2018 WOMEN’S PAC-12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 21 – Saturday, February 24
- Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Stanford (1x) (results)
- Live Results
- Live Video
- Championship Central
- NCAA Qualifying
- Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet
Stanford closed out night 3 of the 2018 Women’s Pac-12 Championships with a new American and NCAA Record in the 400 medley relay as they battled with rival Cal. They were practically in a dead heat after backstroke, as Ally Howe touched in 50.21 to Kathleen Baker‘s 50.24. On the breast leg, Kim Williams gave the Cardinal the lead as she put up a 58.61 to Ali Harrison‘s 59.06. Cal outsplit them slightly on the fly leg with Noemie Thomas‘ 50.20 to Janet Hu‘s 50.38, but Simone Manuel threw down a 45.95 anchor leg to seal the deal as Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil swam a 46.00 to give the Bears silver.
Both teams were well under the former American Record and NCAA Record of 3:26.14, which was set by the Cardinal at Pac-12s back in 2016. Hu and Howe returned from that record-setting relay. Howe has made huge improvements since then, as she’s now the American Record holder in the 100 back and split over a second and a half faster tonight than she did in 2016.
SPLITS COMPARISON: 400 MEDLEY RELAY
| Team | Back Split | Breast Split | Fly Split | Free Split | Final Time |
| Stanford (2018) | Ally Howe– 50.21 | Kim Williams– 58.61 | Janet Hu– 50.38 | Simone Manuel– 45.95 | 3:25.15 |
| Cal (2018) | Kathleen Baker– 50.24 | Ali Harrison– 59.06 | Noemie Thomas– 50.20 | Abbe Weitzeil- 46.00 | 3:25.50 |
| Stanford (2016) | Ally Howe– 51.89 | Sarah Haase- 57.02 | Janet Hu– 50.65 | Lia Neal- 46.58 | 3:26.14 |
The difference was in the breaststroke leg. Cal was close enough that they could come out on top in a rematch at NCAAs.
If Baker swam her back leg in the mid 49.s, that would close the gap.
Unless Howe does the same, she’s been 49.6
Based on individual results, with Hu going 49 100bk and Howe 51.0 100fly, I wonder if there is consideration to switch them on the relay at NCAA’s.
It has been happening typically in IM competition: not those win who have better strongest stroke but those loose who have weaker weakest stroke. But that’s what exactly has happened in this relay.
Stanford vs Cal:
FR: +0.05
BK: +0.03
BU: -0.18
BR: +0.45
Can’t wait for the rematch at NCAAs
Sarah Haase was a breaststroke stud for Standford, too bad it never translated to LCM. Congrats to Stanford!
She got down to a 1:06-low in the 100 Breast LC at a Grand Priz Meet, if I recall correctly; however she had like a weird concussion leading up to trials that kept her from ideal training. It was too bad.