2021 GREAT TEN MEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Today, Michigan and Indiana will need to narrow the gap to the state of Ohio, otherwise the Buckeyes can get away with the title of the top ten. Purdue is in fourth place and Wisconsin in fifth, while Northwestern is in sixth, as Penn State, Minnesota and Iowa are close behind.
Today we will see the preliminaries of 100 fly, 400 IM and 200 free.
THURSDAY MORNING HEAT SHEETS
TEAM SCORE (THROUGH DAY 2)
- Ohio State – 628
- Indian – 547.5
- Michigan – 526
- Purdue – 414.5
- Wisconsin – 345
- Northwest – 296
- Penn State – 267
- Minnesota – 259
- Iowa – 250
- Michigan State – 102
100 FLY – PRELIMS
- Record of Big Ten meetings – 44.79, Vini Lanza (Indiana) – 2018
- Big Ten record – 44.37, Vini Lanza (Indiana) – 2019
- NCAA invitation time for 2020 – 45.97
- Champion in title: Miles Smachlo (Michigan), 45.05
Top 8
- Tomer Frankel (Indiana) – 45.08
- River Wright (Michigan) – 45.24
- Brendan Burns (Indiana) – 45.71
- Wes Jekel (Wisconsin) – 46.32
- Erik Gessner (Wisconsin) – 46.51
- Van Mathias (Indiana) – 46.55
- Corey Gambardella (Indiana) – 46.65
- Trent Pellini (Purdue) – 46.72
Indiana freshman Tomer Frankel came to an end on fly 100, reaching a better life span of 45.08 to overcome Michigan River Wright (45.24) in the final battery this morning. Wisconsin’s Wes Jekel was third in that heat with 46.32, and he qualified for the A-final in fourth. Frankel will now prepare for his 200 free swimming preliminaries, as he is doing a one-two this morning.
The penultimate round went to Wisconsin Erik Gessner in a time of 46.51, with Indiana’s Corey Gambardella second in 46.65 and Purdue’s Trent Pellini third at 46.72.
Indiana sophomore Brendan Burns won the seventh heat, posting a 45.71, a quarter of a second of his best. Of the state of Ohio Without Andreis it was 46.90 for the second on the drums.
Charles Morici from Michigan dominated the fifth heat, with the freshman hitting the wall at 47.12. Justin Fleagle, a freshman from OSU, went 47.02 to win battery six, dropping more than a second from his best old.
The Hoosiers performed very well here, taking four to the A-final, while Wisconsin did two. Michigan and Purdue each had one, and the state of Ohio had none, so we will see IU and Michigan climbing the Buckeyes at this event tonight.
400 IM – PRELIMS
- Record of Big Ten meetings – 3: 48.03, Tyler Clary (Michigan) – 2009
- Big Ten Record – 3: 35.98, Tyler Clary (Michigan) – 2009
- 2020 NCAA Invitation Schedule – 3: 44.36
- The defending champion: Charlie Swanson (Michigan), 3: 40,26
Top 8
- Michael Daly (Penn State) – 3: 43.29
- Caleb Aman (Wisconsin) – 3: 43.33
- Jared Daigle (Michigan) – 3: 43.47
- Danny Berlitz (Michigan) – 3: 44,43
- Spencer Lehman (Indiana) – 3: 45.95
- Will Roberts (Michigan) – 3: 46.08
- Jeffrey Durmer (Northwestern) – 3: 46,13
- Will Lulek (Penn State) – 3: 46,22
The final battery was a battle against the wall, like Michigan’s Danny Berlitz timed 3: 44.43, setting Indiana’s on fire Spencer Lehman on the free leg. Lehman will face Berlitz again in the A-final after 3:45 am this morning.
On battery four, Northwestern’s Jeffrey Durmer ran for the win, going 3: 46.13 to cut a tenth of his former best. Durmer will run in final A tonight; last year, he was in the B and DQ finals at night.
Michigan Jared Daigle dominated battery three, posted 3: 43.47. After swimming in the final C last year, Daigle will appear in the final A this time.
Heat two saw Wisconsin’s Caleb Aman build a huge lead on the chest leg, winning for almost half the length of the pool at the end at 3: 43.33. Minnesota freshman Sawyer Grimes achieved a personal record of 3: 49.93 for the second in that heat.
In the first heat, Penn State’s Michael Daly launched a 3: 43.29, ahead of Michigan’s Will Roberts (3: 46.08). Both men entered without a time.
Michigan makes a play here with three A finalists, with Penn State winning two of their own.
200 FREE – PRELIMS
- Record of Big Ten meetings – 1: 31.14, Blake Pieroni (Indiana) – 2018
- Big Ten Record – 1: 29.63, Blake Pieroni (Indiana) – 2018
- 2020 NCAA Invitation Schedule – 1: 34.07
- The defending champion: Andrew Loy (Ohio State), 1: 31.88
Top 8
- Paul Delakis (Ohio state) – 1: 33.55
- Tomer Frankel (Indiana) – 1: 33.76
- Patrick Callan (Michigan) – 1: 33.78
- Gus Borges (Michigan) – 1: 33.79
- Jake Mitchell (Michigan) – 1: 33.93
- Wyatt Davis (Michigan) – 1: 34.92
- Aleksa Bobar (Northwest) – 1: 35,22
- Connor LaMastra (Northwest) – 1: 35.42
In the last heat, Michigan’s Gus Borges opened up a big advantage in the front half, but Patrick Callan brought it home on the u-turn, ultimately playing at 1: 33.78. Borges broke 1:34 for the first time, going 1: 33.79.
Coming out of his big fly 100, freshman from Indiana Tomer Frankel propelled to another victory, going 1: 33.76 to the victory of the penultimate heat. Michigan freshman Wyatt Davis was second in 1: 34.92, ahead of Northwestern’s second year Aleksa Bobar (1: 35,22).
In the fifth heat, Ohio State Paul Delakis muscled his way to battery victory, easing against the wall at 1: 33.55 before an attack Jake Mitchell of Michigan (1: 33.93).
With external smoke in the second heat, Connor LaMastra (Northwestern) lost half a second of his best performance in his entire life, playing at 1: 35.42 of track eight.
Michigan had another great performance here, with four in this A-final, while Northwestern had two. Last year, Northwestern had no more than one in the A-final at any event, so that was a big 200 free for them, as they also got two in the B-final and one in the C-final.