Smoke on the Water

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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By Michael J. Stott

The gray skies over the McAuley Aquatic Center may well be a lingering effect from the fire in the water after the first two days of the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Championships. Records have fallen each day, highlighted by jaw-dropping performances by Florida’s Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Murphy’s obliteration of the 100 back, and Texas U.S. Open records in the 800 free and 400 medley relays.

Thursday, Texas men won four of the five swimming events to launch themselves into an enviable position to capture yet another national title for Eddie Reese now in his 38^th year in Austin. With a victory Reese will edge past Ohio State’s Mike Peppe for most swimming titles (12) won by a single men’s coach and tie the Longhorns with Michigan for the most men’s team titles.

In conversation on deck Wednesday night while coaches were not downplaying their squads chances there was a general feeling that should Texas deliver on their apparent strengths that all other teams were swimming for second. With five wins in the first seven events the Horns seemed poised to deliver on their considerable potential.

The Texas quartet of Brett Ringgold, Joseph Schooling, Jack Conger and John Murray opened Thursday’s finals with a pool record 1:14.88 in the 200 free relay. The latter three delivered sub-19 second swims while Ringgold opened with a 19.07. While Florida’s Mitch D’Arrigo was the top seed in the 500 free after prelims. Longhorn freshman Townley Haas led all the way in the final to notch a 4:09.00 finish, second all time to Peter Vanderkaay’s 4:08-plus NCAA, American, U.S. Open Championship and pool records.

Texas senior Will Licon added to his double digit All-American finishes with a stirring 24.30 free finish to take the 200 IM in 1:40.04 over hard-charging Cal superstars Josh Prenot and Ryan Murphy. Caeleb Dressel interrupted the Texas momentum, albeit briefly, by lowering all existing marks in the 50 free. He recorded a 18.29 morning effort and followed it with a very impressive 18.20 evening effort.

Tennessee sophomore Liam Stone fell short of Stanford Kristian Ipsen’s 1-meter mark of 473.75 by 20.05 points. His win coupled with a fourth from teammate Mauricio Robles Rodriguez, who Volunteer coach Matt Kredich calls the hardest working athlete he’s ever had, boosted the Volunteers into a solid seventh place after two nights.

Texas took center stage in the 400 medley relay, but only after Murphy dropped a 43.51 opening back split on the field. His time bested Nick Thoman’s American mark 44.05 from 2013. Texas remained a close second behind the Bears after the breaststroke. However Joseph Schooling’s 43.34 fly leg pushed the Longhorns to the fore allowing anchor Jack Conger’s 41.29, fastest in the field, to stave off hard charging Bear Long Gutierrez.

While fast swimming ruled the day spectators were also treated to the camaraderie and spirit from the athletes that can only spring from teams that have labored together. This meet is the culmination of seasons, and some cases a lifetime, of devotion to a sport and an ideal suited to a life well-lived. Those of us here are privileged to be special witnesses to this process known as swimming.

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