2015 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championship: Two NCAA titles for Cal on Friday but Texas tightened grip on 1st

The Golden Bears had a strong day on Day 2 of the 2015 NCAA Men's Swimming Diving Championships in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, claiming a NCAA relay title in 200 medley and an individual title in 100 Back by sophomore Ryan Murphy.

Unfortunately, the Texas Longhorns qualified 6 swimmers in the 100 Fly Final and then went on to go top 4. That one event basically clinched the team title for them. Golden Bears are a distant second at 399 to 275. Texas basically has to DQ in all of their races for the Bears to close the gap.

Nevertheless, Day 3 provides plenty more opportunities for Golden Bears to win individual and relay titles. Murphy will defend his title in the 200 Back.

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Here are your links to view this meet online:

Prelims starts at 9 AM PT, Finals starts at 5 PM PT

Possible alternative link to the Iowa Hawkeyes broadcasts: here

Friday Finals are now available on demand on WatchESPN

Saturday Prelims:  Iowa Hawkeyes Website

Saturday Finals: WatchESPN

Live results: Meet Results

My meet preview, including explanation on the scoring: CGB

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200 Medley Relay

Bears made a big statement to start Day 2 when they set an American Record during the prelim on the way to claim the top seed. In the final, the Bears jumped out to a great start with the chance to set the record again. However, the Bears were super super conservative in their handoffs, timing in at 0.33, 0.44, and 0.30 rather than the morning's 0.30, 0.26, 0.16 to just easily win the relay title without better their morning's time.

1 California                    1:22.40    1:22.74         40  
     1) Murphy, Ryan SO               2) r:+0.33 Katis, Chuck SR      
     3) r:+0.44 Lynch, Justin FR      4) r:+0.30 Messerschmidt,yler JR
             10.23        20.64 (20.64)
          30.72 (10.08)       43.43 (22.79)
           52.95 (9.52)     1:04.06 (20.63)
         1:12.81 (8.75)     1:22.74 (18.68)

Texas was 3rd in this event.

400 IM

Two Golden Bears in Josh Prenot and Adam Hinshaw made the A-Final of this race. The title was expected to be a showdown between Stanford's David Nolan, Texas's Will Licon (who has recently really stepped up his swim), and Prenot. Nolan was ahead but eventually surpassed by Licon. Prenot finished 3rd while Hinshaw faded bad to finish 8th.

100 Fly

The 2015 NCAA team title win to Texas will be remembered by this race. A very impressive 6 Longhorns made the A-Finals and they went 1-2-3-4-6-8 with Jose Schooling, a freshman from Singapore, with the title.

Cal senior Seth Stubblefield just missed out on qualifying in the A-Final. He finished 4th in the B-Final.

200 Free

Trent Williams represented the Bears in the A-Final and finished 5th. Long Gutierrez represented the Bears in the B-Final and finished 4th. The race was won by USC's Christian Quintero.

100 Breast

Cal senior Chuck Katis had the top time in the prelim. There was optimism that he may be able to unseat Arizona senior Kevin Cordes who has won this event his 3 previous year and was going for a career sweep. Katis had a great swim but was never in a position to push Cordes who won for the 4th consecutive year. Katis actually finished 3rd behind Georgia's Fink.

100 Back

Following the same script as the last couple of races, the defending champ reign supreme as Ryan Murphy easily won the 100 Back title again, it's 2 for 2 for the sophomore.

1 Murphy, Ryan     SO California          45.24      44.21         20  
             21.40        44.21 (22.81)

Fellow Bear, Jacbo Pebley finished 7th in the B-Final.

3 meter diving

No Golden Bears and Texas again got one diver in A and one in B to finish 5th and 16th. Miami's Samuel Dorman got the win over former Longhorn now Hoosier Michael Hixon.

800 Free Relay

Freestyle is not the strength of the Bears this year, but the squad of Trent WIlliams, Long Gutierrez, Jacob Pebley, and Will Hamilton still managed to post the 6th best time. USC won this race over NC State.

Team standings (at the end of Day 2)

1. Texas 399
2. California 275
3. Michigan 210
4. Florida 205
5. Southern Cali 197
6. Stanford 156

Day 3 Schedule:

1650-yard freestyle (fastest heat)
200-yard back
100-yard free
200-yard breast
200-yard fly
Platform diving
400-yard free relay

I don't believe the Bears have anyone for 1650 Free this year (that was such a turning point in the team championship fight last year when the Bears got a great and somewhat unexpected swim by then senior Jeremy Bagshaw). Bears will have a freshman diver for platform, however.

200 Back is the most likely win for the Bears as Ryan Murphy will try to defend that titles. Josh Prenot and Chuck Katis may be able to pull out some magic to win the 200 Breast.

List of Cal NCAA Titles at the 2015 Men's Swimming and Diving Championships

• 200 Medley Relay - 1:22.74 (Ryan Murphy, Chuck Katis, Justin Lynch, and Tyler Messerschmidt)
• 100 Back - 44.21 Ryan Murphy

List of Records set by Cal Swimmers at the 2015 Men's Swimming and Diving Championships

• 200 Medley Relay - American Record - 1:22.40 (Ryan Murphy, Chuck Katis, Justin Lynch, and Tyler Messerschmidt) - set during the 200 Medley Relay prelim
• 100 Back - NCAA Record - 44.17 Ryan Murphy, set leading off the 400 medley relay final
• 400 Medley Relay - American Record - 3.01.60 (Ryan Murphy, Chuck Katis, Justin Lynch, and Seth Stubblefield) - set during the 400 Medley Relay final but was beaten by Texas' NCAA and US Open Record swim

Let's add to these lists today! ROLL ON YOU BEARS!

GO BEARS!