McDonald Leads Trio of Top Seeds into Friday Finals

Friday, February 27

Madison, Wis.

11 a.m.

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships - Prelims

McDonald Leads Trio of Top Seeds into Friday Finals

2/27/2026 3:45:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

Results (PDF)

MADISON, Wis. – Indiana senior Owen McDonald looks primed to defend his Big Ten 100-yard backstroke title after setting a championship record Friday (Feb. 27) morning at the 2026 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships inside the Soderholm Family Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.

In three of Friday night's events, IU has both the top seed and three total championship finals. In all, the Hoosiers have 22 finalists: 12 championship finalists, eight 'B' finalists and one 'C' finalist as well as the top-seeded 400-yard medley relay. Indiana will go for its 11th consecutive victory in that relay, the final event of the evening session.

McDonald broke the 100 back championship record with a 44.28 in the morning, breaking the standard set by Brendan Burns in his first of three consecutive titles in the event in 2022. Between McDonald, Burns and Gabriel Fantoni, Indiana has won the event each of the last eight seasons. Friday night, Indiana will have three of the top four seeds with McDonald, sophomore Miroslav Knedla (44.67) – last year's silver medalist - and sophomore Raekwon Noel (44.88).

Freshman Josh Bey continued his breakout meet Friday morning, taking the top seed in the 200-yard breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:50.59 – the only prelim time under 1:51. Junior Toby Barnett (1:51.59) and freshman Noah Cakir will join Bey (1:52.23) in the 'A' final as the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.

Indiana's distance crew flexed its muscles in the 500-yard freestyle, taking three of the top four seeds in Friday night's final. Zalán Sárkány set the pace as the top qualifier with a 4:10.99, and sophomore Luke Whitlock will swim next to him in lane five after a 4:11.67. Junior Aaron Shackell went 4:14.10 to finish fourth in the morning.

IU added two more championship challengers in the 50-yard freestyle. Junior Mikkel Lee put himself in the medal conversation with a 19.11, placing third from the prelims. Lee went an 18.90 to lead off the gold medal 200-yard freestyle relay Thursday night. Classmate Dylan Smiley qualified in seventh with a 19.35.

On the 3-meter springboard, Maxwell Weinrich advanced to the championship final with a 341.50, within 16 points of the leader. Sophomore Joshua Sollenberger, Thursday's 1-meter bronze medalist, placed 13th and will dive in the consolation final.

TEAM SCORES
1. Indiana – 535
2. Michigan – 491
3. Ohio State – 414.5
4. Wisconsin – 349
5. Northwestern – 319
6. Purdue – 313
7. USC – 291.5
8. Minnesota – 249
9. Penn State - 170

RESULTS
100 BACKSTROKE
1. Owen McDonald – 44.28 (Championship Final Top Qualifier, Meet Record, Pool Record, NCAA Cut)
2. Miroslav Knedla – 44.67 (Championship Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
4. Raekwon Noel – 44.88 (Championship Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
10. Vidar Carlbaum – 45.65 (Consolation Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
t12. Kai van Westering – 45.75 (Consolation Final, NCAA Cut)
X. David Kovacs – 46.05 (Personal Best)
X. Utkarsh Patil – 47.25
X. Max Cahill – 47.73

200 BREASTSTROKE
1. Josh Bey – 1:50.59 (Championship Final Top Qualifier, Pool Record, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
4. Toby Barnett – 1:51.59 (Championship Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
5. Noah Cakir – 1:52.23 (Championship Final, NCAA Cut)
11. Alexei Avakov – 1:53.39 (Consolation Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
15. Travis Gulledge – 1:54.29 (Consolation Final, NCAA Cut)
X. Collin McKenzie – 1:58.28 (Exhibition)
X. Drew Reiter – 1:58.36 (Exhibition)

500 FREESTYLE
1. Zalán Sárkány – 4:10.99 (Championship Final Top Qualifier, Pool Record, NCAA Cut)
2. Luke Whitlock – 4:11.67 (Championship Final, Personal Best, NCAA Cut)
4. Aaron Shackell – 4:14.10 (Championship Final, NCAA Cut)
11. Luke Ellis – 4:17.70 (Consolation Final, NCAA Cut)
18. Andrew Shackell – 4:20.12 (C Final)
X. Cooper McDonald – 4:18.89 (Exhibition)
X. Brandon Fleck – 4:22.59 (Exhibition, Personal Best)

50 FREESTYLE
3. Mikkel Lee – 19.11 (Championship Final, NCAA Cut)
7. Dylan Smiley – 19.35 (Championship Final, NCAA Cut)
11. Travis Gulledge – 19.44 (Consolation Final, Personal Best)
t13. Vidar Carlbaum – 19.54 (Consolation Final)
X. Max Lestina – 19.97 (Exhibition)
X. Lukas Paegle – 20.16 (Exhibition)

3-METER DIVING
4. Maxwell Weinrich – 341.70 (Championship Final, NCAA Zone Qualifier)
13. Joshua Sollenberger – 317.65 (Consolation Final, NCAA Zone Qualifier)

UP NEXT
Friday night's finals sessions at the 2026 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving Championships will kick off at 6 p.m. ET with the consolation final of the 3-meter diving competition.

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