MINNEAPOLIS – The second-ranked California men's swimming & diving team continued to shine at the Minnesota Invitational. The Golden Bears won five of the six events and tallied 16 top-10 finishes on Friday evening at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatics Center.

The Golden Bears opened Friday evening's finals with a strong showing from Dare Rose in the 100 fly. Rose finished with an NCAA B qualifying standard time of 45.30. Rose's finish moves him into the top eight nationally.

In the 200 free Gabriel Jett captured first with a time of 1:32.41, an NCAA A qualifying standard. With 50 yards to go, Jett trailed runner-up Peter Larson from Texas by a sizeable margin, however, Jett's final split of 22.94 overtook the Longhorn. Jett was joined in the top 10 by teammates Robin Hanson and Patrick Callan who took fourth and seventh, respectively. Hanson finished with a time of 1:33.74 and Callan clocked in with a time of 1:34.80 – both times are good enough for an NCAA B qualifying mark.

In the 100 breast, Reece Whitley finished in a tie for first with defending national champion Max McHugh with a time of 51.51. Liam Bell (52.29), Matthew Jensen (52.71), and Luke Rodarte (53.55) finished fourth, seventh, and eighth respectively.

The 100 back belonged to Destin Lasco. Lasco captured first with a time of 44.88 – the fastest time in the country. Lasco edged out teammate Bjorn Seeliger who took second with a time of 45.23. Evan Petty took fifth with a time of 46.55.

In the 400 medley relay, the Bears' "A" lineup won easily. The quartet of Lasco (45.07), Whitley (50.74), Rose (45.26), and Seeliger (40.74) finished with a time of 3:01.81 – the fastest time in the nation by more than a second.  

The "B" lineup of Petty, Rodarte, Jett, and Jack Alexy took third in the event with a time of 3:07.79. Cal's "C" group of Sebastian Somerset, Jacob Soderlund, Jensen, and Hanson took fifth with a time of 3:08.17.

In the 3-meter diving championship, freshman Joshua Thai continues to shine. Thai finished fourth with a score of 333.00. His final two dives of the finals were the top dives of the round, both netting scores of over 61.0 points.

UP NEXT
Cal will wrap up the fourth day of the Minnesota Invitational tomorrow with the prelims of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly starting at 10:00 a.m. CT/8:00 a.m. PT. The finals will begin with the 1650 free at 4:00 p.m. PT.

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