Stanford Swimming Sweeps Arizona in Pac-12 Clash

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Andrei Minakov swam Stanford’s fastest 200-yard freestyle race of the season among his three victories that helped the No. 9 Cardinal beat No. 20 Arizona, 198.5-88.5 in the rain on Saturday at Avery Aquatic Center.

Minakov and Ron Polonsky finished 1-2 in a 200 free matchup between 2020 Olympians who each were competing in that event for the first time this season. Minakov clocked 1:32.19 to Polonsky’s 1:33.06.

Their performances strengthened Stanford’s depth in its strongest event. Minakov already owns the Stanford record in this event, but now teammates Minakov, Henry McFadden, and Polonsky each are among Stanford’s all-time top 8. McFadden, a freshman, reached that at the Texas Invitational in November with a 1:32.78. And Polonsky, by virtue of his personal best Saturday, moved up from No. 15 to No. 8.

Altogether, eight different Stanford swimmers have reached the NCAA ‘B’ standard of 1:35.79 in that event, including freshman Gibson Holmes, who earned that cut Saturday with 1:35.52, a three-second personal best.

Minakov won the 100 free in 42.17 to earn his second new ‘B’ standard of the day and led off Stanford’s winning 200 free relay team, which clocked 1:18.19.

Arizona won the opening event, the 200 medley relay, to take a quick 11-6 lead, but Stanford went ahead for good in the next event, the 1,000 free. Freshman Rex Maurer, a day after becoming No. 4 in school history in that event during a dual against Arizona State, captured first while leading a 1-2-3 sweep ahead of Gabe Machado and Henry Morrissey. That gave Stanford a 22-14 lead it never relinquished. In fact, Stanford won 15 consecutive events after the initial loss.

Hayden Zheng achieved a season-best while winning the 200 breaststroke in 1:55.84. And Luke Maurer, older brother of Rex, won the 500 free in a season-best 4:22.81.

In all, Stanford swimmers earned nine personal bests and 10 NCAA ‘B’ standards.

Jack Ryan won the 3-meter diving event in his final Stanford competition before representing the U.S. in the 1-meter springboard at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, on February 2-3.

Stanford improved to 4-1 in dual meets while Arizona dropped to 4-4. The Cardinal next competes on February 3 at USC, which is coached by Lea Maurer, the mother of Luke and Rex.

Arizona’s Ryan Purdy, Ryan Foote, Seth Miller and Tommy Palmer won the 200 medley relay (1:25.66).

No. 10 Stanford women’s swimming and diving continues to rewrite the record books this season, as it was sophomore Lucy Bell who added another Stanford Top-10 time in the Cardinal’s 178-110 win over Arizona on Sunday afternoon.

Bell touched the wall first with a 59.45 in the 100 breast as she entered the all-time Cardinal ranks for the second time this season, also clocking the eighth-ranked mark in program history in the 400 IM at the Texas Invitational. The Fort Collins, Colo., native added a second event title later in the meet, taking the race win in the 100 fly with a time of 51.94.

Natalie Mannion won a pair of races for the second-straight day, joining Bell and freshman Lucy Thomas as the afternoon’s multiple event winners. Mannion collected event crowns in the 200 free (1:44.61) and 500 free (4:42.30) while Thomas tallied titles in the 50 free (22.91) and 200 breast (2:12.13).

Sunday’s action also provided a rare occurrence in collegiate swimming, as the 100 free saw a tie for the race with Kirsti McEnroe and Jamie Brennan each touched the wall at 49.83. Rounding out the event winners for the Cardinal was Sophie Duncan (1000 free), Caroline Bricker (200 fly), Aurora Roghair (200 back), and Samantha Tadder (400 IM).

Stanford swept Sunday’s relay races, with Amy Tang, Samantha Tadder, Lucy Bell and Kayla Wilson hitting the wall first in the 200 medley relay at 1:39.21, while Tang, Jamie Brennan, Kirsti McEnroe and Lucy Thomas claiming the 200 free relay win after clocking a 1:30.41.

The Cardinal split events with Arizona on the diving boards, with Lauren Burch highlighting the action with a 323.03 score on the 3-meter dive. Arizona’s Brooke Earley won 1-meter with 280.95.

Arizona’s Paige Armstrong won the 100 back (53.69).

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