Hiya, everybody and welcome again for one more NCAA digest for this thrilling 2024-25 season. It was one other busy week throughout all three divisions–let’s get into it.
Kirabo Namutebi Breaks 50 Freestyle DII Report
The quick swims simply hold coming this season. Final week, we noticed the primary division file of the season, due to UIndy’s Kirabo Namutebi. The sophomore broke her ladies’s 50 freestyle Division II file, swimming a 22.03 at a tri-meet towards Division I opponents Jap Illinois and Butler (which the Greyhounds swept).
Namutebi set the earlier file at 22.08 when she gained the DII NCAA title within the occasion. Earlier than that, the file was owned by then-UIndy fifth-year Johanna Buys, from her title-winning swim the earlier 12 months.
Namutebi ranks because the sixth-fastest swimmer within the NCAA this season. By breaking this file earlier than the mid-season invitations, Namutebi has made it an actual chance that she might carry the DII file to sub-22 seconds.
On the identical meet, 400 IM Olympic finalist Cedric Buessing took down his faculty file within the 200 backstroke, clocking 1:42.85.
Twin Meet Attendance Continues To Rise
In the course of the 2022-23 season, Texas was one of many first colleges to observe the lead that Howard set with the inaugural version of the Battle of the Burr in October 2022. Later within the season, Texas drew a file 1,127 followers to a January twin meet with bells and whistles that included a lightweight present and a go to from the varsity mascot.
In the course of the second session of their Nov. 1 twin meet with Indiana, the Longhorns surpassed that twin meet attendance file, bringing in 1,265 followers as they as soon as once more pulled out all of the stops to pack the stands and set a brand new twin meet attendance file. (The crowds have been rewarded with quick swims—extra on that later.)
As we head into a brand new period of school swimming, it’s develop into more and more vital for Olympic sports activities like swimming to indicate that they’ll flip a revenue for his or her athletics departments and present that individuals need to watch their sport. One of the vital apparent methods for faculty swim groups to try this is thru growing twin meet attendance. As extra colleges have purchased into the concept of constructing twin meets as entertaining as potential for a fan base past the largest swim nerds on the market, we’ve seen every faculty put its personal spin on the duty.
This season alone, LSU hosted a cannonball competitors, ASU had a beer backyard at their Oct. 4 twin meet, and UGA is selling their upcoming Nov. 8 twin meet towards NC State as a “Swimpalooza” with promotions like commemorative t-shirts, meals, and face portray.
The group for the Indiana vs. Texas dal meet is the most important we’ve seen for a school twin meet this season, however it definitely isn’t the primary attendance file. Wisconsin broke its attendance file with 968 followers at their meet towards Minnesota, and Minnesota broke its twin meet attendance file when 1,058 followers confirmed out for the Golden Gophers’ meet towards Military. Each have been stops on swim-influencer Kyle Sockwell’s twin meet tour—the aim of which is to set attendance information and assist the trouble to reenergize faculty twin meets.
With 1,058 followers, Minnesota joins Howard, Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Military as colleges which have hosted a twin meet with over 1,000 followers within the final three seasons.
Colleges like Howard and UConn are having success getting folks to attend common season meets even with out setting information. Howard had 1,058 followers on the third Battle of the Burr and the occasion was utterly bought out earlier than the day arrived. UConn bought out their meet towards Sacred Coronary heart and Southern Connecticut State College.
This season, Minnesota, Howard, and Texas have all hosted over 1,000 followers for a twin meet—matching the whole variety of packages that had at the least 1,000 followers attend a twin meet final season. And, very like we’ve been saying concerning the quick swims we’ve seen this season, it’s solely November.
What Did We Be taught From Indiana vs. Texas?
Okay, it’s time to speak concerning the precise swimming on the Indiana vs. Texas twin meet. The Longhorns swept the meet—however every thing modifications within the championship format. What did this meet really inform us about these two groups?
In fact, every thing modifications for the Texas males now that Chris Guiliano is becoming a member of them. Popping out of the meet, it appeared like Texas had proved that they may beat Florida at NCAAs for the #3 spot behind Cal and Indiana, however Guiliano’s addition arguably vaults them into the title dialog.
However leaving that apart for the second, one of many issues that stood out to me concerning the meet was what number of much less recognizable names swam nicely. Freshman Garrett Gould swam two 50 free PBs in in the future, getting all the way down to 19.53. Different freshmen went private bests as nicely, with Cooper Lucas swimming 1:43.35 within the 200 fly and Landon D’Ariano hitting 1:46.00 within the 200 IM. Logan Walker matched Gould with two private bests (100 fly, 46.45/200 fly, 1:41.70), and Will Scholtz swam 1:52.80 for PB within the 200 breast.
Sure, stars like David Johnston, Luke Hobson, and Hubert Kos went quick. Rex Maurer popped 4 lifetime bests (100 free, 42.83/200 free, 1:32.13/500 free, 4:11.20/1000 free, 8:44.62). Nate Germonprez, who the Longhorns requested lots of in his freshman 12 months, swam two lifetime bests (100 breast, 51.60/200 breast, 1:53.60). However their “next-tier” of fellows having success below Bob Bowman in his first 12 months with this system is big for them, particularly this early within the season. Whereas none of their instances final week would rating 2024 NCAAs, there’s loads of season left for them to get nearer to the cuts.
It’s going to be arduous to crack the Longhorns’ postseason rosters, however it takes greater than a few stars to win convention and nationwide titles; that “subsequent tier” of swimmers is essential for selecting up these little factors that add up. And the truth that these guys are responding so nicely so early is a vital a part of rebuilding Texas right into a long-term NCAA title contender, with or with out Guiliano.
For the Texas ladies, it’s clear that Emma Sticklen is the anchor of this staff. She led the best way once more for the Longhorns as they beat Indiana, swimming a school-record 49.62 within the 100 fly and breaking 1:50 within the 200 fly for the fourth time in her profession (1:49.99), giving her probably the most sub-1:50 swims of anybody.
Jillian Cox set a program file of 4:34.41 within the 500 freestyle. It’s the redshirt freshman’s second file of the varsity 12 months, and he or she will probably be an vital contributor within the distance occasions. She and fellow freshman Piper Enge will probably be essential to this staff as they appear to defend their runner-up place within the NCAA towards Stanford staff with a ton of momentum. With the lack of Anna Elendt and Lydia Jacoby, Enge goes to be their go-to breaststroker this 12 months and he or she’s performing nicely towards that strain.
Indiana has lots of newcomers on the staff this 12 months and so they continued to shine for the Hoosiers at this meet. Sophomore switch Miranda Grana has been lights out in her main backstroke occasions this season; she clocked 51.04 within the 100 again (sooner than NCAAs) and a 1:50.50 lifetime greatest within the 200 again at this meet. On the lads’s facet, Zalan Sarkany and Owen McDonald have been two key items; Sarkany misplaced an in depth race within the 1000 free to Johnston, swimming 8:39.44, whereas McDonald swam 1:38.13 within the 200 again to beat Kos by .01 second.
Returners Kristina Paegle (50 free, 21.92/100 free, 48.11), Anna Peplowski (200 free, 1:43.48), Jassen Yep (200 breast, 1:51.94, Josh Matheny (200 breast, 1:52.28) and Finn Brooks (50 free, 19.25) swam nicely too, including a optimistic for the Hoosiers.
Head coach Ray Looze spoke to SwimSwam after the second session of the meet. Looze spoke about attempting to get on the appropriate facet of the shut finishes in the course of the second session, in addition to the lads’s staff rebounding after a slew of DQs within the 200 medley relay to open the second session. Looze shared they got here to the meet for elite-level competitors. They bought it, and it feels like they realized classes it was vital to be taught now, in November, slightly than March.
Odds & Ends
Extra 200 Fly Intrigue: The 200 fly has been one of the crucial thrilling occasions via the early a part of the NCAA season, with swimmers like Sticklen, Ilya Kharun, and Luca Urlando placing up speedy in-season instances. Throughout Minnesota’s twin meet loss to Wisconsin (their first lack of the season) freshman Jacob Johnson broke the 200 fly program file for the second time this season. After first setting it at 1:42.41 in October. Final weekend, he lowered it to 1:41.70, which can also be a brand new private greatest. Additional south, Josh Liendo tried on the 200-yard fly for the primary time in his faculty profession. He clocked an NCAA ‘B’ 1:43.51 even after the piano fell with 50 yards to go (23.58/26.06/26.31/27.56).
Gretchen Walsh At It Once more: At Virginia’s meet towards Auburn, the staff’s first yards meet of the season, Gretchen Walsh was her common self, swimming quick seemingly each time and wherever. She logged the quickest 50 free in a twin meet in historical past (20.84), which is the primary time anybody’s been sub-20.90 outdoors of the postseason or a midseason invite. She did the identical within the 100 fly, swimming 48.43 for the fourth-fastest official time in historical past and her fourth time below Kate Douglass’ 48.46 from 2023, then an NCAA file.
Down To The Final Relay: And at last, let’s shut out with two meets that have been as shut as they may get. The Northeastern ladies launched a comeback in the course of the second half of their meet towards UConn, which was sufficient to edge forward of the Huskies for the win, 151-149. Ohio State did the identical—down towards Virginia Tech after nearly two days of competitors, the Buckeyes gained the 400 free relay, giving them the meet win by some extent, 177-176.
