Men’s Dual Meets to Watch During the NCAA Season
After 182 days, the wait is finally over. College swimming has returned for its 101st seasons as a men’s NCAA sport, sure to be a historic one. For weeks, we’ve salivated over the nail-biting finishes and stunning performances to come. Now, with the season upon us, here’s a look at some of the top dual meets to watch this season.
5. Indiana at Michigan
One of the best rivalries in one of college swimming’s top conferences, it would be impossible to leave this meet off the list. The Hoosiers got the better of the Wolverines a year ago, cruising to a 160-103 win. They’re on track to look a little different this year, though, graduating multiple top scorers. Owen McDonald and Zalan Sarkany will look to keep the Hoosiers on track, having both already etched themselves into the Indiana swimming history books. Can the Wolverines catch them, though? Michigan’s depth is solid, as it returns multiple NCAA finalists in Tyler Ray and Colin Geer.
4. Arizona State at Cal
A classic West Coast matchup comes in at No. 4 on the list, pitting two former Pac-12 rivals. Arizona State will look to improve in Year Two under coach Herbie Behm, after a strong sixth-place finish at NCAAs a year ago. Ilya Kharun and Jonny Kulow return for the Sun Devils, and are coming off strong performances on the international stage this summer. They’ll face a tough challenge from an always stacked Cal team. The Bears lost major top talent, but will rely on breaststroke standout Yamato Okadome and Team USA standout Keaton Jones in the backstroke.
3. Georgia at Florida
Our first SEC clash lands at No. 3 as the Bulldogs travel to Gainesville. Georgia will be extra motivated in this one, after a tough loss to the Gators last year snapped a 3-0 start to the season. Florida will continue to be a tough challenge, with incredible talent in the stroke races, including Olympian Josh Liendo. Can world champion Luca Urlando and the Bulldogs grab a victory?
2. Cal at Stanford
Two of college swimming’s most consistent programs, and perhaps its greatest rivalry, will go head-to-head again to finish their respective seasons. The Cardinal has traded blows with the Bears for years, and this year’s meet will have a different look with each program reloading. One of the Stanford athletes to watch is Henry McFadden, who has established himself in the mid-distance freestyle.
1. Tennessee at Texas
Bob Bowman’s squad tops the list here, as the favorite to capture the NCAA crown, which Texas claimed last year. The Longhorns return top scorers in Hubert Kos and Rex Maurer, with Kos coming off a world title over the summer in the 200 backstroke. Their biggest challenge in a dual meet this season will likely come from the Volunteers, who finished fifth a year ago at NCAAs. There’s no Jordan Crooks for Tennessee, but seniors Gui Caribe and Martin Espernberger return after strong seasons a year ago.
