2024 Women’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2024 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, February 28 – Saturday, March 2
• Location: Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, WA
• Defending champions: Stanford (2x)
• Live results
• Live video: Pac-12 Network
• Championship central
• Event schedule
• Preview: Fan guide
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

Day 4 Heat Sheet | Day 4 Ups/Mids/Downs

There are still plenty of questions to be answered during the last-ever session of the Pac-12 Championships tonight, but the Cal women have put themselves in great position to reclaim the conference crown after watching rival Stanford snatch it away the past two seasons.

The Bears head into the final night of competition with a triple-digit lead (964 total points) over Stanford (849.5) and USC (824).

SCORES AFTER DAY 3

1. Cal – 964
2. Stanford – 849.5
3. USC – 824
4. UCLA – 754
5. Arizona State – 643.5
6. Utah – 407.5
7. Arizona – 395
8. Washington State – 306.5

Saturday’s finals session will begin with the 1650 freestyle, followed by the 200 backstroke, 100 free, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, platform diving, and 400 free relay. Stay tuned for live updates below:

1650 FREESTYLE – TIMED FINAL

• NCAA Record: 15:03.31, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017 Art Adamson Invite
• Pac-12 Record: 15:03.31, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017
• Meet Record: 15:40.17, Cierra Runge (Cal) – 2015
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 15:52.41
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 16:13.73

Top 8:

1. Aurora Roghair (Stanford) – 15:46.35
2. Deniz Ertan (Arizona State) – 15:58.40
3. Alexa Reyna (Arizona State) – 16:14.45
4. Marlene Kahler (USC) – 16:22.73
5. Ashley Kolessar (UCLA) – 16:24.28
6. Mira Szimcsak (Washington State) – 16:25.68
7. Lauren Wille (Washington State) – 16:27.80
8. Cameron Daniell (Utah) – 16:30.34

Stanford junior Aurora Roghair made her move on the back half, passing Arizona State sophomore Deniz Ertan at the 1,100-yard mark on her way to a 12-second victory in the 1650 free. With her winning time of 15:46.35, Roghair was more than six seconds faster tonight than her previous-best 15:52.83 from November. She also placed 2nd in the 500 free (3:46.32) behind Arizona State senior Lindsay Looney (4:35.05) on Thursday night.

Ertan faded toward the finish en route to a runner-up finish in 15:58.40, five seconds off her personal-best 15:53.23 from November. The Georgia Tech transfer won the ACC title in this event last year with a time of 15:55.77.

Ertan’s teammate, freshman Alexa Reyna, was also slower than her lifetime best from November (16:07.25), but her time of 16:14.45 was still good enough for 3rd place more than eight seconds ahead of USC junior Marlene Kahler. Reyna was initially expected to join the Sun Devils next season before opting to come to Tempe a year early.

UCLA sophomore Ashley Kolessar crushed her best time from November (16:32.39) by more than eight seconds with her 5th-place effort in 16:24.28.

Washington State collected 56 points in this event, led by freshman Mira Szimcsak (16:25.68) and sophomore Lauren Wille (16:27.80) in 6th and 7th place, respectively. Szimcsak sliced nearly 13 seconds off her previous-best 16:38.18 from November while Wille knocked almost 12 seconds off her previous-best 16:39.59 from last February.

Utah senior Cameron Daniell rounded out the top 8 with a time of 16:30.34, within four seconds of her season best (16:26.80).

200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (Wisconsin)– 2019 NCAA Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 1:47.30, Kathleen Baker (Cal) – 2018
• Meet Record: 1:47.43, Claire Curzan (Stanford) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.34

Top 8:

1. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:50.16
2. Natalie Mannion (Stanford) – 1:52.47
3. Rosie Murphy (UCLA) – 1:53.13
4. Mia Motekaitis (Cal) – 1:53.60
5. Macky Hodges (USC) – 1:54.38
6. Norah Hay (Utah) – 1:55.84
7. Summer Stanfield (Utah) – 1:55.99
8. Kiana Swain (Washington State) – 1:56.52

Cal senior Isabelle Stadden cruised to the 200 back win by more than two seconds, reclaiming the Pac-12 title after losing it last year to meet record holder Claire Curzan. Stadden was within a second of her season best (1:49.21) on her way to the backstroke sweep, having already placed 1st in the 100 back (50.39) on Friday night.

Stanford sophomore Natalie Mannion touched in 1:52.47, narrowly missing her lifetime best (1:52.42) from November. She had never been under 1:53 before this season.

UCLA sophomore Rosie Murphy has seemed to get stronger as this meet wears on. After placing 7th in the 200 IM (1:56.41) on Thursday and 4th in the 400 IM (4:06.00) on Friday, she posted her best result yet with a 3rd-place finish in 1:53.13. Murphy shaved .12 seconds off her previous best from last month.

Cal fifth-year Mia Motekaitis placed 4th with a season-best 1:53.60, matching her result from last year with a slightly slower time. USC freshman Macky Hodges held off a pair of Utah swimmers, junior Norah Hay (1:55.84) and fifth-year Summer Stanfield (1:55.99), by about a second for 5th place (1:54.38).

Washington State senior Kiana Swain matched her personal-best 1:56.52 from prelims en route to 8th place.

100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 45.16, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024 ACC Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 46.46, Torri Huske (Stanford) – 2023
• Meet Record: 46.35, Abbey Weitzeil – 2019
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 48.37

Top 8:

1. Minna Abraham (USC) – 47.69
2. Vasilissa Buinaia (USC) – 47.72
3. Eloise Riley (Cal) – 48.02
4. Amy Tang (Stanford) – 48.08
5. Anicka Delgado (USC) – 48.20
6. Gigi Johnson (Stanford) – 48.25
7. Claire Tuggle (USC) – 48.65
8. Kayla Wilson (Stanford) – 48.68

The 100 free turned into a battle between USC teammates Minna Abraham and Vasilissa Buinaia. At the midway point of the race, Buinaia held a slim lead, but the Hungarian freshman stormed home on the back half to sneak past the Russian fifth-year for the title.

Abraham’s winning time of 47.69 took .21 seconds off her best time from last month. Buinaia was right behind her in 47.72, a few tenths off her personal-best 47.40 from November. They were joined by two more Trojans in the A-final as senior Anicka Delgado placed 5th (48.20) and sophomore Claire Tuggle placed 7th (48.65).

Cal fifth-year Eloise Riley was 2nd at the midway point before ultimately placing 3rd in 48.02, a blink faster than her previous-best 48.09 from prelims. Before today, her best time stood at 48.40 from 2021.

Stanford put up a 4-6-8 finish in this event after qualifying the No. 1, 3, and 8 seeds this morning. Top qualifier Amy Tang placed 4th in 48.08, adding a few hundredths to her season-best 48.05 from prelims. Sophomore Gigi Johnson also added a hundredth from prelims with her 6th-place showing in 48.25, and classmate Kayla Wilson went 48.68 to round out the top 8.

200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 2:01.29, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023 NCAA Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• Meet Record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:05.73
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 2:09.68

Top 8:

1. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC) – 2:06.58
2. Caroline Bricker (Stanford) – 2:07.20
3. Emily Lundgren (Washington State) – 2:07.44
4. Alicia Henry (Cal) – 2:07.89
5. Hannah Brunzell (Cal) – 2:08.82
6. Abby Herscu (Cal) – 2:09.53
7. Eva Carlson (UCLA) – 2:11.01
8. Ana Jih-Schiff (UCLA) – 2:12.67

Stanford freshman Caroline Bricker roared home with a 27.5 split on her final 50, but it wasn’t quite enough to dethrone defending champion Kaitlyn Dobler of USC.

With her winning time of 2:06.58, Dobler was within a second of her personal-best 2:05.66 that won her last year’s title. She handed Bricker her first individual loss of the meet as she had previously swept the 200 IM (1:53.31) and 400 IM (4:02.32) on Thursday and Friday.

Washington State sophomore Emily Lundgren knocked more than a second off her previous-best 2:08.33 from the 2023 Pac-12 Championships on her way to a 3rd-place finish — same as last year. Her time of 2:07.44 was just a couple tenths shy of Bricker for 2nd place.

Cal’s trio of junior Alicia Henry (2:07.89), fifth-year Hannah Brunzell (2:08.82), and sophomore Abby Herscu (2:09.53) maintained their sub-2:10 pace from prelims to combine for 75 points in the A-final. Henry dropped almost a second off her previous-best 2:08.84 from December while Herscu lowered her previous-best 2:09.94 from prelims.

UCLA juniors Eva Carlson (2:11.01) and Ana Jih-Schiff (21:12.67) rounded out the top 8. Carlson cut a few tenths off her previous-best from last year’s Pac-12s, where she placed 6th in 2:11.31.

200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:49.16, Alex Walsh – 2024
• Pac-12 Record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• Meet Record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.86
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:55.92

Top 8:

1. Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:51.74
2. Lindsay Looney (Arizona State) – 1:52.14
3. Lillie Nordmann (Stanford) – 1:52.38
4. Charlotte Hook (Stanford) – 1:53.23
5. Leah Polonsky (Cal) – 1:54.25
6. Julia Heimstead (Arizona) – 1:54.57
7. Lucy Bell (Stanford) – 1:54.75
8. Dori Hathazi (Washington State) – 1:54.87

Cal fifth-year Rachel Klinker dipped under 1:52 for the first time in her career to claim the 200 fly crown in 1:51.74, just four-tenths ahead of defending champion Lindsay Looney (1:52.14).

Looney, an Arizona State senior, also clocked a lifetime best en route to the runner-up finish, taking .11 seconds off her previous-best from last year’s NCAA Championships, where she placed 4th. Klinker’s best time before tonight was 1:52.19 from 2022.

Stanford secured a 3-4-7 finish in this A-final courtesy of junior Lillie Nordmann (1:52.38), sophomore Charlotte Hook (1:53.23), and sophomore Lucy Bell (1:54.75). Nordmann shaved a few hundredths off her best time from last month as the trio combined for 76 points. However, the Cardinal still trail Cal by 134.5 points with only platform diving and the 400 free relay remaining.

Cal junior Leah Polonsky placed 5th in 1:54.25, just a few tenths ahead of Arizona senior Julia Heimstead (1:54.57). Heimstead dropped a few tenths off her lifetime best from 2022 (1:54.90). Washington State sophomore Dori Hathazi blazed her second personal best of the day with an 8th-place showing in 1:54.87, improving upon her previous-best 1:55.55 from prelims.

PLATFORM DIVING – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 396.75, Haley Ishimatsu (USC) – 2013
• Pac-12 Record: 383.35, Delaney Schnell (Arizona) – 2021
• Meet Record: 383.35, Delaney Schnell (Arizona) – 2021

Top 8:

1. Nike Agunbiade (USC) – 353.60
2. Eden Cheng (UCLA) – 323.75
3. Lilia Castanon (USC) – 286.35
4. Holly Waxman (Utah) – 276.05
5. Savana Trueb (UCLA) – 258.35
6. Emilie Moore (Stanford) – 246.60
7. Kathryn Grant (Utah) – 240.60
8. Farrah Volpintesta (USC) – 227

USC fifth-year Nike Agunbiade repeated as the 10-meter platform diving champion with 353.60 points, almost 30 more than UCLA sophomore Eden Cheng (323.75).

USC freshman Lilia Castanon (286.35) and senior Farrah Volpintesta (227) also impressed by placing 3rd and 8th, respectively, giving the Trojans a combined 81 points in the A-final alone.

Utah continued its strong diving performance as junior Holly Waxman finished 4th (276.05) and sophomore Kathryn Grant finished 7th (240.60). The Utes are attempting to hold off Arizona and Washington State at the bottom of the standings.

Stanford sophomore Emilie Moore (6th place – 246.60) and junior Lauren Burch (9th place – 243.75) helped the Cardinal cut slightly into Cal’s lead with just one event left.

400 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 3:05.84, Virginia – 2023 NCAA Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 3:06.96, Cal – 2019
• Meet Record: 3:07.41, Cal – 2019
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:14.10

Top 8:

1. USC – 3:11.09
2. Stanford – 3:11.11
3. Cal – 3:12.27
4. Arizona State – 3:14.89
5. UCLA – 3:14.91
6. Arizona – 3:16.53
7. Washington State – 3:20.43
8. Utah – 3:22.47

The last race in the Pac-12 books proved to be one of the most exciting showdowns of the meet as USC freshman Minna Abraham (46.82 split) chased down Stanford junior Amy Tang (47.38) to lift the Trojans (3:11.09) past the Cardinal (3:11.11) by just two hundredths of a second in the 400 free relay finale. The two squads were tied for 2nd in the team standings behind Cal heading into this race.

Abraham was more than half a second faster than Tang, who posted the second-fasted split in the field. USC’s winning relay also featured fifth-year Vasilissa Buinaia (48.20), senior Anicka Delgado (47.82), and sophomore Claire Tuggle (48.25).

Stanford sophomore Gigi Johnson gave the Cardinal the lead on the third leg with an impressive 47.49 split, the third-fastest in the field. Their runner-up relay also included junior Anna Shaw (48.68 leadoff) and junior Lillie Nordmann (47.56).

The Bears put the finishing touches on their first Pac-12 title since 2021 — and likely last in conference history — with a 3rd-place showing in 3:12.27. Their quartet consisted of fifth-year Eloise Riley (48.12 leadoff), junior Leah Polonsky (48.28), senior Isabelle Stadden (47.81), and fifth-year Mia Motekaitis (48.06).

The battle for 4th place was just as close as the battle for 1st, with Arizona State (3:14.89) eking past UCLA (3:14.91) by just two hundredths of a second. Bruins senior Maya Wilson posted a blistering 47.85 split on the anchor leg, but she came up just short of Sun Devils senior Molly Batchelor (49.08) at the touch.

Arizona was the only other team under 3:20 with a 6th-place effort in 3:16.53, slightly off its entry time. Washington State (3:20.43) and Utah (3:22.47) rounded out the top 8.

Final Team Scores

1. Cal – 1,397.5
2. USC – 1,291
3. Stanford – 1,283
4. UCLA – 1,089
5. Arizona State – 990.5
6. Utah – 628.5
7. Arizona – 514
8. Washington State – 498.5