According to a coach from Ohio State, due to an unknown scratch, Buckeye junior Steffen Hillmer has been invited to the 2016 Men’s NCAA Championships. OSU’s twitter also made a similar statement, as seen below:
Due to a late scratch, Steffen Hillmer has now been invited the NCAA Championships! Congratulations Steffen! #GoBucks
— OSU Men's Swim/Dive (@OhioState_MSwim) March 23, 2016
Hillmer, a freestyler, was on the bubble in the 200 free with his time of 1:34.70. Now that he’s in, his time ties him for the 30th seed with NC State freshman Justin Ress. He also boasts season bests of 43.89 in the 100 free and 4:20.83 in the 500 free– both are under their respective NCAA ‘B’ cuts, so he can swim these at NCAAs if he so chooses. He’d be 47th in the 500 free and 55th in the 100 free with his times now.
OSU already has five swimmers invited individually: Ching Lim, Matt McHugh, DJ MacDonald, Brayden Seal, and Dustin Tynes. Tynes was invited a couple weeks ago off of the alternate list.
With Hillmer’s addition to the field, the total number of swimmers invited to NCAA’s off of the alternate list due to scratches is now five.