Top-10 Showdown In Bear Territory
BERKELEY – California men's swimming & diving will open the 2021-22 dual-meet season with a top-10 clash against No. 9 Virginia at 5 p.m. PT Friday at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The meet will feature men's and women's teams from both schools, and admission is free.
Fans attending the meet are strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings in outdoor areas. Facial coverings are required at all times in indoor spaces (i.e., restrooms) for guests ages 2 and up regardless of vaccination status, unless actively eating or drinking. Masks will be available at entrances for fans upon request. More information about Cal's fan attendance policy can be viewed here.
The matchup is the first dual meet between Cal and Virginia. The Cavaliers placed ninth at the 2021 NCAA Championships while Cal was second, earning its 11th consecutive top-two finish at NCAAs.
ORDER OF EVENTS (SPIEKER AQUATICS COMPLEX RECORD)
- 200 Medley Relay (1:24.38)
- 1000 Freestyle (8:49.88)
- 200 Freestyle (1:33.53)
- 100 Backstroke (45.21)
- 100 Breaststroke (51.54)
- 200 Butterfly (1:39.93)
- 50 Freestyle (18.97)
- 15-minute break
- 100 Freestyle (41.8)
- 200 Backstroke (1:40.28)
- 200 Breaststroke (1:48.53)
- 500 Freestyle (4:14.08)
- 100 Butterfly (45.85)
- 10-minute break
- 200 Individual Medley (1:44.07)
- 200 Freestyle Relay (1:16.63)
WELCOME BACK, FANS!
Friday's dual meet will be the first time in 616 days that the Cal faithful will be able to watch the Bears' men's swimming & diving program compete in person at Spieker Aquatics Complex. Cal's most recent home meet with fans allowed in the venue was on Feb. 7, 2020, a dual-meet win over USC.
DUAL MEET STREAK
The Bears have won 14 consecutive dual meets dating back to Oct. 3, 2018. With six dual-meet victories in both 2018-19 and 2019-20, as well as a 2-0 mark in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign, Cal hasn't lost a dual meet since Feb. 17, 2018 – a span of 1,336 days. Cal is 77-11 in dual meets under the guidance of head coach David Durden.
IN THE RANKINGS
Cal is ranked second nationally in the 2021-22 CSCAA preseason poll, which was released Thursday. The Bears' 360 points rank behind only Texas (375).
LAST TIME IN THE POOL
Redshirt senior Hugo González earned the title of King of the Pool after racing to a pair of victories and five top-three finishes at the Bears' annual season-opening competition with Cal Poly at Anderson Aquatic Center in San Luis Obispo, California, on Friday, Sept. 24. The Spaniard came out on top of the unique pentathlon, which tasked each swimmer with taking part in five 100-yard races, including the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. González won the 100 back (47.82) and 100 IM (48.72, personal record) and added second- and third-place finishes in the 100 fly (47.99), 100 breast (55.89) and 100 free (44.73), earning a total time of 4:05.15.
OLYMPIC SUCCESS IN TOKYO
It was a summer of success for nine Bears at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, including eight swimmers and Cal head coach David Durden, who served as the United States Olympic men's swimming head coach and guided the American men to 12 total medals. Cal alumni Ryan Murphy (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) and Tom Shields (1 gold) brought home four combined medals for the United States while Cal's eight-man contingent amassed four individual finals, six individual semifinals and three relay finals across 11 events.
A trio of the Tokyo Olympians – Hugo González (Spain), Robin Hanson (Sweden) and Björn Seeliger (Sweden) – are on Cal's 2021-22 squad.
THEY'RE BACK
Three standout Bears – Daniel Carr, Sean Grieshop and Trenton Julian – are back in Bear Territory after electing to use an NCAA waiver to compete collegiately for a fifth year. The trio has a combined 46 All-America certificates, 19 Pac-12 titles and one NCAA title (won by Carr on the 2021 200-yard freestyle relay) while having led Cal to the 2019 NCAA team title and four consecutive Pac-12 team titles dating back to 2018.
STAY POSTED
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