2017 W. NCAA Finals Preview: Cal, Stanford Set for 200 FR Relay Battle on Night 2

2017 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 15 – Saturday, March 18
• IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Georgia (results)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Event Previews
• Live Stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Live Results

Day 2 finals of the 2017 Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis will kick off at 6:00 eastern time in the IUPUI natatorium. Tonight’s competition includes the finals of the 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 400 medley relay, and 1-meter diving.

Read on for a preview of some of the top races to watch.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY

After setting the American Record this morning, Stanford is the favorite to win the 200 free relay, but it’s worth noting that Cal was just 5 tenths back this morning without star sprinter Abbey Weitzeil and freshman sprint standout Maddie Murphy, who will both likely be on the finals relay.

Stanford will likely be keeping their prelims lineup of Simone Manuel, Lia Neal, Janet Hu, and Ally Howe. If the Bears decide to put both Weitzeil and Murphy in, they’ll most likely join Farida Osman, but the final spot is hard to call between Amy Bilquist (21.68) and Valerie Hull (21.63), who were both 21.6 this morning.

WOMEN’S 500 FREE

Stanford’s Katie Ledecky cruised her way to a new Meet Record of 4:28.37 this morning, tying the 8th fastest performance of all time. Interestingly, she tied her own performance from prelims at the Pac-12 Championships last month. In finals at that meet, she blasted a new American Record of 4:25.15, and will look to take it down again tonight.

Virginia’s Leah Smith, the defending NCAA champion, will look to break the 4:30 barrier for the first time in her career. Smith has been as fast as a 4:30.37 from the 2015 NCAA meet, ans would become the 2nd woman to ever clear the barrier if she’s successful.

The race for 3rd gets interesting between Michigan teammates G Ryan and Rose Bi, as both have been 4:34 already this season. Don’t count out Louisville’s Mallory Comerford either, as she’s been on fire this season and swam a personal best 4:36.91 to qualify 4th.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE

Ohio State’s Liz Li set a new Pool Record to take top seed in 21.52 this morning, but she’ll have to take down a star-studded field to win the final. Georgia’s defending NCAA Champion Olivia Smoliga and Stanford’s Simone Manuel, the Olympic silver medalist in the 50 meter free, will swim on either side of her.

Cal freshman Abbey Weitzeil, the American Record holder in this event, will line up behind lane 6. Teammate Farida Osman, who finished 2nd in this event at last season’s NCAA meet, will also be in the hunt from lane 1.