#2 Cal Males Aiming To Get Again On Prime

Cal’s dash group is a staple of their program and it shone at 2024 NCAAs. They have been one in every of two colleges, the opposite being Tennessee, to have two swimmers in each the 50 and 100 free ‘A’ last. Bjorn Seeliger and Jack Alexy—contemporary off a breakout summer time on the 2023 World Championships—mixed for 30 factors within the 50 free (third and fifth) and 27 within the 100 free (third and eighth).

The large enhancements that Alexy made in lengthy course throughout 2023 carried over to the yards pool as properly. He was a power for the Golden Bears in his junior season, scoring 49 factors from three ‘A’ finals and setting lifetime bests of 18.38/40.59/1:29.75 within the 50/100/200 freestyle. Seeliger does the 100 again as his third occasion, Gabriel Jett drops all the way down to the 200 free, and although Destin Lasco is a key piece of Cal’s dash relays, he’s in any other case occupied for the person occasions so it’s Alexy who was their pure dash freestyler final season, a task he’ll fill once more coming off his debut Olympics.

Seeliger’s lifetime bests in yards are from the 2022 NCAA Championships, however he’s proven over the previous two seasons that even when he’s not proper on his greatest instances, he nonetheless is aware of seize a lane in finals and put factors on the board.

Alexy and Seeliger held down the 50/100 freestyle, with Matthew Jensen including factors from a Fifteenth-place end after swimming a better of 41.57 at Pac-12s. Then, it was Alexy and Jett within the ‘A’ last of the 200 freestyle, with Robin Hanson and Keaton Jones including factors from Fifteenth and sixteenth place finishes from the ‘B’ last.

In a stacked 200 free ‘A’ last of all juniors, Alexy—who solely raced the occasion as soon as the earlier season—completed a shocking 2nd place and have become the seventh swimmer to interrupt the 1:30 barrier. Jett completed seventh in 1:31.16 after swimming a lifetime greatest 1:30.32 main off Cal’s NCAA record-setting 800 freestyle relay.

Hanson and Jett each swam lifetime bests final yr along with scoring NCAA factors as Hanson logged 1:31.95 at 2024 Pac-12s and Jones swam 1:32.13 at 2024 NCAAs, giving Cal 4 males with lifetime bests of 1:32-low or higher. Hanson additionally swam 19.49 within the 50 free final season, scoring factors for Cal at Pac-12s together with Kai Crews (19.57) and Colby Hatton (19.61).

Understandably, Cal’s dash group is a giant draw for recruits and so they’ve taken full benefit, loading. #3 Lucca Battaglini, the quickest 50 freestyler in his class (19.04) provides his abilities to the Golden Bears dash group this season. So too does August Vetsch (19.71/43/21), Matthew Elliott (19.89/44.39), and Thackston McMullen (20.20/43.67). They’re additionally bringing in Nans Mazellier from France, who tasks as a dash freestyler/butterflier to load up the dash crew.

DISTANCE FREE: ★★

Jett’s a traditional 200/500 freestyler. He’s made the NCAA ‘A’ last for the final two seasons within the 500 freestyle, enhancing from sixth in 2023 to 4th in 2024. Nevertheless, his lifetime greatest is from 2023 Pac-12s, the place he swam a 4:09.66. He’ll be aiming not solely to maneuver increased up on the rostrum however to get again sub-4:10 this season.

Jett was Cal’s lone NCAA scorer within the 500 free final season and their quickest performer by over three seconds. Jones—who made his first Olympic staff this summer time within the 200-meter backstroke—was the Bears’ second-fastest 500 freestyler, swimming 4:13.73 at 2024 Pac-12s. Tyler Kopp and Trent Frandson are each again this season after swimming 4:14.94 and 4:15.91 for twenty second at twenty eighth at NCAAs.

Diving is now not a weak level for Cal at NCAAs; as a substitute, final season, it was the 1650 freestyle as they scored no factors on the 2024 NCAA Championships. Kopp was the one Cal swimmer to race the occasion in Indianapolis, ending twenty ninth in 15:03.14. They’ve bought some work to do filling the ranks of the gap group, as Jack Meehan, their lone man sub-15 final season, doesn’t return.

However, they’ve made a begin by bringing BOTR Freddy Klein and Trey Hesser. They’ve bought comparable lifetime bests within the 500 freestyle with Hesser’s 4:19.37 barely forward of Klein’s 4:19.68. However Klein’s been as quick as 15:02.12 within the 1650 freestyle. One must be properly below quarter-hour to attain at NCAAs, however bringing in a freshman with Klein’s greatest is a giant get for Cal as they attempt to strengthen this group.

It’s additionally large for Cal if Matthew Chai is racing for them this season. Chai, who owns a lifetime better of 14:45.37 and went 14:55.68 throughout the 2022-23 season, didn’t compete for the Golden Bears final season however is on the roster and raced eventually month’s King of The Pool.

BACKSTROKE: ★★★★★

The legend of Cal backstroke grew this summer time, as all 4 of the U.S. males’s Olympic roster spots went to swimmers who educated at Cal—Ryan Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, and Jones.

Again in yards, Cal has every thing it wants to increase their storied historical past on this self-discipline as soon as once more.

Numerous that has to do with Lasco, whose return for a fifth yr is big. Lasco scored 54 factors at 2024 NCAAs; along with profitable the 200 IM, he received the 200 backstroke for the third time and at last broke the NCAA file he’d been chasing for 4 years, swimming 1:35.37. He additionally took fifth within the 100 again (44.22) although he was 44.00 within the morning. His lifetime better of 43.93 places him within the hunt for the occasion title no matter what lane he swims in for the ultimate.

With a lifetime better of 44.58, Seeliger can be a dependable factors scorer for the Bears within the 100 backstroke. Final yr, he completed thirteenth with a 44.81, incomes factors within the ‘B’ last for the second-straight season after an ‘A’ last look in 2022. Crews was the third Cal backstroker sub-46 final season, popping a forty five.60 to steer off the Pac-12 400 medley relay.

It will likely be thrilling to see what Jones brings to the yards pool after making the 200-meter backstroke Olympic finals. Jones was enhancing in yards previous to his long-course breakout, swimming 1:38.46 to complete tenth. Jones raced the five hundred free/200 free/200 again at 2024 NCAAs and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see whether or not mid-distance stays the first focus this season for him. Cal loved years of Lasco and Gonzalez excelling within the 200 again ‘A’ last and getting a second swimmer within the ‘A’ last once more is vital for them.

Cal graduated fifth-years Colby Mefford and Sebastian Somerset in Could, however they return senior Ziyad Saleem, who swam a better of 1:40.64 at Pac-12s. Even with out shedding their backstroker fifth-years from final season, getting French Olympian Mewen Tomac on the roster could be unbelievable for them. The final information SwimSwam heard on that entrance is that they have been nonetheless engaged on Tomac’s NCAA eligibility and he presently doesn’t seem on their season roster. Securing Tomac, who’s able to at the very least 40 particular person factors, would make Cal the clear favourite for the NCAA title, although they’re very a lot within the hunt with out him.

Tomac could be their star backstroke recruit if they’ll type his eligibility and with out him, their backstroke recruiting group is a bit gentle. Edward Huang is a flexible recruit who brings in a 100-back PB of 47.47.

BREASTSTROKE: ★

Liam Bell has used up his NCAA eligibility, which is a large loss for the Golden Bears. Bell had arguably the swim of his life within the 100 breaststroke at 2024 NCAAs, ripping a brand new NCAA file of 49.53. Moreover, he completed 4th within the 200 breaststroke (1:50.15), and swam historic breaststroke splits on their medley relays (extra on these later). It’s unfair to anticipate a single Cal breaststroker to copy these performances, however they’ll nonetheless be hoping that somebody can step up and begin to fill these gaps.

Bell was Cal’s solely breaststroke finalist at 2024 NCAAs, however Matthew Jensen’s lifetime greatest 51.42 would rating, and his season-best 51.98 would put him a couple of hundredths off a second swim somewhat than twenty fifth. Jensen made large enhancements in a number of occasions final season, now it’s only a matter of pushing it one step additional to get into scoring vary.

Cal had a number of swimmers within the 51-high vary final season, lots of whom return together with Jensen, Jacob Soderlund, and Hank Rivers. A giant swim from one in every of them on the proper second would go a good distance in serving to Cal reclaim the NCAA title.

Larger jumps are wanted within the 200 breaststroke. With out Bell, it’s Soderlund (1:53.11), Rivers (1:53.13), and Swift (1:54.09) who’re the quickest returning Golden Bears. Final season, it took 1:52.71 to make finals.

The Golden Bears have some promising breaststroke recruits, although. After being recognized with an incurable virus in March, Nick Mahabir, the Singaporean File holder in all three breaststroke occasions and multi-time U.S. Junior Championship gold medalist, is just not on Cal’s roster for the 2024-25 season. Nevertheless, worldwide recruits Lars Antoniak and Yamato Okadome arrived in Berkeley this season.

BUTTERFLY: ★★★★

Dare Rose headlines the Golden Bears’ butterfly group. He swam lifetime bests in each the 100 and 200 butterfly at 2024 NCAAs, amassing seventh within the 100 fly (44.46) and second within the 200 fly (1:38.61). Rose doesn’t actually have a 3rd occasion but it surely doesn’t matter due to how a lot he shines within the occasions he does swim.

Rose was Cal’s solely consultant within the NCAA 100 fly finals, however Matthew Jensen was proper on the cusp of scoring, swimming a lifetime greatest 45.05 to complete seventeenth, six hundredths away from sixteenth.

Cal is thought for his or her day 4 surge at championship meets attributable to their energy within the 200s of stroke. So, it is smart that of their butterfly group, it’s the 200 the place they actually discover their groove. Final season, Rose and Jett gave the Golden Bears a 2-5 end within the occasion, with Jett clocking 1:39.72 for fifth. Jett’s been sooner than that; he swam 1:39.27 in 2023, so he’s able to shifting up.

When it comes to who they’re bringing in, Mazellier will possible develop the 100 fly as his third occasion along with the 50/100 freestyle as he adjusts to yards racing. Huang is a flexible swimmer so it’s troublesome to foretell the place he’ll select to place his focus, however he may add extra depth to the 100 fly for the Golden Bears.

Moreover, multi-time DIII champion Frank Applebaum is utilizing his fifth yr of eligibility in Berkeley. Applebaum’s specialty is the 200 fly (1:43.39) although he will even add depth to the IM group.

IM: ★★★

Lasco additionally leads the cost for the Bears within the IMs. He owns the American file within the 200-yard IM, which he lowered to 1:37.91 final season as he claimed his first NCAA title within the occasion after a 3rd place and a pair of runner-up finishes.

Behind Lasco, Sean Swift and Matt Jensen have been Cal’s subsequent quickest IMers. Each swam lifetime bests at Pac-12s, hitting 1:43.74 and 1:44.44. Kopp joined them below 1:45 with a 1:44.95 and the Cal vs. Stanford twin meet.

Kopp was their quickest 400 IMer courtesy of the lifetime greatest 3:40.90 that he swam in prelims of 2024 NCAAs, qualifying for the ‘B’ last and ending Fifteenth. He was Cal’s solely swimmer within the 400 IM final season in addition to the mile as they managed the lack of Hugo Gonzalez.

Jones targeted on different occasions throughout his freshman season with the Bears, however along with his backstroke/mid-distance freestyle prowess, he owns lifetime bests of 1:45.51/3:47.55 within the IMs, which it’s simple to see him decreasing given the enhancements he’s made in his different occasions. Then, there’s sophomore Humberto Najera, who has been 1:46.03/3:46.13 within the IMs, the latter of which he posted throughout his freshman yr at Cal.

Zachary Tan (1:46.77/3:48.84) neared his lifetime bests in a number of occasions as he received the 2024 King of The Pool pentathlon. Tan’s versatility may imply that we see him in just one IM occasion somewhat than each, however early indicators level to him being somebody able to bringing actual power to this group. BOTR recruit Carter Lancaster joins the IM group this season with lifetime bests of 1:45.02/3:46.55, including much-needed firepower to this group.

General, it is a weaker IM crew than we’ve seen Cal discipline at NCAAs in current seasons as they rebuild after the departures of Gonzalez and Jason Louser, however Lasco’s return boosts them. It’s nonetheless a bunch able to scoring at NCAAs and one which in all probability suffers from being in contrast instantly with the a number of five-star disciplines Cal boasts.

DIVING: ★★

Whereas they don’t have essentially the most formidable diving crew within the NCAA, this self-discipline is now not Cal’s weak hyperlink.

As a freshman in 2023, Joshua Thai scored Cal’s first NCAA championship diving factors since 2008, incomes three factors with a 14th-place end on platform. Final yr, Thai improved to tenth place, and he bought firm from freshman Geoffrey Vavitsas, who made it two NCAA diving-scorers for Cal with a fifth place end on platform.

Diving could also be Cal’s space of weak point, but it surely’s an space they’ve improved on each season below diving head coach Pei Lin, who’s getting into her third season in Berkeley.

RELAYS: ★★★★★

Word that the grading system doesn’t align completely for relays as double factors.

Relay grading system:

• 5 star (★★★★★) – 31+ factors per relay occasion
• 4 star (★★★★) – 22-30 relay factors per occasion
• 3 star (★★★) – 12-21 relay factors per occasion
• 2 star (★★) – 5-11 relay factors per occasion
• 1 star (★) – 0-4 relay factors per occasion

Cal was wonderful within the relays final yr as all 5 relays earned top-four finishes and they’re well-positioned to equal that success this season. In 2023, they missed out on profitable a relay title, which appeared to sting at the same time as they went back-to-back as nationwide champions. They rectified that on night time one in 2024 by shocking for the win within the 800 freestyle relay and charging to an NCAA file of 6:02.26.

All 4 members of that relay—Jett (1:30.32), Lasco (1:29.60), Alexy (1:30.50), and Hanson (1:31.84)—return this season to defend their crown. Their third place 400 freestyle relay (2:44.46) the place Lasco and Alexy teamed with Seeliger and Jensen are all again in Cal caps this season too.

Bell is the one piece that Cal has to switch on their relays. In 2024, he swam breaststroke on the medley relays, posting the quickest 50 breaststroke break up in historical past (22.25) and the fifth-fastest 100 breast (49.70). That’s a troublesome act to comply with, however Cal’s bought blazing velocity on the remainder of the medley relay legs that may hold them within the coronary heart of the motion even when they aren’t getting historic instances from their breaststroker. Bell additionally break up 18.46 on the Golden Bears’ 200 freestyle relay.

Changing Bell, notably for the breaststroke, is crucial factor for Cal to do. In any other case, their relays are in unbelievable form. After Macguire McDuff’s departure from Florida, Cal is arguably the college that’s in the most effective form on the subject of performing properly throughout all 5 relays, which could possibly be the deciding issue towards the opposite high 4 groups within the league for the NCAA title.

Whole Stars: 27/40

2024-25 OUTLOOK:

This received’t be a shock, however Cal’s outlook for the 2024-25 season is superb. Sure, there’s nonetheless an excellent query about Tomac’s eligibility, however even with out the French backstroke star, Cal might be proper in the midst of the battle for the NCAA championship come March.

Reloading with Lasco, Alexy, Seeliger, Jett, and Rose brings the Golden Bears a ton of particular person factors and varieties the premise of the strongest relay crews within the nation. Plus, they’ve introduced in one other sturdy recruiting class.

The search for the NCAA title in March is probably extra open than it’s been on the lads’s facet in a number of seasons. Amidst all of the groups making an attempt to rebuild, discover that lacking piece, or put all of it collectively for the primary time in a long time, Cal is the confirmed contender, this system that has proven time and again it is aware of get it carried out.

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