5 Races To Watch: Men’s Conference Championships Edition
After months of buildup, we’ve finally arrived.
Championship season has begun in the college swimming world, with the Power 4 conferences’ meets beginning this week. College swimming’s greatest stars and top rivalries will be front and center, a celebration of the sport. In anticipation of the meets, here are five men’s races to watch.
Men’s 100 Back – SEC Championships
Many factors make the championship season special, from the incredibly close races, to the pageantry surrounding the meet. But one of the biggest highlights is something that SEC Championships has routinely produced: Broken records. Four current collegiate records were posted at last year’s SEC Championships, and more could go this February.
One of the biggest contenders to see a record broken will be the 100 backstroke, with multiple contenders not far off. Texas’s Will Modglin (43.26) will be the favorite, as he was just .06 off the NCAA record at the Longhorns’ midseason meet. He’ll have to fend off the record holder himself, however, as fellow Longhorn Hubert Kos (44.48) looks to win his first SEC championship. Georgia’s Ruard Van Renen (43.92) is not to be counted out after experiencing a breakout season in his junior year.
Add Florida’s Jonny Marshall to the mix and the 100 backstroke is a can’t-miss event.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke – ACC Championships
The 200 breaststroke stands out as one of the most tightly-contested events in the country. The fastest and sixth-fastest times sit just a second apart, signaling an ultra-competitive event come NCAAs.
Three of the top competitors will face off at the ACC Championships, potentially giving us an early preview. North Carolina’s Ben Delmar (1:49.26) enters as the top seed and is ranked second in the nation. But Cal’s Yamato Okadome (1:50.04) isn’t far behind, and was the ACC runnerup a year ago. Watch out for Stanford’s Daniel Li (1:50.79), who is looking to reach the podium after last year’s sixth-place finish.
Men’s 100 Butterfly – SEC Championships
From the raucous atmosphere to the stakes at hand for respective teams, conference championships can be a lot to handle. The 100 butterfly will feature swimmers used to that pressure, however, with two Olympians facing off.
Florida’s Josh Liendo (43.42) has continued to make waves for the University of Florida this season, as he is ranked second in the country after winning the NCAA title a year ago. But Georgia’s Luca Urlando (43.47) will look to challenge the sprinter, in a rematch of their tight race from November. Will third-ranked Urlando get his revenge?
Men’s 200 Back – Big 12 Championships
The 200 backstroke is an event that looks to be tightly contested at the upcoming Big 12 Champs, with just a second separating the first and fifth seeds.
Arizona State’s J.T Ewing (1:39.00) currently sits as the favorite, as he is ranked second in the country. Arizona freshman Alex Desangles (1:39.11) sits just .11 behind, while ASU grad student Adam Chaney (1:39.59) could be a wild card if he chooses to swim the event. Chaney is best known for his 100 backstroke ability, where he is a two-time SEC champion.
Men’s 50 Freestyle – SEC Championships
The quickest race in all of college swimming is always a must-see event. This year’s race in the SEC stands out especially, with the margin between the top competitors razor thin.
Liendo (18.40), who was the runnerup at NCAAs a year ago, will duel with Tennessee’s Gui Caribe (18.47), who has enjoyed a sensational season for the Volunteers. LSU’s Jere Hribar (18.75) and Missouri’s Luke Nebrich (18.75) could also be in the mix.
