INDIANAPOLIS – California won the national title in the 800-yard freestyle relay for the first time since 1986 on Wednesday night, opening the 2024 NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships with a bang at the IU Natatorium.

The two-time reigning national champion Golden Bears saw the quartet of Gabriet Jett, Destin Lasco, Jack Alexy and Robin Hanson set NCAA, meet, U.S. Open, pool and program records with a time of 6:02.26 in the 800 free relay title swim; Cal's previous best was 6:06.41, set at last year's NCAA meet.

"I just have one word for that relay, and it's grateful," Lasco said, poolside. "I've been on this team for four years and it has always been a dream of mine to win the 800 free relay with this group of guys. We came in second or third every single year to see it finally come to fruition, I'm just grateful."

Jett opened the race with a split of 1:30.32, just behind Arizona State and Texas. Lasco swam a blistering second leg, finishing his swim with a time of 1:29.60 – the third-fastest split in the event. He entered the pool trailing by half a body length and was able to chase down Arizona State's Hubert Kos to put the Bears in front. Alexy swam the third leg with a time of 1:30.50, lowering his season-best time from 1:32.72, set in a dual meet against Arizona earlier this spring. Hanson sealed the title with a 1:31.84 final-leg split, a lifetime best.

Cal opened the meet by taking fourth in the 200 medley relay, setting a program record of 1:21.08. The same quartet that set the Bears' former program record of 1:21.24 last year – Bjorn Seeliger, Liam Bell, Dare Rose and Alexy – were back in the pool Wednesday. Bell's 50-yard breaststroke split of 22.25 was the fastest in NCAA history.

Cal and Florida are tied for first place with 70 points after two events, while Arizona State (68), Indiana (52), North Carolina State (50) and Texas (50) round out the top five.

Day two of the NCAA Championships gets underway at 7 a.m. PT Thursday, with prelims of the 500 free, 200 individual medley, 50 free and 1-meter dive.
 
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