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Brooke Forde opened her final year at the NCAA championships with a stellar anchor leg in the 800 free relay, helping Stanford to the title in the event.
It was a historical title for Forde, who in her final swim meet, became the first fifth-year swimmer to earn an NCAA title.
“It has been really interesting. They call me the team grandma, which I love, but it makes me feel old,” Brooke Forde said. “I think back and remember how special it was as a freshman to come into such a special team at Stanford. My goal has always been to carry that energy forward as many years as I could. It is so crazy that I am the only one left on the team and I am trying to make sure the freshman know what it was like to be a part of that legacy, and I hope that carries on even after I am gone.”
It was a familiar place for Forde, who has been a huge part of Stanford’s national success over the years.
But this relay was different, almost a passing the baton to Stanford’s young stars Torri Huske and Regan Smith, who were on this relay with Forde and Taylor Ruck.
Huske (1:41.93), Ruck (1:40.49), Smith (1:43.35) and Forde (1:42.53) won the event in 6:48.30, breaking the pool record set by Georgia in 2016 during its title run.
Now in her final season, Brooke Forde is part of the last wave of the old dynasty, but also is helping usher in a younger Stanford dynasty, loaded with young Olympians.
In the 800 freestyle relay, Forde teamed with two freshman, Huske and Smith, who led the next wave of the Cardinal. If that wasn’t enough, Canadian Olympian Ruck also joined Forde on the relay, giving Stanford a relay full of Olympians, something very rare in NCAA swimming.
Forde was once the young gun on a team that included names like Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel, Lia Neal, Ella Eastin, Janet Hu and Ally Howe.
Forde has bridged the gap between both special groups, giving her a pivotal place on the current team as a leader, but also a rare place in Stanford history.
She also is the first fifth-year swimmer to ever earn an NCAA title, after the NCAA allowed an extra year of eligibility for athletes who missed out on their seasons or postseasons.
Forde announced she will be joining the Peace Corps and moving to Peru after the season.
“I am going to be sad to be done for sure. It will be a bittersweet meet, but I feel ready to be done,” Brooke Forde said. “I am so happy with my career and the way this meet has started off. I have plans for next year. I am moving to Peru and have accepted a position with the Peace Corps. I will be off the grid. I will be working as a public health officer in rural Peru.”
But first she has the rest of her final NCAA meet, starting with a 500 freestyle showdown in a loaded field that includes Olympic teammate Erica Sullivan and Penn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, whom Forde said she would not have a problem racing.
“I am going to swim my race the way I want to no matter who else is here,” Brooke Forde said. “This is it … three more days.”
