Florida Gators
NCAA Championships
Solaeche-Gomez Sets School Record, Gators Finish Fifth at NCAA Championships
Sunday, March 29, 2015 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Complete NCAA Championships Results | NCAA Championships Central Page
IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Florida men's swimming & diving team tallied one national title, set four school records and ended the NCAA Championships in fifth place with 248 team points. The meet was held in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Since head coach Gregg Troy took over the men's team before the 1999-2000 season, the Gators have scored a top-10 finish every year at the NCAA meet. This season, Texas won the team title with 528 points, followed by California (399), Michigan (312), USC (270) and UF (248) round out the top-five in the standings.
Florida had 15 individuals earn 40 All-American honors and sent their senior class out in style.
The 10-man class of Matt Curby, Matt Elliott, Colin Hamilton, Christian Homer, Ricky Munch, Carlos Omana, Billy Silva, Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, Thomas Veale and Dan Wallace leaves Florida with 47 All-American Honors, including 14 this week.
For the week, UF was led by freshman Caeleb Dressel as he became the first Gator to EVER win a 50-yard freestyle (18.67) NCAA Championship, which he achieved on day one of the competition. Overall, the Green Cove Springs, Fla. product garnered seven All-American accolades that included three as an individual ((50 Free, 100 Free*, 100 Fly*) and four as a member on UF's relays (200 FR*, 400 FR*, 200 MR, 400 MR).
Dressel is the first freshman to earn seven tributes since Shaune Fraser in 2007 (200 IM*, 200 FR (p)*, 400 MR, 200 free, 800 FR, 200 MR (p)*, 200 fly).
In addition, he became the first Florida freshman to win an NCAA title since Darian Townsend achieved the accolade as a member of the UF's first place 800-yard freestyle relay team (Ryan Lochte, Brian Hartley, Adam Sioui) in 2005. Dressel is also the first freshman to win an individual crown since Adam Sioui did so in the 200-yard freestyle in 2002.
Wallace and sophomore Mitch D'Arrigo were the other two standouts of the week for UF, as Wallace captured five All-American honors (500 Free, 200 Fly*, 400 IM, 400 FR*, 800 FR) and D'Arrigo grabbed four (200 Free*, 500 Free, 1,650 Free*, 800 FR) for the second consecutive year.
The North Berwick, Scotland native recorded his best race of the week on day one when he finished runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle with a school-record time of 4:10.48. Also, the Rome, Italy product notched his best finish in the same race, as he placed sixth with a time of 4:14.30.
On the boards, Zach Hernandez competed on the third and final day of the meet in the platform dive. He placed 16th in the prelims as he narrowly advanced to the finals following a career-best score of 379.75 points. The redshirt junior's score qualified him for the consolation finals where he placed eighth with a score of 346.75 to earn honorable mention All-American honors.
Hernandez became UF's first male diver to compete at the NCAA meet since Mike Lewark in 2012, and the program's first All-American since Jonathan Wilcox earned the accolade on the one-meter board in 2006.
Florida will return 10 individuals from this NCAA Championship squad next season.
Coaches Corner:
Head Coach Gregg Troy:
On the 2015 NCAA Championships…
“It was a tremendous weekend and season for us. Our guys clawed and raced well. We came out on fire on the first day and then we didn't swim the morning the next two quite as well as we needed to. So we were a little disappointed with fifth place, but by the same token, it was a tremendous season. We had great races all the way around, as broke a couple of school records and we had some other performances that we can look back on favorably.”
On the senior class…
“Those guys are leaving behind a legacy of only one dual meet lost in four years, three conference championships and they have been sixth, fifth, third and now fifth at the NCAA Championships. It's a great senior legacy.”
On Caeleb Dressel…
“Caeleb Dressel did a tremendous for us. I felt a little bad for him, as he is a freshman, he's still 18 years old and the first day of the meet he kind of carried us as a team. He had six really big swims on day one. I thought he was a little tired at the end of the meet, but he stood up tonight and raced well.”
Diving Coach Dale Schultz:
On Zach Hernandez…
“I'm just really, really excited about Zach Hernandez and the progress he's made. Everything that he has put into this year has really paid off. I couldn't be any more excited.”
On the men's season overall…
“It's been an extremely difficult year given our circumstances. I tried to just take our kids from where Donnie (Craine) left off. Donnie laid the ground work for both Zach and Kahlia (Warner's) success. I just hope he's happy.”
Talking Gators:
Redshirt Junior Zach Hernandez:
On becoming an All-American…
“It's really exciting. I didn't expect to finish in the top-16, let alone even be here, so I'm just really excited.”
Senior Matt Elliott:
On the weekend overall…
“I would say that we did good. We had a great first day and I think that we got a little bit over excited and we had a hard time coming back the next couple of mornings. But, we tried to bounce back and I think we had a good weekend. I'm really proud of all our guys.”
Senior Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez:
On his four years at Florida…
“I'm really thankful for my four years and for being a part of something this big. Someone like me who comes from a small country, I never thought that I'd be part of such a big University and such a great group of guys. I'm so thankful for all my experiences and for being a part of this.”
Freshman Caeleb Dressel:
On his first experience at the NCAA Championships…
“It was definitely one to remember, especially having this many seniors on the team and learning from them. Dan Wallace has taught me a lot and being on that last relay with him was really emotional. We were all just trying to end the seniors season the right way and let them go out with a bang. Matt Curby helped me a lot throughout this season as well as Matt Elliott. He's a high energy guy and I just learned so much from all of them. It was a good experience, but I'm just glad I have all these upper-classmen around to learn from.”
Final NCAA Championship Standings
| MEN | ||
| Rank | Team | Score |
| 1. | Texas | 528 |
| 2. | California | 399 |
| 3. | Michigan | 312 |
| 4. | USC | 278 |
| 5. | Florida | 248 |
| 6. | Stanford | 209 |
| 7. | Georgia | 208.5 |
| 8. | NC State | 199.5 |
| 9. | Auburn | 182 |
| 10. | Alabama | 176 |
Day Three Recap:
Senior Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez paced the Florida men's swimming & diving team on day three of the NCAA Championships. The Madrid, Spain native earned his 11th-career All-American accolade and reset his own school-record in the 200-yard breaststroke during today's prelims with a time of 1:52.67.
In the finals, Solaeche-Gomez finished runner-up in the B-Final with a time of 1:53.19. Also in those same two races, senior Matt Elliott now ranks right behind the Spaniard in UF history after his prelims time of 1:52.76.
Elliott finished fifth in the B-Final in 1:53.51.
The 1,650-yard freestyle event was a timed final race in which junior Arthur Frayler paced the Gators and garnered his second All-American honor of the week by placing 12th in the event with a time of 14:51.22.
In addition to him in the mile, sophomore Mitch D'Arrigo captured his eighth-career All-American accolade as he placed 16th in 14:55.15. Also, freshman Ben Lawless and senior Carlos Omana recorded times of 14:59.23 and 15:26.27, respectively.
In the 200-yard butterfly, senior Dan Wallace added another All-American tribute to his resume as he placed fourth in the B-Final with a time of 1:43.06. Freshman Caeleb Dressel finished off his impressive week by finishing 11th overall in the 100-yard freestyle as he recorded a time of 42.46 seconds in the B-Final.
On the boards, Zach Hernandez advanced to the platform dive finals following a career-best score of 379.75 points from the prelims. The redshirt junior's score qualified him for the consolation finals where he placed eighth with a score of 346.75 to earn honorable mention All-American honors.
The Johns Creek, Ga. native qualified for the NCAA Championships after placing eighth in the event the NCAA Zone 'B' Diving Regionals a few weeks ago. At that meet, Hernandez posted a combined prelims (303.90) and finals (332.00) score of 635.90 points.
In the final event of the meet, junior Corey Main, freshman Mark Szaranek, Dressel and Wallace finished 10th overall with a time of 2:50.63 to earn honorable mention All-American honors.
NCAA Champion:
- Caeleb Dressel – 50 Free (18.67)
All-Americans:
Florida amassed has earned 40 All-America honors at the 2015 NCAA Championships, including:
- Jack Blyzinskyj – 100 Back*, 200 MR, 400 MR
- Matt Curby – 200 FR*
- Mitch D'Arrigo – 200 Free*, 500 Free, 1,650 Free*, 800 FR
- Caeleb Dressel – 50 Free, 100 Free*, 100 Fly*, 200 FR*, 400 FR*, 200 MR, 400 MR
- Matt Elliott – 200 Breast*, 400 MR
- Arthur Frayler – 500 Free*, 1,650 Free*
- Zach Hernandez – Platform Dive*
- Christian Homer – 100 Fly*, 400 MR
- Corey Main – 200 FR*, 400 FR*, 800 FR, 200 MR
- Ricky Munch – 200 MR
- Carlos Omana – 400 IM*
- Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez – 200 Breast*, 200 IM
- Mark Szaranek – 200 IM*, 400 IM, 400 FR*
- Dan Wallace – 500 Free, 200 Fly*, 400 IM, 400 FR*, 800 FR
- Pawel Werner – 200 Free*, 800 FR
(*) – Denotes Honorable Mention All-American
School Records:
- Caeleb Dressel – 50 Free (18.67)
- Dan Wallace – 500 Free (4:10.48)
- Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez – 200 Breast (1:52.67)
- Blyzinskyj, Munch, Dressel, Main – 200 MR (1:24.14)
Pool Record:
- Caeleb Dressel – 50 Free (18.67)
Florida's Team Finishes under Head Coach Gregg Troy:
- 1999-00: 2nd SEC's; 9th NCAA's
- 2000-01: 3rd SEC's; 8th NCAA's
- 2001-02: 2nd SEC's; 4th NCAA's
- 2002-03: 2nd SEC's; 6th NCAA's
- 2003-04: 2nd SEC's; 6th NCAA's
- 2004-05: 2nd SEC's; 5th NCAA's
- 2005-06: 2nd SEC's; 5th NCAA's
- 2006-07: 2nd SEC's; 4th NCAA's
- 2007-08: 2nd SEC's; 8th NCAA's
- 2008-09: 2nd SEC's; 5th NCAA's
- 2009-10: 2nd SEC's; 5th NCAA's
- 2010-11: 2nd SEC's; 5th NCAA's
- 2011-12: 2nd SEC's; 8th NCAA's
- 2012-13: 1st SEC's; 6th NCAA's
- 2013-14: 1st SEC's; 3th NCAA's
- 2014-15: 1st SEC's; 5th NCAA's
Individual NCAA History:
Florida's men have now won a total of 44 NCAA titles (34 individual and 10 relays). Ryan Lochte ranks atop the program with seven career NCAA titles and Associate Head Coach Anthony Nesty ranks second with five career NCAA titles.
NCAA Championships Coverage:
Coverage of the NCAA Championships will be broadcast via tape delay on ESPNU at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 31.
Looking Back:
Click here for a recap of day three's prelims action.
Click here for a recap of day two's finals action.
Click here for a recap of day two's prelims action.
Click here for a recap of day one's finals action.
Click here for a recap of day one's prelims action.
Follow the Gators:
For more information on the meet, check out the NCAA Championships central web page here. Also, Gator fans are encouraged to follow the swimming and diving program via Twitter or Facebook.
