Greg Meehan: “That is the single greatest moment in our sport” (Video)

^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

WOMEN’S 500 FREE:

• NCAA record: Katie Ledecky (2017)- 4:25.15
• American record: Katie Ledecky (2017)- 4:25.15
• U.S. Open record: Katie Ledecky (2017)- 4:25.15
• Meet Record: Katie Ledecky (2017)- 4:28.37
• 2016 NCAA Champion: Leah Smith (Virginia)- 4:31.33

1. Katie Ledecky (Stanford)- 4:24.06
2. Leah Smith (Virginia)- 4:28.90
3. Kennedy Goss (Indiana)- 4:26.13

Katie Ledecky took it up a notch, to say the least, in tonight’s final, wrecking the American and NCAA Records with a blistering 4:24.06. She took it out in a 1:43.46 at the 200 and never looked back, breaking ahead of Virginia’s Leah Smith (4:28.90).

While she was a distant 2nd place, Smith’s swim is very historically significant as she becomes the 2nd swimmer in history to break 4:30 in the women’s 500 free.

A tight battle for 3rd saw Indiana’s Kennedy Goss come home like a train, splitting a 26.26 on the final 50 to out-touch Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (4:36.16). NC State’s Hannah Moore rounded out the top 5 in a personal best 4:36.85.

Stanford freshman Megan Byrnes had a big swim in the B final, clocking a lifetime best 4:37.78 yo outpace Kentucky’s Geena Freriks (4:38.42).

WOMEN’S 200 IM:

• NCAA record: Ella Eastin (2016)- 1:51.65
• American record: Ella Eastin (2016)- 1:51.65
• U.S. Open record: Ella Eastin (2016)- 1:51.65
• Meet Record: Ella Eastin (2016)- 1:51.65
• 2016 NCAA Champion: Ella Eastin (Stanford)- 1:51.65

1. Kathleen Baker (Cal)- 1:51.69
2. Ella Eastin (Stanford)- 1:52.27
3. Madisyn Cox (Texas)- 1:52.58

Kathleen Baker built on Cal’s momentum from the 200 free relay, taking down Stanford’s defending champ Ella Eastin in the 200 IM. Baker’s 1:51.69 makes her the 2nd fastest performer in history, and she was just 4 hundredths shy of Eastin’s NCAA and American Records of 1:51.65 from last season’s NCAA meet. Eastin wound up in 2nd, clocking a 1:52.27 to hold off Texas’ Madisyn Cox (1:52.58).

Texas A&M’s Sydney Pickrem (1:53.30) and Bethany Galat (1:54.16) turned in a pair of personal best times to round out the top 5 for the Aggies. USC freshman Louise Hansson (1:54.79) and Kentucky freshman Asia Seidt (1:55.19) came in at 7th and 8th behind NC State All-American Alexia Zevnik (1:54.74).

Tennessee freshman Meghan Small had a big swim in the B final, clocking in at a personal best 1:53.31 for 9th place.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE:

• NCAA record: Olivia Smoliga (2016)- 21.21
• American record: Abbey Weitzeil (2016)- 21.12
• U.S. Open record: Abbey Weitzeil (2016)- 21.12
• Meet Record: Olivia Smoliga (2016)- 21.21
• 2016 NCAA Champion: Olivia Smoliga (Georgia)- 21.21

1. Simone Manuel (Stanford)- 21.17
2. Olivia Smoliga (Georgia)- 21.27
3. Liz Li (Ohio State)- 21.29

Ohio State’s Liz Li got the early lead, but Stanford’s Simone Manuel roared home to win the title in 21.17, just missing the American Record by 5 hundredths and setting a new NCAA Records. Li held on for 3rd, while Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga, the former NCAA Record holder, ran her down for 2nd.

Cal wound up with the next 3 places, as Farida Osman (21.38), Abbey Weitzeil (21.58), and Maddie Murphy (21.76) took 4th through 6th respectively.UNC’s Caroline Baldwin (21.82) out-touched Georgia’s Chantal Van Landeghem (21.85) for 7th.

Notable, Stanford’s Lia Neal swam a personal best 21.65 to win the B final.