SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll involved the men’s NCAA Championships:
RESULTS
Who had the best performance at men’s NCAAs?
- Will Licon – 33.5%
- Ryan Murphy – 32.5%
- Caeleb Dressel – 16.7%
- Townley Haas – 12.7%
- Joseph Schooling – 4.7%
Though former Bolles School teammates Ryan Murphy, Joseph Schooling and Caeleb Dressel tied for the CSCAA’s NCAA Swimmer of the Year award for 2016, we asked SwimSwam readers to vote on which swimmer they found most impressive at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
Interestingly enough, none of the three topped the list. Instead, it was Texas junior Will Licon who gained about a third of the total votes to narrowly top Murphy.
Licon gained 37 more votes than Murphy in all. A very quick, not-exhaustive look at each swimmer’s NCAA wins resume:
- Licon: Wins in 200 IM, 200 breast, American record in 200 breast
- Murphy: Wins in 100 back, 200 back, American records in 100 back, 200 back
- Dressel: Wins in 50 free, 100 free, American records in 50 free, 100 free
- Haas: Wins in 200 free, 500 free, American record in 200 free
- Schooling: Wins in 100 fly, 200 fly, U. S. Open Records in 100 fly, 200 fly
Voters were extremely impressed with Licon’s 200 breast in particular – he broke Kevin Cordes’s American record and broke Brendan Hansen’s Texas school record in the 100 breast with his opening split.
Murphy had “barriers broken” on his side. He became the first man under 44 in the 100 back and the first under 1:36 in the 200, plus put up the fastest 50 back split in history. He had almost double the votes of third-place Dressel.
Dressel had the star power of sprints with his dual American records and the second-best 50 free split of all-time. Townley Haas was a relative underdog compared to the others prior to the meet, but hit the fastest 200 free ever in two surprise titles. Haas gained over 500 votes in this poll, just 150 behind Dressel.
Schooling, surprisingly, only gained 184 votes after breaking a pair of national records and winning perhaps the two most loaded events in the NCAA at the moment.
This poll inspired SwimSwam readers in greater numbers than any other in the site’s history as well. Almost 4,000 votes were cast, breaking our previous poll record of 2,448. (That poll, for those wondering, was from February of 2013 and asked readers to pick the best “Harlem Shake” video made by a swim team).
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters about Canada’s Olympic selection standards:
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
A3 Performance was founded in 2004 and is based in Wisconsin. A3 Performance was founded on the ideals that great products could be made and offered at great prices. Innovation and purpose is the focus of all product development. The swimmer is the focus of everything we do.
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
Granted, Murphy’s records and domination were the most impressive. But, I will here only consider swimmers with shoulders less that 4 yards wide, and my pick is Townley Haas. He proclaimed “None of you has a chance” and took off. We were all expected him to die – but never happened. Most impressive swim of 2016 NCAAs for me. Licon’s 200 BR was a great time, but it looked all so easy, it did not count 🙂
😆
I am very surprised it didn’t go to Murphy. Honestly there’s no doubt in my mind his 43 was the best swim of the meet. It proved to me that he will break Piersol’s world record this summer.
Long course swimming is a whole different animal my friend.
Schooling only 4.7%? cos he is non American!!!!!!
Honestly, I think if Dressel hadn’t put up the most dominant conference championships in history we would all be saying “18.2!!! No way!! Swimmer of the meet!” But just like Murphy’s prefect backstroke history, we just kinda get desensitized to it and move on to the next big thing. It doesn’t matter who you think had the best meet, all those races were sick.
Agree 100%. We all expected Murphy to be great, we were spoiled by Dressel’s SEC meet, and the 200 fly record was widely considered soft. It’s only been a couple years since Bob Bowman called Cordes’ first 1:48 AR the greatest SCY swim of all time. All 4 guys were amazing, not to mention Haas and even Conger (1:31.8/1:38.0 2free/2fly).
And I’m guessing the Austin precinct and Licon’s likability might have swayed things a bit, too.
Even Conger? You are pushing it. Conger did not win any titles, scratched the 100 back,added time to his 100fly compared to last year, and his American record in the 200 fly was overshadowed by Schooling’s win. But he could have won the poll for all we know because he is more popular on this board than any of these guys.
You are over analyzing it. The nose plug sealed the deal.
Will Ireland make the olympics? Three Six Latvia
Lol that’s a good point, I didn’t even consider the nose plug.
I will probably receive negative feedback from this, but how in the world did Licon beat the Bolles crew and Haas? He barely won the 200 IM, he gained time and lost the 400IM, and won/broken record the 200 breast but it was not a dominant swim compared to the other day 3 swims.
Schooling dropped 1.8 seconds in the 200 fly skipping over 1:38, broke a suited record, was apart of all 5 relays, 3 which won, 2 in record fashion.
Murphy destroyed the 44 barrier, and his 200 back prelims swim would have won despite him being in “snooze town.” Then went on to absolutely smash his record in finals. Also apart of 4 relays and… Read more »
When I read the poll title I thought along the lines of best performance, as in one event. My vote went to Haas’ 200 free, but not many people expected Licon to break the American record in the 200 breast.
I agree with samh any of the other was far more impressive
Will Licon’s swims were still extremely impressive. He’s very deserving
Well before you go hating on any of these swimmers, just remember it’s a popular vote. These results don’t justify fact, just the opinion of the swimswam fan base. Also any one of these swimmers could state a case for having the performance of the meet. They all swam incredibly well and had record-breaking performances that put them on a spotlight. If you really feel injustice has been done on a popular vote, you can make your own poll.