INDIANAPOLIS – The Texas A&M men's swimming and diving team climbed to No. 16 in the team standing after another strong day at the 2017 NCAA Championship on Friday at the IU Natatorium on the IUPUI campus.
The Aggies, who haven't finished inside the top 20 at NCAAs since 2012, go into the final day of the national meet in 16th place with 56 points after scoring 23 points for a second straight day. Last year the Aggies finished 25th with 20 total points.
"It's good to be back in the mix here at the NCAA Championships," Aggie head coach Jay Holmes said. "It's taken a lot of hard work by a lot of people for us to get to this point. My staff has just done a great job and we're climbing back into the hunt. We're in 16th going into the final day and for us to better that we're going to have to have our best day in the morning (prelims). We will need everyone tomorrow for us to be able to reach our goals.
The Aggies took down two more school records with juniors Mauro Castillo and Brock Bonetti lowering their own school records in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 100 backstroke, respectively.
Castillo, from Zacatecas, Mexico, actually lowered the 100 breaststroke record twice on Friday. He went 52.27 in the morning prelims and then went even faster as he placed second in the consolation final (10th overall) in a time of 52.12.
"Mauro told us to not change the record board because he's going be breaking the record a lot, and he's been a man of his word," Holmes said. "He's probably broken the 100 breast record five or six times. The 52.1 in the consolation final was an awesome swim for him."
Bonetti, from Bakersfield, Calif., also went under the old 100 back school record twice. In the morning prelims, Bonetti became the first Aggie under 46 seconds in the race with a time of 45.64. In the consolation final, Bonetti went sub-46 again with a time of 45.67 while placing fourth (12th overall).
"Today was a breakthrough for Brock," Holmes said. "For him to break the school record and then score in the 100 back consols is him learning how to control his emotions. Today, he relaxed and swam really fast in the prelims, finals and the medley relay and I couldn't be prouder of what he accomplished today."
Diver Tyler Henschel earned honorable mention All-American honors for a second straight day with a 10th-place finish in the three-meter dive with a 437.50 point total.
The Aggies closed out the night with a runner-up finish in the consolation final of the 200-yard medley relay with the foursome of Bonetti, Castillo, senior Turker Ayar and senior Cory Bolleter turning in a time of 1:24.14.
"The guys raced really well in the 200 medley relay," Holmes said. "If we had really put it together we had an opportunity to get into that A final. It didn't happen, but it wasn't for a lack of trying or effort. I'm proud of the way they raced and competed."
In the team standings, Texas leads the way with 391.5 points, followed by California (253), Florida (224.5), NC State (196), Indiana (189.5), Stanford (160), USC (142.5), Georgia (141), Missouri (135.5) and Louisville (102.5) to round out the top 10. Other SEC teams in the top 25 were No. 11 Auburn (100.5), No. 12 Alabama (98), No. 14 South Carolina (60), No. 17 Tennessee (55) and No. 22 LSU (28).
The Aggies, who haven't finished inside the top 20 at NCAAs since 2012, go into the final day of the national meet in 16th place with 56 points after scoring 23 points for a second straight day. Last year the Aggies finished 25th with 20 total points.
"It's good to be back in the mix here at the NCAA Championships," Aggie head coach Jay Holmes said. "It's taken a lot of hard work by a lot of people for us to get to this point. My staff has just done a great job and we're climbing back into the hunt. We're in 16th going into the final day and for us to better that we're going to have to have our best day in the morning (prelims). We will need everyone tomorrow for us to be able to reach our goals.
The Aggies took down two more school records with juniors Mauro Castillo and Brock Bonetti lowering their own school records in the 100-yard breaststroke and the 100 backstroke, respectively.
Castillo, from Zacatecas, Mexico, actually lowered the 100 breaststroke record twice on Friday. He went 52.27 in the morning prelims and then went even faster as he placed second in the consolation final (10th overall) in a time of 52.12.
"Mauro told us to not change the record board because he's going be breaking the record a lot, and he's been a man of his word," Holmes said. "He's probably broken the 100 breast record five or six times. The 52.1 in the consolation final was an awesome swim for him."
Bonetti, from Bakersfield, Calif., also went under the old 100 back school record twice. In the morning prelims, Bonetti became the first Aggie under 46 seconds in the race with a time of 45.64. In the consolation final, Bonetti went sub-46 again with a time of 45.67 while placing fourth (12th overall).
"Today was a breakthrough for Brock," Holmes said. "For him to break the school record and then score in the 100 back consols is him learning how to control his emotions. Today, he relaxed and swam really fast in the prelims, finals and the medley relay and I couldn't be prouder of what he accomplished today."
Diver Tyler Henschel earned honorable mention All-American honors for a second straight day with a 10th-place finish in the three-meter dive with a 437.50 point total.
The Aggies closed out the night with a runner-up finish in the consolation final of the 200-yard medley relay with the foursome of Bonetti, Castillo, senior Turker Ayar and senior Cory Bolleter turning in a time of 1:24.14.
"The guys raced really well in the 200 medley relay," Holmes said. "If we had really put it together we had an opportunity to get into that A final. It didn't happen, but it wasn't for a lack of trying or effort. I'm proud of the way they raced and competed."
In the team standings, Texas leads the way with 391.5 points, followed by California (253), Florida (224.5), NC State (196), Indiana (189.5), Stanford (160), USC (142.5), Georgia (141), Missouri (135.5) and Louisville (102.5) to round out the top 10. Other SEC teams in the top 25 were No. 11 Auburn (100.5), No. 12 Alabama (98), No. 14 South Carolina (60), No. 17 Tennessee (55) and No. 22 LSU (28).