2024 Women’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2024 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dates: Wednesday, February 28 – Saturday, March 2
• Location: Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, WA
• Defending champions: Stanford (2x)
• Live results
• Live video: Pac-12 Network
• Championship central
• Event schedule
• Preview: Fan guide
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap

Cal heads into the final day of the last-ever Pac-12 Championships with a triple-digit lead as the Bears look to reclaim the conference crown after two meet wins in a row by rival Stanford.

USC also remains in the title hunt on Saturday, trailing Stanford by 25.5 points and Cal by 140.

This morning’s prelims schedule includes the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, and 200 butterfly. There will also be 10-meter platform diving and the slower heats of the 1650 free taking place this afternoon as well as the 400 free relay this evening.

SCORES AFTER DAY 3

1. Cal – 964
2. Stanford – 849.5
3. USC – 824
4. UCLA – 754
5. Arizona State – 643.5
6. Utah – 407.5
7. Arizona – 395
8. Washington State – 306.5

200 Backstroke – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (Wisconsin)– 2019 NCAA Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 1:47.30, Kathleen Baker (Cal) – 2018
• Meet Record: 1:47.43, Claire Curzan (Stanford) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.34

Top 8:

1. Isabelle Stadden (Cal) – 1:52.80
2. Natalie Mannion (Stanford) – 1:52.80
3. Rosie Murphy (UCLA) – 1:53.45
4. Mia Motekaitis (Cal) – 1:53.99
5. Macky Hodges (USC) – 1:54.41
6. Norah Hay (Utah) – 1:55.42
7. Summer Stanfield (Utah) – 1:56.27
8. Kiana Swain (Washington State) – 1:56.52

Cal senior Isabelle Stadden tied for the top time in the 200 back prelims this morning (1:52.80) with Stanford sophomore Natalie Mannion.

Stadden is aiming to reclaim the Pac-12 crown in this event after placing 2nd last year behind meet record holder Claire Curzan. Her season best (1:49.21) is more than three seconds faster than Mannion’s (1:52.42).

UCLA sophomore Rosie Murphy continued her stellar week, qualifying 3rd in 1:53.45 after already placing 4th in the 400 IM (4:06.00) on Friday and 7th in the 200 IM (1:56.41) on Thursday.

Cal fifth-year Mia Motekaitis joined Stadden in the A-final tonight with a 4th-place effort in 1:53.99, just a couple hundredths off her season best. She has been as fast as 1:53.18 at last year’s Pac-12s, where she placed 4th.

USC’s Macky Hodges was the lone freshman in the top 8 with her 5th-place showing in 1:54.51, within a second of her personal-best 1:53.75 from November.

Utah enjoyed its best performance in the pool so far with two A-finalists thanks to junior Norah Hay (1:55.42) and fifth-year Summer Stanfield (1:56.27). Washington State senior Kiana Swain dropped more than half a second off her lifetime best to snag the final qualifying spot in 1:56.52.

100 Freestyle – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 45.16, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024 ACC Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 46.46, Torri Huske (Stanford) – 2023
• Meet Record: 46.35, Abbey Weitzeil – 2019
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 48.37

Top 8:

1. Amy Tang (Stanford) – 48.05
2. Eloise Riley (Cal) – 48.09
3. Gigi Johnson (Stanford) – 48.24
4. Vasilissa Buinaia (USC) – 48.27
5. Minna Abraham (USC) – 48.29
6. Claire Tuggle (USC) – 48.41
7. Anicka Delgado (USC) – 48.42
8. Kayla Wilson (Stanford) – 48.73

After Cal dominated the 50 free on Thursday morning, it was Stanford and USC who had the most impressive showings in here in the 100 free prelims.

Stanford junior Amy Tang led the heats with a season-best 48.05, just a blink ahead of Cal fifth-year Eloise Riley (48.09). It was Tang’s second-fastest time ever in the event, behind only her personal-best 47.89 from Pac-12 Time Trials last February. Riley dropped a few tenths off her previous-best 48.40 from 2021.

Stanford sophomore Gigi Johnson reached the wall within a couple tenths of Tang, knocking a few tenths off her previous-best 48.61 from a couple weeks ago. Before this season, her best time stood at just 49.35 from last year’s Pac-12s.

USC put up a 4-5-6-7 showing in the A-final to position the Trojans as the favorites in tonight’s 400 free relay. USC fifth-year Vasilissa Buinaia placed 4th in 48.27 after missing the A-final of the 50 free on Thursday night. Hungarian freshman Minna Abraham (48.29), sophomore Claire Tuggle (48.41), and senior Anicka Delgado (48.42) followed closely behind Buinaia. Tuggle shaved more than half a second off her lifetime best from October (48.94).

Stanford sophomore Kayla Wilson (48.73) eked past UCLA senior Maya Wilson (48.78) for the last spot in tonight’s A-final, giving the Cardinal three representatives in the top 8.

200 Breaststroke – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 2:01.29, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023 NCAA Championships
• Pac-12 Record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• Meet Record: 2:04.75, Rebecca Soni (USC) – 2009
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:05.73
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 2:09.68

Top 8:

1. Caroline Bricker (Stanford) – 2:08.84
2. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC) – 2:09.09
3. Alicia Henry (Cal) – 2:09.52
4. Hannah Brunzell (Cal) – 2:09.76
5. Abby Herscu (Cal) – 2:09.94
6. Emily Lundgren (Washington State) – 2:10.39
7. Eva Carlson (UCLA) – 2:11.61
8. Ana Jih-Schiff (UCLA) – 2:11.87

Stanford freshman Caroline Bricker is aiming to go 3-for-3 in individual events this week after leading the 200 breast prelims in 2:08.84, just a couple tenths ahead of defending champion Kaitlyn Dobler (2:09.09). Bricker triumphed in the 400 IM (4:02.32) on Friday and 200 IM (1:53.31) on Thursday.

Dobler has been as fast as 2:05.66 during last year’s Pac-12 victory while Bricker boasts a lifetime best of 2:06.85 from November.

After getting outdueled by Stanford and Cal in the 100 free, Cal bounced back with a 3-4-5 finish in the 200 breast. Junior Alicia Henry led the group in 2:09.52 while fifth-year Hannah Brunzell (2:09.76) and sophomore Abby Herscu (2:09.94) also clocked sub-2:10 finishes.

Washington State sophomore Emily Lundgren qualified 6th in 2:10.39, but she could be saving a lot more left in the tank for tonight. Last year, she placed 3rd in a personal-best time of 2:08.33.

UCLA’s Eva Carlson (2:11.61) and Ana Jih-Schiff (2:11.87) rounded out the remaining A-finalists. Carlson was just a few tenths shy of her best time from last year’s Pac-12s, where she placed 6th in 2:11.31.

Arizona State sophomore Emma Gehlert missed tonight’s A-final by just .04 seconds behind Jih-Schiff.

200 Butterfly – Prelims

• NCAA Record: 1:49.16, Alex Walsh – 2024
• Pac-12 Record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• Meet Record: 1:49.51, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:52.86
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 1:55.92

Top 8:

1. Lindsay Looney (Arizona State) – 1:53.37
2. Rachel Klinker (Cal) – 1:53.51
3. Charlotte Hook (Stanford) – 1:53.97
4. Lillie Nordmann (Stanford) – 1:54.64
5. Julia Heimstead (Arizona) – 1:54.92
6. Lucy Bell (Stanford) – 1:55.00
7. Dori Hathazi (Washington State) – 1:55.55
8. Leah Polonsky (Cal) – 1:55.56

Arizona State senior Lindsay Looney began her title defense in the 200 fly with a 1:53.37 in prelims, .14 seconds ahead of Cal fifth-year Rachel Klinker (1:53.51).

Both Looney and Klinker have represented the U.S. internationally in this event, with Looney placing 8th at Worlds last year (2:07.90) and Klinker placing 4th at Worlds last month (2:08.19). Looney has been as fast as 1:52.25 at NCAAs last year, where she placed 4th, while Klinker owns a lifetime best of 1:52.19 from 2022.

Stanford sophomore Charlotte Hook touched 3rd in 1:53.97, just a hundredth off her season best. She has been as fast as 1:52.48 in 2022. Hook’s teammates, junior Lillie Nordmann (1:54.64) and sophomore Lucy Bell (1:55.00) will join her in the A-final tonight.

Arizona senior Julia Heimstead qualified 5th in 1:54.92, narrowly missing her lifetime best from 2022 by just .02 seconds.

Washington State sophomore Dori Hathazi posted a personal-best 1:55.55 to eke past Cal junior Leah Polonsky (1:55.56) for 7th place. Hathazi, a Hungarian native, shaved almost two tenths off her best time from November (1:55.74).