March 23, 2018
NCAA Swimming Championships - Friday Prelims
MINNEAPOLIS - Zach Apple has been a man on a mission this week and his reward was a bronze medal and a school record on Friday night at the 2018 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at the University of Minnesota.
Apple, a junior, swam a 1:31.18 in the finals of the 200 free to become Auburn's first swimmer to break the 1:32.00 mark in the event and collect the highest individual finish of his career.
"I thought coming into tonight in between Blake (Pieroni) and Townley (Haas), I had a really good place to be able to lay one out and really see what I can do," Apple said.
Apple, from Trenton, Ohio, had posted the only sub 1:33.00 swims in school history prior to Friday night, going 1:32.92 to lead off the 800 free relay at SECs and then swimming a 1:32.20 during Friday morning's prelims. He had also anchored the 800 free relay in an astounding 1:30.74 on opening night of these championships.
"I anchored our 800 free relay in 30.7 so I thought I could be 1:31," Apple said. "This morning I wanted to get through a good race and I went 32.2. I was happy with that. If that's where I ended the meet I would have been a little disappointed, but to drop .7 off my best would have been fine."
Apple was 44.11 after the first 100 and then went 47.07 over the back half.
Apple now holds the six fastest-performances in school history in the event.
For 34 years, Rowdy Gaines held the school record in the event, going 1:33.80 at the 1981 NCAA Championships. Hugo Morris became the first Auburn swimmer to break that record, going 1:33.39 at the 2015 NCAA Championships before Apple put his stamp on the event at last season's NCAA Championships, going 1:33.36.
200 Free
🥉 for 🍎
1:31.18
School Record pic.twitter.com/oMmZsxlIoP-- Auburn Swim & Dive (@AuburnSwimDive) March 23, 2018
3-Meter Diving
Pete Turnham scored a 311.85 in what was his final NCAA competition and Scott Lazeroff scored a 295.25 in the first of two events for him at this week's championships. Turnham's score earned him a 39th-place finish while Lazeroff finished 45th.
Championships Overview
Auburn is in 13th place in the team competition with 56.5 points. Indiana leads all teams with 325 points, followed closely by Texas (306), California (291.5), NC State (252) and Florida (246).
The championships conclude on Saturday with prelims and finals of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay, platform diving and the 1650 free. Live video and scoring is available through gophersports.com.
2018 NCAA S&D Championships
NCAA Champions & Auburn Finishes
400 IM
1. Abrahm DeVine (STAN) -- 3:39.29/3:35.29 30. Hugo Gonzalez -- 3:46.19
100 Butterfly
1. Caeleb Dressel (FLA) -- 44.37/42.80
T19. Santiago Grassi -- 45.75
22. Liam McCloskey -- 45.80
28. Luis Martinez -- 46.21
200 Freestyle
1. Townley Haas (TEX) -- 1:31.78/1:29.50
3. Zach Apple -- 1:32.20/1:31.18
100 Breaststroke
1. Ian Finnerty (IND) -- 50.47/49.69
25. Tommy Brewer -- 52.94
3-Meter
1. Steele Johnson (PUR) -- 444.85/499.35
39. Pete Turnham -- 311.85
45. Scott Lazeroff -- 295.25
200 Medley Relay
1. Southern Cal -- 1:21.82 (Glinta -- 21.15, Vissering -- 22.58, Carter -- 19.60, Condorelli -- 18.49)
22. Auburn -- 1:25.62 (Gonzalez -- 21.94, Brewer -- 24.24, McCloskey -- 20.30, Grassi -- 19.14)
Team Standings
1. Indiana -- 325
2. Texas - 306
3. California -- 291.5
4. NC State - 252
5. Florida -- 246
13. Auburn -- 56.5
Auburn's All-American Honors
(7 Individuals, 12 Honors)
Zach Apple -- 50 Free, 200 Free, 200 FR HM
Tommy Brewer -- 400 MR HM
Hugo Gonzalez -- 200 IM HM, 400 MR HM
Santiago Grassi -- 200 FR HM, 400 MR HM
Peter Holoda -- 200 FR HM, 400 MR HM
Luis Martinez -- 200 FR HM
Liam McCloskey -- 200 FR HM