2017 Big 12 Championships

Big 12 Day Two Finals: Meet Records Galore Led By Schooling's 18.76 50 Free

Big 12 Day Two Finals: Meet Records Galore Led By Schooling's 18.76 50 Free

Night two finals at the 2017 Big 12 Swimming & Diving Championships in Austin, Texas featured meet records from Joanna Evans, Clark Smith, Madisyn Cox, and Joseph Schooling.

Feb 24, 2017 by Maclin Simpson
Big 12 Day Two Finals: Meet Records Galore Led By Schooling's 18.76 50 Free
That's a wrap for day two finals at the 2017 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas. Thursday night started off with a bang at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center with three new Big 12 meet records from Texas' Joanna Evans and Clark Smith in the women's and men's 500-yard freestyle, respectively, and Madisyn Cox in the women's 200 IM. Fortunately, the excitement of new meet records did not end there, as UT's Joseph Schooling blazed a 18.76 50 freestyle and the second fastest time in the country this season. Day three will certainly pack even more excitement, so make sure you stay tuned.

500 FREESTYLE


Women
Big 12 Meet Record: 4:38.40 (Rachel Burnett - West Virginia, 2013) 4:36.97 (Joanna Evans - Texas, 2017)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 4:36.30
Invited in 2016: 4:42.58

Joanna Evans of Texas ran away with this one, obliterating the previous Big 12 meet record of 4:38.40 with a 4:36.97. At the 250-yard mark, it was a close race between a trio of Longhorns with Evans at 2:16, Lauren Case at 2:17, and Quinn Carrozza at 2:18. But the distance ace pulled away from her teammates, who finished second and third with a 4:40.09 and 4:45.97, respectively. Evans' time is the sixth fastest in the country and puts her in a great position to score points for Texas in this event at NCAAs.

1.) Joana Evans (Texas): 4:36.97 (BIG 12 MEET RECORD)
2.) Lauren Case (Texas): 4:40.09
3.) Quinn Carrozza (Texas): 4:45.97
4.) Emma Skelley (WVU): 4:46.76
5.) Keely Soellner (Iowa St): 4:48.09
6.) Maggie D'Innocenzo (Texas): 4:49.56
7.) Jenny Nusbaum (Kansas): 4:51.30
8.) Haley Ruegemer (Iowa St): 4:55.33


Men
Big 12 Meet Record: 4:11.41 (Michael Klueh - Texas, 2008) 4:11.11 (Clark Smith - Texas, 2017)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 4:13.22
Invited in 2016: 4:17.73


Clark Smith and Townley Haas of Texas were neck and neck the entire 500, with Smith holding the advantage throughout and Haas nipping at his heels. That is until the final 50 yards. Smith flipped 3:47.35 at the 450 to Haas' 3:48.22 but shifted into another gear and dropped the hammer with a 23.76 over the final 50 yards to take the win and a new Big 12 meet record of 4:11.11. Haas finished second with a 4:12.90, and teammate Jeff Newkirk took the bronze with a 4:15.99, which will be very close to qualifying for NCAAs. You can guarantee Smith and Haas will be faster at NCAAs as they have best times of 4:08.82 and 4:09.00, respectively.

1.) Clark Smith (Texas): 4:11.11 (BIG 12 MEET RECORD)
2.) Townley Haas (Texas): 4:12.90 (NCAA 'A')
3.) Jeff Newkirk (Texas): 4:15.99
4.) Jonathan Roberts (Texas): 4:24.41
5.) Trayton Saladin (WVU): 4:25.31
6.) Ryan Kelly (WVU): 4:26.69
7.) Dayne Odendaal (TCU): 4:27.55
8.) Drew Damich (WVU): 4:28.19


200 IM


Women
Big 12 Meet Record: 1:54.31 (Madisyn Cox - Texas, 2016) 1:52.82 (Madisyn Cox - Texas, 2017)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 1:55.35
Invited in 2016: 1:57.90


Madisyn Cox of Texas uncorked a new Big 12 meet record and the fastest time in the country this season with a blazing fast 1:52.82. The senior took the lead right off the bat and never looked back; however, it was her breaststroke split that was the difference-maker. Her 32.80 was over 1 1/2 seconds faster than anyone else in the field. Look for Cox to be a contender with Stanford phenom Ella Eastin at NCAAs next month.

1.) Madisyn Cox (Texas): 1:52.82 (BIG 12 MEET RECORD)
2.) Nora McCullagh (Texas): 1:58.89
3.) Morgan Bullock (WVU): 2:00.80
4.) Pia Pavlic (Kansas): 2:01.38
5.) Devin Newton (TCU): 2:01.38
6.) Haley Downey (Kansas): 2:02.21
7.) Elise Forzley (TCU): 2:02.47
8.) Alexandra Robertson (TCU): 2:04.35

Men
Big 12 Meet Record: 1:41.67 (Will Licon - Texas, 2015)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 1:42.15
Invited in 2016: 1:44.41

John Shebat of Texas got off to a blazing start at the 100-yard mark but could not overcome teammate Will Licon's back half. Licon split a 29.3 on the breaststroke and 24.7 on the freestyle to Shebat's 30.0 and 25.4. Licon's winning time of 1:42.35 was off his Big 12 meet record from 2015, but he will easily drop 2-3 seconds with a full shave and taper at NCAAs. Shebat is in the same boat. He finished second with a 1:42.99, but it is uncertain whether or not he will swim this event at NCAAs with a focus on the 400 medley relay that same night. Fellow Longhorn Sam Stewart rounded out the podium with a 1:45.16.

1.) Will Licon (Texas): 1:42.35
2.) John Shebat (Texas): 1:42.99
3.) Sam Stewart (Texas): 1:45.16
4.) Josh Artmann (Texas): 1:46.58
5.) Carlos Hunnicutt (TCU): 1:49.23
6.) Luke Hene (WVU): 1:49.83
7.) Jakub Swierczynski (TCU): 1:50.02
8.) Jack Portmann (WVU): 1:50.55


50 FREESTYLE


Women
Big 12 Meet Record: 21.87 (Hee-Jin Chang - Texas, 2009)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 21.80
Invited in 2016: 22.35

Claire Adams of Texas used her phenomenal underwaters to take the lead at the turn but could not hold off her hard-charging teammate Rebecca Millard over the last 10 yards. Millard claimed the victory with a 22.03, and Adams took the silver with a 22.33. Anelise Diener, also of Texas, rounded out the podium in third with a 22.61.

1.) Rebecca Millard (Texas): 22.03
2.) Claire Adams (Texas): 22.33
3.) Anelise Diener (Texas): 22.61
4.) Remedy Rule (Texas): 22.62
5.) Laura Miksch (Iowa St): 22.78
6.) Julia Nilton (WVU): 23.03
7.) Brooke Hansen (Texas): 23.16
8.) Savanna Townsend (Iowa St): 23.25


Men
Big 12 Meet Record: 19.18 (Ian Crocker - Texas, 2004; Joseph Schooling - Texas, 2017) 18.76 (Joseph Schooling - Texas, 2017)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 19.09
Invited in 2016: 19.53

JOSEPH. SCHOOLING. This guy is a total gamer. After he tied Ian Crocker's Big 12 meet record from 2004 on Thursday morning in a swift 19.18, he absolutely tore the door down and unloaded an 18.76, which was good for a Big 12 meet record and Texas school record as well. Schooling's time ranks as the second-fastest time this season, only behind Florida phenom Caeleb Dressel's 18.4. Schooling's Texas teammate Jack Conger claimed the silver with a 19.27, and UT's Brett Ringgold took the bronze with a 19.29. It is scary to think these guys are not shaved and tapered and what they are capable of doing at NCAAs.

1.) Joseph Schooling (Texas): 18.76 (BIG 12 MEET RECORD)
2.) Jack Conger (Texas): 19.27
3.) Brett Ringgold (Texas): 19.29
4.) Tate Jackson (Texas): 19.52
5.) Merwane Elmerini (WVU): 19.59
6.) PJ Dunne (Texas): 19.89
7.) Will Glass (Texas): 19.99
8.) Garrett Hills (TCU): 20.09


400 MEDLEY RELAY


Women
Big 12 Meet Record: 3:30.43 (Texas, 2016)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 3:33.40
Invited in 2016: 3:35.26

This one was all Texas from the start. With fast splits from Tasija Karosas (52.36), Madisyn Cox (58.73), Remedy Rule (52.50), and Rebecca Millard (47.46), it is evident that the Longhorns will be a contender once they fully shave and taper for NCAAs next month. Their time of 3:31.05 was a touch off of their Big 12 meet record from last season, but their 3:29 from the Texas Invite back in November still sits as the fifth-fastest time in the country this season. Kansas touched second with a 3:39.66, and West Virginia rounded out the podium with a 3:40.65.

1.) Texas: 3:31.05 (NCAA 'A')
2.) Kansas: 3:39.66
3.) West Virginia: 3:40.65
4.) TCU: 3:41.38
5.) Iowa St: 3:42.96


Men
Big 12 Meet Record: 3:04.64 (Texas, 2016)
NCAA 'A' Automatic: 3:07.75
Invited in 2016: 3:09.86

Just like the women's race, this one was all Texas from the start. Led by Licon's 50.83 breaststroke split, the Longhorns took the victory with a 3:05.33, which is well off their Big 12 meet record from last year and even further off the 3:00 they unloaded at NCAAs. You can guarantee these guys are going to make a serious drop in this event when they are fully peaked in four weeks. In a tight battle for second, West Virginia took the silver in a 3:14.30 and barely held off TCU, which finished in 3:14.56. Garrett Hills was charging hard at the end with a 43.76 anchor but could not track down the Mountaineers.

1.) Texas: 3:05.33 (NCAA 'A')
2.) West Virginia: 3:14.30
3.) TCU: 3:14.56

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