Ella Eastin Earns CSCAA Swimmer of the Year at 2018 W. NCAAs

2018 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 14th – Saturday, March 17th
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavillion — Columbus, OH
• Prelims 9AM/Finals 5PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Stanford (results)
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPNU
• Championship Central
• Event-by-Event Previews
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

Stanford junior Ella Eastin was named the 2018 CSCAA Swimmer of the Year after winning three individual events and helping lead the Cardinal to a 1st-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships.

Eastin, the only swimmer to win three individual events, kicked off her individual swims with an American, NCAA, and U.S. Open record in the 200 IM by almost a second. She then swam a huge American, NCAA, and U.S. Open record and 1-2 victory, touching ahead of second-place finisher (and former American record-holder) Katie Ledecky in the 400 IM. Eastin’s 3:54.60 obliterated Ledecky’s previous record by nearly 2 seconds. She then rounded out her individual triple crown tonight with a meet record 1:50.01 in the 200 fly.

Eastin was also a crucial part of two relays, splitting 47.13 in the Cardinal’s American/NCAA/U.S. Open 400 free relay performance of 3:07.94, and splitting 1:41.13 on the team’s winning 6:46.93 800 free relay.

While Eastin had an impressive week there were other swimmers whose performances likely received consideration. Simone Manuel scored four relay victories and two individual wins, including three relay American records in her final NCAA Championships. Lilly King swept the breaststroke events in record-breaking fashion, and led the Indiana medley relays onto the podium. Katie Ledecky scored a pair of incredible-margin wins in the 500 and 1650, which are only diminished on paper by her own mind-numblingly fast past swims. Kathleen Baker, last year’s CSCAA Swimmer of the Meet, set an American record in the 200 back, and coupled that with a second-place in the 200 IM and a third in the 100 back.

Previous winners:

• 2017, Kathleen Baker, Cal
• 2016 Lilly King, Indiana
• 2015 Missy Franklin, California
• 2014 Brittany MacLean, Georgia
• 2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
• 2012 Caitlin Leverenz, California
• 2011 Katinka Hosszu, Southern California
• 2010 Julia Smit, Stanford
• 2009 Dana Vollmer, California
• 2008 Caroline Burkle, Florida
• 2007 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia
• 2006 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia
• 2005 Kirsty Coventry, Auburn