Column by John Lohn
CRANBURY, New Jersey, March 15. ONE of my recent assignments for Swimming World was to pick the order of finish for the upcoming NCAA Men's Championships, slated for Ohio State in a little less than two weeks. Ultimately, the championship pick was Texas, with Arizona, Auburn, Stanford and California rounding out the top five. The sixth through tenth spots were selected to go to Michigan, Florida, Virginia, Georgia and Ohio State.
To be honest, with these picks being required a couple months back to meet deadline requirements, I like Georgia ahead of Virginia and could see Ohio State moving ahead of the Cavaliers as well. We'll see soon. But in terms of the top seven finishes, I'll stick with my guns, believing that Texas is too loaded and Arizona will recover from a subpar showing at the Pac-10 Champs with a stellar showing.
This week, since this is my last column before the NCAA Champs get under way, I'll take a shot at picking the top three individual finishers in each event. It won't be an easy task in a number of events, but why not give it a run. Hey, it should make for some lively debate.
50 Freestyle
Jimmy Feigen, Texas
Nathan Adrian, California
Gideon Louw, Auburn
Comment: Just a hunch that Feigen captures first NCAA title.
100 Freestyle
Nathan Adrian, California
Jimmy Feigen, Texas
Gideon Louw, Auburn
Comment: A reversal of the finish in the 50 free between Adrian and Feigen.
200 Freestyle
Ricky Berens, Texas
Shaune Fraser, Florida
Jean Basson, Arizona
Comment: Texas' Dave Walters is a wild card in this one. Fraser is the reigning champ.
500 Freestyle
Jean Basson, Arizona
Scott Jostes, Texas
Troy Prinsloo, Georgia
Comment: South African defends his title with Jostes delivering strong showing for Longhorns.
1650 Freestyle
Chad La Tourette, Stanford
Troy Prinsloo, Georgia
Jackson Wilcox, Texas
Comment: Top two appear in command over rest of the field.
100 Backstroke
Hill Taylor, Texas
Eugene Godsoe, Stanford
Pascal Wollach, Auburn
Comment: Taylor rises from third in 2009 to take title.
200 Backstroke
Tyler Clary, Michigan
Cory Chitwood, Arizona
Omar Pinzon, Florida
Comment: After year away while recovering from injury, Chitwood has big showing.
100 Breaststroke
Damir Dugonjic, California
Adam Klein, Auburn
Marcus Titus, Arizona
Comment: Dugonjic not winning would be a surprise.
200 Breaststroke
Scott Spann, Texas
Sean Mahoney, California
Adam Klein, Auburn
Comment: Thinking Spann performs like the 2008 Olympic finalist he was.
100 Butterfly
Tyler McGill, Auburn
Tom Shields, California
Eugene Godsoe, Stanford
Comment: Absence of Austin Staab opens the door for competitive battle for top spot.
200 Butterfly
Mark Dylla, Georgia
Shaune Fraser, Florida
Dan Madwed, Michigan
Comment: Dylla and Fraser switch positions from last year's finish.
200 Individual Medley
Tyler Clary, Michigan
Ricky Berens, Texas
Shaune Fraser, Florida
Comment: Wolverines standout takes the first of three victories.
400 Individual Medley
Tyler Clary, Michigan
Gal Nevo, Georgia Tech
Jack Brown, Arizona
Comment: Went with the chalk. Feel good about Clary, but open after that.
200 Freestyle Relay
Auburn
California
Texas
Comment: Auburn has been dominant in the sprints for years and there's no reason to believe this season will be any different.
400 Freestyle Relay
Texas
Auburn
California
Comment: The Longhorns close out their NCAA championship with win in last relay.
800 Freestyle Relay
Texas
Arizona
Michigan
Comment: Arizona makes a big jump from eighth seed, which is misleading.
200 Medley Relay
Auburn
California
Stanford
Comment: Sprint relays have been domain of the Tigers.
400 Medley Relay
California
Texas
Auburn
Comment: Very tough relay to call. Won't be surprised by anything that goes down here.
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March 15, 2010 So no individual podiums for the Brits! Submitted by: Taxiandbank
March 15, 2010 list seems a bit biased so ill create my own biased one...
50 Freestyle
Nathan Adrian, California
Graeme Moore, California
Josh Daniels, Cal
Comment: Just a hunch that Adrian captures NCAA title.
100 Freestyle
Nathan Adrian, California
Graeme Moore, Cal
Josh Daniels, Cal
Comment: There is actually a tie for third between daniels and daniels
200 Freestyle
Tom Shields, Cal
Shaune Fraser, Florida
Jean Basson, Arizona
Comment: Texas' Dave Walters is a wild card in this one. Fraser is the reigning champ. Shields pulls off greatest double ever.
500 Freestyle
Jean Basson, Zona
Isaac Howell, Cal
Scott Jostes, Texas
Comment: Only event Cal does not win but Howell swims great.
1650 Freestyle
Isaac Howell, Cal
Peter Tragitt, Cal
Aaron Casey, Cal
Comment: Tragitt gets second from heat one and watches finals from the stands.
100 Backstroke
Guy Barnea, Cal
Mathias Gydesen, Cal
Peter Davis, Cal
Comment: Bears dominate.
200 Backstroke
Aaron Casey, Cal
Guy Barnea, Cal
Tyler Clarey, Michigan
Comment: After year away while recovering from injury, Chitwood gets 4th.
100 Breaststroke
Damir Dugonjic, California
Sean Mahoney, Cal
Martti Aljand, Cal
Comment: Dugonjic not winning would be a surprise unless it were by another bear.
200 Breaststroke
Sean Mahoney, California
Nolan Koon, California
Nick Ferrif, Auburn
Comment: Thinking Ferrif performs like the 2008 Olympic finalist he was.
100 Butterfly
Nathan Adrian, Cal
Tom Shields, California
Graeme Moore, Cal
Comment: Absence of Austin Staab opens the door for competitive battle for top spot.
200 Butterfly
Thomas Shields, Cal
Peter Davis, Cal
Robert Sullivan, Cal
Comment: Patrick O'neil will be in the stands chearing
200 Individual Medley
Martin Liivamagi, Cal
Scott Weltz, Davis
Nolan Koon, Cal
Comment: Davis standout takes the silver cuz i went to high school with him.
400 Individual Medley
Ben Hinshaw, Cal
Martin Liivamagi, Cal
Aaron Casey, Cal
Comment: Went with the chalk. Feel good about Hinshaw, but open after that.
200 Freestyle Relay
Cal
Zona
Stan
Comment: Auburn has been dominant in the sprints for years and there's no reason to believe this season will be any different other than the pac ten.
400 Freestyle Relay
Cal
Stan
Texas
Comment: The Longhorns close out their NCAA championship with a bronze in last relay.
800 Freestyle Relay
Cal
Stan
Zona
Comment: 800 relays have always been domain of pac ten... USC will be forth and zona states time from pac tens would be 5th due to DQs
200 Medley Relay
California
Stanford
Zona
Comment: Sprint relays have been domain of the pac ten. top three all go under the record.
400 Medley Relay
California
Stanford
Zona
Comment: Very tough relay to call. Won't be surprised by anything that goes down here. Submitted by: onehandtoucher
March 15, 2010 WTF? I thought the point of posting a comment was that you had something important to say. Not running off on one. Submitted by: medina
March 15, 2010 Although it was a bit over the top, it was entertaining. I think we get the point that John Lohn is REASONABLY predicting good swims by the Texas team... Albeit some of them are quite absurd ya gotta be biased in some way when ur making predictions outside of pure statistical data. Some will happen but likely not so much in Texas' favor.
But seriously on Cal's 1650 prediction by onehandtoucher LOL. Submitted by: elixirnova
March 15, 2010 You da man, one hand toucher! If only we could join forces . . . Submitted by: Justin Pollard
March 16, 2010 LOVE the old school Tragitt reference! Go Bears! Submitted by: jimrude
March 16, 2010 was wondering how many people would get that. Submitted by: onehandtoucher
March 19, 2010 Love the old school reference " Hook em Horns" By the way there American horns. Submitted by: swimfan3
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions
of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
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