2016 Women’s Pac-12 Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

PAC-12 – WOMEN

• Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, February 27
• Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: California (results)
• Live results
• Live Video (if available)
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide

Day 3 finals at the women’s Pac-12 Championships opens with the 400 IM. Ella Eastin will be chasing her 2nd individual title in as many days. Noemie Thomas will square off with teammate Farida Osman, who’s been on fire this meet, in the 100 fly. Lia Neal led the pack out of the 200 free prelims and will race for her first individual title of the meet tonight. Neal’s teammate Sarah Haase is the woman to beat in the 100 breast. The final individual race of the night is the women’s 100 back. We’ll see a loaded field led by Amy Bilquist, who set a new NAG and Pac-12 meet record with a blazing 50.50 this morning.

We’ll close the session with some diving action and the 400 medley relay. The team race for the top 3 places is extremely close, so we’ll be keeping an eye on overall team standings as we close out the 2nd to last day of competition in Federal Way.

WOMEN’S 400 IM:

1. Ella Eastin, Stanford- 3:59.30
2. Kelly Naze, Cal- 4:06.56
3. Celina Li, Cal- 4:08.36

Stanford’s Ella Eastin was body lengths ahead of the competition in the women’s 400 IM tonight. She took home her second individual Pac-12 title tonight with a 3:59.30. That was her first time under 4:00 and a best time by almost 2 full seconds.

The Golden Bears picked up 2nd and 3rd, as Kelly Naze grabbed the silver in 4:06.56 and her teammate Celina Li was 3rd in 4:08.36. ASU’s Marlies Ross (4:09.23) was also under 4:10 for 4th.

Eastin’s Stanford teammates Kim Williams (4:10.22) and Leah Stevens (4:10.25) were neck and neck at the finish, taking 5th and 6th, respectively. Utah’s Jordan Anderson (4:12.31) and UCLA’s Arlyn Upshaw (4:13.28) took 7th and 8th.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY:

1. Farida Osman, Cal- 50.53
2. Kendyl Stewart, USC- 51.17
3. Noemie Thomas, Cal- 51.40

Farida Osman continued to impress tonight, posting a monster 50.50 in the 100 fly to claim another Pac-12 title. That’s a best time for Osman, who came into the meet with a best of 50.94 from NCAAs last year.

USC’s Kendyl Stewart and Cal’s Noemie Thomas were locked in a close race for 2nd. Both were out in 23.6, but Stewart had the better 2nd half. Stewart took the silver in 51.17, while Thomas held on for bronze in 51.40.

Rachel Bootsma was the next fastest, dropping from her prelims time to take 4th in 51.64. Arizona’s Annie Ochitwa was also under 52 to take 5th in 51.73. Behind those two, USC’s Lucy Worrall (52.29), Arizona’s Mackenzie Rumrill (52.36), and Stanford’s Lindsey Engel (52.48) closed out 6th-8th.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE:

1. Lia Neal, Stanford- 1:42.50
2. Kirsten Vose, USC- 1:44.19
3. Elizabeth Pelton, Cal- 1:44.59

Stanford’s Lia Neal took it out hard and never looked back in the women’s 200 free tonight. That strategy paid off for her. Neal flipped at a 48.97 on the way to a winning time of 1:42.50, which was over a second faster than the rest of the field.

USC’s Kirsten Vose was also out under 50 seconds, flipping at 49.89. She wound up 2nd with a 1:44.19. Behind her, Cal’s Liz Pelton and USC’s Chelsea Chenault battled it out for the 3rd spot on the podium. Chenault was out quicker through the 150 mark, but Pelton got her hand on the wall first after a late charge, 1:44.59 to 1:44.82.

5th through 8th were all in the 1:45 range. USC’s Henriette Stenkvist was 5th in 1:45.32, just ahead of Arizona’s Taylor Schick, who was 6th in 1:45.48. Stanford’s Nicole Stafford (1:45.63) and Cal’s Rachel Acker (1:45.98) took 7th and 8th.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST:

1. Sarah Haase, Stanford- 58.02
2. Riley Scott, USC- 59.31
3. Emma Schoettmer, Arizona- 1:00.32

Stanford’s Sarah Haase swam a new personal best time in the 100 breast to lead Stanford to their 3rd event victory of the night. Haase was a 58.02 to claim the Pac-12 title, over a second ahead of anyone else. USC’s Riley Scott shaved a tenth off her prelims time to take 2nd in 59.31. Arizona’s Emma Schoettmer rounded out the podium with a 1:00.32.

Cal’s Marina Garcia lowered her best time, clocking a 1:00.58 to grab 4th. USC’s Kelsey Kafka was just behind in 1:00.93 for 5th ahead of her teammate Riley Hayward (1:01.03). Arizona’s Alexandra Martelle matched her prelims time exactly to finish 7th in 1:01.70. 8th was UCLA’s Emma Schanz (1:01.94).

WOMEN’S 100 BACK:

1. Ally Howe, Stanford- 50.71
2. Rachel Bootsma, Cal- 50.76
3. Amy Bilquist, Cal- 50.81

It was arguably the most anticipated race of the night as the women’s 100 backstrokers entered the water. Cal’s Amy Bilquist set a new meet record this morning, but was up against the likes of Rachel Bootsma, Kathleen Baker, and Ally Howe tonight to try and claim her first Pac-12 title as a freshman.

5 women flipped neck and neck between the 24.6-24.7 range at the 50. It came down to the final lap, and Stanford’s Ally Howe was able to pull ahead for the win with a time of 50.71. Just a tenth of a second separated her from 2nd and 3rd place. Rachel Bootsma was 2nd in 50.76. Bilquist was off her prelims time, but still managed to get a spot on the podium with a 50.81 for 3rd.

The next 3 women were all within the 51 second range. In an incredibly fast field, it took a 51.05 by Cal’s Kathleen Baker to get 4th. Stanford’s Janet Hu threw down a 51.14 for 5th ahead of UCLA’s Linnea Mack (51.81). USC’s Hannah Weiss (52.79) and UCLA’s Madison White (52.99) closed out the final.

WOMEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY

1. Stanford- 3:26.25
2. Cal- 3:30.17
3. USC- 3:30.31

Stanford won the women’s 400 medley relay with a new American Record of 3:26.25. Meet mobile is currently not showing splits and live results aren’t showing the relays, but we’ll keep the recap updated as that information comes in.

Team Standings

After 3 days, the USC Trojans held a narrow 5-point lead over the Stanford Cardinal, with the defending NCAA Champions from Cal also within 50 points.

1. USC – 951
2. Stanford – 946
3. Cal – 890.5
4. Arizona – 740
5. UCLA – 657
6. Utah – 349
7. Arizona State – 346.5
8. Washington State – 304
9. Oregon State – 218