2017 MEN’S ACC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS



Swimmers are gearing up for the final session of the 2017 Men’s ACC Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. The final session brings competition in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay. As far as the team battle goes, NC State has a 100-point lead over rival Louisville, but there should be a tight race for the 3rd-5th place spots behind them.

Tonight’s action will feature a battle between ACC Record holder Hennessey Stuart and Championship Record holder Grigory Tarasevich in the 200 back, but Robert Owen may also challenge for the title in that event. Championship Record holders Ryan Held (100 free) and Brandon Fiala (200 breast) will each swim one of their signature events. In the 200 fly, Andreas Vazaios will look for his 2nd gold of the meet. Teammate Anton Ipsen will look for a sweep of the distance races in the 1650 free.

MEN’S 1650 FREE

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 14:44.43

NCAA ‘B’ cut – 15:30.39

Conference Record – Matt McLean, 2009 – 14:35.12

Championship Record – Matt McLean, 2009 – 14:35.12

Louisville’s Marcelo Acosta and NC State’s Anton Ipsen were neck-and-neck through most of the 1650 free. Both men flipped at 12:24.57 with 200 yards to go, but it was Acosta who had more gas left in the tank, turning it on to break ahead and win gold in a new ACC Record time of 14:33.68. That took down the previous record of 14:35.12 done by Matt McLean in 2009.

Just off the former record was Ipsen, who wound up 2nd, while teammate Adam Linker earned the bronze. UNC’s Henry Campbell also clocked in below the 15:00-mark, touching in 14:54.16 for 4th place.

MEN’S 200 BACK

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 1:39.87

NCAA ‘B’ cut –1:46.39

Conference Record – Hennessey Stuart, 2016 – 1:38.56

Championship Record – Grigory Tarasevich, 2016 – 1:39.28

NC State’s Hennessey Stuart led through the first 150 of the race, but Louisville’s Grigory Tarasevich blasted a 25.24 on the final 50 to overtake Stuart for the win. The Wolfpack’s Justin Ress and Virginia Tech’s Robert Owen battled for the bronze behind them, with Ress outsplitting Owen by 7 tenths on the last 50 to grab the podium spot. Owen wound up 4th in 1:40.88.

MEN’S 100 FREE

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 42.25

NCAA ‘B’ cut – 44.29

Conference Record – Simonas Bilis, 2016 – 41.18

Championship Record – Ryan Held, 2016 – 41.69

NC State’s Ryan Held rocked a new Meet Record, winning by over a second with his 41.81. Notre Dame’s Tabahn Afrik was out slightly faster than Virginia’s John Whiteside, but Whiteside was able to cath him on the way home as the 2 swimmers tied for silver. Also finishing in the 42-range were NC State’s Soeren Dahl (42.89) and Joe Bonk (42.96).

Notably, Notre Dame’s Justin Plaschka had the 2nd fastest swim of the night from the B-final, winning the consolation heat in 42.78. Louisville’s Trevor Carroll finished 10th in 42.87, which is just a hundredth shy of what it took to make the podium.

MEN’S 200 BREAST

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 1:52.99

NCAA ‘B’ cut – 1:59.79

Conference Record – Thomas Dahlia, 2015 – 1:52.68

Championship Record – Brandon Fiala, 2016 – 1:52.87

Virginia Tech’s Brandon Fiala split a 53.30 to Louisville’s Carlos Claverie‘s 53.38 at the 100 mark, but Fiala started to pull ahead on the back half, winning in a new ACC Record of 1:52.39. Georgia Tech’s Moises Loschi was able to run down Claverie atthe finish, picking up silver while Claverie held on for bronze ahead of Notre Dame’s Trent Jackson (1:53.52).

MEN’S 200 FLY

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 1:41.86

NCAA ‘B’ cut – 1:47.99

Conference Record – Christian McCurdy, 2016 – 1:41.06

Championship Record – Christian McCurdy, 2016 – 1:41.42

Andreas Vazaios, NC State, 1:41.42 Zach Harting, Louisville, 1:41.95 Benjamin Southern, Georgia Tech, 1:43.01

NC State’s Andreas Vazaios and Louisville’s Zach Harting battled down to the last 50 of the 200 fly. Vazaios surged ahead, outplitting Harting 26.12 to 26.81 on the final 50 to win it. Georgia Tech’s Benjamin Southern brought home another medal for the Yellow Jackets, finishing 3rd ahead of Virginia freshman Fred Schubert (1:43.45). Rounding out the top 5 was Louisville’s Josh Quallen (1:44.13).

MEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

NCAA ‘A’ cut – 2:52.45

NCAA ‘B’ cut – 2:48.52

Conference Record – NC State, 2016 – 2:46.81

Championship Record – NC State, 2016 – 2:48.52

NC State- 2:48.14 Louisville- 2:50.55 Notre Dame- 2:51.56

The Wolfpack led from start to finish, with Justin Ress leading them off in a quick 42.12. Ryan Held blazed to a 40.71 on the 2nd leg, while Andreas Schiellerup (42.42) and Soeren Dahl (42.89) brought it home for a new Championship Record.

Louisville earned the silver, highlighted by a 42.29 split by Trevor Carroll on thhe 2nd leg. Tabahn Afrik (42.52) and Daniel Speers (42.54) put up a pair of 42-mids on the 2nd and 4th legs respectively to help Notre Dame earn the bronze.

FINAL TEAM SCORES

1. North Carolina State Universit 1297.5 2. Louisville, University of 1134 3. Notre Dame, University of 923.5 4. VA Tech 883.5 5. Florida State University 730 6. Virginia, University of 709.5 7. North Carolina, University of, 700 8. Duke University 607 9. Georgia Institute of Technolog 576 10. Pittsburgh, University of 513 11. Boston College 167 12. University of Miami (Florida) 108