For the fourth consecutive season, the University of Texas has swept the Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship. The title marks the men’s 20th straight, winning every championship since the league’s inception, while the women have racked up a conference-best 14 titles in the last 20 seasons.
The Longhorns tallied the top spots on both sides with the men recording 1018 points and the women 1043 points. West Virginia and TCU places second and third on the men’s side with 847 and 759 points, respectively. For only the second time in school history the Kansas women took second with 650.5 points, with Iowa State in third, earning 570.5 points. The Mountaineers, along with TCU, round out the top five, racking scores of 530 and 451.
Texas, after a dominant performance, swept the ‘Of the Meet’ awards. Townley Haas and Joanna Evans, earned Newcomer of the Meet, while Will Licon and Madisyn Cox took Swimmer of the Meet honors. Mark Anderson and Meghan Houston were named Divers of the Meet.
Texas’ Matt Scoggin earned the Men’s and Women’s Diving Coach of the Meet, while Vic Riggs of West Virginia and Carol Capitani of Texas were voted the Men’s and Women’s Swimming Coach of the Meet, respectively.
Texas junior Clark Smith (14:31.29) dominated the 1650 freestyle, dethroning Michael McBroom’s Big 12 record of 14:32.75 set in 2013. In the 200 Backstroke, UT’s Tasija Karosas set a new Big 12 Championship meet record in 1:51.21. Will Licon (Texas) also set a new meet record in the 200 Breaststroke in 1:50.47, while fellow Longhorn Jack Conger set a record in the 200 Butterfly (1:40.57).
Texas swept the men’s and women’s platform diving event as Mark Anderson and Kristina Hoffman took gold. In the men’s 200 Backstroke finals, Longhorn Ryan Harty (1:41.05) took the top spot, as UT also swept the men’s and women’s 100 Freestyle. Rebecca Millard won on the women’s side, while Brett Ringgold took the men’s. Joanna Evans took the top spot in the 1650 Freestyle while Madisyn Cox of Texas took the 200 Backstroke in 2:09.37. UT’s Remedy Rule won the 200 Butterfly, as Texas took gold in both men’s and women’s 400 Freestyle relay.
Big 12 Swimming and Diving will now head to Atlanta, Georgia for the NCAA Championships. Both men’s and women’s will take place at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, with the women’s event spanning March 19-21, and the men’s going from March 26-28.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS
-MEN-
Swimmer of the Meet: Will Licon (Texas)
Diver of the Meet: Mark Anderson (Texas)
Newcomer of the Meet: Townley Haas (Texas
Swim Coach of the Meet: Vic Riggs (West Virginia)
Dive Coach of the Meet: Matt Scoggin (Texas)
-WOMEN-
Swimmer of the Meet: Madisyn Cox (Texas)
Diver of the Meet: Meghan Houston (Texas)
Newcomer of the Meet: Joanna Evans (Texas
Swim Coach of the Meet: Carol Capitani (Texas)
Dive Coach of the Meet: Matt Scoggin (Texas)
Men: 1. Texas (1018), 2. West Virginia (847), 3. TCU (759)
Women: 1. Texas (1043), 2. Kansas (650.5), 3. Iowa State (570.5), 4. West Virginia (530), 5. (451)