Ally Howe Takes Down Natalie Coughlin’s 15-Year-Old American and NCAA Record in 100 Back — Race Video

Stanford, CA; Saturday November 12, 2016; Woman's Swimming vs Texas

Photo Courtesy: Bill Dally/Stanford Athletics

Stanford’s Ally Howe took down a 15-year-old American and NCAA record Friday night at the women’s Pac-12 championships. Howe blasted a time of 49.69 in the women’s 100 back to knock Natalie Coughlin’s 49.97 off the books.

Coughlin had set that record in 2002 on her way to the second of four straight NCAA championships in that event. The record was Coughlin’s last in the short course yards’ pool.

Howe became only the second woman in history to break the 50-second barrier after Courtney Bartholomew (50.01) and Rachel Bootsma (50.03) came close multiple times over their careers.

Watch the video of the end of Howe’s race below:

Ally, HOWE do you do it? 🙌@stanfordwswim's Ally Howe breaks the American, NCAA, and Pac-12 Championship records in the 100 backstroke! pic.twitter.com/7eUjx6jh51

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) February 25, 2017

Finishing second tonight was Cal’s Kathleen Baker, who touched in 50.27 and improved to sixth all-time in the event. UCLA’s Linnea Mack finished third in 50.56.

Stanford’s Janet Hu, whose prelims time of 50.29 ranks her fifth all-time in the event, settled for fourth in 50.70.

Event 12  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
=========================================================================
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Howe, Ally             JR STAN-PC             50.47      49.69   32  
       11.66    12.46    12.84    12.73
  2 Baker, Kathleen        SO CAL-PC              50.80      50.27   28  
       11.76    12.42    13.00    13.09
  3 Mack, Linnea           SR UCLA-CA             50.76      50.56   27  
       11.81    12.29    12.98    13.48
  4 Hu, Janet              JR STAN-PC             50.29      50.70   26  
       12.10    12.66    13.08    12.86
  5 Bilquist, Amy          SO CAL-PC              51.71      51.29   25  
       12.14    12.71    13.19    13.25
  6 Blovad, Keaton         FR CAL-PC              52.67      52.41   24  
       12.38    13.02    13.41    13.60
  7 Leach, Hannah          SO USC-CA              52.03      52.56   23  
       12.43    12.84    13.59    13.70
  8 Engel, Lindsey         JR STAN-PC             52.78      53.54   22  
       12.61    13.11    13.84    13.98

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Bill Bell

7 years ago

Congratulations, Ally, great swim!

Won’t swear to,it but I think back in the day didn’t you hold the national independent school record in thus same race while attending that parochial high school your went to?