2019 Pac-12 Women’s Championships: Day 4 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 on Pac-12 Network for finals
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Saturday heat sheets 

The fourth and final day of the 2019 Pac-12 Women’s Championships is underway in Federal Way, Washington. This morning we’ll see prelims for the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly.

Women’s 200 back:

• Pac-12 record: 1:47.30, Kathleen Baker, 2018
• Championship record: 1:48.27, Kathleen Baker, 2018
• NCAA “A” Cut: 1:50.50

Stanford got the day off to a got start with five A-finalists in the 200 back, including the fastest four swims of the morning. Leading the way is freshman Taylor Ruck, dropping just shy of two seconds off her previous lifetime best. The second seed tonight is Ella Eastin, who broke 1:52 for the first time to go 1:51.23 this morning. Following her is freshman teammate Lucie Nordmann, who also broke 1:52 for the first time. The fourth seed is Cardinal Erin Voss, who also went a best time, dropping .20 for a 1:51.72.

Cal junior Keaton Blovad is the fifth seed with a 1:53.42, and then the fifth and final Cardinal in the top eight is junior Allie Szekely with a 1:53.51 (but she’s been 1:51.72).

UCLA freshman Mara Newman was the seventh-fastest finisher in 1:53.88, a best time by half a second, and Cal freshman Alicia Wilson rounded out the top eight in 1:54.96.

A-finalists:

1. Taylor Ruck, STAN, 1:49.89
2. Ella Eastin, STAN, 1:51.23
3. Lucie Nordmann, STAN, 1:51.63
4. Erin Voss, STAN, 1:51.72
5. Keaton Blovad, CAL, 1:53.42
6. Allie Szekely, STAN, 1:53.51
7. Mara Newman, UCLA, 1:53.88
8. Alicia Wilson, CAL, 1:54.96

Women’s 100 free:

• Pac-12 record: 45.56, Simone Manuel, 2017
• Championship record: 46.36, Simone Manuel, 2017
• NCAA “A” Cut: 47.35

After Stanford posted the top four qualifiers in the first event of the day, Cal responded with a 1-2-3 finish of their own.

Senior Amy Bilquist led the way with a 47.49, just 0.04 off her best time. Junior Abbey Weitzeil, in the midst of a stellar meet, was the second-fastest finisher in 47.53. In third is sophomore teammate Robin Neumann in 48.17.

Stanford’s Lauren Pitzer is her team’s lone A-finalist, touching in 48.19. Fifth-fastest this morning was USC freshman Laticia Ransom, and behind her, sophomore teammate Marta Ciesla. In seventh is UCLA junior Kenisha Liu, and rounding out the A-final is USC’s third representative, sophomore Jemma Schlict (48.70).

A-finalists:

1. Amy Bilquist, CAL, 47.49
2. Abbey Weitzeil, CAL, 47.53
3. Robin Neumann, CAL, 48.17
4. Lauren Pitzer, STAN, 48.19
5. Laticia Transom, USC, 48.46
6. Marta Ciesla, USC, 48.48
7. Kenisha Liu, UCLA, 38.62
8. Jemma Schlicht, USC, 48.70

Women’s 200 breast:

• Pac-12 record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni, 2009
• Championship record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni, 2009
• NCAA “A” Cut: 2:06.94

Stanford sophomore led the field via a new best time in the 200 breast this morning, dropping a full second to go 2:08.13. she was the only swimmer under 2:09. Washington State sophomore Mackenzie Duarte was second-fastest in 2:09.67, and Arizona State’s Silja Kansakoski was third in 2:09.67.

Stanford freshman duo Allie Raab and Zoe Bartel are the fourth and fifth seeds, going 2:09.71 and 2:09.94, respectively. Bartel has been 2:06.24.

USC senior Riley Scott, whose was the top seed headed into the meet, was sxith this morning in 2:01.51 – she’s also been 2:06.20. Her freshman teammate Isa Odgers is the seventh seed in 2:10.51, and junior Trojan Kirsten Vose rounds out the A-final in 2:10.63. Despite USC getting three swimmers into the A-final, sophomore Maggie Aroesty, who was the No. 3 seed, ended up ninth with a 2:11.17.

A-finalists:

1. Grace Zhao, STAN, 2:08.13
2. Mackenzie Duarte, WSU, 2:09.47
3. Silja Kansakoski, ASU, 2:09.67
4. Allie Raab, STAN, 2:09.71
5. Zoe Bartel, STAN, 2:09.94
6. Riley Scott, USC, 2:10.52
7. Isa Odgers, USC, 2:10.52
8. Kirsten Vose, USC, 2:10.63

Women’s 200 fly:

• Pac-12 record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin, 2018
• Championship record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin, 2018
• NCAA “A” Cut: 1:53.48

After breaking her own NCAA record in the 100 fly last night, USC junior led the Ella Eastin-less 200 fly field this morning. Hansson was the only swimmer out under :54, splitting 53.36/58.90 to take the top spot in 1:52.26.

Second-fastest this morning was Stanford junior Katie Drabot, and USC senior Madison Wright.

Stanford sophomore Brooke Forde is the four-seed in 1:54.63, her first time breaking 1:55. Arizona senior Mackenzie Rumrill posted a best time by over half a second for the fifth-fastest swim of the morning (1:55.10). Cal freshman Cassidy Bayer is the sixth seed for finals in 1:55.90, after entering the meet as the 11th seed. Behind her is USC junior Catherine Sanchez in 1:56.33.

Rounding out the A-final will be Cal sophomore Sarah Darcel in 1:56.33. Cal’s Katie McLaughlin was initially listed as the fourth-fastest finisher in 1:54.00, but appears to have been DQed. We’re working on finding out what happened.

A-finalists:

1. Louise Hansson, USC, 1:52.26
2. Katie Drabot, STAN, 1:53.41
3. Madison Wright, USC, 1:53.80
4. Brooke Forde, STAN, 1:54.63
5. Mackenzie Rumrill, UA, 1:55.10
6. Cassidy Bayer, CAL, 1:55.90
7. Catherine Sanchez, USC, 1:56.33
8. Sarah Darcel, CAL, 1:56.33.