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Bears Seek Eighth NCAA Championship

by calbears.com
Mar 20, 2023
The Bears look to add to their trophy collection this week when they compete at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis.

BERKELEY – The reigning national champion California men's swimming & diving team will look to defend its crown this week as 16 Golden Bears compete at the 2023 NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota's campus in Minneapolis. The meet will take place March 22-25.
 
The Bears have finished in the top two at the previous 12 NCAA Championship meets – including five national titles in 2011, '12, '14 '19, and '22 – and appear poised to make a run at the top spot yet again. The Bears also won championships in 1979 and '80. Of Cal's 15 swimmers competing in Minneapolis, 14Fif have previous NCAA Championship experience. Cal will also be sending freshman diver Joshua Thai to the championships and he will compete in the 3-meter event.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
All sessions will be streamed on ESPN+. The stream for the finals can be accessed here, while prelims and diving events will be streamed are available here. Prelims will start at 8 a.m. PT (10 a.m. CT) and finals will begin at 4 p.m. PT (6 p.m. CT) each day.
 
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday, March 22:
200 medley relay & 800 free relay finals
Thursday, March 23:
500 free, 200 IM, 50 free & 200 free relay
Friday, March 24:
400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter driving, 400 medley relay
Saturday, March 25:
1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay
 
THE NCAA CONTINGENT
Fifteen swimmers and one diver will represent Cal this week in Minneapolis. Cal's 16 invitees combined for 35 individual events and the Bears are also eligible for all five relay events at the NCAA Championships.

  • Jack Alexy – 50 free, 100 free
  • Liam Bell – 100 breast
  • Kevin Callman – 200 free, 500 free
  • Hugo González – 200 back, 200 IM, 400 IM
  • Dylan Hawk – 200 free
  • Lucas Henveaux – 1650 free, 500 free, 400 IM
  • Matthew Jensen – 100 fly, 100 breast, 100 free
  • Gabriel Jett – 200 free, 500 free, 200 fly
  • Destin Lasco – 200 IM, 100 back, 200 back
  • Jason Louser – 400 IM, 200 IM, 200 breast
  • Colby Mefford – 200 back
  • Dare Rose – 100 fly, 200 fly
  • Björn Seeliger – 50 free, 100 free, 100 back
  • Sebastian Somerset – 100 breast
  • Joshua Thai – 3-meter dive
  • Reece Whitley – 100 breast, 200 breast

 
 
NCAA SUCCESS UNDER DURDEN
In addition to the five team national titles and 12 consecutive top-two finishes at NCAAs during David Durden's 15-year tenure as the Cal men's swimming & diving head coach, the Bears have totaled 48 event wins (34 individual, 17 relay).
 
2022 NCAA RECAP
The Bears took home their fifth NCAA Championship under head coach David Durden with a score of 487.5 points, ahead of runner-up Texas (436.5 points) and third-place Florida (374 points). Cal entered Saturday with a 7.5-point lead, and the Bears set the stage for their victory when 12 swimmers qualified for finals in Saturday morning prelims. Hugo Gonzalez and Destin Lasco were individual national champions, winning the 400 IM and 200 backstroke. Cal also won the 400 medley relay.
 
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal men's swimming and diving, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalMenSwim), Instagram (@CalMenSwim) and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalMensSwimmingandDiving).

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