Seeliger, Whitley Highlight Huge Day At Pac-12s

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Reece Whitley and Björn Seeliger won back-to-back individual titles in the 100-yard breaststroke and 100 backstroke as California stormed into second place on the third night of the Pac-12 Men's Swimming & Diving Championships on Friday.
 
The Golden Bears (516.50 points) will enter the final day of the conference championship meet just 63 points behind Stanford (579.50) with six events remaining. Cal was in fourth place with 221.50 points prior to Friday's finals session.
 
Whitley claimed the Pac-12 crown in the 100 breast for the third consecutive year, throwing down 51.30. Liam Bell followed Whitley, placing fifth (52.01).
 
Seeliger added Cal's second straight win shortly after, touching the wall in 44.72 to win the 100 back title. Best known for his sprinting abilities – Seeliger won the 50 freestyle Thursday – the Swede entered the 100 back and clocked 44.88 in prelims to earn the top seed before winning the title. The 44.72 finish made Seeliger the sixth-fastest man in the NCAA this season. Destin Lasco (45.11) was the runner-up while Daniel Carr (45.27) and Bryce Mefford (45.85) placed fourth and seventh, respectively.
 
In the first event of the night, Hugo González (3:36.54) and Jason Louser (3:38.77) earned podium spots in the 400 individual medley. Trenton Julian (1:32.54) reached the podium two events later in the 200 free.
 
The session concluded with the 400 medley relay, which saw Cal place third behind Stanford and Arizona State. The quartet of Lasco, Whitley, Dare Rose – who claimed fifth place in the 100 butterfly earlier – and Seeliger clocked a season-best time of 3:02.84, which cleared the NCAA "A" standard.
 
UP NEXT
The Pac-12 Championships conclude Saturday with six events – 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and 400 free relay. Prelims for the individual events start at 11 a.m., followed by finals at 6 p.m. The finals will be streamed live on Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.
 
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