The excitement continues to build at the 2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships being held from March 26 to 29 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way, Washington. The action-packed finals on the second day kicked off with high expectations fueled by outstanding prelims performances.

The night opened with the highly anticipated 500-yard freestyle event. Rex Maurer of Texas, the American Record holder, faced a formidable field in the ‘A’ final. Maurer didn’t disappoint, finishing first with a time of 4:05.35, coming close to his record of 4:04.45 from the previous season. Luke Hobson, also from Texas, marked a personal best at 4:06.34, securing the second position. Cal’s Lucas Henveaux impressed as well, achieving a new career best of 4:06.74.

The thrilling showdown continued with the 200 Individual Medley (IM), where Hubert Kos emerged victorious for Texas, narrowly edging out Cal's Destin Lasco with a time of 1:37.91, just ahead of Lasco's 1:37.98. This event saw multiple swimmers break the crucial 1:40 mark, setting the stage for a fierce national championship.

In a showcase of speed and talent, Tennessee's Jordan Crooks dominated the 50 freestyle, clinching first with a time of 17.91, only slightly shy of his personal best. His teammate, Gui Caribe, completed a strong showing for Tennessee by capturing third place. Florida's Josh Liendo also contributed crucial points for his team by finishing second in 18.23.

On the diving front, Indiana’s Quentin Henninger stole the spotlight in the 1-meter diving finals, winning with an impressive score of 434.65, providing Indiana with a significant boost in the team rankings. In contrast, Stanford's Jack Ryan finished second with 417.45, marking Stanford's highest finish at this meet thus far.

Final relay events closed the night spectacularly, with Tennessee setting a championship record in the 200 freestyle relay, clocking in at 1:12.84. This new record not only shattered the championship benchmark but also highlighted the depth of talent within the Tennessee team, with Crooks leading the charge.

As of the end of the finals on Thursday, Texas leads the team standings with a total of 164 points, followed by California and Indiana, who are both putting up strong fights for the title. The action is expected to intensify as these incredible athletes prepare for the final stretch of the competition.

The championships continue to showcase some of the best talent in collegiate swimming, leaving fans on the edge of their seats for what is yet to come!