Louisville’s Mitchell Whyte Surprised by How Far He’s Come In Two Years (Video)

2020 ACC MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 26th to Saturday, February 29th Prelims 10:00 am | Finals 6:00 pm (1650 prelims Saturday at 4:00 pm)
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: North Carolina State University (NC State) (29x, 5th-straight) (results)
• Streaming: ACC Network
  • Day 2 Finals
  • Day 3 Finals
  • Day 4 Finals
• Championship Central: Here
• Detailed Timeline: Here
• Psych Sheets: Here
• Live Results

As a high schooler, Mitchell Whyte was once committed to swimming collegiately for Eastern Michigan University. Then, in 2018, EMU suddenly de-funded its Men’s Swimming & Diving program, despite it being the winningest team in university history.

Facing an uncertain future, Saint Paul, Minnesota native Whyte, with the assistance of his then-club coach, was able to schedule meetings with various coaches from Division I programs. Whyte ultimately settled on Louisville and has made an enormous impression since his arrival.

Reported by Robert Gibbs.

Friday

100 BACK – FINALS

• ACC record: 43.98 – Coleman Stewart (NC State), 2019
• ACC meet record: 44.36 – Coleman Stewart (NC State), 2019
• 2019 champion: Coleman Stewart (NC State), 44.44

1. Coleman Stewart (NC State) – 44.04
2. Mitchell Whyte (Louisville) – 44.64
3. Nick Albiero (Louisville) – 44.75

Coleman Stewart won this event for the 3rd-straight year, breaking a conference record and nearly breaking 44.0 with a 44.04. That’s the fastest time in the country so far this season, just ahead of Zane Waddell’s 44.10 from SECs last week.

Louisville teammates Mitchell Whyte and Nick Albiero both hit new personal bests, touching in 44.64 and 44.75, as fans were treated to the rare sight of three men going under 45 at a conference championship.

Georgia Tech’s Kyle Barone was out in 21.56, 2nd only behind Stewart, but faded over the back half, splitting 24.21 (against the sub-23 splits from the top three men), but still hung on to finish 4th in 45.77.

UVA’s Joe Clark touched 5th in 46.44 after finishing 3rd last year in 45.22. Clark’s best time this season is a 46.01 from the Tennessee Invite, and he may be in danger of not qualifying for NCAAs after scoring points there the last two years. It took a 46.06 to qualify last season.

NC State’s Noah Hensley took 6th in 46.57; like the top three men, he swam the 100 fly earlier this session. Florida State’s Griffin Alaniz (46.78) and Louisville’s Nikolaos Sofianidis rounded out the top 8.

One item of note further down the results: Boston College had its first individual scorer of the meet, Samuel Roche, take 21st in the C-final with a 47.60.

Saturday

200 BACK – FINALS

• ACC record: 1:38.56 – Hennesey Stuart (NC State), 2016
• ACC meet record: 1:39.05 – Grigory Tarasevich (Louisville), 2017
• 2019 champion: Coleman Stewart (NC State), 1:39.10

1. Coleman Stewart (NC State) – 1:37.71
2. Mitchell Whyte (Louisville) – 1:39.46
3. Samuel Tornqvist (Virginia Tech) – 1:40.10

NC State senior Coleman Stewart went out in style, taking down the ACC meet and conference records in the last individual ACC swim of his career. Stewart knocked nearly a second off of the overall conference record, a 1:38.56 held by NC State alum Hennesey Stuart. That’s the third-straight conference title in this event for Stewart, who has swept the backstrokes here over the last three years. Stewart’s time ranks his #3 in the nation this season.

Louisville’s Mitchell Whyte took 2nd to pair with his 2nd place finish in the 100 back. His time of 1:39.46 moves him to #4 in the nation this season. Whyte also took 2nd last season.

Virginia Tech’s Samuel Tornqvist took 3rd in 1:40.10, a new personal best by roughly half a second. Last year he was 5th with a 1:41.39. UVA’s Justin Grender (1:41.05) and Virginia Tech’s Lane Stone (1:41.88) took 4th and 5th. Notre Dame’s Jack Montesi (1:42.05) and UNC’s Christopher Thames (1:42.26) were also under 1:43. NC State freshman Ross Dant took 8th in 1:48.61, roughly ten minutes after taking 3rd in the 1650.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

1. NC State – 1250
2. Virginia – 1089
3. Louisville – 1066.5
4. Virginia Tech – 898
5. Florida State – 812.5
6. Notre Dame – 803.5
7. North Carolina – 630.5
8. Pitt – 520
9. Georgia Tech – 506
10. Duke – 421
11. Miami – 197
12. Boston College – 134