Hobson wins 200 free national crown at NCAA Championships

Friday, March 29

Indianapolis, Ind.

Prelims: 9 a.m. CT | Finals: 5 p.m. CT

University of Texas

NCAA Championships

Hobson wins 200 free national crown at NCAA Championships

03.29.2024 | Men's Swimming and Diving

Day 3 Finals Results Day 4 Prelim Heat Sheet

Luke Hobson won his second consecutive 200-yard freestyle title with a record-setting swim of 1:28.81.

INDIANAPOLIS – Men's Swimming and Diving's Luke Hobson captured his second consecutive 200 free national title in a record-setting performance at the NCAA Championships on Friday on day three of the four-day meet at the Indiana University Natatorium. Hobson broke his own American and program records and established NCAA, U.S. Open and pool records with a swim of 1:28.81, his third sub-1:30 performance of the meet.

200 FREE NATIONAL CHAMPION and a NCAA RECORD‼️‼️‼️

Luke Hobson defends his title with a swim of 1:28.81 - the FASTEST to ever do it! 🔥🤘🥇👑#HookEm | #NCAASwimDive pic.twitter.com/32d0k7MwSU
— Texas Men's Swimming & Diving (@TexasMSD) March 29, 2024

The Longhorns are in sixth place with 165 points heading into the final day of competition. Arizona State leads with 343 and California is second with 286.5, just ahead of Florida's 273 points. Indiana (247) and NC State (206) round out the top five.

Luke Hobson is built different. 🤘

👑🏆🥇#HookEm | #NCAASwimDive pic.twitter.com/dcZiJrSsFh
— Texas Men's Swimming & Diving (@TexasMSD) March 30, 2024

Hobson defended his 200 free title in a similar fashion to his victory last year, waiting until the final 100 yards to take command of the race. California's Jack Alexy was in control through the first 100 yards with Hobson in fourth after the first 50 before moving to second during the second 50. Hobson took the lead just ahead of the 125-yard turn and was in front for the remainder of the race, splitting 22.71 in the third 50 and 22.74 over the final 50. The Longhorn reclaimed the NCAA record two days after setting it during the 800 free relay timed heats, only to have it fall during the next heat.

Luke Hobson, the 2-time champ in the 200 free ‼️ 🏆🏆🤘

"The greatest, greatest!"#HookEm | #NCAASwimDive pic.twitter.com/SNZyzznmQM
— Texas Men's Swimming & Diving (@TexasMSD) March 30, 2024

A native of Reno, Nev., Hobson is the second Longhorn to win the 200 free championship in back-to-back years, joining Townley Haas who won three consecutive titles from 2016-18. Hobson is the third Texas swimmer to win it multiple times with Doug Gjertsen earning victories in 1988 and 1990. Texas has won six of the last eight 200 free championships, with Haas' three-straight wins in 2016-18 and Drew Kibler winning in 2022.

The quartet of Will Modglin, Jake Foster, Nate Germonprez and Hobson collected All-American honors in the 400 medley relay, combining for a swim of 3:02.44 that is the eighth-fastest in Texas history. The race was highlighted by Modglin's opening 100 back split of 44.32, the second-fastest time Longhorn history.

Will Modglin was on 🔥🔥🔥🔥 in the 100 back on Friday!

The freshman clocked a program record 44.20 and posted three of the five fastest swims in program history. 🤘🤘🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/wmoug9cAvd
— Texas Men's Swimming & Diving (@TexasMSD) March 30, 2024

Prior to the relay, Modglin established the 100 back program record with a swim of 44.20, breaking John Shebat's seven-year-old Texas standard of 44.35 set at the 2017 NCAA Championships in Indianapolis. Modglin's time won the consolation final by a quarter-second and was the sixth-fastest during the evening session.

Foster added an honorable mention All-American performance in the 100 breast, taking 16th overall with a swim of 51.81.

In the diving well, Nick Harris and Noah Duperre posted 13th- and 14th-place performances, respectively, on 3-meter with Harris scoring 387.10 points and Duperre earning 378.15 points.

The Longhorns conclude competition at the NCAA Championships on Saturday, March 30 at the IU Natatorium. Saturday's action will feature competition in the 1,650-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, platform diving and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Prelims start at 9 a.m. CT with the finals sessions scheduled to get underway each day at 5 p.m. CT. All prelim and finals sessions will be streamed live on ESPN+.

MEET NOTES

Hobson is one of seven swimmers to record a sub-1:30 swim in the 200 free and one of two Longhorns, along with Townley Haas.
Hobson has registered four sub-1:30 swims, one of two (Kiernan Smith, twice) to accomplish the feat multiple times.
A Longhorn has placed in the top-three of the 200 free at each of the last nine NCAA championship meets.
Texas has won the 200 free national championship 11 times.
Hobson's 200 free prelim swim of 1:29.75 is the fifth-fastest in Texas history and gives him four of the five fastest swims for a Longhorn.
Modglin had a 100 back prelim swim of 44.58, tied for the fifth-fastest in UT history. He now has four of the five fastest swims for a Longhorn.
Foster touched the wall in 51.58 in the 100 breast prelims, the 14th-fastest in UT history.
Germonprez swam a 200 free personal-best 1:32.25 during the prelims.

2024 NCAA Championships – Team Standings after Day 3 (Top 10 teams listed)
1. Arizona State – 343
2. California – 286.5
3. Florida – 273
4. Indiana – 247
5. NC State – 206
6. TEXAS – 165
7. Tennessee – 147
8. Stanford – 144
9. Virginia Tech – 116
10. Auburn – 88

Texas Longhorns Individual National Champions
200 free: Luke Hobson (AR)

Texas Longhorns 2024 All-Americans
Coby Carrozza: 500 free, 800 free relay
Jake Foster: 400 medley relay
Nate Germonprez: 200 IM, 400 medley relay, 800 free relay
Luke Hobson: 200 free, 500 free, 400 medley relay, 800 free relay
Will Modglin: 400 medley relay
Camden Taylor: 800 free relay

Texas Longhorns 2024 Honorable Mention All-Americans
Noah Duperre: 1-meter, 3-meter
Jake Foster: 100 breast, 200 medley relay
Nate Germonprez: 200 medley relay
Nick Harris: 1-meter, 3-meter
Luke Hobson: 200 medley relay
Will Modglin: 100 back, 200 medley relay