Men’s Swim and Dive: Led by Seymour and Staples, ‘Cats finish 26th at NCAAs for best finish since 2008

No. 21 Northwestern men’s swim and dive wrapped up a historic season at NCAA Division I Championships on Friday night, placing 26th after breaking four new school records at the McAuley Aquatic Center for its best finish at the meet since 2008. Down in Atlanta, the Wildcats were led by star swimmers Stuart Seymour and Joshua Staples, who combined for three individual school records and three top-16 finishes in individual events.

Staples logged the Northwestern’s best individual finish of the weekend, placing eighth in the 400-yard individual medley to become the first Wildcat since Jordan Wilimovsky in 2017 to make the A-final in an event at NCAAs. Meanwhile, Seymour set school records in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard freestyle events, while contributing to the ‘Cats’ school record setting 400-yard freestyle relay. In the broader scheme of the meet, the Texas Longhorns, led by legendary head coach Bob Bowman, won their second-consecutive national championship, with a scoring total of 445.

5. The Longhorns were followed by the Florida Gators, who took second, and the Big Ten champion Indiana Hoosiers, who took third. Florida’s Josh Liendo won high point of the meet, powered by his 42.

49 in the 100-yard butterfly which shattered Caeleb Dressel’s legendary NCAA-record in the event. Texas’ Hubert Kos, brother of Northwestern’s very own Oliver Kos, placed second in the high point standings, setting NCAA-records in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events. Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun placed third.