Men's swimming breaks school 800 free relay record

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Mustangs Break 800 Free Relay School Record On Night One Of NCAA Championships

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. (SMU) – The SMU men's swimming & diving team threw down a school record in the 800 free relay on Wednesday night at the NCAA Championships inside Weyerhaeuser King Aquatic Center.

The team of Jack Hoagland, Harold Lockhart, Jack Forrest and Sage Sungail posted a time of 6:14.24 to narrowly top the existing school record of 6:14.35. The previous school record was set at last season's NCAA's.

SMU placed 22nd in the event, the first event of the team's 2025 NCAA Championships appearance.

Hoagland started off the relay with a leadoff split of 1:33.42. Lockhart followed with a 1:33.05 split, and Forrest posted a 1:33.66. To close out the race, Sungail touched the wall in a final split of 1:34.11 to finish off the squad's school record.

The Mustangs were slotted 20th entering the meet with a seed time of 6:14.62. The relay team dropped 0.38 seconds off its previous season best.

SMU continues the NCAA Championships tomorrow morning. Hoagland will compete in prelims of the 500 free at noon CT, while Luke Sitz will take on 1-meter diving beginning at 2 p.m. CT. The day will conclude at 8 p.m. CT, with finals of the two individual events along with the 200 free relay.

[Water Pony]

I'm impressed with the record and depth of all the men in Men's 800yd Free Relay:

"Hoagland started off the relay with a leadoff split of 1:33.42. Lockhart followed with a 1:33.05 split, and Forrest posted a 1:33.66. To close out the race, Sungail touched the wall in a final split of 1:34.11 to finish off the squad's school record."

The time earned them 22nd place. We have a way to go to make it to the Finals or Consolidations to get any points. Amazing depth at the Div-1 level.

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[ponyswim]

Water Pony - I agree that the Men's team has made progress and that was a good relay. Unfortunately nobody on that relay had a great lifetime best effort split. If they had all replicated best splits they would have been over 2 seconds faster - which is where we needed to be. Hoagland is the not the same as last year - 5th yr/grad student, whatever the reason, he was top 8 in 3 events last year, and has not scored a point in the meet this year. I am hope between a decent recruiting class and some good transfer portal guys we can get toward relevancy on a national level soon. It will take a great summer from a lot of guys and some great work next year to do it.

[Water Pony]

ponyswim,

I agree with you. Despite general improvement, this points out that we have a long way to go to be competitive nationally. Pony Up has greater meaning as we learn how much further we have to go.