NCAA Men’s Championships: Arizona State Caps Meet with 400 Freestyle Title, Sun Devils Fourth Relay Crown
Last month, Arizona State University punctuated the Big 12 Championships in style, as the quartet of Ilya Kharun, Adam Chaney, Remi Fabiani and Jonny Kulow blasted an NCAA record in the 400-yard freestyle relay. On Saturday night at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, that same foursome capped the NCAA Championships with the third-fastest performance in history.
Fueled by four superb legs, Arizona State registered a time of 2:42.38, which was comfortably ahead of the 2:43.31 effort produced by North Carolina State for second place. Placing sixth was the University of Texas, which wrapped up its second straight NCAA team title, and the 17th in program history. All the Longhorns had to do was avoid a disqualification, and their safe starts ensured disaster did not strike. Texas totaled 445.5 points for the four-day meet, with Florida placing second with 416 points.
Jumpstarted by Kharun’s leadoff leg of 41.17, the Sun Devils received 40-point splits from their second through fourth legs and were never challenged. ASU’s meet-capping victory was its fourth relay triumph of the meet, complementing previous wins in the 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. Kharun and Chaney were members of every title-winning quartet, while Kulow and Fabiani contributed to three winning relays each. In the team standings, the Sun Devils finished fourth, marking their fifth straight top-six showing.
“That’s why we came here, to win all the relays,” Chaney said. “It’s equally as important as winning the meet overall. Obviously, we got fourth, but it’s nice to come away with all the relays, especially with these guys.”
The sprint group developed by coach Herbie Behm has been nothing short of sensational in the desert, and that skill set was once again on display on Saturday night. The Sun Devils’ time in the last event trailed only their NCAA record and the 2:42.30 by Tennessee at last year’s NCAA Championships. While Kharun, the titlist in the 200 butterfly, will return for his senior year, the other members of the relay were veterans and closed out their college careers.
It would be a tough task for next season’s Sun Devils to replicate the chemistry of this group, a factor just as critical in the relay wins.
“To me, this year’s been special,” Fabiani said. “When I was still in Europe, not knowing what the NCAA really was, I saw Adam swimming in the 50 free final at NCAAs. Seeing Jonny and Ilya win all these races and be part of a championship team, I kind of feel like an imposter being part of that now, too. Being able to share it with these guys, I never really thought I could be part of this. I’m forever grateful.”
Kulow added, “I’ve shared a relay with Ilya for three years now. He’s always been there. These two guys, crazy the bond that we’ve made this year. Actually crazy. I haven’t had anything like it before. Literally just straight love for them. Words can’t describe them. They’re literally family, and I’ve known them for nine months. That’s the kind of guys that they are. That’s the kind of guy Herbie makes.”
Event 21 Men 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
NCAA: N 2:42.15 2/28/2026 Arizona St
I Kharun, A Chaney, R Fabiani, J Kulow
Meet: M 2:42.30 3/29/2025 Tennessee
G Caribe, L Taylor, N Blackman, J Crooks
American: A 2:44.31 3/24/2018 NC State
R Held, J Ress, J Molacek, C Stewart
U. S. Open: O 2:42.15 2/28/2026 Arizona St
I Kharun, A Chaney, R Fabiani, J Kulow
Pool: P 2:42.38 3/28/2026 Arizona St
I Kharun, A Chaney, R Fabiani, J Kulow
School Seed Finals Points
==================================================================================
1 ASU 2:42.15 2:42.38P 40
1) Kharun, Ilya JR 2) r:0.27 Chaney, Adam 5Y
3) r:0.16 Fabiani, Remi 5Y 4) r:0.05 Kulow, Jonny SR
r:+0.62 19.83 41.17 (41.17)
1:00.23 (19.06) 1:22.02 (40.85)
1:40.95 (18.93) 2:02.31 (40.29)
2:21.08 (18.77) 2:42.38 (40.07)
2 NC State 2:43.53 2:43.31 34
1) Fox, Jerry JR 2) r:0.35 McCarty, Quintin JR
3) r:0.20 Williams, Hudson JR 4) r:0.18 Winkler, Kaii SO
r:+0.65 19.70 41.70 (41.70)
1:00.56 (18.86) 1:22.25 (40.55)
1:41.71 (19.46) 2:03.16 (40.91)
2:21.91 (18.75) 2:43.31 (40.15)
3 Florida 2:43.95 2:44.38 32
1) Dilger, Devin SO 2) r:0.13 Painter, Alexander SO
3) r:0.27 Buff, Scotty JR 4) r:0.17 Liendo, Josh SR
r:+0.70 19.82 41.86 (41.86)
1:01.08 (19.22) 1:22.86 (41.00)
1:42.12 (19.26) 2:04.00 (41.14)
2:23.07 (19.07) 2:44.38 (40.38)
4 Tennessee 2:46.00 2:45.09 30
1) Blackman, Nikoli JR 2) r:0.13 Bujak-Upton, Koby FR
3) r:0.25 Sansone, Pedro SO 4) r:0.29 Caribe, Gui SR
r:+0.63 19.52 42.02 (42.02)
1:01.61 (19.59) 1:23.49 (41.47)
1:42.64 (19.15) 2:04.65 (41.16)
2:23.75 (19.10) 2:45.09 (40.44)
5 Michigan 2:47.01 2:45.85 28
1) Eidam, Ole SO 2) r:0.21 Wilkening, Jack SR
3) r:0.27 Ray, Tyler SR 4) r:0.16 Sauve, Antoine FR
r:+0.59 19.86 42.18 (42.18)
1:01.48 (19.30) 1:22.97 (40.79)
1:42.28 (19.31) 2:04.42 (41.45)
2:24.30 (19.88) 2:45.85 (41.43)
6 Texas 2:45.30 2:45.97 26
1) Kos, Hubert SR 2) r:0.30 Gould, Garrett SO
3) r:0.28 Fente-Damers, Rfael FR 4) r:0.35 Peck, Kyle SO
r:+0.60 19.69 41.15 (41.15)
1:00.63 (19.48) 1:22.99 (41.84)
1:42.37 (19.38) 2:04.23 (41.24)
2:23.87 (19.64) 2:45.97 (41.74)
7 Indiana 2:46.51 2:46.26 24
1) McDonald, Owen SR 2) r:0.19 Smiley, Dylan JR
3) r:0.14 Lee, Mikkel JR 4) r:0.38 Knedla, Mira SO
r:+0.56 20.23 42.16 (42.16)
1:01.46 (19.30) 1:23.27 (41.11)
1:42.42 (19.15) 2:04.27 (41.00)
2:24.26 (19.99) 2:46.26 (41.99)
8 California 2:47.56 2:46.59 22
1) Wrede, Martin FR 2) r:0.25 Battaglini, Lucca SO
3) r:0.22 Petty, Evan 5Y 4) r:0.32 Jones, Keaton JR
r:+0.67 20.18 42.37 (42.37)
1:01.95 (19.58) 1:23.67 (41.30)
1:43.01 (19.34) 2:04.90 (41.23)
2:24.94 (20.04) 2:46.59 (41.69)
9 Virginia 2:47.51 2:46.73 18
1) Heilman, Thomas FR 2) r:0.28 Williamson, Maximus FR
3) r:0.21 King, David SO 4) r:0.30 Aikins, Jack SR
r:+0.64 19.93 41.74 (41.74)
1:01.23 (19.49) 1:22.76 (41.02)
1:42.96 (20.20) 2:04.80 (42.04)
2:24.94 (20.14) 2:46.73 (41.93)
10 Pittsburgh 2:47.68 2:47.17 14
1) Koch, Julian SO 2) r:0.14 Belmon, Merlin SR
3) r:0.18 Allison, James FR 4) r:0.21 Vergine, Alan FR
r:+0.63 19.50 40.71 (40.71)
1:00.36 (19.65) 1:22.66 (41.95)
1:42.39 (19.73) 2:05.00 (42.34)
2:24.94 (19.94) 2:47.17 (42.17)
11 Arizona 2:48.86 2:47.66 12
1) Lukminas, Tomas SO 2) r:0.22 Ciufern, Ralph iden SR
3) r:0.12 Hutchinson, Jakey SO 4) r:0.04 Henderson, Orion JR
r:+0.61 20.04 41.57 (41.57)
1:01.26 (19.69) 1:22.96 (41.39)
1:42.86 (19.90) 2:05.45 (42.49)
2:25.01 (19.56) 2:47.66 (42.21)
12 Northwestern 2:48.44 2:47.72 10
1) Seymour, Stuart JR 2) r:0.34 Duncan, Cade JR
3) r:0.19 Schuster, Connor JR 4) r:0.24 Kos, Oliver SO
r:+0.64 19.96 41.79 (41.79)
1:01.37 (19.58) 1:23.02 (41.23)
1:42.70 (19.68) 2:05.44 (42.42)
2:25.52 (20.08) 2:47.72 (42.28)
13 Stanford 2:47.51 2:47.78 8
1) Dupont Cabrera, Andres SR 2) r:0.21 McFadden, Henry JR
3) r:0.14 Gu, Rafael SR 4) r:0.08 Tan, Jonathan JR
r:+0.60 20.26 41.91 (41.91)
1:01.80 (19.89) 1:23.27 (41.36)
1:42.97 (19.70) 2:05.63 (42.36)
2:25.31 (19.68) 2:47.78 (42.15)
14 VT 2:48.10 2:47.96 6
1) Whitfield, Brendan JR 2) r:0.20 Hayon, Will SR
3) r:0.12 Mathew, Tanish orge SR 4) r:0.19 Nunez, Javier FR
r:+0.69 19.56 41.29 (41.29)
1:00.73 (19.44) 1:23.15 (41.86)
1:42.88 (19.73) 2:05.55 (42.40)
2:25.03 (19.48) 2:47.96 (42.41)
15 Louisville 2:48.20 2:48.04 4
1) Sheremet, Nikita FR 2) r:0.18 Brooks, Guy SR
3) r:0.14 Musso, Aidan SO 4) r:0.11 Graham, Rian SO
r:+0.70 20.12 42.25 (42.25)
1:01.90 (19.65) 1:23.64 (41.39)
1:43.30 (19.66) 2:05.74 (42.10)
2:25.54 (19.80) 2:48.04 (42.30)
16 Princeton 2:48.36 2:48.13 2
1) Schott, Mitchell SR 2) r:0.20 Noguchi, Logan FR
3) r:0.21 Tarara, Jake FR 4) r:0.09 Dinu, Patrick SO
r:+0.69 20.66 42.60 (42.60)
1:02.38 (19.78) 1:24.87 (42.27)
1:44.81 (19.94) 2:07.46 (42.59)
2:26.63 (19.17) 2:48.13 (40.67)
