Gators Gather Two National Titles to End NCAAs Day 2

Thursday, March 23

Indianapolis, IN

All Day

Florida Gators

NCAA Championships

Mark Szaranek started off the Gators' national title haul tonight with a win in the 200 IM.

Gators Gather Two National Titles to End NCAAs Day 2

Thursday, March 23, 2017 | Men's Swimming & Diving

Florida holds steady at third in the team standings

By: Layne Weitzel

DAY 2 PRELIMS RECAP
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | PSYCH SHEET

INDIANAPOLIS – On the back wall of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Natatorium hangs the collection of "Gator Champions," framed photos of past and current Gators who have won national titles during their time at Florida.

When the Gators inevitably end their season this Saturday at the NCAA Championships, the UAA operations department will start work on a new addition to the wall – junior Mark Szaranek.

Entering tonight's prelims as the three-seed, Szaranek stopped the clock at 1:40.67 in the 200 IM, earning 18.5 points toward Florida's total of 138.5 through two days of competition, recording a new career-best time and winning the program's first 200 IM title since Marcin Cieslak's in 2014.

He shares the national title with Texas senior Will Licon, who tied Szaranek at the finish.

WATCH: GatorVision's recap from Day 2 of NCAAs

Szaranek's win marked Florida's first of the NCAA Championships, but it wasn't the only one of the night.

Fellow junior Caeleb Dressel earned his third-career title in his trademark sprint event, the 50 free. Dressel timed a pool record 18.23 (he already owns the NCAA, American and U.S. Open year-old mark of 18.20), beating out second-place finisher Ryan Held of NC State by nearly .6 seconds.

Florida came close to adding a third title tonight in the finals-opening 200 free relay but fell a bit short to Texas. The Gator quartet of Dressel, Jan Switkowski, Enzo Martinez-Scarpe and Jack Blyzinskyj timed a 1:14.88 to the Longhorns' 1:14.59. Florida's time snapped the previous record of 1:15.67, set just last month at the SEC Championships.

Halfway through the four-day NCAA meet, Florida ranks third in the team standings with 138.5 points.

As for tonight's other performances:

500 free
Mitch D'Arrigo kicked off tonight's individual events for the Gators in the 500 free consolation final, touching sixth in 4:15.18.

200 IM
A Gator also took a win in the 200 IM consolation final. Jan Switkowski bested all seven of his competitors, timing a career-best 1:41.17.

400 medley relay
The lineup of Blyzinskyj, Chandler Bray, Dressel and Switkowski touched eighth in the championship final. Their 3:04.90 time gave Florida 22 points. Bray also received the first All-America honor of his career.

Florida continues NCAAs tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET with 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 200 medley relay prelims.

COMING UP TOMORROW
400 IM – Andrew Brady, Brennan Balogh, Mark Szaranek, Alex Lebed
100 fly – Caeleb Dressel
200 free – Jan Switkowski, Ben Lawless, Mitch D'Arrigo, Maxime Rooney, Khader Baqlah
100 breast – Ross Palazzo, Chandler Bray
200 medley relay

Results can be viewed live via the NCAA and will be posted in full on FloridaGators.com at the conclusion of each day of competition. Wednesday and Thursday, as well as Friday's and Saturday's prelims, will be streamed via IUPUIJags.com, and the Friday and Saturday finals can be viewed live on ESPN3. For the full list of streaming links, visit FloridaGators.com.

TEAM STANDINGS (top 4 teams only)
1. Texas (225.5 points)
2. California (143 points)
3. Florida (138.5 points)
4. NC State (123 points)

FLORIDA'S TITLES
200 IM – Mark Szaranek (1:40.67)
50 free – Caeleb Dressel (18.23)

PARTICIPATING GATORS
Qualifying Gators
Brennan Balogh
Khader Baqlah
Andrew Brady
Chandler Bray
Mitch D'Arrigo
Caeleb Dressel
Ben Lawless
Alex Lebed
Blake Manganiello
Ross Palazzo
Maxime Rooney
Samuel Smith
Jan Switkowski
Mark Szaranek

Relay-Only Swimmers
Jack Blyzinskyj
Enzo Martinez-Scarpe

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, March 24
3-meter
400 IM
100 fly
200 free
100 breast
100 back
200 medley relay

Saturday, March 25
Platform
1650 free
200 back
100 free
200 breast
200 fly
400 free relay

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