2015 Women’s NCAAs Day 3 Pac-12 Roundup: Simone Manuel earns twin American records

2015 WOMEN’S NCAA DI CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, March 19 – Saturday, March 21
• Greensboro Aquatic Center – Greensboro, NC
• Prelims 11AM/Finals 7PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Georgia (2x) – results
• NCAA Championship Central
• Live stream: All prelims & Thursday finals (Other sessions will be on ESPN3)
• Live results

Standings:

1. California – 513
3. Stanford – 363
8. Southern California – 163
15. Arizona – 99.5
23. UCLA – 47
34. Arizona State – 15
36. Oregon State – 12

Manuel doubles down on American records on night 3

Stanford freshman Simone Manuel capped off an explosive rookie season with dual American records on night 3 of the NCAA Championships.

The freshman blew out the 100 free field in a way we haven’t seen in years, going 46.09 to take the national title. The next-closest competitor was her teammate Lia Neal, over a second back at 47.13. For reference, Neal’s time was just .03 off the winning time from the 2014 NCAAs.

Manuel is now the fastest-ever in the event by two tenths of a second, and right on the cusp of becoming the first 45-second 100 freestyler in women’s swimming history.

Not finished yet, though, Manuel came back to anchor the Stanford 400 free relay, giving the Cardinal its second relay win of the week as well as its second relay American record.

Manuel’s anchor leg was 45.79, three tenths off her best relay split, which, by the way, is the fastest relay split in history.

Also of note: Neal bettered her own 100 free time leading off the relay – the sophomore was 46.84 on that leg, becoming just the 7th woman in history to break 47. Stanford was 3:08.54 on that 400 free relay.

Quick Hits:

• Cal’s Missy Franklin completed her individual sweep of events in Greensboro, winning the 200 back in 1:47.91, just .07 off the American record. Franklin finished the meet with 5 total wins, one silver medal and one bronze, plus one American record.
• Franklin, turning pro after this season, will finish her college career with 7 NCAA titles, three runner-up finishes, three third-place finishes, and her lowest-ever finish in 14 events was a 5th-place in last year’s 400 medley relay.
• We noted Cal’s 1-2 sweep of the 200 IM on night 1, but Stanford fired back with its own 1-2 punch tonight. Simone Manuel and Lia Neal took the top two spots in the 100 free.
• USC got a giant points boost late when Chelsea Chenault cut over two seconds off her lifetime-best to win the B final of the 200 fly. That’s a relatively new event for Chenault, one she didn’t swim at Pac-12s, but time-trialed at the last chance meet the day after the conference championships.
• Cal’s Liz Pelton has had a very solid meet so far, but her 200 back tonight had to be a little disappointing. The reigning American record-holder finished just 7th, 4.2 seconds away from the national mark she set as a freshman.
• Stanford’s Katie Olsen put up a big swim for the Cardinal in the 200 breaststroke, going 2:07.06 for 3rd overall and beating the American record-holder Emma Reaney in a touchout.
• Cal freshman Cierra Runge closed her strong rookie campaign with a runner-up showing in the 1650 free. Runge was 15:46.46 and ends her meet with two individual silver medals and one fourth-place finish.
• A few notable splits on the final relay tonight: Missy Franklin was 46.66 leading off for Cal, ranking her 4th all-time. Stanford got twin 47.9s from freshmen Janet Hu and Lindsey Engel. Cal also had a 47.3 from resurgent backstroker Rachel Bootsma and a 47.5 anchor leg from relay weapon Farida Osman.

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