MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Cal men's swimming & diving team opened the NCAA Championships in record-setting fashion, setting new program marks in the 200 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay.
 
The 200 medley relay was one of the fastest relays in NCAA history. Four of the top five times all-time were set Wednesday evening at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. The Golden Bears finished fourth with a time of 1:21.24, besting the old school record of 1:21.69 set at the NCAA Championships last year. The Bears' quartet of Björn Seeliger, Liam Bell, Dare Rose, and Jack Alexy set a season-best time by over 1.60 seconds.
 
Seeliger got the Bears rolling with a split of 20.29 in the back, he was one of eight racers to come in under 21.0. Bell's split in the breast was 22.99. Rose clocked in with a time of 19.85 in the fly and handed it off to Alexy who clocked in with a split of 18.11, the second-fastest 50 split in the race.
 
NC State finished first with an NCAA record time of 1:20.67, and Arizona State placed second at 1:21.07, both of those marks coming in under the previous NCAA record of 1:21.13 set by Florida in 2022. In third was the Gators with a time of 1:21.14, followed by the Bears.
 
In the 800 free relay, the Cal captured third place in a record-setting heat. The Bears clocked in with a time of 6:06.41, breaking the previous school record of 6:06.90 set at last year's NCAA Championships. Texas took first with an NCAA record time of 6:03.42 followed by Arizona State who finished second with a time of 6:05.08.
 
Gabriel Jett got it started for the Bears with a split of 1:31.35, dropping nearly a second off his best time in the 200 free. Lucas Henveaux had a strong second leg, finishing with a time of 1:31.90. Patrick Callan swam the third leg with a time of 1:33.63. Destin Lasco was the anchor and finished with a blistering split of 1:29.53, the third-fastest time put in by any swimmer in the event.
 
After two events, Arizona State is in first with 68 points, followed by NC State with 66, Cal is in third with 62 points.
 
UP NEXT
Day two of the NCAA Championships will begin with the prelims of the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley, and 50 free. The 500 free is scheduled to begin at 10 am CT/8 am PT. The prelims will be streamed on ESP+ and can be accessed here. The finals for the three events are scheduled to begin at 6 PM CT/4 PM PT.    
 
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