Tennessee Earns Best Finish Since 2001, Breaks Three School Record on Final Night of NCAAs

INDIANAPOLIS – Tennessee men's swimming & diving earned its best finish at the NCAA Championships since 2001, placing sixth nationally with a total of 231 points throughout the week at IU Natatorium.

Sitting in seventh at the end of night three, the Vols entered the final day with a three-point advantage over Stanford and an 18-point difference behind Texas. Tennessee outperformed both schools on the final day of competition, recording four podium finishes and scoring 84 points in six events.

Taking sixth was the highest finish for the Vols since placing third overall in 2001. After coming in seventh last season, this marked the first back-to-back top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships for the Big Orange since 2008 and 2009.

For the week, Tennessee boasted 11 podium performances—the most since having 16 during the 2001 campaign—and 14 top-16 finishes. The Big Orange won three total medals for the week with two silver and one bronze. Three Vols brought home a combined seven first team All-America honors. UT had four relays podium for the second year in a row, as each one finished inside the top-5 nationally. Throughout the meet, the team broke six program records and posted 12 new top-10 times in school history.

The highlight of the night came in the 100 free championship final, where sophomore Gui Caribe threw down the No. 2 time in program history at 40.55 to win silver in the event. As a freshman last season, he won the consolation final and was 0.99 seconds faster. Caribe's second-place finish was the best by a Vol since Ricky Busquets was the NCAA Champion in 1996.

Heading into the final, Jordan Crooks held the top overall seed after shattering the program record coming into the meet with a 40.54 time. The junior standout clocked a 40.61 effort in the nightcap to place fourth overall—his best finish in the event after being fifth as a freshman and sophomore.

The sprint duo wasn't finished yet. Caribe and Crooks helped lead the Tennessee 400 free relay to the fastest time in Tennessee history and its best finish since 2001, when UT placed fourth. For the second time on the day, Crooks broke the 100 free program record, leading off the relay with a 40.39 split. Micah Chambers swam the second leg and clocked a 42.21 effort, and Caribe followed that up by throwing down a time of 40.96. Björn Kammann brought the relay home with a 41.82 split, as the Vols finished fifth overall with a time of 2:45.38 and secured its spot at sixth in the team standings.

Tennessee's second medal of the night came on platform. For the third year in a row, Bryden Hattie recorded a top-3 finish on tower, winning bronze with a score of 444.60. The senior set the tone early after opening his list with a Forward 3 1/2 Somersault Pike that netted 79.50 points.

For the second year in a row, Martin Espernberger earned a spot in the 200 fly consolation final. The SEC Champion in the event broke the program record, clocking a 1:40.64 effort, en route to finishing 11th overall.

Also competing in the platform finals, Jacob Reasor earned his first trip to an NCAA Championship final. He finished 15th overall with a score of 334.35 to earn All-America Second Team honors.

During prelims, Harrison Lierz threw down the fourth-fastest 200 back time in school history, touching the wall in 1:40.06. Aidan Crisci dropped two seconds off his time in the 200 fly to touch the wall in 1:42.92, marking the seventh-best time in the UT record books. In the 200 breast, Flynn Crisci recorded the No. 9 time in Tennessee history with a 1:55.15 effort.

Tennessee men's swimming & diving has scored at the NCAA Championship meet for 55 consecutive years, which is the fifth-longest active streak in the country.

All-America Tracker (26 – platform)
Nikoli Blackman (200 FR)
Gui Caribe (50 Free, 100 Free, 200 FR, 400 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR)
Micah Chambers (200 FR, 400 FR)
Flynn Crisci (200 MR, 400 MR, 100 Breast*)
Jordan Crooks (50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 200 FR, 400 FR, 200 MR)
Martin Espernberger (200 Fly*)
Bryden Hattie (3-meter, Platform)
Harrison Lierz (400 MR)
Björn Kammann (400 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR)
Jacob Reasor (Platform*)

*Denotes Second Team Honors

Podium Finishes (11)
2nd – 50 Free – Jordan Crooks (18.09)
2nd – 100 Free – Gui Caribe (40.55)
3rd – Platform – Bryden Hattie (444.60)
4th – 100 Free – Jordan Crooks (40.61)
5th – 3-Meter Diving – Bryden Hattie (406.95)
5th – 200 Free Relay – Jordan Crooks, Gui Caribe, Micah Chambers, Nikoli Blackman (1:14.38)
5th – 400 Free Relay – Jordan Crooks, Micah Chambers, Gui Caribe, Björn Kammann (2:45.38)
5th – 200 Medley Relay – Björn Kammann, Flynn Crisci, Jordan Crooks, Gui Caribe (1:21.91)
T5th – 400 Medley Relay – Harrison Lierz, Flynn Crisci, Björn Kammann, Gui Caribe (3:01.97)
6th – 50 Free – Gui Caribe (18.57)
6th – 200 Free – Jordan Crooks (1:31.04)

Top-10 Times (12)
1st – 100 Free – Jordan Crooks (40.39)
1st – 200 Free – Jordan Crooks (1:30.41)
1st – 100 Breast – Flynn Crisci (51.15)
1st – 200 Fly – Martin Espernberger (1:40.64)
1st – 200 Free Relay – Jordan Crooks, Gui Caribe, Micah Chambers, Nikoli Blackman (1:14.38)
1st – 400 Free Relay – Jordan Crooks, Micah Chambers, Gui Caribe, Björn Kammann (2:45.38)
2nd – 50 Free – Gui Caribe (18.57)
2nd – 100 Free – Gui Caribe (40.55)
2nd – 400 Medley Relay – Harrison Lierz, Flynn Crisci, Björn Kammann, Gui Caribe (3:01.97)
4th – 200 Back – Harrison Lierz (1:40.06)
7th – 200 Fly – Aidan Crisci (1:42.92)
9th – 200 Breast – Flynn Crisci (1:55.15)

University of Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Earns Best Finish Since 2001, Breaks Three School Record on Final Night of NCAAs

Players Mentioned

Nikoli Blackman

Gui Caribe

Micah Chambers

Aidan Crisci

Flynn Crisci

Jordan Crooks

Martin Espernberger

Bryden Hattie

Björn Kammann

Harrison Lierz

Jacob Reasor

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