No. 16 Noles Start NCAA Championships on Wednesday

March 23, 2021

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 16 Florida State swimming and diving team will begin competing at the 2021 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships on Wednesday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

The Seminoles will compete in timed finals of the 800 free relay at 6 p.m., before starting individual competition on Thursday.

FSU will have 24 individual entries among nine student-athletes and will have at least one entry in every event, except platform. The Seminoles will also contest all five relays.

Since the NCAA switched the selection process for the 2013 meet, nine Seminoles selected for individual events is the highest. FSU will also bring two relay swimmers, marking the largest squad to compete at NCAAs since 2009 at 11.

“We’re very excited to get the meet started,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said, “The team looks great and they’re ready to go.”

Prelims each day will start at 10 a.m. with the top 16 advancing to finals at 6 p.m. The top eight divers will compete with finals at 6 p.m. All sessions will be streamed via ESPN 3.

The NCAA Team

Izaak Bastian – Jr. – Nassau, Bahamas – 100 & 200 Breast

Top Times: 100 breast – 51.84, 200 breast – 1:53.81

Events: 100 breast – 51.84, 21^st; 200 breast – 1:53.81, 26^th

A two-time NCAA individual qualifier
A 2019 All-American as a member of the 200 medley relay that finished 7th at NCAAs
Set the school records in the 100 breast (51.84) and 200 breast (1:53.81) en route to placing ninth at the 2021 ACC Championships
Also apart of the 200 medley relay the qualified for NCAAs that took fourth at ACCs

Joshua Davidson – Sr. – Tomball, Texas – 1-meter & 3-meter

2020-21 Top Scores: 1M –351.90, 3M – 413.55

Events: 1M & 3M

A four-time NCAA qualifier in both springboard events; the first diver to accomplish the feat since Terry Horner
Placed sixth on 1-meter (675.55) and was fourth on 3-meter (789.05) at the 2021 Zone B Championships
A 2019 All-American HM after a 14th place finish on 1-meter; won All-America in both springboard events in 2020
Took sixth on 1-meter at ACCs with a total of 332.20 in 2021
A five-time ACC medalist
2020-2021 team captain

Aziz Ghaffari – So. – Tunis, Tunisia – 500 free

Top Times: 200 free – 1:34.79, 500 free 4:16.59

Events: 500 free – 4:16.59, 32^nd; 200 free – 1:35.18, 43^rd

Qualified for his first NCAAs
Was chosen as an All-American in 2020 for the 800 free relay
Earned his NCAA bid by swimming a personal best in the 500 free at 4:16.59 at the Georgia Invite

Mason Herbet – Fr. – Oviedo, Fla. – 100 Back

Top Times: 100 back – 45.93, 100 fly – 46.88, 200 IM – 1:44.94

Events: 100 fly – 46.88, 45^th; 100 back – 45.93, 19^th; 200 IM – 1:44.94, 45^th

One of three freshmen competing at NCAAs for the Noles
Placed fifth in the 100 back at 46.10 after posting his personal best in prelims at 45.93 at the 2021 ACC Championships. Also placed 17^th in the 200 IM at a career best of 1:44.94
Holds three times in FSU’s all-time top 10
Helped the Noles earn NCAA automatic times in the 200 medley and 200 free and 400 free relays
Holds the Morcom Aquatics Center Pool Record in the 100 back at 47.43

Max McCusker – Jr. – Harlow, Essex, UK – 100 Fly & 100 Free

Top Times: 50 free – 19.68, 100 free – 42.88, 100 fly – 45.97

Events: 100 fly – 45.97, 25^th; 100 free – 42.88, 32^nd; 50 free – 19.68, 44^th

A two-time NCAA qualifier
Was an All-American in the 100 fly, 200 & 400 free relay and 400 medley relay in 2020
Helped the Noles swim NCAA automatic times in the 200, 400 free and 200 medley relays
Finished 10th in both the 100 fly (45.97) and 100 free (42.88) at the 2021 ACC Championships behind personal best swims
2020-21 team captain

David Quirie – Fr. – Nepean, Ontario – 1650 Free

Top Times: 200 free – 1:35.43, 500 free – 4:18.59, 1650 free – 14:57.82

Events: 200 free – 1:35.43, 46^th; 1650 free – 14:57.82, 28^th; 500 free – 4:18.59, 43^rd

One of three freshmen competing at NCAAs for the Noles
Placed fifth in the 1650 free at 14:57.82 at the 2021 ACC Championships
Is the first Seminole to compete in the 1650 free at NCAAs since John Jessell in 2013
Swam the fourth-fastest time in school history in the mile at ACCs. It was also the fastest since Mateo DeAngulo’s school record at NCAAs back in 2012 at 14:42.77
Holds the Morcom Aquatic Center pool record in the 1650 free at 15:29.19

Nick Vance – So. – St. Charles, Ill. – 400 IM

Top Times: 400 IM – 3:45.50, 200 back – 1:44.22, 200 fly – 1:45.28

Events: 400 IM – 3:45.50, 31^st; 200 back – 1:44.22, 39^th; 200 fly – 1:45.28, 41st

Set the school record in the 400 IM at 3:45.50 at the Georgia Invite
Took down the mark set by Juan Sequera back in 2012 at 3:45.83. Is also the first qualifier in the race since Sequera
Finished 11th at the 2021 ACC Championships in the 400 IM (3:47.54)

Peter Varjasi – So. – Erlangen, Germany – 100 Free

Top Times: 50 free – 19.35, 100 free – 42.65, 200 free – 1:32.76

Events: 50 free – 19.54, 37^th; 200 free – 1:34.32, 36^th, 100 free – 42.65, 25^th

A two-time NCAA qualifier
A 2020 All-American in the 200 free, 200, 400 & 800 free relay and 400 medley relay
2020 Team MVP & Rookie of the Year
FSU record holder in the 200 free – 1:32.76 and holds the Morcom Aquatics Center pool record in the 50 free at 19.76
Placed sixth in the 100 free (42.65) and seventh in the 200 free (1:34.32) at the 2021 ACC Championships

Yordan Yanchev – Fr. – Sandanski, Bulgaria – 500 Free

Top Times: 500 free – 4:15.02, 200 free – 1:35.25, 100 free – 43.75

Events: 100 free – 43.75, 54^th; 200 free – 1:35.25, 44^th, 500 free – 4:15.02, 25^th

One of three freshmen competing at NCAAs for the Noles
Swam the second-fastest time in FSU history in the 500 free at 4:15.02 in prelims at the 2021 ACC Championships
Finished sixth in the 500 free at ACCs at 4:16.66 and was also 17th in the 200 free
Helped the Noles to an NCAA provisional time in the 800 free relay
Joined the team in January

Relay Swimmers

This season, relay swimmers attending the meet must compete. Junior Jakub Ksiazek has been a part of FSU’s 200, 400 and 800 free relays, while junior Santi Corredor swam the second leg of the 800 free relay at the ACC Championships.

The Noles qualified for all five relays, which will be timed finals swum with finals.

Santi Corredor – Jr. – For Myers, Fla.

Top Times: 200 free – 1:38.98

Helped the Noles swim a provisional time in the 800 free relay at ACCs by splitting 1:35.84
A member of the Colombian National team
Joined the team in January of 2021
Finished 10th in the 500 free (4:18.74) and 18th in the 200 fly at ACCs (1:45.46)

Jakub Ksiazek – Jr. – Sczecin, Poland

Top Times: 50 free – 19.30, 100 free – 42.95, 200 free – 1:33.89

Has competed at the 2019 NCAAs where he was a two-time All-American and was an NCAA qualifier in 2020
A part of the 200, 400 and 800 free relay teams that hold the school record
Helped the Noles automatically qualify for NCAAs in the 200 and 400 free relays at ACCs and was also a part of the 800 free relay that swam a provisional time

200 free relay – 15^th, 1:16.82

400 free relay – 15^th, 2:50.74

800 free relay – 20^th – 6:20.24

200 medley relay – 15th, 1:23.91

400 medley relay – 19^th, 3:06.39

Links

Wednesday – 800 free relay

Timed Finals: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=fe54ddf4-4441-4cb8-af98-b460cd412352

Live Timing: https://swimmeetresults.tech/NCAA-Division-I-Men-2021/

Thursday – 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 1-meter, 200 free relay, 400 medley relay

Prelims: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=b6b4ccf9-05fe-41ce-8728-fbd72e85017b

Finals: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=c3c884cf-ecd0-4a4e-ae39-58550b49f831