Lose the battle (barely) but win the war! Cal second in the 400 FR-R to cap off the night and go under the NCAA record (behind Florida). National champions! Great job to the team and coaches. Outstanding effort and depth from top to bottom!
2022-2023 Men's Swimming
19,757 Views |
154 Replies |
Last: 9 mo ago by OBear073akaSMFan
Cal finishes just 0.01 off Florida in the , 4x100 FR relay to come in second but wins overall NCAA Championship. CONGRATULATIONS BEARS!!!
PAC champs are not that important. It's alll about nattys.
Congratulations, Cal men's swimming & diving program, repeat NCAA national champions! GO BEARS!
Cal Swimming Celebrates Repeat NCAA Title With 'Incredible Lineage of World Class Gentlemen'
Among all of the SwimSwam analysis and points/number-crunching that exists and is to come, here's a nice article from Swimming World with insight from Hugo and Reece on coming back for another season with Cal and what the program and coaches have meant to them. In four meets (skipping 2020): 2019, 2022, and now, 2023 champions. Truly, congrats all!
Among all of the SwimSwam analysis and points/number-crunching that exists and is to come, here's a nice article from Swimming World with insight from Hugo and Reece on coming back for another season with Cal and what the program and coaches have meant to them. In four meets (skipping 2020): 2019, 2022, and now, 2023 champions. Truly, congrats all!
There are various reasons that can happen. For instance, at Pac-12 Champs, you are limited in the number of swimmers in an event that are allowed to score. (Not sure what that number is today - it used to be 3) So, you can have several swimmers in an event - but, that means you will have some swimmers compete "exhibition" - their times are legitimate (so they can qualify for NCAAs), but no matter how fast they swim, they cannot score for the university. However, this is not the case at NCAAs. So, the teams with more 'quality depth' are able to score more --> since any of their swimmers entered in the event are able to score points. (So, 'quality depth' is rewarded at NCAAs.)
Also, the swimmers that have already qualified for NCAAs (comfortably - not those on the bubble) usually aren't shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s. Whereas, those swimmers (from any school) that are trying to qualify for NCAAs will be shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s and might beat the un-tapered (but NCAA qualified) swimmers at Pac-12s. However, those same swimmers usually either just maintain their times (at best), or slightly add to their qualifying times at NCAAs because they're trying to extend their taper --> which can be really hard to do - the longer the event, the harder it is. [One of the tell-tale signs of that (especially in the longer events) is someone that swims well in the morning (during trials), but then adds to that time in finals.] Whereas, the swimmers that weren't shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s WILL be shaved and fully tapered at NCAAs, and will have their best swims of the season at that meet. (and beat the people that beat them at Pac-12s)
Another example is that some swimmers that have already qualified for NCAAs in their 'main events' - might swim other, secondary, events at Pac-12s either to (a) try to qualify for NCAAs in another event at which they're very good, or to (b) take a break from their "typical events" and swim events that they enjoy. Also, some NCAA qualified swimmers prefer to not to swim their main events at a 'pre-championship meet' because it can hurt their confidence to swim their main events, untapered, and either (i) not swim as fast as they would like/expect to because they aren't shaved and tapered, and/or (ii) be beaten by other swimmers that are tapered - because they aren't tapered - as both of those scenarios can mess with your head a bit.
Those are a few examples
WAY TO GO CAL BEAR M.SWIMMERS!!!!
GO BEARS!!!!
Also, the swimmers that have already qualified for NCAAs (comfortably - not those on the bubble) usually aren't shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s. Whereas, those swimmers (from any school) that are trying to qualify for NCAAs will be shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s and might beat the un-tapered (but NCAA qualified) swimmers at Pac-12s. However, those same swimmers usually either just maintain their times (at best), or slightly add to their qualifying times at NCAAs because they're trying to extend their taper --> which can be really hard to do - the longer the event, the harder it is. [One of the tell-tale signs of that (especially in the longer events) is someone that swims well in the morning (during trials), but then adds to that time in finals.] Whereas, the swimmers that weren't shaved and fully tapered at Pac-12s WILL be shaved and fully tapered at NCAAs, and will have their best swims of the season at that meet. (and beat the people that beat them at Pac-12s)
Another example is that some swimmers that have already qualified for NCAAs in their 'main events' - might swim other, secondary, events at Pac-12s either to (a) try to qualify for NCAAs in another event at which they're very good, or to (b) take a break from their "typical events" and swim events that they enjoy. Also, some NCAA qualified swimmers prefer to not to swim their main events at a 'pre-championship meet' because it can hurt their confidence to swim their main events, untapered, and either (i) not swim as fast as they would like/expect to because they aren't shaved and tapered, and/or (ii) be beaten by other swimmers that are tapered - because they aren't tapered - as both of those scenarios can mess with your head a bit.
Those are a few examples
WAY TO GO CAL BEAR M.SWIMMERS!!!!
GO BEARS!!!!
What a fantastic performance by the Bears! What are the chances of three-peating? They do lose some graduate scorers ie Hugo, Reece, Lucas Henveaux, & Callan but they seem to return the bulk of their underclassmens & seems in the last couple of years Cal has enticed many of the senior to stay for a 5th year. Cal also have an outstanding freshmen class coming in 2023-24. Not sure how the other schools will fare in the future? Both Florida & ASU looks to be on the rise though some think Marchand might go Pro. Think at some point swimswam will do a predictions. Also What are the greatest need for our team next year.(.me think breast & the IM). Will any of the new recruit address our weaknesses?
Congrats to the Bears! Well done.
Next year is a tough one to predict, in terms of which top swimmers might stay - especially for the seniors and 5th year seniors because it is an Olympic year. So, some swimmers may choose to train elsewhere (i.e. with their USS team) and focus on the Olympic Trials for the U.S., or the countries for which they swim. (i.e. Hugo = Spain) Also, some swimmers (again, especially those that are seniors and/or 5th year seniors) might choose to stay and train with the Bears - but not be enrolled in classes (so they cannot compete for the Bears), so they can focus fully on their training, sleep/recovery and nutrition w/o the time commitment and pressure of having classes at the same time.
GO BEARS!!!!
GO BEARS!!!!
National Prelims - 2 Bears made 100m free final with incredible times.
* ALEXY Jack -- 47.75
* LASCO Destin -- 47.87
For comparison, in 2021, 48.46 sec would make the US Olympic team. The Bears' times would have earned top 6 at the 2021 Olympic final.
* ALEXY Jack -- 47.75
* LASCO Destin -- 47.87
For comparison, in 2021, 48.46 sec would make the US Olympic team. The Bears' times would have earned top 6 at the 2021 Olympic final.
Alexy wins the 100 free, securing an individual event for worlds. Lasco finishes 4th and joins Alexy on the 400 FR lineup! Great breakthrough for both!
Lasco secures an individual event entry at worlds with his runner-up spot in the 200 back, finishing only behind Murph!
Rose wins the 100 fly in a 50.74, he's headed to Worlds!
Preliminary 100 bk Murphy & Lasco top two times. Stadden 5th in her prelims 100bk.
Featured Stories
See All
Cal Football Spring Practice Day 12
by Jim McGill
Cal's Mykolas Alekna: The Best There Ever Was
by Cal Athletics
Bears Complete The Sweep Over WSU
by Cal Athletics