TUCSON – Stanford swimming and diving had no trouble taking down host Arizona this chilly afternoon under partly cloudy skies, as the Cardinal won both the women’s and men’s meets by a combined 93 points.
The Stanford women’s team beat Arizona 145-111, while the Stanford men took down Arizona with a score of 160-101. Today’s meet marked the first competition for the Stanford women’s team since their incredible performances in late November at the Art Adamson Invitational. There, Simone Manuel lowered her own American record in the 100 freestyle and established herself as the woman to beat this March at the NCAA championships, with Stanford on a quest for their first team title in the Greg Meehan era. Led by Manuel’s wins in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles, the Stanford women won 10 events.
The most exciting race in the women’s meet was the 200 freestyle. Manuel and Arizona’s Bonnie Brandon swam stroke for stroke for 100 yards before Manuel responded with a 26.93 on the third 50. Brandon tried to rally in the final stretch, but settled for second as Manuel won with a 1:46.20 to Brandon’s 1:46.25. The times are well off what both swam at their invitational meets in November and December to rank in the top five nationally, but are still among the top unrested swims this season.
Manuel had no trouble winning the 50 free in 22.87 by a six-tenths margin, and posted a 49.01 in the 100 free to win by 1.2 seconds over teammate Lia Neal’s 50.23.
Brandon was the only other double event winner on the women’s side. She won the 200 backstroke with a swift 1:56.04, holding off Stanford’s Ally Howe, who posted a 1:56.90. Brandon won the 500 free by four seconds over teammate Tjasa Oder, 4:52.96 to 4:57.50 to post the only swims under five minutes in the race.
Oder gave Arizona their other official win of the meet with a 9:54.67 in the 1000 free, beating the 10:16.88 by Stanford’s Allison Brown by about 30 yards. By the time the 200 IM came around, Stanford was swimming exhibition swims, and the official win went to Arizona’s Shannyn Hultin and her 2:07.41. Howe’s 2:02.20, Grace Carlson’s 2:04.72 and Sarah Haase’s 2:04.83 were unofficially the three fastest times of the race.
Stanford went 1-2-3 in the women’s 100 back, led by the 53.85 by Howe. Janet Hu (53.94) and Nicole Stafford (56.70) rounded out the top three. Stanford won both breaststrokes, as Haase won the 100 with a 1:01.45 and Katie Olsen posted a 2:12.58 to win the 200 after a tight battle with Arizona’s Emma Schoettmer (second place, 2:13.21) and Haase (third place, 2:13.98).
Lindsey Engel and Elizabeth Pepper traded the lead throughout the 200 blutterfly, and it was Stanford’s Engel who got the crucial first-place points, 2:00.45 to 2:00.63. Hu rounded out the individual event wins for Stanford with a 54.44 in the 100 fly.
Stanford also won the 200 medley relay to start the meet with a 1:40.39 and posted the fastest 400 free relay time with a 3:20.12. Officially, Arizona got the win in the 400 free relay with a 3:24.32.
The men’s meet between Stanford and Arizona had the makings of a tight battle, with the two teams nearly evenly matched after the first seven events. Stanford held just a 78-70 lead despite a dominant showing in the 200 free, and the Cardinal continued to build the lead throughout the meet to win by 59 points. The two men’s teams are likely to wage a similar battle at the NCAAs, with the final score between the two to be as close if not closer.
David Nolan nearly pulled off an upset in the 50 free, nearly taking down reigning NCAA co-champion Brad Tandy. The seniors flipped even at the turn but Tandy seemed to have the advantage at the breakout. Nolan surged in the final strokes, but Tandy got the win, 20.11 to 20.12. Both have swum under 20 seconds this season, with Tandy’s 19.04 leading the nation and Nolan’s 19.69 in 20th place.
Nolan was more dominant in the 100 free, taking the win with a 44.11 in a Stanford 1-2-3 finish. Thomas Stephens was second with a 44.71 and Sam Perry was third with a 45.36. Tandy was fourth with a 45.51.
The 100 free was just one of three 1-2-3 finishes for the Stanford men. In the 200 freestyle, Sean Duggan won with a 1:38.89 from the outside lane, just seven tenths slower than his fastest time of the season. Drew Cosgarea put in a late charge but settled for second with a 1:38.91 while Jeff Garnier was third with a 1:39.79. Stanford’s Chris Pickard finished fourth with a 1:40.65, but since a team can only score three swimmers per event, his swim was not scored. Thane Maudslien of Arizona picked up the fourth-place points with a 1:40.78.
In the 100 butterfly, Gray Umbach took the win with a 48.64. Andrew Liang (49.08) and Tom Kremer (49.67) rounded out the Stanford rout with the only swims under 50 seconds. Brian Stevens was the top Arizona swimmer, placing fourth with a 50.02.
Andrew Conaton was the other double winner for Stanford today, taking the 100 back with a 49.04, well ahead of the 50.28 by teammate Ryan Arata. Conaton had a tougher battle in the 200 back, holding off Cosgarea 1:47.96 to 1:48.69.
As expected, NCAA reigning champion Kevin Cordes was without peer in the breaststroke events, winning the 100 in 54.26 and the 200 in 1:59.16. Andrew Sovero gave the Wildcats a 1-2 finish in both races, finishing behind Cordes in times of 55.41 and 2:02.02.
Nick Hogsed and Ty Fowler took down Stanford in the 1000 free, giving Arizona a 1-2 finish with times of 9:20.46 and 9:22.46, respectively. Liam Egan and Danny Thomson, both national-level championship finalists in distance freestyle, settled for third and fourth, respectively, with times of 9:27.19 and 9:32.95. Egan and Thomson would respond with a 1-2 finish in the 500 free with times of 4:30.88 and 4:33.80. This time, Hogsed and Fowler finished third and fourth with times of 4:34.11 and 4:34.63, respectively.
Tom Kremer and Gray Umbach led another Stanford 1-2 finish in the 200 fly with times of 1:47.88 and 1:47.93. Umbach made a late charge in the final 50 yards, outsplitting Kremer 27.98 to 28.33. Stanford’s other individual event win came in the 200 IM, as Max Williamson led wire-to-wire with a 1:49.47. Michael Meyer of Arizona pulled away from Stanford’s Curtis Ogren on the freestyle leg to post a 1:51.21 for second to Ogren’s 1:52.44.
Arizona won the men’s 200 medley relay with a 1:29.01 to Stanford’s 1:29.41, thanks to a 19.81 anchor leg by Tandy to give the Wildcats the win. Stanford responded in the 400 free relay to close the meet with a 1-2 finish. The A team won with a 2:58.67, while a 44.19 anchor split by Umbach helped the Stanford B team place second with a 3:01.62 to Arizona’s 3:01.81.
Stanford Swimming vs. Arizona Dual Meet Photo Gallery
Stanford vs. Arizona Dual Meet – Results