This weekend may offer the first home meets of the calendar year, but it also marks the only time the top-ranked Cal women’s swimming & diving team will compete in Berkeley during the 2014 dual season. In a pair of double duals with the men’s program, the Golden Bears will host Arizona State Friday and Arizona Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
For both days, diving will begin at 11 a.m. and the 1000 free will start at 11:25 a.m. to accommodate television by the Pac-12 Networks. The remaining events will get underway at noon. Admission is free.
The two duals serve as Cal’s first competitive meets since the AT&T Winter Nationals in Knoxville, Tenn., in early December. During the three-day event, current Golden Bears picked up nine victories, including two each by double-winners Missy Franklin (100 back, 200 free) and Elizabeth Pelton (200 back, 200 IM). Freshman Celina Li triumphed in the 400 IM, and Cal captured four of the five relays.
Cal owns a 21-10-1 series advantage over ASU after taking a 171-121 decision last year in Tempe. The Bears dropped a 168.5-112.5 meet at Arizona last season but still lead the series, 19-11. Arizona enters this weekend’s racing ranked 10th with ASU unranked.
Following the performances vs. ASU and UA, the Bears will travel to Los Angeles to face USC Jan. 31 and UCLA Feb. 1 before returning to the Bay Area for a match-up at Stanford Feb. 15.
Senior Salute: Saturday’s meet vs. Arizona will mark the last Spieker Aquatics Complex appearance for six seniors on the Golden Bear roster – Stephanie Au, Melissa Bates, K.T. Livingstone, Kahley Rowell, Mikkel-Ane Stipe and Cindy Tran. Together, they’ve helped Cal to a pair of NCAA team titles (2011 and 2012), a national runner-up finish in 2013 and a Pac-12 championship in 2012. Tran has captured six NCAA crowns over her career, including individual victories in the 100-yard backstroke in both 2011 and ’12, Au has represented Hong Kong at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, whileRowell is the first two-time All-American diver in school history.
Press release courtesy of the University of California.
Will be fun to watch the UofA vs Cal meet, both men’s and women’s teams. Some potential match-ups that could be fascinating on the women’s side (watching Geer race the 50 will be great no matter who she’s matched up against):
W 100 Free: Geer vs. Franklin
W 500 Free: Brandon vs. Franklin
W 200 Back: Brandon vs. Pelton
As for the men’s meet, always exciting to watch Cordes race, and watching G Smith will be a treat, as well. Curious to see now Katis does in his first foray into Cal Swimming and Pac12 racing. And the Friedman/Murphy backstroke match-ups could be fun to watch, as could the Meyer/Prenot IM races.
All in all, a… Read more »