The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA Championships
Dax Hill and 800 freestyle relay claim national championships
03.24.2012 | Men's Swimming and Diving
March 23, 2012
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - Texas stormed through day two of the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships, claiming two more individual national titles while moving up to second in the team standings.
The Longhorns increased their points total to 343.5, moving from third to second overall at the meet. The success on the second day was due to 10 individuals and two relays representing UT in the finals.
With national championships in the 200 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay, Texas increased its total to four individual titles on the weekend and 101 in school history. It is the fifth individual NCAA title in the 200 freestyle for UT and 12th in the 800 freestyle relay. The Longhorns have won the 800 freestyle relay three of the last four years at the NCAA Championships.
Junior Dax Hill claimed his first career national championship with a 1:32.50 in the 200 freestyle. His time is a personal best and the fifth fastest in school history.
"It feels amazing and it is almost a relief," said Hill. "The team needed it and I was glad I was able to come through for the guys."
Hill was in second going into the final 25 yards but he had been gaining ground on Southern California's Dimitri Colupaev and just before the end he overtook him to win by 4/10 of a second. He was able to come out on top, one year after finishing second in the event at the NCAA Championships.
"In the morning swim I went out fast and it hurts a lot to do that because everyone drafts off of you and you wear down at the end," said Hill. "He (Colupaev) went out fast tonight and in the last 100 I saw I was catching up to him. I knew he was going to be hurting so I turned it up a notch. When I flipped on the last turn I knew my legs were a little fresher and I had it."
Hill would add another trophy to his haul when he led off the 800 freestyle relay. Along with Hill, freshman Clay Youngquist, freshman Kip Darmody and senior Neil Caskey combined for a 6:15.55 to win by 15/100 of a second over California.
"One of the main reasons I came to Texas was because the 200 free was one of my better events and Texas had a great group of guys in the event so I knew the 800 freestyle relay was going to be great," said Youngquist. "I have been looking forward to it for a long time and it is awesome when it finally happens."
In the first leg, Hill recorded a split of 1:33.80 to put UT among the leaders. Freshman Clay Youngquist then put Texas in front of the pack with a 1:33.41. California's Will Hamilton came back to take the advantage over the Longhorns' Kip Darmody by over a second.
Caskey took over and at each turn would gain a little more ground on Cal's Benjamin Hinshaw. Caskey made up the biggest ground with a 21.00 on the first 50 compared to a 20.71 of Hinshaw. Going into the final 50 yards, Caskey trailed by .31 and at the last 25 he had .08 to make up. He wound up with a career-best split of 1:33.26.
"I sometimes take races out to fast and beforehand Eddie (Reese) told me to not take the first 50 so fast," said Caskey. "I just rode it from there and I am glad it worked out. I had pretty good walls and just was trying to utilize those. I was waiting for the last 25 to put it down."
"I was expecting to swim a little faster on my leg but to have three other guys swim amazing and pull through was amazing," said Darmody. "I couldn't have asked for a better finish from our senior Neil Caskey. It was almost like watching the Olympic 400 freestyle relay the way Neil came back and he deserved to win that relay with how much work he has put in this year."
Drew Livingston continued his tear through the NCAA Championships. The senior followed his NCAA title in the 1-meter with a second place finish in the 3-meter on Friday, scoring 454.25 points.
"Being a senior and this being my last meet here, I just don't want to leave any regrets on the table," said Livingston. "I am not completely satisfied because I don't like losing but second is the next best case scenario."
He put the pressure on the field in the final round when he was awarded a 91.20 on his forward 4 1/2 somersault tuck. He executed near perfect the dive with a 3.8 degree of difficulty. Answering the challenge was Stanford's Kristian Ipsen. He needed a 72 on the final dive of the day and he pulled out an 86.70.
"I like to put that dive at the end of my list because it is a high-jumping dive and my hardest," said Livingston. "I like to feed off pressure situations and I came through because I had to."
Also swimming the 200 freestyle A final was freshman Clay Youngquist. With a time of 1:34.06, Youngquist finished fifth in the race. Kyle McNeilis competed in the consolation B final and posted a time of 1:35.16 for fifth in the race and 13th overall.
Cole Cragin had an outstanding day in the 100 backstroke. He captured third place for the second straight year in the event with a time of 45.89. He was joined in the A final by freshman Kip Darmody, who touched the wall in 46.41 for seventh place.
"I am happy I was able to contribute points to the team," said Cragin. "It wasn't my characteristic 100 back as I usually smoke everyone underwater and I have been doing it on top so that bodes well for tomorrow and the 200 back when underwater isn't as big of a factor."
UT's 200 medley relay team of Cole Cragin, Eric Friedland, Neil Caskey and Jimmy Feigen placed fourth with a time of 1:24.73 to lead off the finals session. Cragin led off with a split of 21.43 to put the Longhorns in fourth after the first 50. Friedland and Caskey both improved their splits from the morning with Friedland going 24.04 and Caskey 20.63. Feigen finished with a blistering 18.63 split but was just beat out at the wall by 3/100 of a second as Texas ended up with 30 team points.
A pair of Texas swimmers finished back-to-back in the A final of the 100 butterfly. Feigen took fifth with a time of 46.29 and Caskey was sixth with a 46.33 to give UT 27 team points. It was the highest finish for either swimmer in the event during their NCAA Championship careers.
Friedland was in the A final for the 100 breaststroke. He clocked a 52.86 to finish eighth in the event to finish in the top eight for the second straight year.
In the 400 IM, Nick D'Innocenzo just beat his prelim time with a 3:45.22 to finish eighth in the A final. Austin Surhoff improved by four seconds from the morning to come in second in the consolation B final and 10th overall with a time of 3:44.39. The two swimmers combined for 18 team points with their placings.
Senior Matt Cooper took home third in the consolation B final and 11th overall in the 3-meter. He scored 418.0 points in the B final to pick up six team points.
Saturday will be the third and final day of the championships. The prelims being at 11 a.m. and the finals at 7 p.m. The events scheduled to take place include the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 400 freestyle relay, 1,650 freestyle and platform diving.
