NCAA men's swimming and diving championships: Liendo breaks Caeleb Dressel's 100 butterfly NCAA record

FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON - MARCH 28: Josh Liendo of the Florida Gators competes in the 100 yard butterfly final during the Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championship held at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center on March 28, 2025 in Federal Way, Washington. (Photo by Mollie Handkins/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) Mollie Handkins via Getty Images A record that was once looked at as "unbreakable" has fallen... in prelims.

Florida senior Josh Liendo woke up this morning on a mission, taking down Caeleb Dressel's 42. 80 NCAA record in the 100 butterfly. Dressel, a former gator, broke 43 seconds back in 2018, when it once seemed impossible.

Liendo's new record marks a defining moment in collegiate swimming. Dressel’s time of 42. 80 seconds, set during his legendary career at Florida, had long been considered one of the most untouchable records in the sport.

Dressel, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, had one of the most explosive starts the NCAA had ever seen. His underwater were elite and his race strategy was bold. Dressel established a benchmark that stood as the gold standard for nearly a decade.