FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – The Cal men's swimming & diving team ended the 2023 Pac-12 Championships with a flourish Saturday, setting three meet records and winning four of the five events contested.

The Bears couldn't catch Arizona State for the team title. The Sun Devils won the team crown for the first time in program history and ended Cal's string of five straight conference championships in the process.

Still, the Bears made a statement they will be their usual force at the NCAA Championships later this month with three times that are the fastest in the country this season.

Junior Destin Lasco won his third consecutive Pac-12 title in the 200-yard backstroke, setting a conference meet record with a time of 1:36.94, which is also the best mark in the country this season in the event. Teammate Hugo Gonzalez finished second, recording the second-fastest time nationally this year.

"I didn't expect that," Lasco told the Pac-12 Network broadcast team. "But Hugo and I make each other better every day. He's one of the best training partners I've had in my whole life."

Seeliger captured his second straight conference title in the 100 freestyle, also breaking a Pac-12 Championships record with a time of 40.90. That is also the fastest mark in the event nationally this season.

Sophomore Gabriel Jett continued his breakout performance with his second championship of the meet, taking the 200 butterfly in a time of 1:39.27 – yet another mark that is the best in the country this year.

Cal capped off a blistering session by setting the Pac-12 record and the Pac-12 Championships record in the 400 free relay. Dylan Hawk, Seeliger, Matthew Jensen and Jack Alexy completed the race in 2:45.67.

The Bears will now turn their attention to the 2023 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis on March 22-25.


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