W. Ivy League: Harvard Leads Princeton by 2, Freshman Pasadyn Clocks 1:55 IM

2020 WOMEN’S IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Wednesday, February 19 – Saturday, February 22
  • Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center – Providence, RI (Eastern Time Zone)
  • Prelims: 11:00 AM/Finals: 6:00 PM
  • Defending Champion: Harvard (2x – results)
  • Live results
  • Fan Guide
  • Championship Central

The 2020 Ivy League Championships continued today with the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, and 200 free relay. Divers competed in the 1-meter. Princeton freshman Ellie Marquardt blew away the Ivy League Record in the 500 free, dominating in 4:36.37. She dropped 4 seconds from her previous best to take down the former mark, which stood at a 4:38.96 done by Princeton’s Alicia Aemisegger back in 2009.

Harvard’s Miki Dahlke, the 2019 champion, broke 4:40 for the first time as she took silver in 4:39.30. Both Marquardt and Dahlke are well under what it took to qualify for NCAAs last season. Penn’s Catherine Buroker also repeated as a medalist, out-touching Princeton’s Courtney Tseng (4:45.74) for the bronze in 4:45.58.

The next event was also won by a freshman as Harvard’s Felicia Pasadyn dominated in 1:55.88. That was a best by over 2 seconds. She’s now within tenths of the Ivy League Record, which stands as a 1:55.09 done by Olympic medalist Katie Meili of Columbia back in 2013. Pasadyn swam over a second faster than what it took to qualify for NCAAs in 2019.

Princeton’s Christie Chong broke 2:00 for the first time today, setting a lifetime best 1:57.89 for silver. Columbia’s Helen Wojdylo took half a second off her best as she earned bronze in 1:58.74. Harvard’s Samantha Shelton, the 2019 champion, was 4th in 2:00.13 as she out-touched Princeton’s Regan Barney (2:00.23) by a tenth.

Freshmen swept the individual races on Thursday night, as Princeton freshman Nikki Venema won the 50 free. She was 3 hundredths shy of a best in 22.41. Fellow Tiger freshman Amelia Liu was a nail behind for the silver in 22.48, also within hundredths of a best. Brown’s Taylor Seaman dropped 3 tenths to take the bronze in 22.51, edging out Harvard’s Mei Lynn Colby, the 2019 silver medalist, who touched in 21.58.

Princeton and Harvard battled down to the wire in the 200 free relay. Venema led off for the Tigers in 22.40 to give them the lead. Harvard’s Kennidy Quist outsplit Princeton’s Sarah Grinalds, 22.45 to 22.59, on the 2nd leg, but the Tigers still had the lead. Liu took on the 3rd leg in 22.33 to slightly extend Princeton’s lead. Harvard’s Dahlke was up for the challenge, racing to a 21.90 anchor split, but she came up just short of catching Christina Bradley (22.44).

Princeton won by 3 hundredths, 1:29.77 to 1:29.80. With that, both teams were narrowly off Yale’s Ivy League Record (1:29.69) from 2017. Dartmouth took the bronze in 1:31.00, getting a 22.47 anchor from Sophie Smith. Brown was 4th in 1:31.53, highlighted by Victoria Center‘s 21.92 on the 2nd leg.

Harvard leads Princeton in the team scoring by just 2 points heading into day 3 of the meet. There’s also just 3 points separating Brown and Penn in the battle for a top-5 spot.

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 2

  1. Harvard 510
  2. Princeton 508
  3. Yale 352.5
  4. Columbia 287
  5. Brown 284
  6. Penn 281
  7. Dartmouth 248
  8. Cornell 219.5

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About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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