NCAA DI editorial coverage is proudly sponsored by Adidas. Visit All-American Swim for more information on our sponsor. For all the latest coverage, check out our event coverage page.
Virginia’s Leah Smith defended her title in the women’s 500-yard free at the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships.
Smith initially looked like she would join Katie Ledecky (4:26.58) as the only swimmers ever to break 4:30 in the event’s history. But, Smith faded down the stretch with a 4:31.33 for the win. That’s the 15th-fastest time ever in the event’s history.
Smith became the 11th swimmer ever to win the 500 free multiple times.
Multiple 500 Free Winners:
3 – Lindsay Benko, Southern California
3 – Marybeth Linzmeier, Stanford
3 – Allison Schmitt, Georgia
2 – Haley Anderson, USC
2 – Tami Bruce, Florida
2 – Janet Evans, Stanford
2 – Mitzi Kremer, Clemson
2 – Emily Mason, Arizona
2 – Flavia Rigamonti, SMU
2 – Cristina Teuscher, Columbia-Barnard
Smith’s NCAA-Record Splits For Comparison:
24.86, 51.35 (26.49), 1:18.49 (27.14), 1:45.73 (27.24), 2:13.24 (27.51), 2:40.76 (27.52), 3:08.45 (27.69), 3:36.08 (27.63), 4:03.69 (27.61), 4:30.37 (26.68).
Brittany MacLean, the 2014 victor in this event, led a big Georgia event with a 4:33.05 for second. Hali Flickinger placed second for the Bulldogs with a 4:33.35. That moved Georgia into the lead with 106 points against Virginia’s second-place 76.
Indiana’s Haley Lips (4:34.86), Michigan’s Rose Bi (4:35.76), NC State’s Hannah Moore (4:38.12), Ohio State’s Lindsey Clary (4:38.44) and Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (4:41.28) also scored in the A final.
=== A - Final ===
1 Leah Smith JR Virginia 4:31.39 4:31.33P 20
r:+0.77 24.92 51.19 (26.27)
1:17.99 (26.80) 1:45.11 (27.12)
2:12.45 (27.34) 2:39.90 (27.45)
3:07.63 (27.73) 3:35.48 (27.85)
4:03.70 (28.22) 4:31.33 (27.63)
2 Brittany MacLea SR Georgia 4:34.61 4:33.05 17
r:+0.72 25.19 51.98 (26.79)
1:19.12 (27.14) 1:46.46 (27.34)
2:13.87 (27.41) 2:41.62 (27.75)
3:09.56 (27.94) 3:37.61 (28.05)
4:05.86 (28.25) 4:33.05 (27.19)
3 Hali Flickinger SR Georgia 4:37.27 4:33.35 16
25.20 52.17 (26.97)
1:19.39 (27.22) 1:46.90 (27.51)
2:14.57 (27.67) 2:42.42 (27.85)
3:10.31 (27.89) 3:38.48 (28.17)
4:06.36 (27.88) 4:33.35 (26.99)
4 Haley Lips SR Indiana 4:38.27 4:34.86 15
r:+0.71 25.87 53.36 (27.49)
1:21.23 (27.87) 1:49.05 (27.82)
2:16.81 (27.76) 2:44.52 (27.71)
3:12.23 (27.71) 3:40.37 (28.14)
4:08.42 (28.05) 4:34.86 (26.44)
5 Rose Bi FR Michigan 4:37.78 4:35.76 14
r:+0.74 25.88 53.22 (27.34)
1:20.68 (27.46) 1:48.33 (27.65)
2:16.15 (27.82) 2:44.03 (27.88)
3:12.09 (28.06) 3:40.25 (28.16)
4:08.35 (28.10) 4:35.76 (27.41)
6 Hannah Moore SO NC State 4:37.92 4:38.12 13
r:+0.75 25.66 53.12 (27.46)
1:20.98 (27.86) 1:48.89 (27.91)
2:17.08 (28.19) 2:45.31 (28.23)
3:13.73 (28.42) 3:42.08 (28.35)
4:10.44 (28.36) 4:38.12 (27.68)
7 Lindsey Clary JR Ohio St 4:38.15 4:38.44 12
r:+0.71 26.37 54.11 (27.74)
1:22.12 (28.01) 1:50.24 (28.12)
2:18.33 (28.09) 2:46.58 (28.25)
3:14.94 (28.36) 3:43.44 (28.50)
4:11.08 (27.64) 4:38.44 (27.36)
8 Mallory Comerfo FR Louisville 4:38.25 4:41.28 11
r:+0.78 25.67 53.35 (27.68)
1:21.58 (28.23) 1:50.15 (28.57)
2:18.57 (28.42) 2:46.86 (28.29)
3:15.29 (28.43) 3:44.19 (28.90)
4:13.13 (28.94) 4:41.28 (28.15)
=== B - Final ===
9 Gillian Ryan SO Michigan 4:39.63 4:38.43 9
r:+0.80 26.17 54.53 (28.36)
1:23.15 (28.62) 1:51.84 (28.69)
2:20.26 (28.42) 2:48.89 (28.63)
3:17.05 (28.16) 3:45.14 (28.09)
4:12.62 (27.48) 4:38.43 (25.81)
10 Sarah Gibson JR Tex AM 4:38.44 4:39.63 7
r:+0.76 25.46 53.94 (28.48)
1:22.62 (28.68) 1:51.31 (28.69)
2:20.04 (28.73) 2:48.39 (28.35)
3:16.80 (28.41) 3:45.07 (28.27)
4:12.87 (27.80) 4:39.63 (26.76)
11 Rachel Muller JR NC State 4:39.11 4:39.97 6
r:+0.78 25.80 54.00 (28.20)
1:22.40 (28.40) 1:50.77 (28.37)
2:19.09 (28.32) 2:47.55 (28.46)
3:16.08 (28.53) 3:44.35 (28.27)
4:12.68 (28.33) 4:39.97 (27.29)
12 Kennedy Goss SO Indiana 4:40.17 4:40.35 5
r:+0.66 26.60 55.23 (28.63)
1:23.91 (28.68) 1:52.60 (28.69)
2:21.42 (28.82) 2:49.98 (28.56)
3:18.41 (28.43) 3:46.37 (27.96)
4:14.21 (27.84) 4:40.35 (26.14)
13 Genevieve Mille JR Air Force 4:39.00 4:40.41 4
r:+0.70 25.98 54.02 (28.04)
1:22.40 (28.38) 1:51.04 (28.64)
2:19.59 (28.55) 2:48.22 (28.63)
3:16.63 (28.41) 3:45.20 (28.57)
4:13.26 (28.06) 4:40.41 (27.15)
14 Kaersten Meitz SO Purdue 4:40.02 4:40.87 3
r:+0.90 26.45 54.73 (28.28)
1:23.18 (28.45) 1:51.69 (28.51)
2:20.10 (28.41) 2:48.53 (28.43)
3:17.08 (28.55) 3:45.49 (28.41)
4:13.82 (28.33) 4:40.87 (27.05)
15 Brooke Zeiger SO Minnesota 4:40.47 4:41.08 2
r:+0.76 26.61 54.87 (28.26)
1:23.10 (28.23) 1:51.59 (28.49)
2:20.02 (28.43) 2:48.53 (28.51)
3:16.89 (28.36) 3:45.28 (28.39)
4:13.75 (28.47) 4:41.08 (27.33)
16 Stephanie Peter SO Georgia 4:40.07 4:41.21 1
r:+0.72 26.26 54.56 (28.30)
1:23.03 (28.47) 1:51.62 (28.59)
2:20.15 (28.53) 2:48.48 (28.33)
3:16.84 (28.36) 3:45.45 (28.61)
4:13.71 (28.26) 4:41.21 (27.50)
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 3 1. Georgia 106 2. Virginia 76 3. California 72 4. Southern Cali 64 5. NC State 53 6. Arizona 46 7. Louisville 45 8. Texas A&M 43 9. Indiana 42 10. Michigan 37 11. Tennessee 34 12. Stanford 26 13. Ohio St 24 14. Texas 20 15. Wisconsin 18 16. Missouri 14 17. UNC 12 18. Penn St 6 19. Air Force (W) 4 19. Kentucky 4 21. Purdue 3 22. Florida 2 22. Minnesota 2
