NCAA Men’s Championships: With Something to Prove, Rex Maurer Sets 400 IM American Record
A year ago, Rex Maurer made the 400 individual medley title part of a resurgent NCAAs for the Texas sophomore. Thursday night, he defended his title in spectacular fashion and while feeling more pressure than in his first go-round.
Maurer won the 400 IM in 3:32.96 at Georgia Tech’s McAuley Aquatics Center, downing the nearly decade-old American record in the process.
Maurer was more than two seconds up on teammate Baylor Nelson. Maurer’s time downs the American mark set in 2017 by Chase Kalisz at 3:33.42.
“It’s super special,” Maurer said. “I think after I broke the 500 free record at last mid-season, that was my goal that next day, was to go after that (400 IM) record. I fell a little bit short. I was a little bit faster at NCs last year. So to get that big drop really means a lot. I think it’s kind of evidence for how much work I’ve put in, to my breaststroke, especially, and kind of that opening speed. I was really proud of that first 200 being aggressive.
Nelson was second in 3:35.28. It’s the fourth time he’s finished in the top 10 in his career, landing seventh last year, third in 2024 and 10th in 2023, the prior three with Texas A&M. Texas also had Cooper Lucas in sixth place for the second straight year, the Longhorns jumping to the lead with 140 points to Florida’s 128.
Maurer didn’t have a very good first NCAAs. He vaulted for a non-threat for medals to an NCAA champion. This year’s adjustment has been about how to handle the levels of expectations that come with that leap.
“I came into so much success so quickly last year, and that kind of brings a new expectation on me to continue that,” he said. “That internal pressure definitely is heightened, especially after making a Worlds team and having a disappointing worlds. I think that kind of put a chip on my shoulder, and I really wanted to prove that I’m one of the best American swimmers here.”
Ohio State’s Tristan Jankovics was third for the second straight year, going 3:35.40. He closed all but that final tenth on Nelson with a 24.40 on the final 50 to Nelson’s 3:35.40. Lorne Wigginton of Michigan finished fourth.
California’s Ryan Erisman, the top seed from prelims, was slightly slower at night in 3:36.32 to finish fifth. Indiana’s Josh Bey was seventh, Joshua Staples of Northwestern eighth.
Zalan Sarkany, the 1,000 free runner-up, finished 10th for Indiana. Florida got a pair of scorers with Charlie Hutchison in 12th and Gio Linscheer in 13th. It was nearly another, but Eric Brown was 17th, .04 out of the points. Arizona State lacks a scorer in a week event, with Michael Hochwalt 19th.
There was little separating the swimmers in prelims, with .79 seconds blanketed the top six, including a tie for third between Wigginton and Staples.
Event 5 Men 400 Yard IM
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NCAA: N 3:28.82 3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, ASU
Meet: M 3:28.82 3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, ASU
American: A 3:33.42 3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
U. S. Open: O 3:28.82 3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, ASU
Pool: P 3:32.88 3/24/2022 Hugo Gonzalez, California
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Maurer, Rex JR Texas 3:36.46 3:32.96A 20
r:+0.70 22.52 48.22 (25.70)
1:15.13 (26.91) 1:41.48 (26.35)
2:12.10 (30.62) 2:43.24 (31.14)
3:08.48 (25.24) 3:32.96 (24.48)
2 Nelson, Baylor SR Texas 3:36.88 3:35.28 17
r:+0.60 23.08 49.21 (26.13)
1:17.01 (27.80) 1:44.00 (26.99)
2:13.72 (29.72) 2:44.48 (30.76)
3:10.15 (25.67) 3:35.28 (25.13)
3 Jankovics, Tristan SR OSU 3:37.59 3:35.40 16
r:+0.68 23.35 49.91 (26.56)
1:17.18 (27.27) 1:44.07 (26.89)
2:14.28 (30.21) 2:45.24 (30.96)
3:11.00 (25.76) 3:35.40 (24.40)
4 Wigginton, Lorne SO Michigan 3:36.58 3:35.63 15
r:+0.65 22.86 48.81 (25.95)
1:16.86 (28.05) 1:44.24 (27.38)
2:15.00 (30.76) 2:45.58 (30.58)
3:10.95 (25.37) 3:35.63 (24.68)
5 Erisman, Ryan FR California 3:36.09 3:36.32 14
r:+0.65 22.93 49.30 (26.37)
1:17.12 (27.82) 1:44.85 (27.73)
2:15.49 (30.64) 2:47.24 (31.75)
3:12.33 (25.09) 3:36.32 (23.99)
6 Lucas, Cooper SO Texas 3:37.48 3:36.87 13
r:+0.67 22.88 48.82 (25.94)
1:17.01 (28.19) 1:44.29 (27.28)
2:15.16 (30.87) 2:46.34 (31.18)
3:12.20 (25.86) 3:36.87 (24.67)
7 Bey, Josh FR Indiana 3:36.86 3:37.23 12
r:+0.67 22.91 48.91 (26.00)
1:16.06 (27.15) 1:43.20 (27.14)
2:13.55 (30.35) 2:44.29 (30.74)
3:11.23 (26.94) 3:37.23 (26.00)
8 Staples, Joshua SO Northwestern 3:36.58 3:43.95 11
r:+0.71 23.30 50.42 (27.12)
1:19.17 (28.75) 1:47.50 (28.33)
2:18.43 (30.93) 2:51.23 (32.80)
3:18.43 (27.20) 3:43.95 (25.52)
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