Stanford Freshman Caroline Bricker Clocks Top NCAA Times in 200 BR/200 FL/400 IM — All PBs

by Riley Overend 35

October 28th, 2023 College, News, Pac-12, Records

Stanford vs. Arkansas, UCSB

  • Oct. 27, 2023
  • Avery Aquatic Center
    • Stanford, CA
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • Team scores
    • Women: Stanford 161, Arkansas 133
    • Men: Stanford 165, UCSB 88
  • Results

Stanford freshman Caroline Bricker put on a show on Friday against Arkansas.

Bricker, the No. 11 recruit in the high school class of 2023, tallied new lifetime bests during wins in the 200 breaststroke (2:07.15), 200 butterfly (1:54.60), and 400 IM (4:05.51).

All three of those marks represent nation-leading times so far this season as she dropped almost a full second in the 200 breast, more than a full second in the 200 fly, and more than four seconds in the 400 IM over the past seven months. Bricker now owns the best 200 breast time in the NCAA by more than a second ahead of USC senior Kaitlyn Dobler (2:08.59), the best 200 fly time by about a tenth ahead of Virginia freshman Tess Howley (1:54.75), and the best 400 IM time by two seconds ahead of Florida junior Emma Weyant (4:07.51).

Bricker’s performances in the 200 breast and 400 IM would have made the A-final at the 2023 NCAA Championships while her 200 fly time would have made the B-final.

Stanford junior Aurora Roghair also posted a nation-leading time in the 1000 free, shaving more than six seconds off her lifetime best en route to victory in 9:34.36. Sophomore Natalie Mannion took the 200 free (1:45.70, No. 11 this season) and 200 back (1:55.56, No. 8 this season) titles for the Cardinal, and Lucy Thomas flexed the program’s breaststroke depth with a 1st-place finish in the 100 breast (59.42, No. 6 this season).

On the men’s side, freshman Rex Maurer impressed with wins in the 200 free (1:33.88) and 400 IM (3:44.70) to add to his NCAA ‘B’ cuts in the 100 back and 500 free from Stanford’s opener. Maurer now ranks 2nd in the NCAA this season in the 400 IM behind only world record holder Leon Marchand (3:37.96). In the 200 free, Rex beat his brother, Luke Maurer (1:34.09) by just a couple tenths as the duo ranks 5th and 6th in the NCAA this season.

Stanford sophomore Andres DuPont triumphed in the 100 free (42.65) with the third-fastest time in the NCAA this season, and freshman Josh Zuchowski added a top-10 time nationally in his 200 back win (1:42.67, No. 8 this season). Other NCAA ‘B’ cuts included Stanford senior Aaron Sequeira in the 100 back (47.01), junior Matt Fenlon in the 500 free (4:19.32. No. 10 this season), senior Ethan Hu in the 100 fly (46.86, No. 14), and senior Rick Mihm in the 400 IM (3:49.02)

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Eli
5 months ago

Nothing is good enough for any of you lol. Swimmers do good under greg, something is wrong. Not doing good, something’s wrong. I get it, Simone’s case was unfortunate but mistakes happen.

Swim dad
5 months ago

Now that was an impressive meet! 3 Grueling events with the 400IM last all within 90 minutes.

Swim dad
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

For the two who downvoted. You are not swim fans.

Lisa Simpson
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

Probably relay name guy and Andrew

Andrew
Reply to  Lisa Simpson
5 months ago

Oddly enough, I actually find myself rooting for Stanford this year.

I think Meehan takes way too much hate on this site. 75% of a coach’s job is recruiting and he does a phenomenal job at that (even if Avery/Stanford recruits itself). Compared to other top 15 coaches on mens and womens side who do a comparably lackluster job coaching, they get off much easier than Meehan.

RMS
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

Or they’re fans of a team on the East Coast with blue and orange as their school colors.

NoMorePancakes
Reply to  RMS
5 months ago

They live rent free in your head, don’t they?

Admin
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

You never downvoted a comment about a good swim at, I dunno, Virginia? Texas?

It’s possible they’re just fans of another team. And that’s okay. People are allowed to have favorite teams and teams they don’t like. That’s sports.

Swim dad
5 months ago

Congratulations to Stanford for an outstanding early season performance. Add in Wilson and Bell and quite the team. Not a 10th ranked team. UVA and Texas are still teams to beat, but Stanford slots at 3rd right now. Future is bright in Palo Alto—what a team and coach.

Yikes
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

lol without Huske, Curzan, snd Ruck? You think they’re beating Florida?? You’re delusional.

Yikes
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

I have no bones to pick with Stanford and feel like the Meehan hate can be a bit much, but you’re actually making me want to root against them. So irritating

Swim dad
Reply to  Yikes
5 months ago

What did I say that was not accurate? If you disagree state why. I am stating an opinion and am not attacking anyone. I have read so much attack posts- just trying to rise above.

Yikes
Reply to  Swim dad
5 months ago

Lol yes swim dad, taking the high road. Said no one ever. Even Braden commented about your obsession with trolling UVA.

IMO
Reply to  Yikes
5 months ago

Braden and the rest of SS are not exactly objective themselves. SS pretty much acts like a PR page for UVA. So overcovered it is making all of us root against them.

HOO love
Reply to  IMO
5 months ago

When you swim newsworthy times, you get stories on swimswam. It’s simple.

Yikes
Reply to  IMO
5 months ago

“Us all”

Right.

Maybe if other teams were breaking American records at duel meets they’d get coverage too. When you have 3 Olympians swimming for you people are interested in what you’re doing. SS staff has also noted that other teams have more of a closed door policy on media coverage, not much you can do to cover teams whose coaches don’t want you there.

Last edited 5 months ago by Yikes
Swimmerj
Reply to  IMO
5 months ago

I will truly never understand this POV about how “SS pretty much acts like a PR page for UVA.” It’s their jobs to talk about not only what’s going on in swimming but what is exciting in swimming. Gretchen Walsh is the most exciting woman in NCAA swimming right now. Go 49.1 in the 100 fly without a tech suit on, and I guarantee you will have an article written about you. Until then, the writers at SS are going to keep doing their jobs.

ACC fan
5 months ago

It can be easy to swim with no pressure at a low key dual meet. I hope she can perform at the big meets with pressure.

ArtKroc
5 months ago

interestingly, they were suited

Justin Pollard
5 months ago

This season it seems like something has changed. And I think it’s the trend set by the ASU men last year. Teams are putting up extraordinarily fast times, even before mid-season invites, just like the ASU men proved was possible last year: swim fast, all the time. It’s a sea change that will be interesting to follow through March 2024.

Lap counter
Reply to  Justin Pollard
5 months ago

Or one could counter that with UVA awoken putting up fast results without the need to wear tech suits?

Dc swim fan
Reply to  Lap counter
5 months ago

It would be interesting to get a comparison between men’s and women’s times unsuited. Seems like the women’s are always more impressive

Swimmerinlane9
Reply to  Dc swim fan
5 months ago

Which is opposite of what you would expect when considering suit coverage but I wonder if increasing adipose tissue in women minimize effects while leaner men see more significant benefits from tech suits.

Joel
Reply to  Swimmerinlane9
5 months ago

I was told by a coach that males in general need a longer rest than women to put up really fast times. (Due to having more muscle). Unsure if it’s true but it could be.

Andrew
Reply to  Justin Pollard
5 months ago

You should lobby for your favorite team to swim faster in dual meets.

The Califraudnia Pink Bears are Safesport/international/New Jersey merchants and Durden needs to beat the cornball assistant coach/ 8 years of eligibility merchant allegations.

Swimfan27
5 months ago

Those are some impressive times for 3 events that can be pretty grueling in one session…

Buttafly
5 months ago

Meehan redemption arc?

Robert
Reply to  Buttafly
5 months ago

For the most part he’s always done well with versatile 200 stroke / 400 IM types and any other opinion is a hater take.

DiRado was olympic champion in an off event with him as her coach and no one ever would have pegged her as an eventual 200 back gold medalist coming up.

Masters swammer
Reply to  Robert
5 months ago

Also Ella Eastin was very successful in NCAA competition. It’s unfortunate that she medically retired before the Tokyo trials.

Hmm
Reply to  Buttafly
5 months ago

or ‘too early in the season for Bricker to be burnt out’?

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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