The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Championships
No. 6 Men's Swimming and Diving sweeps day two at Big 12 Championships
02.22.2018 | Men's Swimming and Diving
Longhorns have won all seven events heading into the third day of the four-day meet.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 6 Texas swept the four men's events Thursday and took the lead in the team standings at the Big 12 Championships at UT's Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
Freshman Parker Neri led a herd of seven Longhorns in the final of the 500 freestyle. The Ohio native took the win at 4:15.40 while his classmate JohnThomas Larson followed closely behind in second at 4:15.60. Junior Townley Haas, a former NCAA champion in the event, took third at 4:16.00 while freshman Chris Yeager took fourth at 4:19.44.
Junior Jeff Newkirk placed fifth in the 500 at 4:19.74, and freshman Austin Katz placed sixth at 4:20.20. Freshman Sam Pomajevich rounded out the Texas contingent with his seventh-place swim at 4:23.48.
All-America senior Jonathan Roberts captured his first 200 IM crown in his four years at the Big 12 meet. The Southlake native clocked 1:43.54 for the win while redshirt sophomore Ryan Harty followed closely behind at 1:44.21. Junior Sam Stewart took fourth at 1:45.78, and sophomore Josh Artmann placed sixth at 1:46.28.
"I wanted to go out as fast as I did this morning," Roberts said. "I didn't see my splits, but I don't think it went according to plan. Thankfully, that gave me extra fuel going into the last 50 yards, and I was able to take it home pretty hard.
Junior Tate Jackson dipped below the 19-second barrier in both the preliminary and final rounds on his way to victory in the 50 freestyle. Jackson was victorious at 18.95 seconds, good for an NCAA automatic-qualifying cut. Senior Brett Ringgold took second at 19.07 while senior Joseph Schooling placed third at 19.36.
The Longhorns' Katz joined senior Austin Temple, Schooling and Ringgold to win the 400 medley relay in an NCAA automatic-qualifying cut in 3:05.71.
Texas leads the meet through the second of four days with 380 points. West Virginia sits in second with 290 points, and TCU holds third place with 215 points.
Day three of the Big 12 Championships gets underway Friday at 10 a.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
