MINNEAPOLIS – History in Minneapolis!
The Sun Devil Men put a stamp on their incredible 2022-23 season by finishing second at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center to secure the best national finish in school history.
NCAA Championship Central | Live Results | Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap | Day 3 Recap
The Sun Devils had previously never finished better than sixth at the national championships. Their two best showings, both sixth-place efforts, came in 1982 and 2022. They scored just 236 points at last year's championship, a number they cleared after the 10th event this week.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Cal, 482
2. ASU, 430
3. Texas, 384
4. Indiana, 379
5. NC State, 373.5
HISTORY IN MINNEAPOLIS ??
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 26, 2023
The Sun Devils finish second at the NCAA Championships for the highest finish in program history ??
?? @espn | #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/PT7Y5NO3nh
The Sun Devils were brilliant all week from the jump, beginning with a pair of second-place relays in the opening night on Wednesday and closing it with 10 top-15 finishes on Saturday evening, including the third individual title this week from Léon Marchand.
Marchand took the 200 breast in NCAA record-setting time of 1:46.91, breaking his own mark of 1:47.67 that he set at the Pac-12 Championships. Marchand won the 200 IM, 200 breast and 400 IM this week in Minneapolis, setting new NCAA records in each event.
It's his fifth career NCAA title, breaking a tie with diver Joonha Pukka (4) for most in Sun Devil Men's history. It also completed a perfect season for the Toulouse, France, native, as he won all 27 individual events he raced in this year.
The legend of Léon Marchand grows by the day.
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 26, 2023
?? @espn | #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/UHJnDPdLRb
David Schlicht joined Marchand in the 200 breast, where he added his third top-11 finish in Minneapolis (9th/400 IM, 10th/200 IM, 11/200 breast). Schlicht scored 22 points this week, providing the kind of depth that allowed the Sun Devils to finish second in the nation.
Sun Devil freshmen Hubert Kos (3rd/1:37.96) and Owen McDonald (5th/1:39.34) went top-five in the 200 back championship final. Kos set a new school record, breaking his own mark that he set six hours ago in prelims Saturday morning.
HUBIIIII ??
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 25, 2023
?? @espn | #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/sU4xf1qKE8
McDonald was just as electric in his first NCAA Championships, taking fifth in the 200 back and sixth in the 100 back this week.
The evening began with a pair of top-15 efforts from Zalan Sarkany (8th/14:42.80) and Daniel Matheson (14th/14:48.21) in the 1650 free. The two were instrumental this season in turning the Sun Devils into major players in the long-distance freestyle events.
Alex Colson took seventh in the 200 fly (1:41.38) and Andrew Gray was 15th overall (1:42.94). The Minneapolis native Gray had a trio of top-15 showings this week (11th/200 free, 13th/500 free, 15th/200 fly).
A whole lot of podium action in the final night in Minneapolis ?? pic.twitter.com/vWCZIwn1br
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 26, 2023
A trio of Sun Devils raced in the 100 free consolation final in Jonny Kulow (11th/41.66), Grant House (12th/41.90) and Jack Dolan (16th/42.56).
The Sun Devils closed their week with a third-place effort in the 400 free relay courtesy of Kulow-Marchand-House-Dolan, who went a school-record time of 2:45.12. The Sun Devils were top-three in four of five relays this week.
RELAYS IN MINNESOTA
200 medley relay – 2nd
800 free relay – 2nd
400 free relay – 3rd
400 medley relay – 3rd
200 free relay – 5th
MORNING PRELIMS
The Sun Devils sent four to an evening championship final, highlighted once again by Marchand. The sophomore standout cruised to win the 200 breast prelims at 1:49.64, setting the stage for his third national title of the week.
David Schlicht's big week continued into Saturday, where he took 11th (1:51.93) in the 200 breast.
Sun Devil freshmen Hubert Kos and Owen McDonald were terrific on Saturday morning. Kos set a school record in the 200 back at 1:38.25 – a mark he would break six hours later – to take third, while McDonald went 1:39.54 (8th) to grab a lane for the championship final.
Four finished within the top-20 of the 100 free in Grant House (12th/41.83), Jack Dolan (13th/41.85), Jonny Kulow (14th/41.86) and Patrick Sammon (20th/42.12). It set the stage for the Sun Devils to grab points in bunches in the evening final.
Alex Colson (3rd/1:40.43) and Andrew Gray (10th/1:41.70) were the top Sun Devils to emerge from the 200 fly. It paved the way for the third consecutive top-15 for the Minneapolis native Gray this week (11th/200 free, 13th/500 free, 15th/200 fly).
SUN DEVIL MEN'S SWIMMING POSTSEASON FINISHES UNDER COACH BOWMAN (PAC-12/NCAA)
2023: 1st/2nd (highest finish in school history)
2022: 3rd/6th (program's highest finish since 1982)
2021: DNC (entire program redshirted due to COVID-19)
2020: 4th/no NCAA due to COVID-19
2019: 4th/21st
2018: 4th/20th
2017: 4th/14th
2016: 5th/44th(T)
SUN DEVIL MEN'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Léon Marchand, 200 breast (2023)
Léon Marchand, 400 IM (2023)
Léon Marchand, 200 IM (2023)
Léon Marchand 200 breast (2022)
Léon Marchand 200 IM (2022)
Joona Puhakka, 3m Dive (2005)
Joona Puhakka, 1m Dive (2005)
Joona Puhakka, 3m Dive (2004)
Joona Puhakka, 1m Dive (2003)
Attila Czene, 200 IM (2000)
Francisco Sanchez, 50 Free (1996)
Mike Orn, 200 Free (1983)
Andy Astbury, 500 Free (1982)
Keith Russell, 3m Dive (1968)
Bernie Wrightson, 1m Dive (1966)
SCHOOL RECORDS SET IN MINNEAPOLIS
400 free relay – Kulow, Marchand, House, Dolan (2:45.12)
200 breast – Marchand (1:46.91)
200 back – Hubert Kos (1:37.96)
400 medley relay – Dolan, Marchand, McCusker, Kulow (2:59.18)
400 IM – Marchand (3:28.82, NCAA record)
200 IM – Marchand (1:36.34, NCAA record)
200 medley relay – Dolan, Marchand, McCusker, Kulow (1:21.07)
800 free relay – House, Sammon, Hill, Marchand (6:05.08)
ALL-AMERICANS IN MINNEAPOLIS
Léon Marchand – 200 breast 400 IM, 200 IM, 200 medley relay, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Jack Dolan – 100 back, 50 free, 100 free (Second-Team), 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
David Schlicht – 200 breast (Second-Team), 200 IM (Second-Team), 400 IM (Second-Team)
Hubert Kos – 200 back, 400 IM, 200 IM (Second-Team)
Max McCusker – 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay
Jonny Kulow – 100 free (Second-Team) 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 400 free relay
Grant House – 200 free, 100 free (Second-Team), 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 IM (Second-Team), 400 free relay
Patrick Sammon – 200 free, 800 free relay
Julian Hill – 200 free, 800 free relay
Andrew Gray – 200 fly (Second-Team), 200 free (Second-Team), 500 free (Second-Team)
Owen McDonald – 100 back, 200 back
Daniel Matheson – 1650 free (Second-Team)
Zalan Sarkany – 1650 free
Alex Colson – 200 fly
From the swimming & diving program being cut to holding a trophy at NCAAs...what a season for this team. Fork 'em ?? pic.twitter.com/52E14SYqud
— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) March 26, 2023