NCAA Men’s Championships: Josh Liendo and Florida Take Bite Out Of NCAA Record in 400 Medley Relay; Leon Marchand Continues Show

NCAA Men’s Championships: Josh Liendo and Florida Take Bite Out Of NCAA Record in 400 Medley Relay; Leon Marchand Continues Show

Last month, a sub-3:00 showing at the Southeastern Conference Championships thrust the University of Florida into favorite status for the NCAA Champs in the 400-yard medley relay. And on Friday night, the Gators backed up the hype with an NCAA record that capped the third evening of what has been a stunning meet.

With Josh Liendo registering a butterfly split of 42.91, the fastest ever, Florida delivered a performance of 2:58.32 to lead three squads under three minutes and better the former NCAA mark of 2:59.22, set by Texas during the 2017 season. The Gators’ effort was enough to fend off Indiana (2:59.09) and Arizona State (2:59.18). It was the second NCAA record in as many days for coach Anthony Nesty & Company, as Florida bettered the 200 freestyle relay standard on Thursday.

“Coming out of SECs we were pretty close to the record already, but we knew it would take the record to win,” Adam Chaney said.

Adam Chaney supplied a 44.28 backstroke leadoff for the Gators, who then received a 50.23 split from Dillon Hillis on the breaststroke leg. At that point, Florida sat in third place, trailing Arizona State and Indiana. But Liendo shifted the dynamic of the race during his four lengths, as his sub-43 split on butterfly lifted the Gators into the lead. On the anchor leg, Maguire McDuff left no room for an opponent’s rally, as he clocked 40.90 for his freestyle duties.

“I was kind of the opposite of Adam. I knew I needed to get out fast. I knew I could get home. Relay starts have been my Achilles heel for four years. Really being able to nail that was important for me,” Hillis said.

For Liendo, the session was another step in his learning the short-course yards.

“I didn’t have the best individual swim. I focused on details, and hitting the finish because Maguire said he was going on my last stroke,” Liendo said. “Hitting my turns were big. I am new to yards and getting faster to taper. I just tried to lock in and focus on the details.”

McDuff brought it home.

“I just wanted to send it and try to get home,” he said.

Winning the medley brings a little more validation to the Gators, who definitely have been known as a sprinting school the past couple of years.

“It is very important,” Liendo said. “It shows what we put in and how we swim for each other.”

Brendan Burns, coming off an individual title in the 100 backstroke earlier in the session, produced the fastest backstroke, going 43.82 to finish narrowly ahead of North Carolina State’s Kacper Stokowski (43.83). On the breaststroke leg, ASU’s Leon Marchand delivered a split of 49.23 (fastest ever) to put the Sun Devils in front, and to continue what might be the finest solo effort in NCAA history. Earlier in the night, Marchand bettered his NCAA record in the 400 individual medley by nearly three seconds.

For Indiana, Burns was joined by Josh Matheny, Tomer Frankel and Rafael Miroslaw. Meanwhile, Arizona State and Marchand benefited from the contributions of Jack Dolan, Max McCusker and Jonny Kulow.

Event 14  Men 400 Yard Medley Relay
==================================================================================
         NCAA: N 2:59.22  3/23/2017 Texas
                          J Shebat, W Licon, J Schooling, J Conger
         Meet: M 2:59.22  3/23/2017 Texas
                          J Shebat, W Licon, J Schooling, J Conger
     American: A 3:01.51  3/23/2017 California
                          R Murphy, C Hoppe, M Josa, M Jensen
   U. S. Open: O 2:59.22  3/23/2017 Texas
                          J Shebat, W Licon, J Schooling, J Conger
         Pool: P 3:01.07  2/22/2018 Indiana University
                          Fantoni, Finnerty, Lanza, Pieroni
    School                                 Seed     Finals Points 
==================================================================================
  1 Florida                             2:59.48    2:58.32N  40  
     1) Chaney, Adam JR               2) r:0.18 Hillis, Dillon 5Y     
     3) r:0.11 Liendo, Josh FR        4) r:0.22 McDuff, Macguire SO   
    r:+0.69  21.74        44.28 (44.28)
        1:07.35 (23.07)     1:34.51 (50.23)
        1:54.05 (19.54)     2:17.42 (42.91)
        2:36.60 (19.18)     2:58.32 (40.90)
  2 Indiana                             3:01.53    2:59.09N  34  
     1) Burns, Brendan SR             2) r:0.22 Matheny, Josh SO      
     3) r:0.17 Frankel, Tomer JR      4) r:0.04 Miroslaw, Rafael SO   
    r:+0.74  21.26        43.82 (43.82)
        1:07.10 (23.28)     1:34.13 (50.31)
        1:54.13 (20.00)     2:17.83 (43.70)
        2:37.19 (19.36)     2:59.09 (41.26)
  3 ASU                                 3:01.39    2:59.18N  32  
     1) Dolan, Jack SR                2) r:0.12 Marchand, Leon SO     
     3) r:0.15 McCusker, Max 5Y       4) r:0.09 Kulow, Jonny FR       
    r:+0.66  21.12        44.62 (44.62)
        1:07.45 (22.83)     1:33.85 (49.23)
        1:53.80 (19.95)     2:18.40 (44.55)
        2:37.29 (18.89)     2:59.18 (40.78)
  4 NC State                            3:01.10    3:00.22P  30  
     1) Stokowski, Kacper SR          2) r:0.23 Hunter, Mason 5Y      
     3) r:0.15 Hayes, Aiden SO        4) r:0.17 Miller, Luke JR       
    r:+0.71  21.06        43.83 (43.83)
        1:07.36 (23.53)     1:35.03 (51.20)
        1:55.10 (20.07)     2:18.98 (43.95)
        2:38.19 (19.21)     3:00.22 (41.24)
  5 California                          3:01.80    3:00.38P  28  
     1) Lasco, Destin JR              2) r:0.22 Whitley, Reece 5Y     
     3) r:0.28 Jett, Gabriel SO       4) r:0.30 Seeliger, Bjorn JR    
    r:+0.58  21.61        44.07 (44.07)
        1:07.83 (23.76)     1:35.44 (51.37)
        1:55.84 (20.40)     2:19.93 (44.49)
        2:38.80 (18.87)     3:00.38 (40.45)
  6 Tennessee                           3:02.51    3:02.05   26  
     1) Simons, Nick FR               2) r:0.21 Epitropov, Lyubomir 5Y
     3) r:0.15 Crooks, Jordan SO      4) r:0.12 Santos, Guilherme FR  
    r:+0.65  21.87        45.46 (45.46)
        1:09.33 (23.87)     1:37.28 (51.82)
        1:56.85 (19.57)     2:21.28 (44.00)
        2:40.36 (19.08)     3:02.05 (40.77)
  7 VT                                  3:03.40    3:02.53   24  
     1) Webb, Forest SR               2) r:0.25 Coll Marti, Carles JR 
     3) r:0.38 Ramadan, Youssef JR    4) r:0.13 Dominguez CalonLuis SO
    r:+0.78  21.82        45.77 (45.77)
        1:09.54 (23.77)     1:37.20 (51.43)
        1:57.50 (20.30)     2:20.82 (43.62)
        2:40.48 (19.66)     3:02.53 (41.71)
  8 Texas                               3:04.57    3:03.00   22  
     1) Foster, Carson JR             2) r:0.17 Corbeau, Caspar SR    
     3) r:0.20 Crane, Sterling SR     4) r:0.04 Hobson, Luke SO       
    r:+0.66  21.97        45.96 (45.96)
        1:09.02 (23.06)     1:36.19 (50.23)
        1:57.35 (21.16)     2:21.52 (45.33)
        2:41.02 (19.50)     3:03.00 (41.48)
  9 Missouri                            3:03.14    3:03.26   18  
     1) Dahlgren, Jack 5Y             2) r:0.24 Patton, Ben SR        
     3) r:0.29 Secchi, Clement 5Y     4) r:0.18 Bochenski, Grant SO   
    r:+0.76  21.86        45.56 (45.56)
        1:08.98 (23.42)     1:36.31 (50.75)
        1:56.94 (20.63)     2:21.16 (44.85)
        2:40.74 (19.58)     3:03.26 (42.10)
 10 Virginia                            3:03.29    3:03.50   14  
     1) Brownstead, Matt JR           2) r:0.26 Nichols, Noah JR      
     3) r:0.12 Connery, Tim SO        4) r:0.18 Aikins, Jack SO       
    r:+0.74  21.63        45.64 (45.64)
        1:08.94 (23.30)     1:36.39 (50.75)
        1:57.37 (20.98)     2:21.72 (45.33)
        2:41.20 (19.48)     3:03.50 (41.78)
 11 Stanford                            3:02.71    3:03.61   12  
     1) MacAlister, Leon SR           2) r:0.21 Polonsky, Ron SO      
     3) r:0.27 Minakov, Andrei JR     4) r:0.20 Maurer, Luke JR       
    r:+0.54  21.93        45.71 (45.71)
        1:09.38 (23.67)     1:36.73 (51.02)
        1:56.89 (20.16)     2:21.18 (44.45)
        2:41.18 (20.00)     3:03.61 (42.43)
 12 Auburn                              3:03.03    3:03.76   10  
     1) Stoffle, Nate SO              2) r:+0.00 Mikuta, Reid JR      
     3) r:0.15 Stoffle, Aidan SR      4) r:0.19 Makinen, Kalle FR     
    r:+0.77  21.92        45.50 (45.50)
        1:08.79 (23.29)     1:36.03 (50.53)
        1:56.82 (20.79)     2:21.71 (45.68)
        2:41.42 (19.71)     3:03.76 (42.05)
 13 TAMU                                3:04.08    3:04.31    8  
     1) Gogulski, Ethan SR            2) r:0.09 Puente Bustamandres SR
     3) r:0.31 Foote, Connor FR       4) r:0.32 Bratanov, Koko SR     
    r:+0.67  22.02        45.79 (45.79)
        1:09.24 (23.45)     1:36.98 (51.19)
        1:57.67 (20.69)     2:22.23 (45.25)
        2:42.10 (19.87)     3:04.31 (42.08)
 14 Michigan                            3:04.79    3:05.17    6  
     1) Davis, Wyatt JR               2) r:0.28 Fitzpatrick, Brndan SO
     3) r:0.13 Cohen Groumi, Gal SO   4) r:0.16 Szabados, Bence JR    
    r:+0.64  22.03        45.87 (45.87)
        1:09.59 (23.72)     1:37.87 (52.00)
        1:58.70 (20.83)     2:23.31 (45.44)
        2:42.87 (19.56)     3:05.17 (41.86)
 15 Wisconsin                           3:06.25    3:05.70    4  
     1) Jekel, Wes SR                 2) r:0.18 Myhre, Will SR        
     3) r:0.33 Bensch, Constantin SR  4) r:0.18 Torepe-Ormsby, aiko FR
    r:+0.76  22.00        45.93 (45.93)
        1:09.63 (23.70)     1:37.61 (51.68)
        1:58.41 (20.80)     2:23.25 (45.64)
        2:43.01 (19.76)     3:05.70 (42.45)
 16 Pittsburgh                          3:06.70    3:05.72    2  
     1) Radziszewski, Krzysztof SO    2) r:0.09 Van Der Laan, Coper SR
     3) r:0.26 Goraj, Marcin JR       4) r:0.01 Toledo Sanchez,inic SR
    r:+0.86  22.09        46.37 (46.37)
        1:09.93 (23.56)     1:37.25 (50.88)
        1:58.39 (21.14)     2:23.47 (46.22)
        2:43.19 (19.72)     3:05.72 (42.25)
 17 Harvard                             3:05.51    3:05.77  
     1) Grant, Will JR                2) r:0.22 Simpson, Jared SR     
     3) r:+0.00 Gures, Umitcan SR     4) r:0.11 Holmquist, Marcus JR  
    r:+0.54  22.06        45.82 (45.82)
        1:09.88 (24.06)     1:38.30 (52.48)
        1:58.91 (20.61)     2:23.41 (45.11)
        2:43.29 (19.88)     3:05.77 (42.36)
 18 Alabama                             3:05.34    3:06.05  
     1) Menke, Matt SR                2) r:0.12 Maas, Derek SR        
     3) r:0.23 Miceli, Mateo SO       4) r:0.17 Alves, Kaique SO      
    r:+0.67  22.10        46.17 (46.17)
        1:10.01 (23.84)     1:37.60 (51.43)
        1:58.79 (21.19)     2:23.84 (46.24)
        2:43.67 (19.83)     3:06.05 (42.21)
 19 Ohio St                             3:05.01    3:09.25  
     1) Quach, Alex SO                2) r:0.22 Helmuth, Karl SO      
     3) r:0.21 Ward, James SR         4) r:0.24 Gaziev, Ruslan JR     
    r:+0.76  22.67        47.13 (47.13)
        1:11.23 (24.10)     1:39.83 (52.70)
        2:00.55 (20.72)     2:25.88 (46.05)
        2:46.25 (20.37)     3:09.25 (43.37)
 -- Georgia                             3:06.72         DQ  
     1) Dunham, Bradley SR            2) r:0.24 Pitshugin, Kris FR    
     3) r:-0.04 Ng, Wesley JR         4) r:-0.02 Downing, Dillon SR   
    r:+0.71  21.56        45.18 (45.18)
        1:09.08 (23.90)     1:37.62 (52.44)
        1:58.00 (20.38)     2:23.37 (45.75)
        2:42.37 (19.00)          DQ (41.73)
 -- Louisville                          3:03.37         DQ  
     1) Crush, Charlie FR             2) r:-0.14 Petrashov, Denis SR  
     3) r:0.19 Lowe, Dalton JR        4) r:-0.01 Eastman, Michael 5Y  
    r:+0.76  22.58        47.16 (47.16)
        1:10.12 (22.96)     1:37.33 (50.17)
        1:57.78 (20.45)     2:22.34 (45.01)
        2:41.70 (19.36)          DQ (41.33)
 -- Notre Dame                          3:06.82        DFS  
     1) Janton, Tommy FR              2) Faikish, Sean JR             
     3) Wilburn, Cason SR             4) Scannell, Thacher SR         
 
                      Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 14                      
 
  1. California                        315   2. Arizona St                        302
  3. Texas                             292   4. Indiana                           259
  5. Florida                           251   6. NC State                        246.5
  7. Tennessee                         144   8. Stanford                        112.5
  9. Auburn                             96   9. Virginia Tech                      96
 11. Louisville                         71  12. Virginia                           67
 13. Texas A&M                          65  14. Ohio St                          54.5
 15. Georgia                            53  16. Missouri                         50.5
 17. Lsu                                40  18. Alabama                            38
 19. Notre Dame                         34  20. Southern California                31
 21. UNC                                27  21. Wisconsin                          27
 23. Michigan                           24  24. Minnesota                          20
 25. Utah                               14  26. Columbia                           12
 27. Arizona                            10  28. Siuc                                9
 28. Miami                               9  30. Princeton                           4
 30. Penn St                             4  30. Pittsburgh                          4
 33. Georgia Tech                        3  34. Air Force                           2
 34. Towson                              2  36. Purdue                              1

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