IOWA CITY, IOWA – With a pair of national runner-up finishes, which also included Cal setting a new American record in the 400 medley relay and Ryan Murphy setting an NCAA record in the 100 back, David Durden squad sits in second place after Day One of the 2015 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Iowa City. The Golden Bears, NCAA team champions in three of the past four years, sit just behind Texas, 171-119 after six events.

In the evening's final race, Cal was narrowly out-touched by the Longhorns, 3:01.23 to 3:01.60, in the 400 medley relay, yet the Bears set a new American record with their time and sophomore standout Murphy established a new NCAA record with his lead-off backstroke time of 44.17.

Cal was also the national runners-up in the 200 free relay, clocking a time of 1:16.02 behind the swims of junior Tyler Messerschmidt, senior Seth Stubblefield, senior Fabio Gimondi and Murphy. Junior Josh Prenot placed third and Murphy was fifth in the 200 IM with times of 1:42.34 and 1:42.49, respectively. In the 50 free final, Messerschmidt was sixth with a mark of 19.19.

In B Finals over the evening, senior Will Hamilton was 12th (1:43.12) and junior Jacob Pebley 16th (1:44.18) in the 200 IM, while Stubblefield was 15th (19.58) in the 50 free.

On Friday, the Bears will be competing in the 200 medley relay, the 400 IM, the 100 fly, the 200 free, the 100 breast, the 100 back and the 800 free. Cal is the defending national champs in the 200 medley relay, Prenot is the three-time Pac-12 champion in the 400 IM and Murphy is the defending Pac-12 and NCAA champion in the 100 back.

“It (the NCAA championships) was good today,” said Durden. “We had to scratch and claw for every point that we are earning here and I like that. The guys are taking race by race and stroke by stroke and that is what you want to see from our group. We finished off the night with a great relay, setting an American record. We are looking forward to getting after it tomorrow.”