Stanford, undefeated so far at the women’s Pac-12 championships in Federal Way, Wash., claimed the top seed in four of five events in Friday morning’s prelims. The top effort came from junior Janet Hu, who posted the top times in the country in both the 100 fly and 100 back.
Stanford claimed the top four spots in the prelims of the prelims of the 400 IM, and it was a familiar name claiming the top spot. Less than 17 hours after setting the American record in the 500 free, Katie Ledecky was back in the water for the 400 IM. In her first of two swims in the morning session, Ledecky finished in 4:01.92, just off her season and lifetime best time of 4:00.65 that ranks second in the country this season.
Allie Szekely, another Stanford freshman, won her heat in 4:02.70, improving to fifth in the country this season, while reigning Pac-12 and NCAA champion Ella Eastin cruised to the third seed with her time of 4:03.13. Finally, Stanford’s Leah Stevens claimed the fourth seed in the event with her time of 4:09.21.
Just behind Stevens was Cal’s Celina Li, who qualifed fifth in 4:09.29. Arizona’s Hannah Cox (4:10.11), UCLA’s Emma Schanz (4:11.75) and Arizona State’s Marlies Ross (4:12.03) also made the A-final.
Event 8 Women 400 Yard IM
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Ledecky, Katie FR STAN-PC 4:00.65 4:01.92
26.09 29.39 31.12 30.33
34.83 35.45 28.19 26.52
2 Szekely, Allie FR STAN-PC 4:05.63 4:02.70
25.84 29.83 29.99 29.38
35.06 35.13 29.01 28.46
3 Eastin, Ella SO STAN-PC 4:00.36 4:03.13
25.86 29.58 30.03 29.55
34.85 35.23 29.48 28.55
4 Stevens, Leah SO STAN-PC 4:13.74 4:09.21
27.04 30.79 31.57 30.85
35.75 35.94 28.55 28.72
5 Li, Celina SR CAL-PC 4:06.76 4:09.29
26.11 29.77 31.12 31.14
35.51 36.70 29.67 29.27
6 Cox, Hannah FR ARIZ-AZ 4:10.00 4:10.11
26.59 30.38 31.44 31.50
36.61 36.88 28.99 27.72
7 Schanz, Emma SO UCLA-CA 4:09.52 4:11.75
28.15 30.94 31.42 30.67
35.26 34.96 30.51 29.84
8 Ross, Marlies SO ASU-AZ 4:14.11 4:12.03
27.24 31.04 32.23 31.94
34.86 35.38 30.26 29.08
Three swimmers cracked the 51-second barrier in the prelims of the women’s 100 fly, and the top two times ranked No. 1 and 2 in the country this season. After Louise Hansson blasted a 50.70 in heat 4 (then the No. 3 time in the country), Stanford’s Janet Hu responded with a 50.38 to lead the heat 5, passing Indiana’s Gia Dalesandro (50.45) as the top swimmer in the country this season.
One heat later, Cal’s Noemie Thomas responded with a 50.44 to earn lane five for the final. Hansson’s time held up as the No. 3 time headed into the evening session.
Cal’s Farida Osman swam a quick time of 51.32 to finish fourth, and she was followed by Stanford’s Lindsey Engel in 51.77. Also making the final were UCLA’s Madison Wright (52.19), Arizona’s Annie Ochitwa (52.21) and Cal’s Maddie Murphy (52.29)
Event 9 Women 100 Yard Butterfly
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Hu, Janet JR STAN-PC 51.05 50.38
10.64 12.80 13.19 13.75
2 Thomas, Noemie JR CAL-PC 50.67 50.44
10.76 12.65 13.32 13.71
3 Hansson, Louise FR USC-CA 51.17 50.70
10.90 12.84 13.24 13.72
4 Osman, Farida SR CAL-PC 51.20 51.32
10.91 13.11 13.50 13.80
5 Engel, Lindsey JR STAN-PC 52.57 51.77
11.10 12.97 13.56 14.14
6 Wright, Madison SO USC-CA 53.18 52.19
11.31 13.35 13.63 13.90
7 Ochitwa, Annie SO ARIZ-AZ 52.09 52.21
11.15 13.24 13.59 14.23
8 Murphy, Maddie FR CAL-PC 52.01 52.29
10.97 13.11 13.69 14.52
Stanford’s Simone Manuel blasted a 1:41.53 to pace the field in the women’s 200 free. That time moved Manuel back ahead of Mallory Comerford (1:41.70) as the top time in the country so far this season. But Manuel figures to have a tough challenger in the finals tonight as Ledecky qualified second in 1:42.69.
A third Stanford swimmer picked up lane three for the final as Lia Neal qualified in 1:44.15, while Cal’s Katie McLaughlin came in fourth at 1:44.42. USC’s Tatum Wade finished fifth in 1:44.81, followed by Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil (1:44.85), Stanford’s Katie Drabot (1:44.99) and USC’s Stanzi Moseley (1:45.09)
Event 10 Women 200 Yard Freestyle
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Manuel, Simone SO STAN-PC 1:41.90 1:41.53
23.43 25.53 26.16 26.41
2 Ledecky, Katie FR STAN-PC 1:42.16 1:42.69
24.79 26.11 26.31 25.48
3 Neal, Lia SR STAN-PC 1:44.59 1:44.15
24.20 26.16 26.91 26.88
4 McLaughlin, Katie SO CAL-PC 1:45.40 1:44.42
24.71 26.77 26.62 26.32
5 Wade, Tatum FR USC-CA 1:44.44 1:44.81
24.54 26.17 26.99 27.11
6 Weitzeil, Abbey FR CAL-PC 1:45.01 1:44.85
24.14 26.22 27.38 27.11
7 Drabot, Katie FR STAN-PC 1:44.93 1:44.99
25.13 26.88 26.68 26.30
8 Moseley, Stanzi FR USC-CA 1:46.17 1:45.09
24.92 26.73 26.65 26.79
Arizona State freshman Sanja Kansakoski, a new member of the Sun Devils’ roster this semester, blasted a 58.82 to lead the way in the 100 breast prelims. That was well under her top time from the dual meet season, a 1:00.47, and the fifth-fastest time in the country this season.
USC teammates Riley Scott and Kirsten Vose were the only other two athletes under 1:00 in prelims, with times of 59.26 and 59.88, respectively.
Stanford’s Kim Williams qualified fourth in 1:00.30, followed by Cal’s Marina Garcia in 1:00.46. USC’s Kelsey Kafka (1:00.62), Arizona’s Kennedy Lohman (1:00.66) and Stanford’s Heidi Poppe (1:00.77) also made the A-final.
Event 11 Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Kansakoski, Silja FR ASU-AZ 1:00.47 58.82
13.13 15.03 15.06 15.60
2 Scott, Riley SO USC-CA 59.80 59.26
12.56 15.10 15.68 15.92
3 Vose, Kirsten SO USC-CA 1:00.48 59.88
13.08 15.18 15.70 15.92
4 Williams, Kim SO STAN-PC 1:01.82 1:00.30
13.25 15.47 15.61 15.97
5 Garcia Urzainqui, Mar SR CAL-PC 1:00.55 1:00.46
12.98 15.46 15.91 16.11
6 Kafka, Kelsey SR USC-CA 1:00.34 1:00.62
13.28 15.49 15.76 16.09
7 Lohman, Kennedy FR ARIZ-AZ 59.81 1:00.66
13.00 15.45 15.82 16.39
8 Poppe, Heidi JR STAN-PC 1:00.82 1:00.77
13.12 15.56 15.76 16.33
Hu’s outstanding morning continued when she blasted a time of 50.29 to lead prelims of the 100 back, One heat later, teammate Ally Howe responded with a quick 50.47. Both times were well under Olivia Smoliga’s 50.60 that had been the top time in the country this season, and the duo now ranks fourth and seventh all-time, respectively, in the event.
Also moving into the national top five this season were UCLA’s Linnea Mack, who touched in 50.76, and Cal’s Kathleen Baker, the Olympic silver medalist in the event who came in at 50.80. Reigning Pac-12 champion and Baker’s teammate Amy Bilquist qualified fifth in 51.71.
Also making the A-final were USC’s Hannah Leach, Cal’s Keaton Blovad (52.67) and Stanford’s Lindsey Engel (52.78).
Event 12 Women 100 Yard Backstroke
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Name Year School Seed Prelims
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=== Preliminaries ===
1 Hu, Janet JR STAN-PC 51.01 50.29
11.91 12.58 13.05 12.75
2 Howe, Ally JR STAN-PC 50.91 50.47
12.04 12.83 13.05 12.55
3 Mack, Linnea SR UCLA-CA 51.61 50.76
12.14 12.36 13.19 13.07
4 Baker, Kathleen SO CAL-PC 51.25 50.80
12.00 12.51 13.16 13.13
5 Bilquist, Amy SO CAL-PC 50.85 51.71
12.38 12.73 13.49 13.11
6 Leach, Hannah SO USC-CA 52.00 52.03
12.19 12.83 13.45 13.56
7 Blovad, Keaton FR CAL-PC 52.42 52.67
12.53 12.99 13.58 13.57
8 Engel, Lindsey JR STAN-PC 53.92 52.78
12.59 13.00 13.49 13.70
Ally Howe is reigning PAC-12 100 back champion.
Great prelim swimming…good luck tonight in finals.