2017 Women’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2017 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Swimmers are preparing for day 2 finals of the 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way, Washington, with the action kicking off at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Tonight, we’ll crown the Pac-12 champions in the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 200 free relay, and women’s 1-meter diving.

Stanford freshman Katie Ledecky will be chasing her own NCAA and American Record in the 500 free tonight after breaking the Pac-12 Meet Record with a quick 4:28.37 this morning. Stanford’s Ella Eastin and Cal’s Kathleen Baker will square off with USC’s Kirsten Vose and Louise Hansson in the 200 IM. Finally, a highly anticipated showdown between Stanford’s Simone Manuel and Cal teammates Abbey Weitzeil and Farida Osman will take place in the 50 free.

WOMEN’S 1-METER DIVING

  1. Kassidy Cook, Stanford, 338.35
  2. Maria Polyakova, UCLA, 335.75
  3. Naomi Gowlett, USC, 328.15

Stanford’s Kassidy Cook edged out UCLA’s Maria Polyakova by less than 3 points to win a close contest for gold. Not far behind was USC’s Naomi Gowlett, who took 3rd with 328.15 points. Arizona got a huge boost from diving, with Karolyn Loftus (6th), Kaitlyn Costello (7th), and Sally Hackett (8th) all scoring in the final.

WOMEN’S 500 FREE

  • NCAA ‘A’ cut: 4:36.30
  • NCAA ‘B’ cut: 4:47.79
  • Pac-12 Conference Record: Katie Ledecky (Stanford)- 4:26.46
  • Pac-12 Meet Record: Katie Ledecky (Stanford)- 4:28.37
  1. Katie Ledecky, Stanford, 4:25.15
  2. Katie Drabot, Stanford, 4:35.69
  3. Katie McLaughlin, Cal, 4:36.04

Stanford’s Katie Ledecky tore through the water, setting a new NCAA, American, and U.S. Open Record to win gold in 4:25.15. That took over a second off her previous record of 4:26.46 from the Ohio State Invite. Fellow Cardinal freshman Katie Drabot (4:35.69) had a fantastic swim to take silver, as did bronze mealist Cal’s Katie McLaughlin (4:36.04) as both swimmers dropped seconds from their best times.

A tight race for 4th saw Stanford freshman Megan Byrnes and Arizona freshman Hannah Cox battle down the stretch. Byrnes got to the wall in 4:39.14, just ahead of Cox’s 4:39.66.

WOMEN’S 200 IM

  • NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:55.35
  • NCAA ‘B’ cut: 2:01.59
  • Pac-12 Conference Record: Ella Eastin (Stanford)- 1:51.65
  • Pac-12 Meet Record: Julia Smit (Stanford)- 1:52.31
  1. Ella Eastin, Stanford, 1:52.34
  2. Kathleen Baker, Cal, 1:52.74
  3. Louise Hansson, USC, 1:53.72

Stanford’s Ella Eastin kept the streak going for the Cardinal, coming within 3 hundredths of the Meet Record to win back-to-back titles in 1:52.34. Cal’s Kathleen Baker was just a few tenths back, coming in t 1:52.74 for silver. USC freshman Louise Hansson continues to impress, as she picked up bronze in 1:53.72.

Stanford’s Ally Howe and USC’s Kirsten Vose battled down the stretch for 4th place.Vose had the slight edge after breaststroke, but Howe rocketed home to out-touch her with a 1:55.74 to Vose’s 1:55.91.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE

  • NCAA ‘A’ cut: 21.80
  • NCAA ‘B’ cut: 22.99
  • Pac-12 Conference Record: Lara Jackson (Arizona)- 21.27
  • Pac-12 Meet Record: Farida Osman (Cal)- 21.32
  1. Simone Manuel, Stanford, 21.29
  2. Farida Osman, Cal, 21.49
  3. Abbey Weitzeil, Cal, 21.50

Stanford has yet to lose a race at this meet, as Simone Manuel came in clutch to win gold in a new Pac-12 Meet Record time of 21.29. Defending champ Farida Osman wound up 2nd in 21.49, just a hundredth ahead of teammate Abbey Weitzeil (21.50).

UCLA’s Linnea Mack blazed to a 21.67 to finish just off the podium, followed closely by Stanford’s Lia Neal (21.70) and Arizona’s Katrina Konopka (21.71). USC’s Anika Apostalon also cleared 22 seconds, posting a 21.91 for 7th place. Rounding out the top 8 was Cal’s Amy Bilquist (22.13).

Notably, Cal freshman Maddie Murphy had a big swim in the B-final, turning in a personal best 21.96.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY

  • NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:28.98
  • NCAA ‘B’ cut: 1:29.75
  • Pac-12 Conference Record: Arizona (2009)- 1:26.20
  • Pac-12 Meet Record: Stanford (2016)- 1:26.77
  1. Stanford- 1:26.44
  2. Cal- 1:26.49
  3. Arizona- 1:27.95

The Stanford 200 free relay squad of Simone Manuel, Lia Neal, Janet Hu, and Ally Howe took down the Pac-12 Meet Record in a fingernail finish against Cal. The Cardinal touched just 5 hundredths ahead of the Bears. Manuel got the Cardinal off to an early lead with her 21.44, while Howe clocked a 21.49 on the anchor leg to hold off a hard-charging Farida Osman (21.21). Notably, Cal’s Kristen Vredeveld split a 21.70 on the B-relay, which made her the team’s 3rd fastest performer overall.

 

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SwimCoachSean
7 years ago

Second time that if Cal had a different swimmer in the A relay, they would have potentially won. Replacing Amy Bilquist in both occasions as well…

Observer
Reply to  SwimCoachSean
7 years ago

Seems Any is the favorite. She was consistently good throughout dual meets, however. Perhaps her size needs more rest

Just Enjoy it
Reply to  SwimCoachSean
7 years ago

Its a timed final – you go with who has been swimming best all year! Give it a rest!!! These aren’t professional athletes!

bobo gigi
7 years ago

By the way I see that Allie Szekely was disqualified in the 200 IM prelims.
Please don’t tell me it was because of her breaststroke….

OG DRAC
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

turn touch!

bobo gigi
7 years ago
bobo gigi
7 years ago

Simone is on track to break the 21-second barrier at NCAAs. Can Abbey Weitzeil respond? I still wonder if she will continue to improve at Cal. We’ll see. I hope both girls will be at 100% to offer us a huge show. And we must not forget Farida Osman. Overall a crazy good level in that women’s 50 free. And it’s very cool to see Kristen Vredeveld break her PB in 22.12. I believe it was 22.18 from 2011. Since then she struggled a lot.

KL amazing as always. 4.25 not tapered, that’s crazy.
I’m very pleased to see Katie McLaughlin back to her top. We’ll see how her 200 fly will look like later in the week but… Read more »

iLikePsych
7 years ago

I used to have my money on Weitzeil, but she doesn’t seem to be as much of a fighter. She lost to Smoliga twice mid-season, and now has lost four head to heads with Manuel at this meet and their dual meet (along with Neal and Osman). I’m beginning to wonder if Cal isn’t the right match for her (no hating) or if Manuel’s been in her head since the Olympics.

Ole 99
7 years ago

Stanford. 21.44 21.88 21.63 21.49
Cal 21.68 21.85 21.75 21.21

Random123
7 years ago

Almost feel bad for Cal. Will they win a race???

Observer
Reply to  Random123
7 years ago

Doesn’t look like it :-/

bobo gigi
Reply to  Random123
7 years ago

I presume they will win backstroke races.

bobo gigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

And maybe the 100 fly too.

bobo gigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

And maybe the 200 fly too.

CraigH
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

Not if Hu and Howe have something to say about it!

Observer
7 years ago

King County Aquatics Center – Site License 2/23/2017 – 8:06 PM
2017 WOMENS PAC-12 SWIMMING CHAMPS – 2/22/2017 to 2/25/2017
HOST: Pac-12 Conference
Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center

Event 7 Women 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
School Seed Finals Points
==================================================================================
1 STAN-PC ‘A’ 1:27.72 1:26.44 64
1) Manuel, Simone SO 2) Neal, Lia SR
3) Hu, Janet JR 4) Howe, Ally JR
21.44 21.88 21.63 21.49
2 CAL-PC ‘A’ 1:26.31 1:26.49 56
1) Weitzeil, Abbey FR 2) Bilquist, Amy SO
3) Murphy, Maddie FR 4) Osman, Farida
21.68 21.85 21.75 21.21
3 ARIZ-AZ ‘A’ 1:27.67 1:27.95 54
1) Konopka, Katrina SO… Read more »

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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