NCAA Division I Men's Championships: California Crushes Competition to Win 400 Medley Relay -- March 24, 2011
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, March 24. BY the time Nathan Adrian entered the water, it was just a matter of how fast, not if California would win the 400-yard medley relay at the NCAA Division I Men's Championships.
The foursome of Guy Barnea, Damir Dugonjic, Tom Shields and Adrian put up a 3:02.28 to clinch its second straight title. California won last year in 3:02.83 with the same quartet. California has now won the 400 medley relay four times in NCAA history with its two other triumphs coming in 1978 (3:18.26) and 1979 (3:15.22).
Texas' Cole Cragin, Scott Spann, Neil Caskey and Jimmy Feigen raced to second in 3:06.10, while Stanford's Matthew Swanston, John Criste, Austin Staab and Alex Coville earned third in 3:06.52.
Florida (3:06.81), Ohio State (3:08.19), Arizona (3:08.35), Virginia (3:09.42) and UNLV (3:10.94) also competed for the title.
Auburn's Kyle Owens, Stuart Ferguson, Adam Brown and Kohlton Norys turned in a lightning-fast time of 3:06.76 to win the B final, while Tennessee (3:07.43), USC (3:09.26), Louisville (3:09.30), Michigan (3:09.47), Georgia (3:09.97), Minnesota (3:11.35) and North Carolina (3:11.46) comprised the rest of the consolation heat.
Texas ended day one with a slight lead in front of Stanford, 139 to 136. California stood in striking distance with a third-place 134, while Auburn owned fourth with 110.5 points. Arizona completed the top five with 99 points. Virginia (74), Florida (70), USC (62), Michigan (57) and Texas A&M (49) held sixth through 10th heading into the second day of competition.
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