Vols Shatter Two NCAA Records, Finish Fifth Overall at NCAA Championships

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Tennessee men's swimming & diving earned its best finish at the NCAA Championships since 2001, placing fifth nationally with a total of 266.5 points throughout the week at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center. The Big Orange broke NCAA records in the 100 free and the 400 free relay to cap an incredible week of swimming.

Sitting in seventh at the end of night three, the Vols entered the final day with a half-point advantage over Stanford and within 15 points of Georgia (15) and Arizona State (9.5). Tennessee outperformed all three schools on the final day of competition, recording four podium finishes and scoring 104 points in three events.

Taking fifth was the highest finish for the Vols since placing third overall in 2001. After coming in sixth last season and seventh in 2023, this marked the first back-to-back-to-back top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships for the Big Orange since doing it from 1993-2001.

The Big Orange ended the meet with a bang, as the 400 free relay lineup of Gui Caribe, Lamar Taylor, Nikoli Blackman and Jordan Crooks broke their own NCAA record with a time of 2:42.30. Caribe led things off with a 40.57 effort followed by 41.02 and 41.35 marks from Taylor and Blackman, respectively. The record-breaking swim was capped off by the fastest 100 free relay split of all time, as Crooks threw down a blazing 39.36 to seal the deal.

"That 400 free relay title has been a long time coming," Director of Swimming & Diving Matt Kredich said. "There were six guys who competed all year to be on that relay, and when they compete, they make each other better. The first three legs were fantastic, but to set it up for Jordan Crooks, who has redefined speed and redefined sprinting, nationally and internationally, to hand it off to him as his last swim ever, that was an exclamation point on a career that I'm still in awe of and one that is worthy of a lot of different honors. He is really one of one. We handed off to him, watched him do his thing, swimming the fastest 100-yard freestyle split ever after he swam the fastest 100 free that's ever been swum this morning, what a day for him and for our team. I couldn't be happier for him."

It marked the first time UT won the event since 1979 and gave Tennessee its third NCAA title of the week—its most since having four in 1996. As a program, the Vols now boast 49 all-time titles.

The Vols had three of the top nine finishes in the 100 free. Crooks and Caribe battled to silver and bronze medals in a loaded heat. Crooks, who broke the NCAA record during prelims with a time of 39.83, clocked a 40.06 effort to earn his best finish ever in the event. Caribe was right behind him, touching the wall in 40.15—the second-fastest time in school history—to medal in the event for a second straight year. Taylor won the consolation final, taking ninth with the No. 3 time on the program leaderboard (41.31).

"Jordan this morning, broke a barrier that opens a lot of possibilities for people now," Kredich said. "He is a trailblazer and the fastest 100 freestyler ever. He had a terrific race tonight and laid it all on the line in a race with Gui and Josh Liendo from Florida. Those guys have pushing each other in meets, at SECs and NCAAs for three years, and they've made each other better. Having Gui get third is incredible and huge time drop for him, Jordan going his second fastest time ever and then pushing another man under 40 seconds was the essence of competition, and I thought it was beautiful. Obviously, I would've loved to have a Tennessee guy win, but that was one of the most special moments that I've ever been a part of competitively. All credit to Jordan because he brings other people along with him. He wants people to go fast, he wants to be challenged and he wants to push people. He's a champion."

The performance by the trio marked the first time since 1994 that three UT swimmers scored points in the 100 free. It was also the first time since 1979 in which two Vols finished top three in the event.

In the 200 fly, Martin Espernberger threw down a 1:39.49 to take fifth, marking the best finish by a Vol since Melvin Stewart won the event in 1991. It was the third straight season earning All-America honors in the event for Espernberger, and his first time garnering first team recognition. Björn Kammann won the consolation final with the second-fastest time in program history, touching the wall in 1:39.69 to take ninth. It marked the senior's first individual All-American finish of his career.

For the week, Tennessee boasted nine podium performances and 16 top-16 finishes. The Big Orange won seven total medals for the week, including national titles in three events. Three Vols brought home a combined six first team All-America honors. Throughout the meet, the team shattered two NCAA records, four program records and posted 12 new top-10 times in school history.

Tennessee men's swimming & diving has scored at the NCAA Championship meet for 56 consecutive years, which is the fifth-longest active streak in the country.

Team Standings
1. Texas 490
2. California 471
3. Indiana 459
4. Florida 315
5. Tennessee 266.5
6. Arizona St 248
7. Georgia 238.5
8. Stanford 216
9. NC State 178
10. Virginia Tech 107.5

All-America Tracker (28)
Nikoli Blackman (200 FR, 400 FR)
Gui Caribe (200 MR, 50 Free, 200 FR, 100 Free, 400 FR, 100 Fly*, 400 MR*)
Jordan Crooks (200 MR, 50 Free, 200 FR, 200 Free, 100 Free, 400 FR, 400 MR*)
Martin Espernberger (200 Fly)
Bennett Greene (1-Meter*, 3-Meter*)
Kevin Houseman (200 MR, 400 MR*)
Björn Kammann (200 Fly*)
Harrison Lierz (100 Back*, 400 MR*)
Lamar Taylor (200 MR, 200 FR, 400 FR, 100 Free*)

*Denotes Second Team

Podium Finishes (9)
1st – 50 Free – Jordan Crooks (17.91)
1st – 200 Free Relay – Jordan Crooks, Gui Caribe, Nikoli Blackman, Lamar Taylor (1:12.84)
1st – 400 Free Relay – Gui Caribe, Lamar Taylor, Nikoli Blackman, Jordan Crooks (2:42.30)
2nd – 100 Free – Jordan Crooks (40.06)
2nd – 200 Medley Relay – Lamar Taylor, Kevin Houseman, Gui Caribe, Jordan Crooks (1:20.50)
3rd – 50 Free – Gui Caribe (18.23)
3rd – 100 Free – Gui Caribe (40.15)
5th – 200 Fly – Martin Espernberger
6th – 200 Free – Jordan Crooks (1:31.36)

Top-10 Times Tracker (12)
1st – 50 Free – Jordan Crooks (17.82)
1st – 100 Free – Jordan Crooks (39.83) – NCAA Record
1st – 100 Back – Harrison Lierz (44.40)
1st – 400 Free Relay – Gui Caribe, Lamar Taylor, Nikoli Blackman, Gui Caribe (2:42.30) – NCAA Record
2nd – 50 Free – Gui Caribe (18.23)
2nd – 100 Free – Gui Caribe (40.51)
2nd – 100 Fly – Gui Caribe (44.31)
2nd – 200 Fly – Bjorn Kammann (1:39.69)
3rd – 100 Free – Lamar Taylor (41.31)
3rd – 400 Medley Relay – Harrison Lierz, Kevin Houseman, Gui Caribe, Jordan Crooks (3:01.40)
4th – 100 Back – Lamar Taylor (45.51)
7th – 50 Free – Pedro Sansone (19.21)

University of Tennessee Athletics

Vols Shatter Two NCAA Records, Finish Fifth Overall at NCAA Championships

Players Mentioned

Nikoli Blackman

Gui Caribe

Jordan Crooks

Martin Espernberger

Bennett Greene

Kevin Houseman

Björn Kammann

Björn Kammann

Harrison Lierz

Pedro Sansone

Lamar Taylor

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