2022 NCAA Men’s Championship: Max McHugh Second Ever to Break 50 in 100 Breaststroke Prelims

Photo Courtesy: Luke Jamroz Photography

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2022 NCAA Men’s Championship: Max McHugh Breaks 50 in 100 Breaststroke Prelims

The 2022 NCAA Men’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships continued on Day 3 from the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech with the 100-yard breaststroke prelims.

The top seed heading into the meet was NCAA defending champion Max McHugh of Minnesota (50.58). The senior is the defending champion in both breaststroke events. He didn’t disappoint as he was the lone swimmer in the field to break 50 seconds in the prelims. In fact he was the second swimmer to ever break the 50-second barrier in the event.

The NCAA and American record is 49.69 set by Indiana’s Ian Finnerty in 2018 and McHugh put himself in position to challenge that mark in tonight’s finals.

In the final heat defending champion Max McHugh went a 48.95, the only swimmer under 50 seconds, just a couple of tenths away from the NCAA and American record.

Cal’s Liam Bell had a huge performance from Lane 8, going a 50.66 to win the fourth heat just ahead of Texas’ Caspar Corbeau. Bell’s mark broke the school record.

In the next heat, Cal’s Reece Whitley pulled away to win the heat in 50.87 and hold off Alabama’s Derek Maas, the SEC champion, as both swimmers made the final.

Cal put two up and Texas had one, which could be big in the team race, which continues to heat up between the two teams.

Meanwhile, a swim-off was required for the B final as Virginia Tech junior AJ Pouch and Louisville junior Denis Petrashov tied for 16th at 51.92.

In the swim off, Pouch had a narrow lead after the first 50. He continued his lead and pulled away in the final yards, touching in 51.92, the exact time that he swam earlier in prelims. Petrashov finished in 52.44.

The NCAA Finalists

1. Max McHugh, Minnesota, 49.95
2. Liam Bell, Cal, 50.66
3. Caspar Corbeau, Texas, 50.77
4. Reece Whitley, Cal, 50.87
5. Derek Maas, Alabama, 51.15
6. Dillon Hillis, Florida, 51.27
7. Trent Pellini, USC, 51.33
8. Jarel Dillard, Tennessee, 51.40

Event 11  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         Meet: M 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
     American: A 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
   U. S. Open: O 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         Pool: P 51.13  2/18/2022 Evgenii Somov, Louisville
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 McHugh, Max            SR Minnesota                      49.95P 
    r:+0.68  23.50        49.95 (26.45)
  2 Bell, Liam             JR California                     50.66P 
    r:+0.63  23.43        50.66 (27.23)
  3 Corbeau, Caspar        JR Texas                          50.77P 
    r:+0.63  23.77        50.77 (27.00)
  4 Whitley, Reece         SR California                     50.87P 
    r:+0.71  23.84        50.87 (27.03)
  5 Maas, Derek            JR Alabama                        51.15  
    r:+0.69  23.97        51.15 (27.18)
  6 Hillis, Dillon         SR Florida                        51.27  
    r:+0.65  24.04        51.27 (27.23)
  7 Pellini, Trent         5Y USC                            51.33  
    r:+0.69  23.75        51.33 (27.58)
  8 Dillard, Jarel         SR Tennessee                      51.40  
    r:+0.61  23.91        51.40 (27.49)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
  9 Benzing, Brian         SO Towson                         51.47  
    r:+0.61  23.97        51.47 (27.50)
 10 Fallon, Matt           FR Penn                           51.51  
    r:+0.64  24.38        51.51 (27.13)
 11 Somov, Evgenii         5Y Louisville                     51.52  
    r:+0.68  24.15        51.52 (27.37)
 12 Houseman, Kevin        JR Northwestern                   51.69  
    r:+0.58  23.94        51.69 (27.75)
 12 Mikuta, Reid           SO Auburn                         51.69  
    r:+0.63  24.12        51.69 (27.57)
 14 Pumputis, Caio         5Y GT                             51.70  
    r:+0.65  24.10        51.70 (27.60)
 15 Bottelberghe, Josh     SR Notre Dame                     51.74  
    r:+0.69  24.05        51.74 (27.69)
 16 Pouch, AJ              JR VT                             51.92  
    r:+0.66  24.53        51.92 (27.39)
 16 Petrashov, Denis       JR Louisville                     51.92  
    r:+0.74  24.44        51.92 (27.48)
 Swim-Off Required ----------------------------------------------
 18 Raisanen, Daniel       JR Penn St                        51.96  
    r:+0.66  24.31        51.96 (27.65)

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