There were more collegiate superstars on parade today at the Arena Invite in Long Beach, California. Most notably was Cal’s Caitlin Leverenz, who won the women’s 200 IM in a shocking 1:55.66. That’s the best time in the nation so far by more than two seconds ahead of defending NCAA Champion Katinka Hosszu at USC, and makes Leverenz the second swimmer in the country this year to post an NCAA Automatic qualifying time (behind A&M’s Breeja Larson in the 100 breaststroke earlier in the evening in Tennessee).
Leverenz was locked in a battle with Stanford post-grad Julia Smit (1:55.83) throughout this race, and as is her typical modus operandus, Leverenz fell behind early. Despite trailing the masterful yards IM’er Smit, she seems to have made some good improvements in the front-half of this race (at least in a yards course), without sacrificing her dominant breaststroke leg. There, she took the lead away from Smit with a 32.48 split (to Smit’s 33.83 – and she’s a very good breaststroker as well) before holding on for the win.
The second-placing collegian swimmer was Stanford’s Maya DiRado in 1:57.77, which is the #2 time in the country this season (clearing Hosszu by only .03).
In the men’s version of the race, Stanford superfrosh David Nolan had his true coming out party with a 1:44.69, which is the best time in the country by more than three seconds. That’s already a time worthy of an NCAA B-Final. The Cardinal took the top 4 spots, with Matt Thompson touching in 1:45.97 and another freshman, Jonathan Edwards taking 3rd in 1:47.43. You will remember that Edwards actually beat Nolan in this race earlier in the season.
The UCSB Gauchos got a nice bump when senior Chris Peterson won the 50 free in 19.75. That drops 6-tenths off of his season best and ranks him 2nd in the contry this year.
In the men’s 500 free, Stanford filled up the entire A-Final. Sandwiched among 4 seniors in the 1-5 spots (including a Chad La Tourette win in 4:20.71) was freshman Drew Cosgarea in 4:21.78, which takes two seconds off of his career-best time.
In the women’s 50 free, a great (but under-the-radar) battle went down between Stanford’s Betsy Webb and Cal’s Liv Jensen, with Webb taking the win in 22.39 to Jensen’s 22.56. For Jensen, that time is identical to the one she went at this meet last year, which is a good sign given her 2nd-place finish at NCAA’s last season.
The conclusions of this meet are that Stanford’s men’s freshman class, that was so hyped up pre-season, is thus far doing what everyone expected (hoped) they would do, and that Caitlin Leverenz is making huge early statements to those who wondered why she hasn’t placed as high in yards as she has in meters. She’s now swimming almost as fast as she did at NCAA’s. Watch the 400 IM on Friday – between Smit, Leverenz, and DiRado, it could be explosive.
Where can we see the results?
Check the link at the bottom of the final recap here:
http://theswimmerscircle.com/blog/leverenz-nolan-continue-to-light-up-arena-invitational/
What’s more impressive about Leverez’s swims is that the rest of the Cal team is barely faster than their dual meets times.
Stephanie Peacock will be joing leverenz and larson at NCAAs. she posted a 4:35.73 at the nike cup invitational!! thats outstanding!
I think you meant the 50 battle was between Webb and Jensen, not Leverenz. 🙂
Lauren Boyle got the A cut in the 500…
Lauren Boyle is a post grad.