University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, March 6
Columbus, OH
10:00 AM/5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Big Ten Championships
Players Mentioned
Freestyle/Butterfly/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke/Butterfly
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Distance Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Sprint Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Backstroke/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Backstroke/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke/Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Distance Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Butterfly/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Sprint Freestyle
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
McHugh Takes Home Second Gold on Final Day of 2021 B1G Championships
3/6/2021 9:19:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
MINNEAPOLIS - With the 2021 Big Ten Conference Championships having officially come to a close, the Minnesota men's swimming and diving program will finish ninth overall with 564 points.
Stealing the spotlight for the Gophers once again was junior Max McHugh, who sped to his second Big Ten title of the Championships in the 200 breaststroke (1:50.93).
For the second day straight, McHugh entered the preliminary round as a heavy favorite to win the day's breaststroke event, with his seed time of 1:53.17 sitting nearly two full seconds faster than his nearest competitor. Like Friday's 100 breast, however, winning would prove more difficult for McHugh than many would have imagined.
After waiting for the final prelim heat to fight for a spot in the night's finals session, McHugh had all he needed to know in front of him. To earn the top seed, he would need to win the heat in a time below 1:52.20, an impressive NCAA 'A' cut from Ohio State's Paul Delakis set two heats prior. Though many expected McHugh to continue in the dominant fashion in which he had been operating throughout the Championships, his prelim swim ultimately came up short as the Sturgeon Bay, Wis. native finished second at 1:52.84.
However, once the final started, McHugh refused to be caught. Dropping an astounding 1.91 seconds from his preliminary time, he cruised to his second Big Ten crown of the Championships, winning comfortably in an NCAA 'A' cut time of 1:50.93. Having already notched the title of 100 breast Champion in 2020 and again earlier this week, the feat marks McHugh's third career Big Ten title.
McHugh was not alone in the night's finals session as senior team captain Eitan Yudashkin got his second finals appearance of the Championships in the night's 'C' final, a heat he would eventually go onto win in an NCAA 'B' cut time of 1:56.79. Yudashkin's best performance of the event actually came during Wednesday's finals session, however, when he touched in a lifetime best time of 1:55.22 during a time trial swim.
As impressive as the 200 breast was for Minnesota, their best event of the day point wise was the longest of the Championships, the mile. After the dust had settled, five Gophers held spots within the top-24 to score points for the team, four of whom notched NCAA 'B' cuts in the process.
Leading the way was freshman Chris Nagy, whose time of 15:06.97 earned him the best Big Ten finish of his career at ninth, an NCAA cut and a new lifetime best. Right behind him was fellow freshman James Freeman, whose 11th place time of 15:11.51 gave him his second cut of the Championships.
Third for the Gophers was yet another freshman in Sawyer Grimes, who, after finishing 16th overall in a time of 15:15.28, has now earned three different cuts through the championships. His others came earlier in the week in the 500 free (4:19.53) and the 400 individual medley (3:49.50).
Rounding out the scorers for the Maroon and Gold in the event were junior Aidan Dulaney and senior Cameron Kelley, who touched 18th (15:17.64 - NCAA 'B' Cut) and 22nd (15:26.93), respectively.
Heading the charge for the Gophers in the night's backstroke event, the 200, was the duo of sophomore Gavin Olson and junior team captain Tom Donker, both of whom set NCAA 'B' cuts en route to their finals session bids. In the night's 'C' final, Donker bettered his cut time and lifetime best to 1:44.40, ultimately finishing 19th overall.
Though Olson finished his finals session in a time of 1:43.46, 0.05 seconds worse than his preliminary time, it still proved strong enough to boost him to 12th overall in the event. His prelim time of 1:43.41 stands as his fastest of the season and an NCAA 'B' cut.
Freshman Lucas Farrar represented the Maroon and Gold in the night's finals session of the 100 freestyle, touching 20th overall in a time of 43.83, only 0.03 seconds outside the NCAA 'B' cut standard.
The foursome of Farrar, Kaiser Neverman, McHugh and Donker took on the 400 free relay for Minnesota, touching eighth overall (2:54.37). The relay effort proved vital for one member of the team, however, as Farrar's lead-off split of 43.18 earned him his second NCAA 'B' cut of the Championships and a new lifetime best in the 100 free.
Personal Bests
In the wake of day five, nine Gophers secured new lifetime bests, bringing the total to an astounding 42 throughout the Championships.
100 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 43.16 (B)
Shane Rozeboom | 46.00
200 Backstroke
Tom Donker | 1:44.40 (B)
Desmon Sachtjen | 1:45.82
Cameron Linder | 1:48.06
1650 Freestyle
Chris Nagy | 15:06.97 (B)
James Freeman | 15:11.51 (B)
Aidan Dulaney | 15:17.64 (B)
William Christenson | 15:40.32
NCAA Cuts
With the final day of competition before the 2021 NCAA Championships wrapped up, here are the Gophers who have hit NCAA Standard Times, all of which either came during, or were bettered at, the Big Ten Championships.
50 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 19.64 (B)
100 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 43.16 (B)
500 Freestyle
Sawyer Grimes | 4:19.53 (B)
James Freeman | 4:19.95 (B)
Cameron Kelley | 4:22.61 (B)
1650 Freestyle
Chris Nagy | 15:06.97 (B)
James Freeman | 15:11.51 (B)
Sawyer Grimes | 15:15.28 (B)
Aidan Dulaney | 15:17.64 (B)
100 Backstroke
Gavin Olson | 47.31 (B)
200 Backstroke
Gavin Olson | 1:43.41 (B)
Tom Donker | 1:44.40 (B)
100 Breaststroke
Max McHugh | 50.19 (A)
Eitan Yudashkin | 53.22 (B)
200 Breaststroke
Max McHugh | 1:50.93 (A)
Eitan Yudashkin | 1:55.22 (B)
100 Butterfly
Tom Donker | 47.25 (B)
200 Butterfly
Kaiser Neverman | 1:45.45 (B)
200 Individual Medley
Kaiser Neverman | 1:46.13 (B)
400 Individual Medley
Sawyer Grimes | 3:49.50 (B)
400 Medley Relay
Olson, McHugh, Neverman, Farrar | 3:06.96 (B)
Notable
"We are very appreciative of the Big Ten Conference, Ohio State and our administration at Minnesota for working so hard to give us this opportunity to compete this weekend," said head coach Kelly Kremer. "The scoreboard may not reflect it, but when you look at the results, there is much to look forward to with this team."
Up Next
The next and last competition for the Gophers this season will be the 2021 NCAA Championships, which will take place from March 24-27 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. The official selections for the Championships will be announced in the following week.
Stealing the spotlight for the Gophers once again was junior Max McHugh, who sped to his second Big Ten title of the Championships in the 200 breaststroke (1:50.93).
For the second day straight, McHugh entered the preliminary round as a heavy favorite to win the day's breaststroke event, with his seed time of 1:53.17 sitting nearly two full seconds faster than his nearest competitor. Like Friday's 100 breast, however, winning would prove more difficult for McHugh than many would have imagined.
After waiting for the final prelim heat to fight for a spot in the night's finals session, McHugh had all he needed to know in front of him. To earn the top seed, he would need to win the heat in a time below 1:52.20, an impressive NCAA 'A' cut from Ohio State's Paul Delakis set two heats prior. Though many expected McHugh to continue in the dominant fashion in which he had been operating throughout the Championships, his prelim swim ultimately came up short as the Sturgeon Bay, Wis. native finished second at 1:52.84.
However, once the final started, McHugh refused to be caught. Dropping an astounding 1.91 seconds from his preliminary time, he cruised to his second Big Ten crown of the Championships, winning comfortably in an NCAA 'A' cut time of 1:50.93. Having already notched the title of 100 breast Champion in 2020 and again earlier this week, the feat marks McHugh's third career Big Ten title.
McHugh was not alone in the night's finals session as senior team captain Eitan Yudashkin got his second finals appearance of the Championships in the night's 'C' final, a heat he would eventually go onto win in an NCAA 'B' cut time of 1:56.79. Yudashkin's best performance of the event actually came during Wednesday's finals session, however, when he touched in a lifetime best time of 1:55.22 during a time trial swim.
As impressive as the 200 breast was for Minnesota, their best event of the day point wise was the longest of the Championships, the mile. After the dust had settled, five Gophers held spots within the top-24 to score points for the team, four of whom notched NCAA 'B' cuts in the process.
Leading the way was freshman Chris Nagy, whose time of 15:06.97 earned him the best Big Ten finish of his career at ninth, an NCAA cut and a new lifetime best. Right behind him was fellow freshman James Freeman, whose 11th place time of 15:11.51 gave him his second cut of the Championships.
Third for the Gophers was yet another freshman in Sawyer Grimes, who, after finishing 16th overall in a time of 15:15.28, has now earned three different cuts through the championships. His others came earlier in the week in the 500 free (4:19.53) and the 400 individual medley (3:49.50).
Rounding out the scorers for the Maroon and Gold in the event were junior Aidan Dulaney and senior Cameron Kelley, who touched 18th (15:17.64 - NCAA 'B' Cut) and 22nd (15:26.93), respectively.
Heading the charge for the Gophers in the night's backstroke event, the 200, was the duo of sophomore Gavin Olson and junior team captain Tom Donker, both of whom set NCAA 'B' cuts en route to their finals session bids. In the night's 'C' final, Donker bettered his cut time and lifetime best to 1:44.40, ultimately finishing 19th overall.
Though Olson finished his finals session in a time of 1:43.46, 0.05 seconds worse than his preliminary time, it still proved strong enough to boost him to 12th overall in the event. His prelim time of 1:43.41 stands as his fastest of the season and an NCAA 'B' cut.
Freshman Lucas Farrar represented the Maroon and Gold in the night's finals session of the 100 freestyle, touching 20th overall in a time of 43.83, only 0.03 seconds outside the NCAA 'B' cut standard.
The foursome of Farrar, Kaiser Neverman, McHugh and Donker took on the 400 free relay for Minnesota, touching eighth overall (2:54.37). The relay effort proved vital for one member of the team, however, as Farrar's lead-off split of 43.18 earned him his second NCAA 'B' cut of the Championships and a new lifetime best in the 100 free.
Personal Bests
In the wake of day five, nine Gophers secured new lifetime bests, bringing the total to an astounding 42 throughout the Championships.
100 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 43.16 (B)
Shane Rozeboom | 46.00
200 Backstroke
Tom Donker | 1:44.40 (B)
Desmon Sachtjen | 1:45.82
Cameron Linder | 1:48.06
1650 Freestyle
Chris Nagy | 15:06.97 (B)
James Freeman | 15:11.51 (B)
Aidan Dulaney | 15:17.64 (B)
William Christenson | 15:40.32
NCAA Cuts
With the final day of competition before the 2021 NCAA Championships wrapped up, here are the Gophers who have hit NCAA Standard Times, all of which either came during, or were bettered at, the Big Ten Championships.
50 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 19.64 (B)
100 Freestyle
Lucas Farrar | 43.16 (B)
500 Freestyle
Sawyer Grimes | 4:19.53 (B)
James Freeman | 4:19.95 (B)
Cameron Kelley | 4:22.61 (B)
1650 Freestyle
Chris Nagy | 15:06.97 (B)
James Freeman | 15:11.51 (B)
Sawyer Grimes | 15:15.28 (B)
Aidan Dulaney | 15:17.64 (B)
100 Backstroke
Gavin Olson | 47.31 (B)
200 Backstroke
Gavin Olson | 1:43.41 (B)
Tom Donker | 1:44.40 (B)
100 Breaststroke
Max McHugh | 50.19 (A)
Eitan Yudashkin | 53.22 (B)
200 Breaststroke
Max McHugh | 1:50.93 (A)
Eitan Yudashkin | 1:55.22 (B)
100 Butterfly
Tom Donker | 47.25 (B)
200 Butterfly
Kaiser Neverman | 1:45.45 (B)
200 Individual Medley
Kaiser Neverman | 1:46.13 (B)
400 Individual Medley
Sawyer Grimes | 3:49.50 (B)
400 Medley Relay
Olson, McHugh, Neverman, Farrar | 3:06.96 (B)
Notable
- Junior Max McHugh earned his third career Big Ten Championship title after winning the 200 breaststroke in an NCAA 'A' cut time of 1:50.93.
- Led by a trio of freshmen, five Gophers scored in the 1650 freestyle, four of whom set NCAA 'B' cut times in the process.
- McHugh was named First Team All-Big Ten for his efforts in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events.
"We are very appreciative of the Big Ten Conference, Ohio State and our administration at Minnesota for working so hard to give us this opportunity to compete this weekend," said head coach Kelly Kremer. "The scoreboard may not reflect it, but when you look at the results, there is much to look forward to with this team."
Up Next
The next and last competition for the Gophers this season will be the 2021 NCAA Championships, which will take place from March 24-27 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. The official selections for the Championships will be announced in the following week.
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