University of Minnesota Athletics
Becker Turns In Golden Performance
2/22/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Thursday Final Results 
Friday Prelim Sheet
MINNEAPOLIS- University of Minnesota junior Bowen Becker won gold in the 50-yard freestyle this evening at the Men's Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championship in front of a raucous home crowd at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
"It hasn't really set in yet but it's a good feeling," Bowen explained. "I worked hard for it and I'm glad I could do it in my home pool."
Becker set a Big Ten record of 18.69 in the morning preliminary session and then cruised to victory in the evening with a time of 18.93. He was the only swimmer in the field to post a sub 19.00. His previous best in the 50 came last year in the same championship when he finished fourth with a 19.08.
"Having a Big Ten champion in Bowen Becker and setting the Big Ten record this morning, it's outstanding for him," said Kremer of Becker's performance. "We accomplished some things that we haven't done for a little bit. I'm really happy with how the meet is going and I think tomorrow we're going to have a lot more opportunities in terms of events and people getting involved in the meet.
Minnesota started out the night with a pair in the C final of the 500 free event. Sophomore Nick Saulnier shaved off two seconds from this morning's preliminary swim finishing 18th in a personal-record and NCAA "B" cut time of 4:21.66. Finishing behind Saulnier in 22nd was teammate Nick Plachinski touching the wall at a NCAA "B" cut time of 4:23.64.
In the 200 individual medley, Minnesota posted a pair of personal-record times. Junior Brian Poon came in touching the wall at a NCAA "B" cut of 1:47.02 for a 20th place finish prior to Eitan Yudashkin placing 24th in a B cut time of 1:47.55.
Prior to Becker's dominate 50 free performance, the Gophers saw two more personal-record and NCAA "B" Cut perfromances. Tuomas Pokkinen captured an 18th place finish touching in at 19.88, while Matt Thomas placed 23rd in a time of 20.04.
In the diving well, Nick Yang had the Gophers top finish placing sixth in the 1-meter with a school-record score of 420.35. Jeremy Moser scored a personal best 404.55 in a 10th place finish while Alan LeBlang placed 13th in a personal best score of 386.95.
Heading into the final exchange of the 400 medley relay the Gophers were sitting at fourth place until Becker did what Becker does best. The junior swam the final 100 yards in a time of 41.33 to help the Gophers pass Michigan and Ohio State as Tom Donker, Conner McHugh, Thomas and Becker posted a new school-record time and NCAA A qualifying mark of 3:06.09 in their second place finish.
Off to a great start with a young squad, head coach Kelly Kremer can only look ahead from this point. "We're off to a good start, but I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."
The action continues tomorrow morning at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic center with preliminary swims in the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 3-meter diving beginning at 11 a.m. CT
Players Mentioned
