Reported by Lauren Neidigh.
WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY:
- NCAA Record:
Cal, 2017, 1:25.59 - American Record:
Stanford, 2018, 1:25.68 - Championship Record:
Cal, 2017, 1:25.59 - 2017 Champion: Cal, 1:25.59
- GOLD: Stanford, 1:25.43
- SILVER: Cal, 1:25.50
- BRONZE: Tennessee, 1:27.10
It was a close battle between Cal and Stanford that came down to the last stroke, but the Stanford squad of Janet Hu (leadoff- 21.65), Simone Manuel (20.89), Lauren Pitzer (21.62), and Ally Howe(21.27) combined to take down the NCAA and American Records. That split by Manuel was the 6th fastest in history. She currently holds the fastest ever with a 20.78 from 2017 Pac-12s. Cal was also under the former records to take a narrow 2nd with Maddie Murphy (leadoff- 21.94), Amy Bilquist(21.08), Katie McLaughlin (21.47), and Abbey Weitzeil (21.01).
On the leadoff split, Tennessee’s Erika Brown and Ohio State’s Liz Li tied in 21.61 to give their teams an early edge. The Vols landed 3rd, while Ohio State wound up 7th. Virginia was 4th with a 21.27 anchor split from Caitlin Cooper. Louisville rounded out the top 5 with a 21.04 on the 2nd leg from Mallory Comerford.
WOMEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY:
- NCAA Record:
Stanford, 2018, 3:25.15 - American Record:
Stanford, 2018, 3:25.15 - Championship Record:
Stanford, 2016, 3:26.14 - 2017 Champion: Stanford, 3:26.35
- GOLD: Stanford, 3:25.09
- SILVER: Indiana, 3:26.09
- BRONZE: Cal, 3:26.86
Stanford is still perfect at this meet, picking up their 5th title here. Ally Howe took the early lead in 50.34 ahead of Cal’s Kathleen Baker (50.66). They trailed Indiana after Lilly King‘s 56.02 breast split, but Kim Williams kept the Cardinal in the hunt with a 58.59 split. Janet Hu came through with a 50.36 fly split, but the Cardinal still trailed. Simone Manuel made up the gap, closing in 45.80 to lead them to a convincing victory and a new American and NCAA Record.
Louisville’s Mallory Comerford had the fastest free split fo the night in 45.74 to help her team to 4th. Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson led off in 49.83 in the B heat, marking the 4th fastest 100 back of all time. That was just hundredths shy of her lifetime best 49.78 from Big Tens and the fastest 100 back of the night. USC’s Louise Hansson came up with the 2nd fastest 100 fly split ever, leading with a 49.24 fly split from the B heat.
