Ryan Hoffer Throws Down 18.3 to Defend 50 Free NCAA Title; Leads 1-2 With Seeliger

Photo Courtesy: Luke Jamroz Photography

Cal senior Ryan Hoffer won his second straight NCAA title in the 50 freestyle with an 18.33, the fastest ever swim by someone not named Caeleb Dressel as Hoffer is the second fastest performer all-time, passing the Auburn duo of Cesar Cielo and Matt Targett.

Hoffer led a huge 1-2 for Cal as freshman Bjorn Seeliger finished in second at 18.71, which puts him 12th all-time in this event, and gives Cal a 67 point lead over Florida heading in to diving. Seeliger also improved on his 18.72 from earlier in the night in the 200 free relay. This is also a similar finish to Hoffer’s last NCAA title when he went 1-2 with Pawel Sendyk in 2019.

“It is such an honor. I am just so stoked to be a part of this. I am happy to get up to this level and perform,” Ryan Hoffer said after the race. “It feel so good. We really wanted to get that 1-2. I knew we had it in us, ever since me and Pawel did it my sophomore year. Having him following in Pawel’s shoes is kind of fun. … (freshmen) grow up so fast … It was something we knew we could do.”

The Gators had Adam Chaney in third place at 18.88 as he was one of three freshman in the A-Final, and seven total competing in individual events tonight, as Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan was eighth at 19.45.

Georgia’s Dillon Downing placed fourth at 18.94 ahead of Michigan senior Gus Borges (19.02). Georgia is searching for its highest finish in school history since 1997 when the Bulldogs were third, and haven’t been top four since. Georgia is currently fifth in the team standings but have a lot of swimming left.

Texas’ Daniel Krueger placed sixth at 19.08 while Pittsburgh’s Blaise Vera was seventh at 19.39.

Cal now has seven NCAA titles in the 50 free as Ryan Hoffer joins Matt Biondi (1986, 87), Anthony Ervin (2000), Nathan Adrian (2009, 2011) and himself (2019) as winners of the event for the Golden Bears.

All-Time Rankings:

17.63, Caeleb Dressel, Florida, 2018
18.33, Ryan Hoffer, California, 2021
18.47, Cesar Cielo, Auburn, 2008
18.52, Matt Targett, Auburn, 2009
18.56, Ryan Held, NC State, 2018
18.63, Vladimir Morozov, Southern California, 2013
18.64, Kristian Gkolomeev, Alabama, 2015
18.66, Nathan Adrian, California, 2011
18.66, Pawel Sendyk, California, 2019
18.67, Fred Bousquet, Auburn, 2010
18.69, Bowe Becker, Minnesota, 2018
18.71, Bjorn Seeliger, California, 2021
18.72, Adam Brown, Auburn, 2011
18.74, Robert Howard, Alabama, 2019

 Event 5  Men 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Meet: M 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     American: A 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
   U. S. Open: O 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 18.43  3/25/2021 Ryan Hoffer, California
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Hoffer, Ryan           SR California          18.43      18.33P  20  
     r:+0.62  8.90         18.33 (9.43)
  2 Seeliger, Bjorn        FR California          18.91      18.71   17  
     r:+0.65  9.04         18.71 (9.67)
  3 Chaney, Adam           FR Florida             18.98      18.88   16  
     r:+0.60  9.03         18.88 (9.85)
  4 Downing, Dillon        SO Georgia             18.88      18.94   15  
     r:+0.66  9.27         18.94 (9.67)
  5 Borges, Gus            SR Michigan            19.12      19.02   14  
     r:+0.65  9.07         19.02 (9.95)
  6 Krueger, Daniel        JR Texas               19.13      19.08   13  
     r:+0.68  9.27         19.08 (9.81)
  7 Vera, Blaise           SR Pittsburgh          19.17      19.39   12  
     r:+0.65  9.20        19.39 (10.19)
  8 Ramadan, Youssef       FR VT                  19.08      19.45   11  
     r:+0.59  9.54         19.45 (9.91)
 
                        === Consolation Final ===                        
 
  9 Friese, Eric           SO Florida             19.20      18.90    9  
     r:+0.64  9.05         18.90 (9.85)
 10 Curry, Brooks          SO LSU                 19.19      19.08    7  
     r:+0.61  9.30         19.08 (9.78)
 11 Brownstead, Matt       FR Virginia            19.21      19.21    6  
     r:+0.62  9.16        19.21 (10.05)
 12 Franzman, Jack         JR Indiana             19.21      19.31    5  
     r:+0.62  9.43         19.31 (9.88)
 13 Izzo, Giovanni         JR NC State            19.39      19.38    4  
     r:+0.63  9.05        19.38 (10.33)
 14 Varjasi, Peter         SO Florida St          19.38      19.41    2.5
     r:+0.68  9.36        19.41 (10.05)
 14 Deryk, Cooper          JR Utah                19.37      19.41    2.5
     r:+0.67  9.24        19.41 (10.17)
 16 Peel, Cam              SO Michigan            19.34      19.44    1  
     r:+0.62  9.30        19.44 (10.14)

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 5, following the win by Ryan Hoffer               
 
  1. California                        196 
  2. Florida                           129
  3. Texas                             125 
  4. Georgia                           102
  5. Texas A&M                          80 
  6. NC State                           65
  7. Indiana                            41 
  7. Arizona                            41
  9. Virginia                           38 
 10. Michigan                           37
 11. Virginia Tech                      35 
 12. Louisville                         34
 13. Alabama                            32 
 14. Stanford                           29
 15. Missouri                           16 
 16. Georgia Tech                       14
 16. Purdue                             14 
 18. Pittsburgh                         12
 18. Ohio St                            12 
 20. Notre Dame                          9
 21. Penn St                             8 
 22. Lsu                                 7
 23. Florida St                          6.5 
 24. Utah                                2.5

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