00.71 |
200 medley relay | NC State (Andreas Vazaios, Jacob Molacek, Ryan Held, Justin Ress) – 1:23.53 | Indiana (Ally Rocket, Lilly King, Christie Jensen, Grace Haskett) – 1:34.58 |
400 medley relay | Indiana (Mohamed Samy Mohamed, Ian Finnerty, Vini Lanza, Blake Pieroni) – 3:05.57 | Texas A&M (Lisa Bratton, Jorie Caneta, Jing Quah, Beryl Gastaldello) – 3:29.47 |
Indiana DQing 2 relays on the men’s side makes it look bad. Had two other A cuts. Gotta clean that up for Championship season.
**1:32.33 for the “top Time” list by Pieroni. Not 1:32.54 (that’s the A cut)
I corrected it, thanks for catching that
The women’s cuts are obviously much easier than the men’s.
Women’s meet is bigger, right? So of course cuts are a little easier, no?
Correct Caleb. But one must not state fact at risk of getting down votes!
I think the use of the words “obviously” and “much” are what’s getting you down votes.
Thank you for the much needed advice! I shall heed it! Peace and Love to all.
Men have more muscle, and usually drop more time when fully rested than women. In addition, a women’s fast suit covers much more than a men’s fast suit. Since most swimmers don’t shave mos season, it benefits women more than men.
I feel like most of these female swimmers are invested enough in this sport where they only shave for championship seasons. I understand more muscle, but I have a feeling Ledecky isn’t shaving every morning, only for champs, NCAA, and beyond.
I don’t think he was saying that women shave in season. He’s saying that since women suits cover more of their body, they are able to get closer to peak shave/suits condition by just suiting up than men are able to.
Is Caleb Dressel now an IM specialist?
Darn, NC STATE looking mighty tough! So far all relays and most individuals with A cuts and that doesn’t include HELD and RESS as individuals! Cal, Tx, FL, and NC STATE going to be a brawl for NCAA title!
Molacek is a huge addition to the Pack.
Held’s 50 free time is slower than the A cut by 0.01. I think CollegeSwimming’s database hasn’t been updated for 2018 cuts.
Corrected. Thanks for catching that.
more coming this weekend?
Plenty coming this weekend
These times are redonculous!
Redonkadonk?
Let’s not get carried away.