Gutter Talk: Notable Names Weigh In With Favorite Races or Favorite Moments From Past NCAA Championships?
Ahead of the various NCAA Championships that are approaching, Swimming World asked a variety of individuals within the sport to provide their favorite race or moment from a previous edition of the NCAA Champs.
Sam Kendricks
Public Address Announcer, NCAA Championships
Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold / Aringo Photos
If it’s a favorite race, it’s the 1650 where multiple guys went under the record and Clark Smith won. If it’s a favorite moment, it’s probably the year before when Chris Swanson came out of nowhere to win it on the final 50 of the 1650.
On the women’s side of the equation, my favorite race was Missy Franklin’s 1:39.10 200 freestyle. I felt like it was nearly the perfect confluence of her training, experience and competitiveness coming together in a blistering performance.
Favorite moment: the awards ceremony for the 2015 women’s 100 free when Simone Manuel was first, Lia Neal was second and Natalie Hinds was third. Pretty dang special. I was choked up during the award ceremony, and it was hard to get through, so I remember that one very clearly. It was especially memorable for me as I had seen and known each of those swimmers for many years having watched them come up through the age-group ranks.
Kelsi Dahlia
Team USA Veteran
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
My favorite race in my NCAA career would be our team’s 2015 200 medley relay. Our relay was made up of four underdogs—including a 400 IMer in backstroke—in the fight to win the race against superstar schools like Cal, Tennessee and Georgia. But we got the work done in the morning to set us up for a top seed at night. (Swimmers now won’t get that feeling anymore with timed night finals).
While Cal ultimately got the “W” and we finished second, we still celebrated like we won. It was our highest school relay finish and a huge component of our first-ever top-10 team finish at NCAAs.
Trenton Julian
Senior, Cal-Berkeley
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
My favorite moment from a past NCAA Championships would have to be from the 2019 NCAAs. It wasn’t a singular race, more a memory from one whole night on the first full finals night with the first individual events. It was the most exciting and energy-filled night that I have ever been a part of.
The night started with the 200 free relay, where our group captured our first win of the meet. After that was my race for the night, the consolation final of the 500 free, where I had gotten ninth by 0.01 in the prelims. Including my race and the relay, we won or tied for the win in all but two heats in the entire session. The 500 free final, where Sean (Grieshop) got second, and the 400 medley relay, where we also got second, are the only two we didn’t win.
That was the hardest night of sleep I have ever had. I was so excited from how well everyone was doing and the possibility of winning the team national title. The memory I have from that whole night is one that I will have forever, and it is the most excited I have ever been at a national championship.
Will Licon
Former Swimmer, University of Texas
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
I would have to go with the 400 medley relay from the 2015 National Championships. Getting that win with Kip (Darmody), Joe (Schooling) and Jack (Conger) was special, and we were doubted so much all season. I don’t think we were even predicted to get top-three in that. We all did our part, and the rest is history.
Super close, though, was the 100 fly (in 2015), where we put six people up in the A-final. It was a perfect storm for us, and I’m not sure if that will ever happen again, or at least not in the near future anytime soon.
Rowdy Gaines
ESPN Analyst, NCAA Championships
Photo Courtesy: Universal Sports
The greatest moment for me personally was to call the women’s 100 free in 2015 when Simone Manuel, Lia Neal and Natalie Hinds swept the race. It was momentous for many reasons obviously, but one day, I’d like to call races where that’s the norm instead of momentous. Still, after 35 years of calling the NCAAs for men and 30 for women, it’s the one I remember the most.