Men’s Swim & Dive Hits the Road for 2021 NCAA Championships

BATON ROUGE – The LSU Men’s Swimming & Diving team is all set to begin the 2021 Men’s NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships to close out the season. The event will begin on Thursday, March 25 for the Tigers and run through Saturday, March 27 from Greensboro, North Carolina. 

There will be no spectator seating available inside the competition facilities for the duration of the events. All sessions of the championships will air live on the ESPN app.

IN THE POOL

Brooks Curry will compete in all three freestyle events for the Tigers this week. After missing out on an opportunity to compete in last year’s NCAA Championships after it was canceled, Curry is looking to make his mark on the national level for the first time. 

Curry followed up his spectacular freshman campaign with another stellar year this year. At the 2021 SEC Championships, he earned the silver medal in the 100-Yard Freestyle with a time of 41.80, breaking his own school record. He also earned two bronze medals in the 50 and the 200-Yard Freestyle with times of 19.16 and 1:32.64. His 50-Yard Freestyle prelim time of 18.97 broke his own school record he set earlier in the season.

Leading up to championship season, Curry simply dominated the competition. Against Alabama to start the season, he won the 100-Yard Freestyle with a time of 43.19, the 200-Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:35.86, and came in second in the 50-Yard Freestyle with a time of 20.07. At the Art Adamson Invitational, he swam a 19.28 to claim the victory. At the same meet, won the 100-Yard Freestyle with a time of 42.06, and came in third place in the 200-Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:33.75. Against Florida State, he won the 200-Yard Freestyle with a time of 1:37.75 and finished second in the 100-Yard Freestyle with a time of 44.00. Then against Texas A&M, he won both the 100-Yard Freestyle and 200-Yard Freestyle with times of 42.29 and 1:36.71.

Mitch Mason will also be swimming for the Tigers this week in North Carolina. The freshman used an outstanding performance at the SEC Championships in the 100 and 200-Yard Breaststroke to punch his ticket to the big dance. He will be competing in both breaststroke events. 

He earned his spot on the All-SEC Freshman Team after finishing in fourth place in the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 52.32, a school record, at the 2021 SEC Championships. Also at the championships, he finished in 23rd place in the 200-Yard Breaststroke with a personal best time of 1:57.73. 

Against Alabama to start his career, he finished in fifth place in the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 56.93 and sixth place in the 200-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:08.80. At the Art Adamson Invitational, he finished in third place in the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 53.69, and then finished in eighth place in the 200-Yard Breaststroke and 13th place in the 200-Yard IM with times of 1:59.18 and 1:50.81. Against Florida State University he won the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 54.56, finished second in the 200-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:01.79 and finished fifth in the 200-Yard IM with a time of 1:51.89. Against Texas A&M he finished third in the 100-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 55.60, third in the 200-Yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:03.63 and fourth in the 200-Yard IM with a time of 1:53.64.

“I am proud of this pair already in how they have represented the Tigers heading into this week,” said LSU Associate Head Coach Steve Mellor. “Make no mistake though, we are not here simply for an experience. They know the opportunity they have to represent our program at the highest level and both thrive under the biggest stage and spotlight. We are eager to get going and it is exciting to think about what they are capable of doing for the purple and gold.”

ON THE BOARDS

Juan Celaya-Hernandez is heading to the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in his already storied LSU career. He will be competing in all three events this week, after outstanding performances at the 2021 Zone D Diving Regional. At the diving regional, he finished in first place on the One-Meter Springboard with a score of 440.45. He then finished in second place on both three-meter and platform with scores of 854.55 and 793.80. 

Celeya -Hernandez started off the season against Alabama by sweeping the springboard events and earning SEC Diver of the Week honors. He dove to a score of 454.35 on the Three-Meter Springboard and 383.70 on the One-Meter Springboard to claim the victories. He once again earned SEC Diver of the Week honors after his performance at the Texas Diving Invitational where he won the One-Meter Springboard with a score of 423.00, and came in second on both the Three-Meter Springboard and Platform with scores of 467.55 and 466.05. Against Texas A&M he won both the One-Meter Springboard and Three-Meter Springboard events with scores of 405.22 and 441.00. At the 2021 SEC championships, Celaya-Hernandez claimed the gold on one-meter with a score of 440.45. He then finished in second place on three-meter and fourth place on platform with scores of 472.40 and 345.50.

“We are excited to be in Greensboro for the NCAA Championships,” said LSU head diving coach Doug Shaffer. “It has been quite the journey to get to this point and we are grateful for the opportunity in front of us. Juan looks great in training and I am very optimistic for the days ahead.”

ORDER OF EVENTS FOR THE TIGERS

Thursday, March 25
50-Yard Freestyle
One-Meter Diving

Friday, March 19
200-Yard Freestyle
100-Yard Breaststroke
Three-Meter Diving

Saturday, March 20
100-Yard Freestyle
200-Yard Breaststroke
Platform Diving

LIVE COVERAGE
https://lsul.su/2P79Kfn

LIVE VIDEO
https://lsul.su/2HlQbw9

MORE INFORMATION

For more information and updates on LSU Swimming and Diving please visit LSUsports.net, ‘like’ us on Facebook at LSU Swimming and Diving or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @LSUSwimDive.