Big 12 Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Jonny Kulow, Albane Cachot Lead 100 Free as Arizona State Closes in on Repeat Sweep
The Arizona State Sun Devils joined the Big 12 Conference prior to the start of last season, and since then, the Sun Devils have dominated the conference in swimming. They are poised to repeat as conference titlists as they hold big leads entering the final day of competition.
The final day of qualifying included the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 breaststroke, with the 1650 freestyle, women’s platform diving and the 400 freestyle relay to come later. ASU picked up the top seeds in three events Saturday morning: Albane Cachot is poised for her third title in the women’s 100 free while Jonny Kulow (100 free) and Andy Dobrzanski (200 breast) sit first in men’s events.
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 33 1. Arizona State University 1227.5 2. University of Arizona 997.5 3. University of Houston 815.5 4. University of Cincinnati 615 5. Texas Christian University 548 6. University of Kansas 547.5 7. University of Utah 530 8. Brigham Young University 402 9. Iowa State University 394 10. West Virginia University 311
Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 34 1. Arizona State University 1373.5 2. University of Arizona 1242.5 3. University of Utah 1058 4. Texas Christian University 752 5. Brigham Young University 653 6. University of Cincinnati 578 7. West Virginia University 501
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Women’s 200 Backstroke
Arizona’s Kayman Neal led the way in the eight-lap backstroke race in a time of 1:54.13, about a second off her seed time of 1:54.13. Neal placed third Friday evening in the 200 back, and the swimmer who touched first in that event will also threaten in the 200. Houston’s Alexia Duncan swam her season best at 1:54.60 to book lane five for the championship heat.
Arizona State, continuing to lead by a healthy margin in the team race, had Gerda Szilagyi place third (1:55.50), but Arizona and Houston each had three total swimmers in the top eight.
Event 35 Women 200 Yard Backstroke
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NCAA D1: ! 1:46.09 2/21/2026 Claire Curzan
American: $ 1:46.09 2/21/2026 Claire Curzan
US Open: & 1:46.09 2/21/2026 Claire Curzan
Big 12: * 1:49.91 3/18/2017 Tasija Karosas, Texas
Meet: # 1:50.09 2/25/2023 Olivia Bray, Texas
NCAA Qualify: A 1:54.80
NCCA Invit25: 1:53.31
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Neal, Kayman SO ARIZ 1:53.05 1:54.13A
r:+0.69 27.54 56.32 (28.78)
1:25.22 (28.90) 1:54.13 (28.91)
2 Duncan, Alexia SO UH 1:55.30 1:54.60A
r:+0.91 26.92 56.00 (29.08)
1:25.64 (29.64) 1:54.60 (28.96)
3 Szilagyi, Gerda SR ASU 1:53.56 1:55.50
r:+0.70 27.07 56.19 (29.12)
1:25.74 (29.55) 1:55.50 (29.76)
4 Armstrong, Paige SR ARIZ 1:56.62 1:56.11
r:+0.67 26.88 56.19 (29.31)
1:26.15 (29.96) 1:56.11 (29.96)
5 Jimenez, Elizabeth JR UH 1:55.73 1:56.25
r:+0.99 27.05 56.19 (29.14)
1:26.04 (29.85) 1:56.25 (30.21)
6 *Smurzynska, Julia FR ARIZ 1:55.44 1:56.44
r:+0.91 27.71 57.05 (29.34)
1:26.81 (29.76) 1:56.44 (29.63)
7 Simoneaux, Rylee FR UH 1:58.43 1:56.84
r:+0.74 27.46 57.09 (29.63)
1:26.92 (29.83) 1:56.84 (29.92)
7 Taber, Paige JR TCU 1:56.59 1:56.84
r:+0.71 27.49 56.70 (29.21)
1:26.78 (30.08) 1:56.84 (30.06)
Men’s 200 Backstroke
The Wildcats finished in pole position in another event as freshman Alex Desangles swam a time of 1:40.00 for the top time by almost two seconds. Desangles was one of three Arizona swimmers to make the final, along with Ryan Hardy (fourth) and Will Meyers (sixth).
Not to be outdone, Arizona State speedster Adam Chaney qualified third in 1:41.82 while teammate JT Ewing, who held the top time in the country in the event at midseason with his 1:39.00, was third in 1:42.79. Cincinnati’s Aiden Gerst (third, 1:42.36) is also among the top seeds.
Event 36 Men 200 Yard Backstroke
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NCAA D1: ! 1:34.21 3/29/2025 Hubi Kos
American: $ 1:35.37 3/20/2024 Destin Lasco
US Open: & 1:34.21 3/29/2025 Hubi Kos
Big 12: * 1:36.42 3/27/2019 John Shebat, Texas
Meet: # 1:38.61 3/2/2019 Ryan Harty, Texas
NCAA Qualify: A 1:42.14
NCCA Invit25: 1:40.13
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 *Desangles, Alex FR ARIZ 1:39.11 1:40.00A
r:+0.67 23.51 48.59 (25.08)
1:14.22 (25.63) 1:40.00 (25.78)
2 Chaney, Adam GS ASU 1:39.59 1:41.82A
r:+0.78 23.91 49.95 (26.04)
1:16.02 (26.07) 1:41.82 (25.80)
3 Gerst, Aiden FR CINC 1:42.95 1:42.36
r:+0.66 24.37 50.34 (25.97)
1:16.26 (25.92) 1:42.36 (26.10)
4 Hardy, Ryan SR ARIZ 1:45.22 1:42.67
r:+0.64 23.86 49.88 (26.02)
1:16.40 (26.52) 1:42.67 (26.27)
5 Ewing, JT JR ASU 1:39.00 1:42.79
r:+0.57 24.02 49.60 (25.58)
1:15.94 (26.34) 1:42.79 (26.85)
6 Meyers, Will JR ARIZ 1:43.38 1:43.17
r:+0.79 24.32 50.03 (25.71)
1:16.30 (26.27) 1:43.17 (26.87)
7 Suchanski, Filip SO TCU 1:41.69 1:43.21
r:+0.88 23.61 49.53 (25.92)
1:16.48 (26.95) 1:43.21 (26.73)
8 Cicanci, Edgar SR TCU 1:42.39 1:43.51
r:+0.87 24.02 50.37 (26.35)
1:16.88 (26.51) 1:43.51 (26.63)
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Arizona State freshman Albane Cachot is in position to win her third freestyle title of the meet after leading the way by almost a second in the 100 free. Cachot, with victories in the 50 and 200 already plus a 46.96 relay anchor on the Sun Devils’ 400 medley relay, swam a time of 47.51 to surpass her previous best of 47.82. Cachot should threaten the Big 12 record (47.32) or at least the meet record (47.46), both held by Texas’ Claire Adams.
Arizona-based swimmers comprise the entire A-final here. ASU teammates Grace Lindberg and Shane Golland tied for sixth while five Arizona Wildcats made it back, led by Julia Wozniak in second (48.46) and Riley Bottom in third (48.86).
Event 37 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
NCAA D1: ! 44.71 3/22/2025 Gretchen Walsh
American: $ 44.71 3/22/2025 Gretchen Walsh
US Open: & 44.72 3/22/2025 Gretchen Walsh
Big 12: * 47.32 2/23/2018 Claire Adams, Texas
Meet: # 47.46 2/24/2022 Claire Adams, Texas
NCAA Qualify: A 48.60
NCCA Invit25: 48.11
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 *Cachot, Albane FR ASU 47.82 47.51A
r:+0.68 10.90 22.89 (11.99)
35.29 (12.40) 47.51 (12.22)
2 Wozniak, Julia SR ARIZ 48.36 48.46A
r:+0.66 11.10 23.19 (12.09)
35.78 (12.59) 48.46 (12.68)
3 Botton, Riley SR ARIZ 48.69 48.86
r:+0.60 11.04 23.32 (12.28)
36.05 (12.73) 48.86 (12.81)
4 *Kondraskaite, Patric FR ARIZ 48.95 49.00
r:+0.73 11.09 23.21 (12.12)
36.13 (12.92) 49.00 (12.87)
5 *Demirtepe, Meric SO ARIZ 49.44 49.32
r:+0.66 11.05 23.46 (12.41)
36.16 (12.70) 49.32 (13.16)
6 Lindberg, Grace JR ASU 49.35 49.38
r:+0.70 11.57 23.77 (12.20)
36.67 (12.90) 49.38 (12.71)
6 Golland, Shane FR ASU 48.98 49.38
r:+0.70 11.29 23.61 (12.32)
36.41 (12.80) 49.38 (12.97)
8 *Sheikhalizadehkhangh JR ARIZ 49.61 49.47
r:+0.69 11.43 23.76 (12.33)
36.71 (12.95) 49.47 (12.76)
Men’s 100 Freestyle
The Arizona State sprint machine will put on another show in the 100 free final as six Sun Devils finished in the top eight. Jonny Kulow, a member of the U.S. men’s 400 free relay team at last year’s World Championships, had the top time at 41.56. Kulow owns the Big 12 record in the event at 40.83 as well as the meet record of 41.07, both set last year. He will be challenged by teammate Remi Fabiani, already the 200 free winner and 50 free runnerup. Fabiani claimed second in the morning in 41.94.
Quin Seider also got under 42 in third place (41.96) while Filip Senc-Samardzic took fourth (42.33). After the individual 100 free final, the top-three finishing Sun Devils in the final will likely join forces with Ilya Kharun for a shot at the NCAA record in the 400 free relay. The men finished within two tenths of the record in the 400 free relay Friday.
Joining the Sun Devils in the A-final were a pair of swimmers from their rival Arizona Wildcats, Tomas Lukminas and Ralph Daleiden Ciuferri.
Event 38 Men 100 Yard Freestyle
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NCAA D1: ! 39.83 3/29/2025 Jordan Crooks
American: $ 39.90 3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel
US Open: & 39.83 3/29/2025 Jordan Crooks
Big 12: * 40.83 3/29/2025 Jonny Kulow, Arizona State
Meet: # 41.07 3/1/2025 Jonny Kulow, Arizona State
NCAA Qualify: A 42.55
NCCA Invit25: 41.95
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Kulow, Jonny SR ASU 41.54 41.56A
r:+0.67 9.34 19.85 (10.51)
30.73 (10.88) 41.56 (10.83)
2 Fabiani, Remi GS ASU 41.10 41.94A
r:+0.64 9.44 20.04 (10.60)
31.13 (11.09) 41.94 (10.81)
3 Seider, Quin SO ASU 41.99 41.96A
r:+0.63 9.34 19.91 (10.57)
30.81 (10.90) 41.96 (11.15)
4 Senc-Samardzic, Filip JR ASU 42.55 42.33A
r:+0.66 9.73 20.37 (10.64)
31.51 (11.14) 42.33 (10.82)
5 *Lukminas, Tomas SO ARIZ 41.33 42.52A
r:+0.69 9.70 20.40 (10.70)
31.57 (11.17) 42.52 (10.95)
6 *Daleiden Ciuferri, R SR ARIZ 42.24 42.59
r:+0.66 9.74 20.67 (10.93)
31.76 (11.09) 42.59 (10.83)
7 Palmer, Tommy SR ASU 42.37 42.64
r:+0.67 9.63 20.36 (10.73)
31.53 (11.17) 42.64 (11.11)
8 Young, Tolu SO ASU 42.32 42.78
r:+0.63 9.54 20.49 (10.95)
31.51 (11.02) 42.78 (11.27)
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
A wide-open field will assemble for the final of the 200 breast, with 100-yard winner Joleigh Crye not competing in this one. Houston’s Flo Peter was first in prelims in 2:10.29, followed by TCU’s Nina Vadovicova in 2:10.50. There was a tie for third at 2:11.15 between ASU’s Sonia Vaishnani and Arizona’s Eleni Gewalt. Vaishnani was already the winner of the 200 IM this week while Gewalt was second in the 100 breast.
Event 41 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
NCAA D1: ! 2:01.29 3/18/2023 Kate Douglass
American: $ 2:01.29 3/18/2023 Kate Douglass
US Open: & 2:01.29 3/18/2023 Kate Douglass
Big 12: * 2:03.26 2/18/2023 Anna Elendt, Texas
Meet: # 2:03.92 2/26/2022 Anna Elendt, Texas
NCAA Qualify: A 2:11.27
NCCA Invit25: 2:09.58
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Peter, Flo SR UH 2:10.92 2:10.29A
r:+0.69 29.37 1:02.24 (32.87)
1:35.87 (33.63) 2:10.29 (34.42)
2 Vadovicova, Nina JR TCU 2:08.60 2:10.50A
r:+0.77 29.61 1:02.77 (33.16)
1:36.59 (33.82) 2:10.50 (33.91)
3 Vaishnani, Sonia JR ASU 2:11.29 2:11.15A
r:+0.81 29.41 1:02.39 (32.98)
1:36.10 (33.71) 2:11.15 (35.05)
3 Gewalt, Eleni SR ARIZ 2:11.39 2:11.15A
r:+0.67 29.15 1:02.00 (32.85)
1:35.77 (33.77) 2:11.15 (35.38)
5 Vasquez, Lucie SO ASU 2:11.10 2:11.61
r:+0.72 29.46 1:02.59 (33.13)
1:36.91 (34.32) 2:11.61 (34.70)
6 Swoboda, Grace SO ISU 2:13.40 2:11.92
r:+0.75 29.69 1:02.86 (33.17)
1:37.34 (34.48) 2:11.92 (34.58)
7 Entrekin, Evelyn JR UH 2:13.76 2:12.19
r:+0.73 30.24 1:03.05 (32.81)
1:36.94 (33.89) 2:12.19 (35.25)
8 Johnston, Ryan JR KANS 2:12.26 2:12.33
r:+0.70 30.23 1:04.31 (34.08)
1:37.86 (33.55) 2:12.33 (34.47)
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
Arizona State swept the three of the top four spots in the 200 breast with Andy Dobrzanski leading the way. The 100 breast winner swam a time of 1:53.09 in prelims, and he owns a season best of 1:50.95 that ranks him among the top-10 swimmers in the country.
Teammate Brayden Taivassalo placed second in 1:54.57 while Lucien Vergnes placed fourth in 1:55.45. The only non-ASU swimmer in the center lanes will be BYU’s Petet Etzold, who claimed third in the morning in 1:55.36.
Event 42 Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
NCAA D1: ! 1:46.35 3/30/2024 Leon Marchand
American: $ 1:47.91 3/25/2017 Will Licon
US Open: & 1:46.35 3/30/2024 Leon Marchand
Big 12: * 1:47.91 3/25/2017 Will Licon, Texas
Meet: # 1:49.89 2/25/2017 Will Licon, Texas
NCAA Qualify: A 1:54.95
NCCA Invit25: 1:52.89
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Dobrzanski, Andy SR ASU 1:50.95 1:53.09A
r:+0.69 25.30 54.07 (28.77)
1:23.35 (29.28) 1:53.09 (29.74)
2 Taivassalo, Brayden JR ASU 1:54.56 1:54.57A
r:+0.66 26.02 55.23 (29.21)
1:24.59 (29.36) 1:54.57 (29.98)
3 Etzold, Peter SO BYU 1:55.37 1:55.36
r:+0.68 25.58 54.92 (29.34)
1:24.86 (29.94) 1:55.36 (30.50)
4 Vergnes, Lucien SO ASU 1:54.63 1:55.45
r:+0.65 25.48 55.01 (29.53)
1:24.81 (29.80) 1:55.45 (30.64)
5 Mimoso, Rafael FR WVU 1:56.64 1:55.67
r:+0.66 25.83 55.14 (29.31)
1:24.63 (29.49) 1:55.67 (31.04)
6 Bumgardner, Kyle JR CINC 1:55.56 1:56.32
r:+0.70 26.23 55.97 (29.74)
1:26.18 (30.21) 1:56.32 (30.14)
7 Goncalves, Felipe JR TCU 1:56.07 1:56.40
r:+0.66 26.34 55.78 (29.44)
1:25.97 (30.19) 1:56.40 (30.43)
8 Wong, Benson GS CINC 1:55.57 1:56.43
r:+0.64 26.25 55.80 (29.55)
1:25.90 (30.10) 1:56.43 (30.53)