Weitzeil and Bilquist Explain Significance of Cal “Party Heat” (Video)

2019 WOMEN’S DIVISION I NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 20th – Saturday, March 23rd
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center — Austin, Texas
• Prelims 9 a.m./Finals 5 p.m. (Central Time)
• Defending Champion: Stanford (2x) – 2018 results
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Full livestream schedule
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

200 FREESTYLE RELAY

• NCAA Record: Stanford (Hu, Manuel, Pitzer, Howe), 2018 – 1:25.43
• American Record: Stanford (Hu, Manuel, Pitzer, Howe), 2018 – 1:25.43
• Meet Record: Stanford (Hu, Manuel, Pitzer, Howe), 2018 – 1:25.43

1. GOLD: Cal- 1:24.55
2. SILVER: Michigan- 1:26.25
3. BRONZE: Stanford- 1:26.50

Cal ran away with this one on the back half and obliterated the NCAA Record and American Record by nearly a full second, combining for a 1:24.55. Maddie Murphy got things started with a 21.82, followed by Katie McLaughlin in 21.37. Both of their back half legs were sub-21, as Amy Bilquist took the lead for the Bears with a 20.87 and Abbey Weitzeil closed in a blistering 20.49.

That split by Weitzeil was the 2nd fastest relay split ever, just 4 hundredths shy of the fastest in history. The fastest ever is Simone Manuel’s 20.45 from last season. That’s also the fastest Weitzeil has ever been on a relay, hinting that she may have a breakthrough in the 50 free and crack her own record tonight.

400 MEDLEY RELAY

• NCAA Record: Stanford, 2018 – 3:25.09
• American Record: Stanford, 2018 – 3:25.09
• Meet Record: Stanford, 2018 – 3:25.09

1. GOLD: Cal- 3:25.24
2. SILVER: Indiana- 3:27.01
3. BRONZE: Michigan- 3:27.49

Amy Bilquist took it out for Cal (3:25.24) in 50.84, giving the Bears the lead, but Lilly King roared back for Indiana (3:27.01) with a 55.67. That’s just a hundredth shy of the fastest 100 breast relay split ever, which she set at Big Tens. Cal’s Katie McLaughlin pulled the Bears nearly even with Indiana as she split a 50.00 on the fly. Abbey Weitzeil dove in and immediately took the lead, blowing away the field with her 45.87 anchor split to give Cal the win.