2019 Pac-12 Women’s Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2019 PAC-12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 27 – Saturday, March 2
• Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Stanford (2x) (results)
• Live results
• Live Video TBD
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Thursday Heat Sheets

The 2019 Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, as well as the men’s diving events, are underway this weekend in Federal Way, Washington. This morning’s opening prelims session features the 500 freestyle, 200IM, and 50 freestyle.

Women’s 500 freestyle

• Pac-12 record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky, 2017
• Championship record: 4:25.15, Katie Ledecky, 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 4:36.30

The 500 swimmers brought their A-game this morning – last year, it took 4:42.8 to make the A-final in this event, and this year, under 4:40.

Stanford sophomore Lauren Pitzer leads the way in 4:36.18. Teammate Ella Eastin, swimming the 500 instead of her signature 200 IM today, is the second seed for finals in 4:36.91. Pitzer’s time just bests her own PR, while Eastin was 2.24 seconds off. Rounding out what’s sure to be a great race for the podium tonight is Cierra Runge, who went 4:36.28 but holds a lifetime best of 4:31.90.

The University of Arizona’s Kirsten Jacobsen and Stanford teammates  Morgan Tankersley and Erin Voss (who dropped 2 seconds) are the fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds. In the seven-spot is ASU’s Emma Nordin, who came up huge for the Sun Devils, dropping nearly five seconds off her previously lifetime best. Rounding out the A-final in Cal’s Robin Neumann, improving on her best time by .06 this morning.

A finalists:

1. Lauren Pitzer, STAN, 4:36.18
2. Ella Eastin, STAN, 4:36.28
3. Cierra Runge, ASU, 4:36.91
4. Kirsten Jacobsen, UA, 4:38.37
5. Morgan Tankersley, STAN, 4:38.58
6. Erin Voss, STAN, 4:38.69
7. Emma Nordin, ASU, 4:39.81
8. Robin Neumann, CAL, 4:39.84

Women’s 200 IM

• Pac-12 record: 1:50.67, Ella Eastin, 2018
• Championship record: 1:52.26, Katinka Hosszu, 2012
• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:54.31

USC junior Louise Hansson led the Ella Eastin-less field this morning, clocking in as top seed with a 1:54.97. Stanford freshman Allie Raab threw down huge swim for the second seed, dropping about 2.5 seconds off her previous lifetime best for a 1:55.75. Her teammate Brooke Forde was the final swimmer to sneak under 1:56, touching at 1:55.93

Cal teammates Sarah Darcel and Isabel Ivey (a mid-year addition swimming in her first individual Pac-12 race), are the four and five seeds in 1:56.09 and 1:56.19, respectively.

Rounding out the A-final will be Stanford’s Katie Drabot in 1:56.69, Cal’s Keaton Blovad in 1:56.70, and USC’s Kirsten Vose in 1:56.79.

A finalists:

1. Louise Hansson, USC, 1:54.97
2. Allie Raab, STAN, 1:55.75
3. Brooke Forde, STAN, 1:55.93
4. Sarah Darcel, CAL, 1:56.09
5. Isabel Ivey, CAL, 1:56.14
6. Katie Drabot, STAN, 1:56.69
7. Keaton Blovad, CAL, 1:56.70
8. Kirsten Vose, USC, 1:56.79

Women’s 50 freestyle

• Pac-12 record: 21.17, Simone Manuel, 2017
• Championship record: 21.20, Simone Manuel, 2018
• NCAA ‘A’ cut: 21.74

After running down the field with a 20.56 relay split – the second fastest of all-time – last night, Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil led the prelims field by a wide margin, taking the top seed for tonight in 21.36.

Alongside her will be teammate Amy Bilquist and USC’s Marta Ciesla, both under :22 this morning. Claire Grover went 22.09 to become UCLA’s lone A-finalist on the day. Freshman Taylor Ruck was Stanford’s only swimmer to make the 50 free A-final and will be the No. 5 seed tonight with her 22.10.

Rounding out the big final will be Cal’s Maddie Murphy (22.11), Arizona’s Katrina Konopka (22.13), and Arizona State’s Fanny Teijonsalo (22.19).

A finalists:

1. Abbey Weitzeil, CAL, 21.36
2. Amy Bilquist, CAL, 21.77
3. Marta Ciesla, USC, 21.98
4. Claire Grover, UCLA, 22.09
5. Taylor Ruck, STAN, 22.10
6. Maddie Murphy, CAL, 22.11
7. Katrina Konopka, UA, 22.13
8. Fanny Teijonsalo, ASU, 22.19