2018 Women’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2018 WOMEN’S PAC-12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 21 – Saturday, February 24
• Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Stanford (1x) (results)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• NCAA Qualifying

Going into the final day of competition, Stanford leads the pac(k) with 1230.5 points. Cal follows with 1028, and Arizona State is third with 667. This morning, we will see huge names in action, including Simone Manuel, Abbey Weitzeil, Kathleen Baker, Katie Drabot, and Ella Eastin.

Women’s 200 Back Prelims

• NCAA: N 1:47.84 3/23/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, CAL
• Pac-12: M 1:47.84 2013 Elizabeth Pelton, CAL
• Pac-12 Champ: P 1:48.33 2017 Kathleen Baker, CAL
• 1:50.99 A Standard
• 1:59.19 B Standard

1. Kathleen Baker, Cal: 1:50.42
2. Ally Howe, Stanford: 1:51.76
3. Janet Hu, Stanford: 1:51.85
4. Amy Bilquist, Cal: 1:52.33
5. Erin Voss, Stanford: 1:52.72
6. Allie Szekely, Stanford: 1:53.18
7. Cameron McHugh, Arizona: 1:53.20
8. Keaton Blovad, Cal: 1:54.02

In an intense 100 back showdown last night, Stanford’s Janet Hu became the fourth-fastest American 100 backstroker in history and the fifth woman under 50, outswimming Cal’s Kathleen Baker and Amy Bilquist. 

Tonight, the three will face off once again, but this time, Stanford senior and 100 back American record holder Ally Howe will be in the mix, after opting to swim the 100 fly yesterday. (She will almost definitely take on the 100 back at NCAAs.)

This morning, defending Pac-12 and NCAA champion Baker posted the top time with her season-best 1:50.42. Baker went out fast, splitting 53.49 on her first 100 (25.67/27.82/28.48/28.45).

Stanford seniors Howe and Hu finished second and third, posting 1:51.76 and 1:51.85, respectively. Bilquist was fourth for Cal with 1:52.33.

Stanford placed four swimmers in the final, with Erin Voss and Allie Szekely finishing fifth and sixth. Cameron McHugh of Arizona and Keaton Blovad of Cal will round out tonight’s A final.

Women’s 100 Free Prelims

• NCAA: N 45.56 3/18/2017 Simone Manuel, STAN
• Pac-12: M 45.56 2017 Simone Manuel, STAN
• Pac-12 Champ: P 46.36 2017 Simone Manuel, STAN
• 47.53 A Standard
• 49.99 B Standard

1. Simone Manuel, Stanford: 47.14
2. Abbey Weitzeil, Cal: 47.43
3. Robin Neumann, Cal: 48.38
4. Kenisha Liu, UCLA: 48.57
5. Tatum Wade, USC: 48.89
6. Valerie Hull, Cal: 48.94
7. Jamie Stone, Arizona: 48.97
8. Katrina Konopka, Arizona: 49.09

Simone Manuel of Stanford and Abbey Weitzeil of Cal each put up easy 47s to secure the fast lanes tonight. Manuel was 47.14 (22.64/24.5) and Weitzeil was 47.43 (22.84/24.59).

Cal freshman and 2016 Dutch Olympian Robin Neumann put up her personal best time by nearly a second to qualify third with 48.38. UCLA’s Kenisha Liu was fourth in 48.57.

USC sophomore Tatum Wade, Cal senior Valerie Hull, Arizona freshman Jamie Stone, and Arizona’s Katrina Konopka will round out the A final.

*Katie Ledecky swam exhibition in this event, putting up a 48.62. her best time is a 48.28 from the 2015 NCAP Winter Invite.

Women’s 200 Breast Prelims

• NCAA: N 2:03.18 3/18/2017 Lilly King, Indiana
• Pac-12: M 2:04.75 2009 Rebecca Soni, USC
• Pac-12 Champ: P 2:04.75 2009 Rebecca Soni, USC
• 2:07.18 A Standard
• 2:15.99 B Standard

1. Silja Kansakoski, Arizona State: 2:07.79
2. Maggie Aroesty, USC: 2:08.04
3. Brooke Forde, Stanford: 2:08.15
4. Emma Schanz, UCLA: 2:08.76
5. Riley Scott, USC: 2:09.20
6. Grace Zhao, Stanford: 2:10.38
7. Marlies Ross, Arizona State: 2:10.55
8. Ali Harrison, Cal: 2:10.84

It’s going to be a young field for tonight’s 200 breast championship final, with freshmen fill half of the top eight slots this morning.

Coming in first was Arizona State and Finland’s Silja Kansakoski with 2:07.79.

A pair of freshman finished second and third. Maggie Aroesty of USC, who became the the youngest American ever to break 59 in the 100 breast in 2016, was second with 2:08.04. Stanford’s Brooke Forde was third with 2:08.15.

Junior Emma Schanz of UCLA finished fourth with 2:08.76, followed by USC junior Riley Scott, Stanford freshman Grace Zhao, Arizona State junior Marlies Ross, and Cal freshman and medley breaststroker Ali Harrison. 

Women’s 200 Fly Prelims

• NCAA: N 1:49.92 2/28/2009 Elaine Breeden, STAN
• Pac-12: M 1:49.92 2009 Elaine Breeden, STAN
• Pac-12 Champ: P 1:49.92 2009 Elaine Breeden, STAN
• 1:53.80 A Standard
• 1:59.59 B Standard

1. Katie Drabot, Stanford: 1:51.99
2. Ella Eastin, Stanford: 1:52.14
3. Louise Hansson, USC: 1:53.23
4. Madison Wright, USC: 1:53.38
5. Noemie Thomas, Cal: 1:54.34
6. Lindsey Engel, Stanford: 1:54.81
7. Katie McLaughlin, Cal: 1:54.97
8. Katie Grover, UCLA: 1:55.47

Stanford sophomore Katie Drabot put up the fastest time of the morning in a star-studded 200 fly. Three of eight swimmers tonight will be NCAA A finalists from 2017.

Drabot was 1:51.99 to outswim her junior teammate and defending NCAA champion Ella Eastin by .15 seconds. Next up was USC’s Swedish Olympian Louise Hansson with 1:53.23.

USC’s 2017 fifth-place NCAA finisher Maddie Wright, Cal’s 2017 NCAA B finalist in this event Noemie Thomas, Stanford’s Lindsey Engel, defending NCAA runner-up Katie McLaughlin of Cal, and UCLA’s Katie Grover will round out the event.