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Which Cuts Got Faster? Comparing The 2024 NCAA Championship Standards To Last Season

The NCAA has released the qualifying standards for the 2024 Division I Swimming & Diving Championships, so it’s time to dive into the cuts and see what’s changed from last year.

Looking specifically at the ‘A’ standards, the majority of the men’s cuts have gotten faster, including seven of them improving by more than 0.2 percent (roughly equivalent to a tenth of a second per 100).

The women’s side, on the other hand, has remained largely the same, with only two cuts getting faster by 0.2 percent and seven of them remaining the same from last season.

WOMEN’S NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP ‘A’ CUTS: 2023 VS 2024

Event 2024 ‘A’ Standard 2023 ‘A’ Standard Difference
50 free 21.63 21.66 0.14%
100 free 47.18 47.18 0%
200 free 1:42.84 1:42.84 0%
500 free 4:37.89 4:35.76 -0.77%
1650 free 15:52.41 15:52.41 0%
100 fly 50.69 50.92 0.45%
200 fly 1:52.86 1:52.86 0%
100 back 50.88 50.89 0.02%
200 back 1:50.50 1:50.50 0%
100 breast 58.02 58.1 0.14%
200 breast 2:05.73 2:06.18 0.36%
200 IM 1:53.66 1:53.66 0%
400 IM 4:03.62 4:03.62 0%
200 free relay 1:28.43 1:28.43 0%
400 free relay 3:14.10 3:14.10 0%
800 free relay 7:00.86 7:00.86 0%
200 medley relay 1:36.24 1:36.24 0%
400 medley relay 3:31.38 3:31.38 0%

Jumping off the page for the women’s cuts is the 500 free, which sees a near two-second drop year-over-year, going from 4:35.76 in 2022-23 to 4:37.89 for the coming season.

The reasoning behind the event getting slower is due to the drop-off the 500 free has had over the last three seasons. ‘A’ cuts are determined by using the three-year average of the eighth-fastest time from the last three seasons, unless that average is slower than the current cut.

After three quick seasons in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 saw the cut get down to 4:35.76, the standard has stayed there since the subsequent three-year averages weren’t faster. With that three-year average now expiring, the new cut is the average from the past three seasons which has is much slower.

Eighth-Fastest Time, Women’s 500 Freestyle

  • 2022-23 – 4:37.96
  • 2021-22 – 4:37.35
  • 2020-21 – 4:38.38
  • 2019-20 – 4:36.40
  • 2018-19 – 4:35.47
  • 2017-18 – 4:35.69
  • 2016-17 – 4:36.13

The cut that dropped the most was the 100 fly, which incredibly had the eighth-fastest time come in at 50.07 last season, essentially what won the national title in 2017 (50.05).

As a result, that cut drops from 50.92 to 50.69, while the 200 breast also saw a notable improvement down 45 one-hundredths to 2:05.73, primarily because it shed the 2019-20 season (#8 time of 2:07.24) from its three-year average.

MEN’S NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP ‘A’ CUTS: 2023 VS 2024

Event 2024 ‘A’ Standard 2023 ‘A’ Standard Difference
50 free 18.82 18.88 0.32%
100 free 41.50 41.64 0.34%
200 free 1:31.74 1:31.98 0.26%
500 free 4:10.74 4:11.40 0.26%
1650 free 14:37.31 14:37.31 0%
100 fly 44.64 44.82 0.40%
200 fly 1:40.16 1:40.20 0.04%
100 back 44.71 44.79 0.18%
200 back 1:39.13 1:39.13 0%
100 breast 51.10 51.40 0.59%
200 breast 1:51.09 1:51.54 0.40%
200 IM 1:41.03 1:41.22 0.19%
400 IM 3:38.90 3:39.16 0.12%
200 free relay 1:16.80 1:16.80 0%
400 free relay 2:50.44 2:50.52 0.05%
800 free relay 6:16.02 6:16.02 0%
200 medley relay 1:23.71 1:23.76 0.06%
400 medley relay 3:04.96 3:04.96 0%

The men’s side saw numerous big drops, led by the 100 breast, which improves three-tenths and 0.59 percent down to 51.10.

This comes after the #8 time in the nation stood at 50.82 in 2022-23, the first time that distinction has ever been sub-51.

The 100 fly, which had an eighth-ranked time of 45.19 in 2019-20, saw a big improvement by 0.40 percent after the #8 time last season was 44.50, while the 200 breast matched that percentage drop after the #8 time came in at 1:50.86 in 2022-23. In 2019-20, that was 1:52.39.

How the Standards are Created

  • The “A Standard” for individual events is calculated by using the three-year average of the eighth-best time on the performance list unless the current “A Standard” is faster than the three-year average.
  • The “B Standard” for individual events is calculated by using the three-year average of the 125th best time on the performance list unless the current “B Standard” is faster than the three-year average.
  • The “Qualifying Standard” for relay events is calculated using the three-year average of the 16th best time on the championship finals performance list unless the current “Qualifying Standard” is faster than the three-year average.
  • The “Provisional Standard” for relay events is calculated using the three-year average of the 24th-best time on the championship finals performance list unless the current “Provisional Standard” is faster than the three-year average.

See the full standards below:

FULL 2024 NCAA DIVISION I SWIMMING STANDARDS

Men’s B Standard Men’s ‘A’ Standard Event Women’s ‘A’ Standard Women’s ‘B’ Standard
19.79 18.82 50 free 21.63 22.67
43.46 41.50 100 free 47.18 49.36
1:35.79 1:31.74 200 free 1:42.84 1:47.12
4:21.99 4:10.74 500 free 4:37.89 4:47.20
15:25.12 14:37.31 1650 free 15:52.41 16:30.59
47.08 44.64 100 fly 50.69 53.63
1:45.89 1:40.16 200 fly 1:52.86 1:59.23
47.47 44.71 100 back 50.88 53.82
1:44.60 1:39.13 200 back 1:50.50 1:57.07
53.63 51.10 100 breast 58.02 1:01.46
1:57.44 1:51.09 200 breast 2:05.73 2:13.86
1:46.16 1:41.03 200 IM 1:53.66 1:59.56
3:50.68 3:38.90 400 IM 4:03.62 4:17.30
1:17.38 1:16.80 200 free relay 1:28.43 1:29.21
2:51.86 2:50.44 400 free relay 3:14.10 3:16.25
6:18.94 6:16.02 800 free relay 7:00.86 7:05.88
1:24.32 1:23.71 200 medley relay 1:36.24 1:37.00
3:06.84 3:04.96 400 medley relay 3:31.38 3:33.48

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Chachi
1 year ago

Luckily the photo curse can’t hit that Texas-Ex in the header.

Facts
1 year ago

What’s the record for most A-cuts. Think Marchand could get every A cut except maybe 50 free and 1650 free

Andrew
Reply to  Facts
1 year ago

I don’t think Marchand gets 100 fly, 100 free, or 100 back in addition to the 50/1650

SwammaJammaDingDong
Reply to  Facts
1 year ago

Marchand could underwater most of the 1650 and go 14:37 with his eyes closed.

woods
Reply to  Facts
1 year ago

i have no statistics but I think Coughlin got pretty much every one besides the 200 breast and mile one year. Might be making that up though. Leon could definitely get the mile but would need to be semi tapered at least. 800 of it would be underwater.

OldNotDead
Reply to  Facts
1 year ago

Since he went 4:07 in a 500, easily under the 4:10 cut, I think if he trained for it he’d at least get close to the 1650 A. I agree on the 50.

austinpoolboy
Reply to  Facts
1 year ago

Did they have A cuts in Tracy Caulkins era? I feel like she would have had invite in the most events

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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