2017 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 15 – Saturday, March 18
- IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
- Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
- Defending Champion: Georgia (results)
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
- Live Results
Swimmers are gearing up for the 2017 Divsion 1 Women’s NCAA Championships, which kick off tonight with the 800 freestyle relay.
WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE RELAY
- NCAA record: Stanford (2017)- 6:49.42
- American record: Stanford (2017)- 6:49.42
- U.S. Open record: Stanford (2017)- 6:49.42
- NCAA Meet record: Cal (2009)- 6:52.69
- 2016 NCAA Champion: Georgia- 6:51.80
- Stanford- 6:45.91
- Cal- 6:51.42
- Michigan- 6:53.63
Stanford absolutely destroyed the NCAA and American Record tonight, bringing it down with a dominant 6:45.91. Simone Manuel led them off in 1:41.41, followed by teammates Lia Neal (1:42.15), Ella Eastin (1:41.89), and Katie Ledecky (1:40.46).
While Ledecky’s 1:40.46 anchor split was well ahead of anyone in the heat, the fastest split of the night came from Louisville’s Mallory Comerford, who threw down a 1:40.21 on the 2nd leg in heat 2.
There was a ton of fast swimming in this race tonight. Cal was under the former Meet Record to take 2nd, getting a 1:42.66 leadoff from Kathleen Baker. She teamed up with Kristen Vredeveld (1:43.97), Amy Bilquist (1:42.08), and Katie McLaughlin (1:42.71) as they finished in 6:51.42. Michigan rounded out the top 3 behind them, highlighted by a 1:41.81 split on the 3rd leg by Siobhan Haughey.
Several swimmers posted new best times as thier respective teams’ leadoff swimmers, including Virginia’s Leah Smith (1:42.46), Michigan’s Gabby DeLoof (1:43.27), Indiana’s Kennedy Goss (1:43.37), Arizona’s Hannah Cox (1:43.53), and Texas’ Madisyn Cox (1:43.53). USC freshman Louise Hansson was just a few tenths off her best, leading off for USC in 1:42.48.
Other notable rolling-start splits include Texas’ Tasija Karosas (1:42.86), Kentucky’s Geena Freriks (1:43.32), Wisconsin’s Cierra Runge (1:43.32),
TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1:
1. Stanford 40 2. California 34 3. Michigan 32 4. Texas 30 5. Virginia 28 6. Kentucky 26 7. Georgia 24 8. Louisville 22 9. Texas A&M 18 10. Wisconsin 14 11. Southern Cali 12 12. Indiana 10 13. Arizona 8 14. Minnesota 6 15. Missouri 4 16. Virginia Tech 2
Here’s a video I found: https://youtu.be/Z8xiULkuU4w
One thing to note. A few years back getting under 7:00 was pretty special. If you went 6:59.99 in that race last night, you barely scored points. 12 women’s teams under 7:00. To me that is pretty amazing. Also to the greatness of Ledecky, people are disappointed in a 1:40.4 split when she had open water and no one pushing her. That is pretty special to have the luxury at being “disappointed” in that swim.
Stanford dominant as expected while Simone and Katie were not at their best.
And the splits show us it’s not so easy to swim 1.39!
Mallory Comerford is on fire and seems to peak at the right time. Can she play with Katie and Simone in the individual race? After that relay the answer is clearly yes. In long course KL is at least 3 or 4 seconds ahead of Comerford but that’s a total different event in yards. She has the speed and the 200 free in yards is a speed event. That’s why I think for a long time that KL can’t break Missy’s stunning record. She doesn’t have enough speed in her. Maybe she will… Read more »
Shout out to Lauren! You did a great job covering swimming. So active and even respond to the posts. That’s awesome.
Even a bigger shout to SwimSwam contribution all around. It makes us come back to this website many times a day to read the new articles and the comment sections.
Now, help find the working link to 800 Free Relay VDO, please please please.
Hey thanks 🙂 I appreciate it! Glad to be able to cover the meet.
12 women at 1:42.9 or faster.
Two 1:40’s WOW!!!!!
I found this 800 free relay with volume on youtube. There’s a major concentration on lanes 1-3. I’m guessing the person that filmed this was rooting for lane 2 or 3. ?
https://youtu.be/a-Z47R3_vFo
Texas A&M swim. Great find.
Kudos to Stanford for an incredible record. Comerford with the best swim race — literally. She is on fire and can make the 200 final a 3-way battle.
And big split by Leah Smith — 1:42.4 leadoff. I expect her to smash through 4:30 tomorrow
This is NOT how I was expecting tonight to go down. I am very bummed, angry, and disappointed over the live feed situation. I mean it’s the NCAAs. What’s the excuse?!? I really didn’t enjoy the race because of the sound(lack of it). I hope they fix it by tomorrow because I have been looking forward to this championship since January 1st, maybe even since August. I expect Stanford to get faster. I hope to see Missy’s record lowered in the 200 free. I don’t think Stanford has the 5 relays on lock anymore without Simone on the other 4, or maybe Meehan knows something we don’t know. Fingers crossed. NCAA needs to fix the feed/sound situation ASAP. Rant over.