2021 Pac-12 Women’s Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2021 PAC-12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, February 27
• Campus Rec & Wellness Center, University of Houston, Houston, TX
• Defending Champion: Stanford (4x) (2020 results)
• Live Video TBD
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live results

Heading into the final day of competition, Stanford is hanging on to a 16.5-point lead over the Cal Bears. That said, Cal looks too strong with their amount of swims left, and they should secure the Pac-12 crown tonight. Isabelle Stadden will challenge the 1:50 barrier in the 200 back today, while the Cal Bears hold the top four seeds in the 100 free. The 200 breast field will battle this morning, with Stanford duo Allie Raab and Zoe Bartel clashing with Cal’s Ema Rajic and USC’s Isabelle Odgers.

Meanwhile, UCLA carries a 56.5-point lead over USC going into day four, so watch for Bruins and Trojans dueling it out for prime positions going into the last finals session tonight.

The entries tell an interesting story: in the 200 back, UCLA has five women seeded in the top 16, while USC has just one (Aela Janvier, though her #3 seed is ahead of any Bruin entry). In the 100 free, USC has four in the top 20 and UCLA five, though USC’s are generally higher seeds. Whereas the Bruins have a 200 back swing, USC had one in the 200 breast, with four women seeded in the top 11, while UCLA has just one (Emily Lo in the #10 spot). In the 200 fly, USC has two swimmers seeded to make the A-final, while UCLA has five entries in the top 16.

The mile might tip the scale in UCLA’s favor, though, if it wasn’t already: the Bruins have five entries in a field of only 16, so all will score, while USC has none. Meanwhile, diving is over, so USC won’t be able to rely on that, where they’re very strong.

DAY FOUR PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3

1. Stanford, 1091
2. Cal, 1074.5
3. UCLA, 789
4. USC, 732.5
5. Utah, 657
6. Arizona, 633
7. Washington State, 355

200 BACK – PRELIMS

• Pac-12 Meet Record: 1:48.27 – Kathleen Baker (Cal) – 2018
• Pac-12 Record: 1:47.30 – Kathleen Baker (Cal) – 2018
• NCAA “A” Cut: 1:50.50
• 2020 Champion: Erin Voss (Stanford) – 1:51.37

Top 8

1. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:52.66
2. Alicia Wilson (Cal) – 1:53.79
3. Audrey Reimer (Utah) – 1:54.73
4. Ayla Spitz (Cal) – 1:55.21
5. Alex Crisera (Stanford) – 1:55.71
6. Janelle Rudolph (Stanford) – 1:56.03
7. Aela Janvier (USC) – 1:56.52
8. Abriana Howard (UCLA) – 1:56.54

Cal looked very strong in the 200 back, with freshman Isabelle Stadden cruising to a 1:52.66. Her 1:49.77 from November is ranked #2 in the nation behind only Alabama’s Rhyan White, and she’ll likely test the 1:50 barrier tonight in the final.

Alicia Wilson and Ayla Spitz of Cal finished second and fourth this morning. Utah junior Audrey Reimer broke up the Cal party, posting a 1:54.73 for third ahead of Spitz.

Stanford’s Alex Crisera (1:55.71) and Janelle Rudolph (1:56.03) put two up for the Cardinal here, while USC and UCLA each got one in with Aela Janvier and Abriana Howard, respectively. Janvier is USC’s only entry in this event, though, while UCLA had three swimmers make the B-final and one make the C-final here, a huge points grab for the Bruins.

100 FREE – PRELIMS

• Pac-12 Meet Record: 46.35 – Abbey Weitzeil (Cal) – 2019
• Pac-12 Record: 45.56 – Simone Manuel (Stanford) – 2017
• NCAA “A” Cut: 47.18
• 2020 Champion: Laticia Transom (USC) – 47.85

Top 8

1. Isabel Ivey (Cal) – 47.56
2. Robin Neumann (Cal) – 48.08
3. Eloise Riley (Cal) – 48.57
4. Elise Garcia (Cal) – 48.71
5. Anya Goeders (Stanford) – 48.86
6. Anicka Delgado (USC) – 48.93
7. Claire Grover (UCLA) – 48.94
8. Amalie Fackenthal (Stanford) – 48.95

Cal went nuts in this 100 free prelim, snagging the top four spots going into the final. Isabel Ivey, a junior coming off of a 100 fly/100 back double victory last night, was the only finisher under 48 with a 47.56.

Robin Neumann, the Cal senior, moved right up to the 48-second barrier with a 47.56, while sophomore Eloise Riley and junior Elise Garcia joined Neumann under 49 seconds. That’s a new best by two-tenths for Riley, while Garcia is looking great, the junior breaking 49 seconds for the first time in her career.

USC freshman Anicka Delgado was sixth in 48.93, her first time under 49 seconds.

The entire A-final broke 49 seconds this morning, with Stanford again getting two in, and USC and UCLA each getting one. Cardinal swimmers Emma Wheal and Lauren Green were just pushed out of the A-final after going 48.98 and 48.99, respectively, while UCLA’s Sophia Kosturos and Washington State’s Chloe Larson tied with 49.00s. Larson breaks the WSU record with that swim to go along with her 50 free record two nights ago.

Wheal, Kosturos and Larson all went lifetime bests here. UCLA was 1/1/4 and USC 1/20 there, as 2020 runner-up Marta Ciesla was 49.33 and will move to finals in 15th.

200 BREAST – PRELIMS

• Pac-12 Meet Record: 2:04.75 – Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• Pac-12 Record: 2:04.75 – Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• NCAA “A” Cut: 2:06.84
• 2020 Champion: Brooke Forde (Stanford) – 2:07.35

Top 8

1. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC) – 2:08.42
2. Allie Raab (Stanford) – 2:08.53
3. Zoe Bartel (Stanford) – 2:09.31
4. Isabelle Odgers (USC) – 2:09.79
5. Ema Rajic (Cal) – 2:09.84
6. Ali Harrison (Cal) – 2:11.38
7. Grace Zhao (Stanford) – 2:11.65
8. Mackenzie Duarte (Washington State) – 2:13.11

Stanford put three up in this race, as the top five swimmers were under 2:10. The biggest move here was the USC Trojans, though, putting up two while UCLA’s sole swimmer, Emily Lo, was 2:14.25 and finished 10th, relegated to the B-final.

Trojan star freshman Kaitlyn Dobler led the way at 2:08.42, with Stanford’s Allie Raab also under 2:09 at 2:08.53 and Raab’s teammate Zoe Bartel in third (2:09.31). Trojan Isabelle Odgers posted a 2:09.79 for fourth, and Cal’s Ema Rajic clocked a 2:09.84 for fifth.

200 FLY – PRELIMS

• Pac-12 Meet Record: 1:49.51 – Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• Pac-12 Record: 1:49.51 – Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• NCAA “A” Cut: 1:53.20
• 2020 Champion: Louise Hansson (USC) – 1:51.26

Top 8

1. Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:54.04
2. Hallie Kinsey (USC) – 1:56.48
3. Hannah Kukurugya (Stanford) – 1:56.65
4. Sam Baron (UCLA) – 1:58.21
5. Makenna Turner (USC) – 1:58.76
6. Hannah Farrow (Arizona) – 1:58.85
7. Julia Heimstead (Arizona) – 1:58.93
8. Zofie Niemczak (Utah) – 2:00.91

Cal sophomore Rachel Klinker had clear water this morning, going out hard with a 53.64 first 100 before fading over the final 50 (31.24). Despite falling off a very fast pace, Klinker was still the class of the field, finishing over two seconds ahead of USC’s Hallie Kinsey (1:56.48), the South Carolina transfer.

Stanford senior Hannah Kukurugya also went under 1:57, going 1:56.65, while UCLA freshman Sam Baron was fourth in 1:58.21. All four of them will likely be faster tonight, as none hit best times.

USC had two up here, and UCLA one, though the Bruins had four B-finalists.