WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Highlighted by three individual qualifiers and four automatic-qualifying times for the relays, Purdue has qualified six of its men's swimmers for the NCAA Championships later this month in North Carolina.
As program record holders in events, Nikola Aćin, Trent Pellini and Nick Sherman have earned the right to race individually at the national championship meet. They'll team with Ryan Hrosik, Michael Juengel and Ryan Lawrence to make up the Purdue quartets in the 200 and 400 freestyle plus the 200 and 400 medley relays.
With divers Ben Bramley, Greg Duncan and Brandon Loschiavo also qualifying for NCAAs this week, Purdue will be represented by nine student-athletes this year. That matches the 2019 team when the Boilermakers scored in six events, their most ever. Purdue has finished in the top 25 at NCAAs each of the last three years the meet was held and 12 times since 2005.
The six swimming qualifiers represents the program's most since also having six in 2015. Pellini qualified for the third time in his career. Aćin and Sherman earned the right to race at NCAAs for the second time. Hrosik, Juengel and Lawrence are the first-time qualifiers.
Two years ago, Purdue scored in both the 200 and 400 medley relays, marking the first time the program had multiple relays score at NCAAs. Both quartets easily outperformed their seeding. This year the Boilermakers will be seeded in scoring position (1-16) in all four relays in which they qualified. So those events will be remain the primary focus for the swimmers.
The Boilermakers' likely relay foursomes at NCAAs are…
• 200 Free: Aćin, Hrosik, Sherman, Lawrence
• 400 Free: Sherman, Pellini, Aćin, Lawrence
• 200 Medley: Juengel, Pellini, Hrosik, Aćin
• 400 Medley: Juengel, Pellini, Sherman, Aćin
Individually, Aćin is seeded the highest at 13th in the 100 freestyle. Pellini is 19th in the 100 breaststroke and Sherman 24th in the 200 freestyle. They are assured of racing in those events. Whether they opt to also compete in their secondary events is contingent upon that day's schedule and how it lines up with Purdue's relays. Pellini also had qualifying B Cuts in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Same goes for Sherman in the 100 free and 200 IM as well as Aćin in the 100 free.
Swimmers had to rank among the top 32 or 33 nationally in an event to qualify individually. Team records established at Big Tens last week included: Acin in the 100 free (42.27), Sherman in the 200 free (1:33.81) as well as the 200 free (1:16.50), 400 free (2:50.32) and 200 medley (1:23.82) relays. Pellini has held the Purdue benchmark in the 100 breast (51.76) since 2019.
The NCAA Championships are set for March 24 to 27 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
As program record holders in events, Nikola Aćin, Trent Pellini and Nick Sherman have earned the right to race individually at the national championship meet. They'll team with Ryan Hrosik, Michael Juengel and Ryan Lawrence to make up the Purdue quartets in the 200 and 400 freestyle plus the 200 and 400 medley relays.
With divers Ben Bramley, Greg Duncan and Brandon Loschiavo also qualifying for NCAAs this week, Purdue will be represented by nine student-athletes this year. That matches the 2019 team when the Boilermakers scored in six events, their most ever. Purdue has finished in the top 25 at NCAAs each of the last three years the meet was held and 12 times since 2005.
| 2021 NCAAs QUALIFIERS Event, Time (Rank Among NCAAs Qualifiers) |
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| Nikola Aćin 100 Free, 42.27 (T-13th) 50 Free, 19.38 (T-27th) Trent Pellini 100 Breast, 51.81 (T-19th) 200 IM, 1:44.00 (28th) 100 Fly, 46.36 (37th) Nick Sherman 200 Free, 1:33.81 (T-24th) 200 IM, 1:44.13 (31st) 100 Free, 42.88 (T-33rd) |
Relays 200 Free Relay, 1:16.50 (10th) 200 Medley Relay, 1:23.82 (12th) 400 Free Relay, 2:50.32 (13th) 400 Medley Relay, 3:05.92 (16th) Relay Qualifiers Ryan Hrosik Michael Juengel Ryan Lawrence |
The six swimming qualifiers represents the program's most since also having six in 2015. Pellini qualified for the third time in his career. Aćin and Sherman earned the right to race at NCAAs for the second time. Hrosik, Juengel and Lawrence are the first-time qualifiers.
Two years ago, Purdue scored in both the 200 and 400 medley relays, marking the first time the program had multiple relays score at NCAAs. Both quartets easily outperformed their seeding. This year the Boilermakers will be seeded in scoring position (1-16) in all four relays in which they qualified. So those events will be remain the primary focus for the swimmers.
The Boilermakers' likely relay foursomes at NCAAs are…
• 200 Free: Aćin, Hrosik, Sherman, Lawrence
• 400 Free: Sherman, Pellini, Aćin, Lawrence
• 200 Medley: Juengel, Pellini, Hrosik, Aćin
• 400 Medley: Juengel, Pellini, Sherman, Aćin
Individually, Aćin is seeded the highest at 13th in the 100 freestyle. Pellini is 19th in the 100 breaststroke and Sherman 24th in the 200 freestyle. They are assured of racing in those events. Whether they opt to also compete in their secondary events is contingent upon that day's schedule and how it lines up with Purdue's relays. Pellini also had qualifying B Cuts in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. Same goes for Sherman in the 100 free and 200 IM as well as Aćin in the 100 free.
Swimmers had to rank among the top 32 or 33 nationally in an event to qualify individually. Team records established at Big Tens last week included: Acin in the 100 free (42.27), Sherman in the 200 free (1:33.81) as well as the 200 free (1:16.50), 400 free (2:50.32) and 200 medley (1:23.82) relays. Pellini has held the Purdue benchmark in the 100 breast (51.76) since 2019.
The NCAA Championships are set for March 24 to 27 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.