This week featured a lot of fast short course swimming, with NCAA’s for Division I women and all of Division III taking place this week. See below to read the biggest stories of The Week That Was and get an update on the fast swimming from across the country!
The Week That was is supported by AgonSwim.com
The Week That Was #5 – Katie McLaughlin Headed Home For Rehab After Injury
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr
Earlier this week Katie McLaughlin, a freshman at California this year, announced that she will be heading home early this spring to continue to recover from an injury sustained during the team’s training trip in Hawaii. Suffering from a neck injury since January, McLaughlin only recently returned to her team prior to the Pac 12 Championships, where she swam a limited schedule and wasn’t able to put up qualifying times for NCAA’s.
McLaughlin was a double bronze medalist at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships in the 100 and 200 butterfly and represented the United States in Kazan this past summer in the 200 butterfly where she finished sixth in 2:06.95 after leading the field through the 150. While McLaughlin has elected to spend the rest of the semester in Southern California to finish rehabbing closer to family and friends, she has stated that she plans to return to her team in Berkeley as soon as her recovery in complete. If she is able to return to form, McLaughlin would certainly be one to watch for a potential Olympic berth this summer.
The Week That Was #4 – NCSA Spring Juniors National Championships
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
The five-day NCSA Spring Junior National Championships concluded in Orlando this week and showcased some of the young talent that is rising in the United States. Several young stars, including Reece Whitley and Michael Andrew were on hand to showcase some fast swimming, racing short-course yards in the morning and switching to long-course meters for finals in the evening.
Nation’s Capital took the women’s team title in 1,233 points, nearly doubling runner-up’s Ozaukee Aquatics point total. Kylie Jordan put up 113 points of her own to lead the NCAP contingent. Jordan won the 100 fly (1:00.60) and also placed top 8 in the 50 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and 200 IM. Katherine Drabot of Ozaukee Aquatics took the high point award on the women’s side, scoring 205 points throughout the meet. Drabot won the 100 free (55.03), 200 free (1:59.32), and 50 fly (27.12) throughout the meet, and also had an additional top 8 finishes in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 400 free.
The team battle was much closer on the men’s side, with Nova of Virginia finishing just 29 points ahead of Nation’s Capital to capture the title. Nova of Virginia put up 1221.5 and Nation’s Capital had 1192.5. Nova was helped by having the two highest scoring swimmers of the meet in Frederick Schubert (255 points) and Aaron Schultz (233 points). Schubert captured the 800 freestyle (8:27.09) and finished top 8 in a staggering ten events. Schultz also had an impressive ten top 8 finishes, touching as high as third in the 1,000 and 800 free.
In the combined team title, Nation’s Capital dominated with 2425.5 points ahead of Nova (1370.5 points) and Machine Aquatics (876.5). For full coverage of the NCSA Juniors Championship, head over to our Event Landing Page.
The Week That Was #3 – Yuliya Efimova Fails Another Test, Faces Lifetime Suspension
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Russian breaststroker Yuliya Efimova has tested positive for meldonium, the same substance that caused Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova to fail a drug test at the Australian Open a few weeks ago. Efimova has already served a 16-month ban for a previous positive doping test, which stripped her of a handful of short course world records and several European titles.
Meldonium has been found in nearly 100 athletes this year following the drug’s movement to the WADA banned substance list on January 1st, with a great portion of those being Russian athletes. Efimova is the first Russian swimmer to fail a doping test for meldonium this year. Meldonium is thought to have performance enhancing effects for endurance athletes. While she competes internationally for Russia, Efimova trains in the United States with the Trojan Swim Club and Dave Salo. The Russian Swimming Federation has also confirmed that Efimova is under temporary suspension. Given this is her second positive test, Efimova has the potential to be banned for life. Efimova is considered to be a favorite to medal in both breaststroke events this Olympics following her top-ranked 1:05.70 and second-ranked 2:21.41 from the Arena Pro Series stop in Orlando. Swimming World will continue to update this story as it develops.
The Week That Was #2 – Emory, Denison Capture Division III Team Titles
Photo Courtesy: Cathleen Pruden
Men and Women’s Division III NCAA’s was this past week down in Greensboro, North Carolina and saw some familiar names taking home the team titles in an exciting and record-filled meet. The Emory women took their seventh consecutive team title with 560 points, finishing first by nearly 100 points over runner-up Kenyon. The Denison men broke a three-year Kenyon streak to finish first in a tighter team battle against Kenyon, 455.5 to 418.5.
Coaches Jon Howell (Emory) and Greg Parini (Denison) were named CSCAA Coaches of the Year. St. Thomas junior Emma Paulson was female swimmer of the meet; Paulson captured the 50 free (22.77), 100 backstroke (54.43), and 200 backstroke (1:56.33), both just off of the NCAA records. Jackson Lindell was named male swimmer of the meet; Lindell set an NCAA record in the 200 IM (1:46.00) in addition to capturing the 400 IM (3:47.63) and 200 backstroke (1:46.10).
Other notable performances included sophomore Thomas Thetford from Washington & Lee capturing the 100 (43.41) and 200 (1:36.87) freestyle events, both just off the NCAA records in the events, Emory sophomore Oliver Smith in the 50 freestyle (19.55), also just missed the NCAA record, and Amherst senior Emily Hyde setting a meet record in the 200 breaststroke (2:12.30). Emory’s 200 free relay of Fiona Muir, Marcela Sanchez-Aizcorbe, Megan Taylor, and Marissa Bergh (1:31.42) that broke their 2010 NCAA record of 1:31.80.
For full coverage of the Division III National Championships, head over to our Event Landing Page.
The Week That Was #1 – Georgia Captures Seventh Women’s NCAA Team Title
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Jack Bauerle and the Georgia Bulldogs captured their seventh NCAA women’s team title this week at Division I Nationals. Hosted in the historic Georgia Tech pool that was the site of the 1996 Olympic swimming events. Georgia pulled away on the third day of the meet to finish ahead of Stanford and Cal with 414 points. Stanford was close behind in second with 395 points, while Cal was third with 358 points.
After a somewhat disappointing meet last year, junior Olivia Smoliga set a new NCAA record in the 50 freestyle, erasing Lara Jackson’s record with a 21.21. Smoliga also won the 100 freestyle in a school record 46.70 and placed 9th in the 100 backstroke in 50.58. Other wins included the 800 free relay team of Hali Flickinger, Kylie Stewart, Meaghan Raab, and Brittany MacLean (6:51.80) as well as Brittany MacLean in the 200 freestyle (1:42.42). While only seeded fourth from psych sheet scoring, the Bulldogs depth and consistency across events carried them to the title. This win also ties Bauerle with legendary coach Richard Quick for the most NCAA team wins at a single institution, and helped earn him the CSCAA Coach of the Year.
There were plenty of impressive swims throughout the meet. Those included Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell setting an American and NCAA record in the 100 butterfly (49.43), Stanford freshman Ella Eastin’s American and NCAA record in the 200 IM (1:51.65), and Stanford breaking their own American and NCAA record in the 400 medley relay (3:26.14). The standout performance, however, had to be Indiana freshman Lilly King who took the women’s breaststroke events to startling new heights. Winning the 100 breaststroke in 56.85 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:03.59, King became the first woman under :57 and 2:04 in either event. For her efforts, King was also named the CSCAA Swimmer of the Year.
For complete coverage of the NCAA women’s championships, head over to our Event Landing Page.