Hugo Gonzalez Makes Return to Cal with 1:40 200 FR, 50.6 100 FL in Dual Meet at Arizona

CAL vs ARIZONA (MEN’S & WOMEN’S DUAL)

• Friday-Saturday, January 20-21
• Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, Tucson, AZ
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results

TEAM SCORES

MEN

1. Cal – 187
2. Arizona – 98

WOMEN

1. Cal – 199
2. Arizona – 94

Arizona hosted Cal for a men’s and women’s Pac-12 dual meet on Friday night. The hosting Wildcats fell to the Golden Bears in a 187-98 decision in the men’s meet, and 199-94 in the women’s meet. This was a split squad meet for the Cal men, as they also had a group of swimmers competing in a men’s dual meet against UCSD in La Jolla.

The meet also marked the return of Hugo Gonzalez to Cal’s roster. Gonzalez, who spent the fall training in Spain, is a fifth year for the Golden Bears and the current NCAA Record holder in the 400 IM (3:32.88). In his debut, Gonzalez was clearly shaking off some rust. He took fifth in the men’s 200 free, clocking a 1:40.82. Gonzalez then went on to come in fifth in the 100 fly with a 50.64. He also provided a 20.83 split on Cal’s ‘A’ 200 free relay.

Those times were far from Gonzalez’s personal bests but he’s consistently been one of the top IM’ers in the NCAA over the course of his career, so it’s likely not too much to worry about.

Cal’s Destin Lasco was excellent on the day, winning two individual events and helping a relay to victory. He kicked things off on the 200 medley relay, leading the team off in 21.57. Lasco was followed by Reece Whitley with a 23.96 breast split, Dare Rose with a 21.19 fly split, and Jack Alexy with a 19.62 anchor. The Golden Bears finished in 1:26.34, beating Arizona’s ‘A’ team by nearly three seconds.

Lasco went on from the relay to win the 200 free in 1:36.63, pulling away from the field on the back half. He actually negative split his race, going 48.45 on the first 100 free and coming home in 48.18. Lasco then won the men’s 200 breast, swimming a 1:58.94. That performance came in just off his personal best of 1:58.24 in the event.

Cal’s Gabriel Jett was another men’s double event winner. Jett first won the men’s 1000 free in 9:16.87, touching as the only swimmer in the field under 9:30. He then went on to win the 200 IM in 1:46.31, establishing a huge early lead and maintaining it through the finish.

Arizona’s Haakon Naughton was a double event winner for the Wildcats, sweeping the men’s fly events. In the 100 fly, Naughton clocked a 48.25, pulling ahead of Cal’s Liam Bell (48.87) on the final 50. In the 200 fly, Naughton posted a 1:46.96, again pulling away on the back half of the race.

In the women’s meet, Cal kicked things off with a solid 1:37.98 in the 200 medley relay. Isabelle Stadden (24.51), Jade Neser (27.31), Emily Gantriis (23.70), and Ella Mazurek (22.46) teamed up to get the job done on that relay. Additionally, Cal got a 23.77 fly split out of Mia Kragh and a 22.28 free split from McKenna Stone on their ‘B’ relay, displaying the depth the Golden Bears have, specifically in the sprint events.

Coincidentally, Kragh and Stone would go on to finish 1-2 in the women’s 100 fly later in the meet. Kragh won the race with a 53.56, touching a little over half a second ahead of Stone (54.17).

After the medley relay, Stadden, Neser, and Mazurek each went on to win an individual event. Stadden won the women’s 200 back in 1:57.51, touching first by over four seconds. She also won the 200 IM, swimming a 2:02.41. Neser took the women’s 100 breast, clocking a 1:01.38. She posted the fastest splits in the field on both 50s of the race. Mazurek won the women’s 50 free, touching in 23.19.

Ayla Spitz was another Cal double event winner. She first won the 100 back, where she finished in 54.37. Spitz then won the 100 free as well, clocking a 50.23.

OTHER EVENT WINNERS

• Men’s 100 back: Ryan Purdy (Arizona) – 48.91
• Men’s 100 breast: Jason Louser (Cal) – 54.30
• Men’s 50 free: Bjorn Seeliger (Cal) – 19.83
• Men’s 100 free: Dylan Hawk (Cal) – 44.62
• Men’s 200 back: Colby Mefford (Cal) – 1:46.65
• Men’s 500 free: Tyler Kopp (Cal) – 4:37.13
• Men’s 200 free relay: Cal (Alexy, Gonzalez, Seeliger, Hanson) – 1:20.83
• Women’s 1000 free: Sarah DiMeco (Cal) – 10:18.49
• Women’s 200 free: Mia Motekaitis (Cal) – 1:49.27
• Women’s 200 fly: Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:59.23
• Women’s 500 free: Fanni Fabian (Cal) – 5:00.59
• Women’s 200 breast: Alicia Henry (Cal) – 2:17.41
• Women’s 200 free relay: Cal (Stone, Gantriis, Mazurek, Davidson) – 1:31.75
• Men’s 1-meter diving: Joshua Thai (Cal) – 304.13
• Men’s 3-meter diving: Bjorn Markentin (Arizona) – 355.35
• Women’s 1-meter diving: Quinn Gariepy-Regan (Cal) – 257.25
• Women’s 3-meter diving: Delaney Schnell (Arizona) – 326.55