2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY: BY THE NUMBERS
The boys’s 100 fly has been largely dominated by Caeleb Dressel since 2017, however the world file holder within the occasion will not be competing at this yr’s Nationals. Dressel gained the 100 fly on the Olympic Trials final summer time, clocking 50.19. That makes the boys’s 100 fly one more occasion that will likely be lacking not less than one in all its Olympians from final summer time.
Furthermore, the boys’s 100 fly has seen numerous turnover from final yr, as solely three of the eight finalists from the Olympic Trials final summer time are competing within the occasion at Nationals this yr. Different finalists from Trials final yr who gained’t be within the image this yr are Zach Harting (4th), Ryan Murphy (sixth), Luke Miller (seventh), and Kaii Winkler (eighth).
The 50-Level Membership
With Dressel’s absence, there are three swimmers within the subject who’re entered with a time below 51 seconds, and one other who has been below 51 seconds earlier than.
Thomas Heilman (photograph: Jack Spitser)
Main the best way is 18-year-old Thomas Heilman out of Cavalier Aquatics/Piedmont Household YMCA. The opposite American Olympian on this occasion from final summer time, Heilman got here in 2nd at Trials final summer time in 50.80. As only a 17-year-old, Heilman would end 18th in prelims in Paris, lacking out on the semi-finals.
Heilman was notably the Trials champion within the 200 fly final summer time, and he would go on to complete tenth within the semis in Paris. This yr, Heilman hasn’t but swum the LC 100 fly, nevertheless, he did pop a 1:57.81 200 fly in mid-Could on the Richmond Sectionals meet. Given his age, Heilman is a swimmer whose inventory may very effectively proceed to rise, which suggests he could effectively find yourself being one of many American stars of this summer time.
Alongside Heilman is Shaine Casas, who’s benefiting as a lot as anybody from the absences in his major occasions. Casas now has a better path within the backstroke occasions as a consequence of absences, and he finds himself in an excellent place within the 100 fly as effectively with Dressel being out. He wound up getting into and declaring a false begin within the 100 fly at Trials final summer time, nevertheless, he could effectively view it as a way more favorable occasion this summer time. Casas holds a profession greatest of fifty.40 within the 100 fly, which he swam again in 2022. That point additionally marks Casas because the swimmer with the quickest profession greatest on this subject.
Casas has been in good kind to this point in 2025. Again on the Westmont Professional Swim Sequence in March, he clocked his season excessive of fifty.82 within the 100 fly, which additionally makes him the quickest American within the occasion to this point this yr. Like Heilman, he’ll be one of the crucial fascinating swimmers to look at at this meet, as he may simply flip into one of many stars of the meet. Now, between the fly occasions, again occasions, 200 IM, and the 100/200 free, Casas will seemingly must scratch down from his seven entries, nevertheless, he has the clearest path he’s ever confronted to be on a global LC roster in a mess of occasions.
The opposite swimmer within the subject who’s seeded below 51 seconds is Cal’s Dare Rose, who got here in third at Trials final summer time with a 50.84.
Dare Rose (photograph: Jack Spitser)
Rose holds a profession greatest of fifty.46 from the 2023 World Championships, marking the 2nd-fastest profession greatest within the subject. His time from Worlds earned him the bronze medal. Like Casas, Rose has already proven himself to be in nice form heading into this meet, as he clocked a season-best 50.93 on the CA NOVA Speedo Grand Problem on Memorial Day weekend.
Rose is barely entered within the 50 fly and 100 fly subsequent week, which suggests we will say with an excellent diploma of confidence that he’ll race the 100 fly, and he has the good thing about pouring his focus into the occasion versus these racing busier schedules.
Michael Andrew rounds out the swimmers on this subject who’ve been below 51 seconds within the 100 fly earlier than. Andrew’s profession greatest of fifty.80 is a bit dated, coming from Could of 2021, nevertheless, in his protection, his focus of occasions has been shifting fairly a bit over the previous few years. Now that he’s coaching with the ASU professional group, we’ll get to see Andrew’s first true taper meet in a really very long time. The truth is, Andrew detailed on the Sacramento Professional Swim Sequence in early April that he was nonetheless making an attempt to regulate to racing whereas drained, which wasn’t one thing he actually ever did below his earlier coaching plan.
A possible profit to that adjustment for Andrew is that, now that he’ll be in a resting section heading into this meet, he could really feel extra refreshed than ever racing at this meet. That’s not a assure, only a risk. Both manner, it is a Michael Andrew kind of meet. Following the frustration of not making the Olympic roster final summer time, he will get to return again this summer time, race a bunch of 50s, a few 100s, and the 200 IM.
Andrew comes into the 100 fly seeded with a 52.36, which doesn’t essentially bounce off the web page, however as said above, the 100 fly hasn’t been as a lot of a spotlight for him in recent times. He hasn’t swum the 100 fly LC but this yr, nevertheless, he’s managed to place up some very strong 50 fly instances, together with a 23.44 on the Fort Lauderdale Professional Swim Sequence in early Could.
Now, the trickiest half with Andrew is that this meet that includes 50s makes his schedule a bit too busy. The 100 fly is on day 3 of the meet, however, sadly, the 100 fly, 50 breast, and 50 again are all back-to-back-to-back on that day. It’s extremely exhausting to think about that Andrew would forego the 50 breast, in order that’s a lock. Meaning the one remaining query is whether or not Andrew will try the double or not, and, in that case, which occasion he’ll select for the double. Given the probability that he races the 50 breast, we’re going to go away Andrew out of our official picks on this preview, but when he does race it, he’ll be a contender.
All It Takes Is a Nice Swim
Behind our 50-point membership, there’s a handful of swimmers who could make some actual noise within the 100 fly if they only handle to pop a lifetime greatest subsequent week. Main that pack is Luca Urlando, who returned from harm to have a really profitable NCAA season with Georgia this yr.
Luca Urlando (photograph: Jack Spitser)
As soon as one of the crucial promising rising stars in American swimming, Urlando’s profession was derailed by a major shoulder harm. That being stated, the 23-year-old is again wholesome and seems to be doubtlessly even higher than ever.
Beginning along with his faculty season, Urlando gained the 200 fly at NCAAs, swimming a 1:36.43 (yards), which broke the NCAA File. He additionally clocked a profession greatest within the 100 fly at NCAAs with a 43.49, which was good for third place. Urlando then carried that momentum from NCAAs into the LCM pool, as simply a few days after NCAAs, he traveled all the way down to Sacramento for the Professional Swim Sequence, the place he was distinctive. Urlando popped a profession better of 51.32 within the 100 fly at that Professional Swim Sequence. He additionally was 1:52.37 within the 200 fly, which was one other profession greatest.
Now, we all know Urlando was absolutely rested for that Professional Swim Sequence because it was instantly after NCAAs however, even so, all it might take for Urlando to make the crew within the 100 fly is one other profession greatest in Indy.
NC State’s Aiden Hayes is available in seeded Fifth within the 100 fly for this meet and is 1 of solely 3 swimmers on this subject from final yr’s Trials last. Final yr, Hayes got here in Fifth at Trials with a 51.43. He additionally executed the Trials races very impressively, going 51.58 in prelims, 51.50 in semifinals, then 51.43 in finals. That being stated, Hayes’ profession greatest was set in the summertime of 2023, the place he went 51.24.
Since he’s not in faculty, we don’t have an NCAA season to guage Hayes’ enchancment on. As a substitute, he’s solely swum a single meet for the reason that Olympic Trials final summer time, which was the TAC Titans Spring Fling in mid-Could, the place he clocked a 52.52 within the 100 fly. It’s exhausting to guage the place somebody is predicated on a single meet previously yr, nevertheless, 52.52 is powerful sufficient that we should always anticipate to see Hayes in one other last within the 100 fly, particularly since he’s proven he will be on level in prelims.
Trenton Julian has the Fifth-fastest profession greatest on this subject, having been 51.10 again in the summertime of 2022. Julian got here in ninth in semifinals at Trials final summer time, swimming a 51.79. Thus far in 2025, Julian has been constantly strong within the 100 fly, having been 52.68 in March, 52.46 in April, and 52.45 in Could. Just like the others on this part, Julian would nearly definitely must pop a profession greatest with the intention to end within the high two, however he has an excellent probability of constructing the ultimate, so there’s an opportunity.
Cal’s Gabriel Jett is an ever-present menace on this occasion. Jett has been such a dynamic yards swimmer for the Golden Bears, and we’ve been ready for him to completely breakout in LCM swimming. Whereas he’s accomplished fairly effectively within the lengthy pool, it nonetheless looks like he has extra potential. That being stated, he has a profession better of 51.53 within the 100 fly, which is loads quick sufficient for him to make the ultimate subsequent week. At Trials final summer time, he got here in fifteenth in semi-finals with a 52.57 after going 52.35 in prelims.
Jett appears to essentially match that mildew the place, if he has an excellent race, he may actually trigger some disruption on this occasion.
The Better of The Relaxation
Jack Dahlgren, a Mizzou professional, got here in tenth within the 100 fly at Trials final summer time, swimming his profession better of 52.02.
Jack Dahlgren (photograph: Jack Spitser)
Thus far this yr, he’s been 53.11 within the 100 fly, and he’s put up a powerful 1:56.83 within the 200 fly. Dahlgren must have the swim of his life to make the Worlds crew on this occasion, nevertheless, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him within the last after narrowly lacking out on it final summer time at Trials.
Ohio State’s Evan Fentress was a semifinalist within the 100 fly at Trials, taking thirteenth in 52.27, which is his profession greatest. He had a hit and miss NCAA season this yr, clocking profession bests within the 50 and 100 free, however not bettering within the 100 or 200 fly. Like Dahlgren, Fentress must have a real popping out occasion to get in rivalry for the crew, nevertheless, he may make the ultimate with a great swim within the morning.
Kamal Muhammad, who just lately introduced he’s transferring from Virginia to Tennessee for his last 2 years of NCAA eligibility, may very well be an fascinating identify to look at right here. Muhammad simply swam his profession better of 52.36 on the Fort Lauderdale Professional Swim Sequence. That point ties him for the tenth seed coming into the meet, so he’s proper on the edge of constructing the ultimate.
Texas’ Ryan Branon simply popped a profession better of 52.46 within the 100 fly on the ST TXLA Longhorns Aquatics meet in mid-Could. He additionally posted a profession better of 1:56.45 within the 200 fly at that meet, so Branon seems to be in nice form along with his LCM fly heading into this meet.
16-year-old Rowan Cox out of Longhorn Aquatics may actually make some noise within the 100 fly. He clocked his profession better of 52.59 within the 100 fly at Junior Pan Pacs final summer time, the place he earned the silver medal. This yr, Cox has been 53.78 within the 100 fly, which he swam on the Fort Lauderdale Professional Swim Sequence a couple of weeks in the past.
SWIMSWAM’S PICKS
Darkish Horse: Colin Geer, Michigan – Rising Michigan junior Colin Geer has been making a reputation for himself via his first 2 years with the Wolverines. He comes into this meet because the sixteenth seed with a time of 52.72, which additionally stands as his profession greatest. He set his profession greatest on the Speedo Summer time Championships on the finish of final July. Since then, Geer had a terrific NCAA season, whereby he bought all the way down to profession bests of 45.10 within the 100 fly and 1:39.58 within the 200 fly in SCY. Whereas a high 2 end appears a bit out of attain for Geer as of but, an excellent swim within the morning may simply see him as an sudden finalist on this occasion.
