2023 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 15-18, 2023
- Allan Jones Aquatic Center–Knoxville, Tennessee
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Pre-Scratch Psych Sheets
- Live Results
Stanford teammates Claire Curzan and Taylor Ruck are both proficient in sprint freestyle and backstroke, but they seem to have taken a “divide and conquer” approach at NCAAs. While Curzan will be racing the 100 fly, 100 back, and 200 back, Ruck has taken on the sprint freestyles, swimming the 50 free, 200 free, and 100 free.
This season marks the first season that Ruck will not be swimming the 200 free/100 back/200 back lineup, which she did at both the 2019 and 2022 NCAA meets. That means she won’t be doing a 200 free/100 back double on day three, making her fresh to defend her NCAA title in the 200 free. Ruck swimming the 50 free could also potentially solve Stanford’s scoring hole in the event, as they didn’t have a single finalist in the 50 free in 2022. This year, Emma Wheal and Amy Tang are entered in the 50 free alongside Ruck, though only Ruck is seeded to score.
Last year, Ruck finished first in the 200 free (1:41.12), 10th in the 100 back (51.07), and 9th in the 200 back (1:50.25).
Curzan, meanwhile, will be swimming the 100 fly/100 back double on day three, in addition to the 200 back on day four at her first-ever NCAA meet. She’s the top seed by over a second in the 200 back, and will also be amongst the top contenders in the 100 fly and 100 back.
Stanford’s Torri Huske will also be swimming the 200 IM over the 50 free at NCAAs, just like she did last year. Notably, she opted for the 50 free at Pac-12s this year despite not doing so last year.
Claire Curzan, NCAA Seed Times:
- 100 Fly: 49.93 (5th seed)
- 100 Back: 49.46 (3rd seed)
- 200 Back: 1:47.43 (1st seed)
Taylor Ruck, NCAA Seed Times:
- 50 Free: 21.87 (14th seed)
- 200 Free: 1:43.04 (5th seed)
- 100 Free: 47.44 (8th seed)
Torri Huske, NCAA Seed Times:
- 200 IM: 1:53.37 (3rd seed)
- 100 Fly: 49.25 (3rd seed)
- 100 Free: 46.86 (3rd seed)
For some reason in my head I think of Ruck as a backstroker but having had a look at her international medals she is much more successful in free.
Margaret, Claire, Victoria, k8 are going to have a dog fight in the 1Fly.
Worth mentioning Huske. Maybe 200 IM instead of 50 free was obvious to some, but not me.
added!
100 back is intriguing. G Walsh, Curzan, and the goat, Berkoff.
daggers! c’mahn!
I feel like the use of “GOAT” is beginning to lose it’s value.
I agree. But, she is the NCAA record holder…she is quite literally the greatest of all time in the 100 yard back.
Fastest of all time? Yes
Greatest of all time? I don’t know
There’s a mater of relativity to the field and the generation
natalie coughlin is the GOAT of NCAA 100 fly and 100 back if we’re talking about different generations.
Greg Meehan destroys his swimmers
https://giphy.com/gifs/DogeBONK-bonk-dobo-dogebonk-HxMhuDg7O4pKOhhcRC
More hilarious yet since the topic is Stanford it is 9:30 AM PST
How would you know?
Enough
Attending PAC-12s this past week was such a joy! The team atmosphere on Stanford was nothing short of amazing with true joy and friendship evident. The team has a spirit I have never seen before on deck. Seeing Coach Meehan and Coach Slusser rebuild Stanford after the nationwide Covid pause is beyond words. Although Texas appears the team to beat and UVA will be tough to knock out of second, Stanford may have a shot to do so. Also, Claire’s 1:47 2Back looked so effortless that 1:45 is not out of reach with rest.
I hope Ruck gets back to 2018 form
Honestly I don’t think she’s too far off now. Her winning the 200 at NCAA’s last year helped and she did well at short course worlds. I think she will do well at worlds coming up and Paris.
I could not agree with you more. I wonder about her 200bk form, though – she’s gone from Olympic finalist in that event to placing 7th at Division Finals. Maybe its b/c she’s focused on winning the 200FR again. Wishing her all the best and applauding her honesty for sharing her eating disorder story.
Massive courage shown by her and all the kudos she deserves simply getting to where she is now in swimming but most importantly her health and happiness.
Us in 🇨🇦 certainly hope she can even come close to her 2018/19 51.7/154 form as that would be a massive boost for the 🇨🇦 freestyle relays. Even 52/155 splits helps keep them right in the mix with us/aus and helps offset Sanchez’s departure.
Maybe she exceeds it this year
Crazy that a 49.4 is only the 3rd seed in the 100 back