Courtesy: Cal Athletics
BERKELEY, Calif. – Junior Abbey Weitzeil, who swept three individual events at the Pac-12 Championships and captured the national title in the 50-yard free, was named Cal’s Most Outstanding Swimmer at the team’s annual banquet Sunday afternoon in the University Club.
Weitzeil broke her own American record in winning the NCAA crown in the 50 free in 21.02 seconds during the national meet in March. She also helped Cal to three relay championships, including two in U.S. Open record times, and was fourth in both the 100 and 200 free. Weitzeil was named the 2019 Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year after she swept three individual events, including a school-record 46.35 in the 100 free, and swam on four winning relays at the conference meet.
Other awards at the banquet went to:
- Warren Hellman Scholastic Award – Kathleen Navas
- Kathie Wickstrand Leadership Award – Amy Bilquist
- Most Improved Swimmer – Ema Rajic
- Golden Bear Award – Cassidy Bayer and Abbey Weitzeil
- Coaches Award (Diving) – Phoebe LaMay
- Karen Moe Humphreys Coaches Award (Swimming) – Katie McLaughlin
Kathleen Navas, a sophomore diver, is majoring in molecular & cell biology with an emphasis in immunology. Earlier this week, she was named first-team Pac-12 All-Academic with a 3.94 GPA.
Senior Amy Bilquist reached individual event finals in three events at the NCAA Championships, finishing second in the 100 back and sixth in the 50 and 100 free. She was also a part of three national champion relays. In the classroom, Bilquist is a three-time first-team Pac-12 All-Academic choice, including this year.
Ema Rajic capped her freshman season in 2019 by breaking a seven-year-old school record in the 100 breast in her prelim heat at the NCAA meet (58.97) before finishing eighth in the final. She also was a part of the winning 400 medley relay and runner-up 200 medley relay. Cassidy Bayer, a freshman as well, placed 15th in the 200 fly at NCAAs after taking seventh in the event at the Pac-12 Championships.
Senior Phoebe LaMay completed her Cal career as a four-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships and finished 15th on 1-meter to become the Golden Bear diver to score on a springboard event at nationals in more than 25 years.
Like Bilquist and Weitzeil, senior Katie McLaughlin also reached three individual finals at the NCAA meet, taking third in the 100 fly, fourth in the 200 fly and seventh in the 200 free. Her 100 fly (49.97) and 200 fly (1:51.09) times were both school records. In addition, she contributed to the national champion 200 and 400 free relays and the 400 medley relay.
As a team, the Bears finished second in the country at the 2019 NCAA Championships – the 11th year in a row they have placed among the top three.
Amy Weitzel????😂