2015 WOMEN’S NCAA DI CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, March 19 – Saturday, March 21
- Greensboro Aquatic Center – Greensboro, NC
- Prelims 11AM/Finals 7PM (Eastern Time)
- Defending Champion: Georgia (2x) – results
- NCAA Championship Central
- Social Hosted by SwimSwam At The 2015 Women’s NCAA Championships
- Live stream: All prelims & Thursday finals (Other sessions will be on ESPN3)
- Live results
For those of you in Greensboro, join us for the SwimSwam Social from 2:30PM – 6:30PM. The winning team will receive vouchers for 4 free SwimSwam t-shirts.
- WHEN: Friday, March 20th, 2015. 2:30PM – 6:30PM (finals start at 7:00PM) – come and go as you please
- WHERE: Gate City Billiards Club (about 5 minutes from pool)
- WHAT: Four-Person, bar game medley relay. Rules below $1 per entry – proceeds go to charity.
The second day of the 2015 Women’s NCAA DI Championships features the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3 meter diving, and the 800 freestyle relay.
The three most anticipated swims of the day will be the 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, and the 100 backstroke. Two of Natalie Coughlin’s American records from 2002 are in jeopardy today. Kelsi Worrell is .16 seconds away from the American record in the 100 butterfly and Courtney Bartholomew is .04 away from the record in the 100 backstroke.
Yesterday, Kelsi Worrell had a huge day, swimming the fastest 50 freestyle split of the day in the 200 freestyle relay at 21.04. She also had the fastest 100 butterfly relay split in history with her 49.56 split. Individually, she finished third in the 50 freestyle, dropping almost a half of a second from her seed time to go 21.62.
The 200 freestyle should be the most intense race of the day between Simone Manuel and Missy Franklin. On the first day of the meet, Franklin and Manuel each won an individual event and a relay. Franklin was a part of Cal’s winning 200 freestyle relay and claimed the 200 IM individually. Manuel won the 50 freestyle individually and then posted the fastest 100 free relay split in history to out-touch Virginia by .01 for the national title in the 400 medley relay with her split of 45.45. Franklin currently holds the American record at 1:40.31, but with the two of these athletes swimming as well as they are, we could see both swimmers break 1:40.
Courtney Bartholomew is dangerously close to breaking the American record in the 100 backstroke. She went 50.01 earlier this season, leaving her .04 shy of Coughlin’s record. Last night, she led off Virginia’s 400 medley relay in 50.19. She was 50.88 in her prelim relay swim, so I think she still has more in the tank for a big swim today.
200 Medley Relay – Prelims
- NCAA – 1:34.24 – California – 2012
- Championship – 1:34.24 – California – 2012
- American – 1:34.24 – California – 2012
- US Open – 1:34.24 – California – 2012
- 2014 Champion: Stanford – 1:34.95
Louisville dropped close to a second to earn the top seed in the 200 medley relay with their time of 1:35.56. Kelsi Worrell put up a huge fly split of 22.07. She was out at the 25 under 10 at 9.87 seconds. Andrea Cottrell also had the second fastest breaststroke split at 26.77.
California qualified second with a 1:36.18. Even though they are second, their seed time is slightly faster than the time Louisville put up this morning at 1:35.25. Rachel Bootsma lead off with a strong 23.80 backstroke split. Farida Osman also split 21.23 on the anchor, giving California two of the fastest splits of the morning.
Georgia qualified third with their time of 1:36.55 just ahead of Virginia with their fourth place qualifying time of 1:36.59.
Tennessee is sitting in fifth at 1:36.84. Molly Hannis had the fastest breaststroke split in the field at 26.24.
Florida Gulf Coast made a statement by earning a spot in the A final with their 6th place time of 1:37.05. This is the first year FGCU has ever qualified a relay for the NCAA Championships.
Missouri and Texas also qualified for the final in 7th and 8th. It took a 1:37.17 to make the A final and a 1:37.59 to make the B final.
400 IM – Prelims
- NCAA – 3:56.43 – Katinka Hosszu, USC – 2012
- Championship – 3:56.43 – Katinka Hosszu, USC – 2012
- American – 3:57.89 – Caitlin Leverenz, California – 2012
- US Open – 3:56.43 – Katinka Hosszu – 2012
- 2014 Champion: Maya DiRado, Stanford – 3:58.12
Texas A&M’s Sarah Henry will be the top seed going into finals in the 400 IM after swimming the fastest time of the morning of 4:02.98.
Georgia put two swimmers into the A final with a 4:04.32 from Hali Flickinger and a 4:05.62 from Amber McDermott. Flickinger qualified second and McDermott qualified fifth.
Minnesota’s Brooke Zeiger posted the third fastest time of the morning at 4:04.57, and Texas’ Madisyn Cox qualified fourth at 4:05.62.
Tanja Kylliainen was sixth this morning with her time of 4:06.46, Florida’s Jessica Thielmann qualified in seventh at 4:06.72, and Tennessee’s Amanda Carner earned the final A final spot with her time of 4:07.01.
It took a 4:07.01 to qualify for the A final and a 4:09.92 to make the B final.
100 Butterfly – Prelims
- NCAA –
50.01 – Natalie Coughlin, California – 2002 - Championship –
50.01 – Natalie Coughlin, California – 2002 - American –
50.01 – Natalie Coughlin – 2002 - US Open –
50.01 – Natalie Coughlin – 2002 - 2014 Champion – Felicia Lee, Stanford – 51.27
Kelsi Worrell!!! With a new American, US Open, and NCAA record, Worrell posted the fastest time in history and is now the first woman to ever break 50 seconds with her time of 49.89. She took her first 50 out in 23.52, coming home in 26.37 to break Natalie Coughlin‘s records and claim the top seed for tonight’s final.
California’s Farida Osman had the second fastest time of the morning at 51.00. She finished just ahead of Denver’s Sam Corea with her third place time of 51.01.
USC’s Kendyl Stewart qualified in fourth with her time of 51.03. Kentucky’s Tina Bechtel was fifth with her time of 51.24, and Natalie Hinds from Florida was sixth at 51.46.
The final two spots went to Missouri’s Dani Barbiea at 51.77 and Florida State’s Chelsea Britt at 51.86.
It took an 51.86 to make the A final and a 52.17 to make the B final.
200 Freestyle – Prelims
- NCAA – 1:40.31 – Missy Franklin, California – 2014
- Championship – 1:40.31 – Missy Franklin, California – 2014
- American – 1:40.31 – Missy Franklin, California – 2014
- US Open – 1:40.31 – Missy Franklin, California – 2014
- 2014 Champion – Missy Franklin, California – 1:40.31
Missy Franklin and Simone Manuel made sure they would be right next to each other tonight in finals with nearly identical prelim times. Missy Franklin will be the top seed with her time of 1:41.92, and Simone Manuel will be the second seed with her time of 1:41.93.
California will separate themselves in the team race with this event. Cierra Runge qualified fifth with her time of 1:43.71, and senior Caroline Piehl qualified seventh at 1:43.78.
USC’s Chelsea Chenault had the third fastest time of the morning with her time of 1:42.53. Indiana’s Kennedy Goss was fourth at 1:43.37.
Stanford’s Lia Neal was the sixth qualifier at 1:43.77, and the NCAA 500 freestyle champion, Leah Smith was the last A final qualifier at 1:43.80.
It took a 1:43.80 to make the A final and a 1:45.36 to make the B final. Rhiannon Sheets from Purdue and Jacqueline Keire from Cincinnati tied for 16th at 1:45.36. A swim off will be required to decide who makes the B final and who will be the first alternate.
**Update: Cincinnatti’s Jacqueline Keire won the swim off with an improved time of 1:45.18. She will be the final swimmer in the B final. Sheets was also faster than her prelim swim.
100 Breaststroke– Prelims
- NCAA – 57.23 – Breeja Larson, Texas A&M – 57.23
- Championship – 57.23 – Breeja Larson, Texas A&M – 57.23
- American – 57.23 – Breeja Larson – 57.23
- US Open – 57.23 – Breeja Larson – 57.23
- 2014 Champion – Breeja Larson, Texas A&M – 57.23
Stanford’s Sarah Haase posted the fastest time of the morning to earn the top seed for tonight’s final with her time of 58.19. Tennessee’s Molly Hannis was second at 58.49.
Virginia’s Laura Simon qualified third at 58.69. She had the fastest breaststroke split in yesterday’s 400 medley relay.
Alabama’s Kaylin Burchell qualified fourth at 58.72, but she has been 58.4 this year already, so expect a strong swim from her tonight. Gretchen Jaques from Texas was the final swimmer under 59 seconds with her time of 58.86.
Minnesota’s Kierra Smith was 59.00 to qualify sixth. Notre Dame’s Emma Reaney was 59.30 for seventh and SMU’s Rachel Nicol was the last swimmer to make the A final with her time of 59.49. She edged out Texas A&M’s Bethany Galat by .01 for the final spot.
It took a 59.49 to make the A final and a 59.86 to make the B final.
100 Backstroke – Prelims
- NCAA – 49.97 – Natalie Coughlin, California – 2002
- Championship – 49.97 – Natalie Coughlin, California – 2002
- American – 49.97 – Natalie Coughlin – 2002
- US Open – 49.97 – Natalie Coughlin – 2002
- 2014 Champion – Paige Miller, Texas A&M – 50.77
Courtney Bartholomew posted the fastest time of the session to claim the top seed in the 100 back with a 50.67. Don’t consider that record out of reach yet, though. Yesterday she dropped .7 between prelims and finals of the 400 medley relay. A similar drop today during finals could put her under Coughlin’s record time.
California managed to put three people into finals. Rachel Bootsma lead the pack with the second fastest time of the morning of 50.96. Melanie Klaren qualified fourth at 51.62, and Liz Pelton was seventh at 51.65.
Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga had the third fastest time of the morning at 51.45, which was a slight drop from her season best.
Ally Howe from Stanford and Brooklyn Snodgrass from Indiana tied for fifth at 51.63. The final A final spot went to Florida Gulf Coast’s Kira Toussaint with a 51.73.
It took a 51.73 to make the A final and a 52.21 to make the B final.
800 Freestyle Relay – Prelims
- NCAA – 6:50.18 – California – 2015
- Championship – 6:50.18 – California – 2015
- American – 6:50.18 – California – 2015
- US Open – 6:50.18 – California – 2015
- 2014 Champion: California – 6:54.94
The first two heats of the 800 freestyle relay raced this morning, while the final two heats will compete tonight during finals.
LSU had the fastest time of the morning with a 7:06.42 but was disqualified for an early take off. Kentucky will be the fastest team going into finals with a 7:07.23.
Top 5 times from the morning swims:
- 7:07.23 – Kentucky
- 7:09.91 – Auburn
- 7:10.13 – UCLA
- 7:10.27 – Wisconsin
- 7:10.95 – Missouri
ACC teams are COMING! At least one swimmer in the A finals for every event. I think it safe to say that the ACC just as fast as the other conferences.
I’m just now seeing the results and WOW. Kelsi Worrell is absolutely on fire! It’s crazy but at the same time awesome to see a woman go under 50!!!!!!!! Here goes my picks for tonight:
-200 medley relay: Cal… If they can perform and hold off Worrell. The breaststroke leg will have to pull through as well. 1:35 low
-400 IM: Sarah Henry by a landslide. 4:02 low or 4:01 high
-100 fly: Worrell, obviously. 50 flat. I don’t think she’ll rebreak her record, though she’ll probably come close
-200 free: This one is extremely hard to predict. I think 1) it will be incredibly close and 2) Simone and Missy will push each other… I see both of… Read more »
Hey Roll Tide, I agree with all your picks except the 100 breast which is a tossup and like you I’m biased and going with my sentimental favorite Hannis, Burchall has an equal shot I think, though I was a little surprised her relay splits weren’t faster, unless she held back which I doubt. Although I also picked Henry, I’m less sure than you that she’ll win 4IM by a blowout, Flickinger has had great season and Cox had huge drop in the 2IM. And all of the top 4 had a bit of breathing room to hold back this morning because the event is a little more slowish overall this year compared with previous recent years. Cal does have… Read more »
My picks for tonight: Cal, Henry, Worrell, Franklin, Hannis, Bartholomew, (diving–no clue), Cal.
The 200 was the hardest pick for me, I kept going back and forth. Here’s my thinking:
1)There were no clues from prelims as Franklin and Manuel not only swam almost identical times, but identical splits, both were cruising: Tossup.
2)At Pac-12’s Franklin surprisingly took it out faster than Manuel and led the whole way, only to have Manuel, who was actually sick a day or two earlier that week, surprisingly come back and almost out touch her out, but run out of room at the wall.: Tossup (due to Manuel’s illness).
3) Both women improved dramatically, and almost by an equal amount… Read more »
Holy cow, 7 factors…
Yeah and I just lumped mental/physical shape together cause they were both excellent, both tossups.
Also, some might be surprised by my pick of Hannis, I’m a little surprised too. Just a gut feeling. I know she’s usually fastest on the 50’s and then fades, but being a senior I hope she’s learned from mistakes. Haase is a big question mark given the big recent drops, can she pull it off again? She’s also the freshest of the field, not having swum relays yet. (though may swim it tonight). Burchall has big momentum from SEC’s, but relay splits and prelim time weren’t as fast as I expected. Reaney with the fastest PB of the field (and possibly the only one ever under 58?) but slightly off this year with the coaching changes, and slightly less… Read more »
It’s nitpicking, but the final spot in the A final for the 100 Back went to Kira Toussaint, who swims for Florida Gulf Coast, not Florida. A slight difference in the athletic history between those two schools.
Have they decided that dolphin kick is legal for breaststroke at all times? What’s the deal?
Awesome morning. Not going to let diving kill the mojo. No sir-eee, NCAA hoops time.
Very nice swim this morning for Sarah Haase from Stanford. Now, why was she not on that medley relay yesterday? They could have gone even faster…
Or on the relay this morning, they would have made the A Final
Insane morning for Cal. Rolling into finals tonight with an insane point spread. Let’s see if they don’t choke like in their Utah dual meet back in ’06….we all know what happened there