2017 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25
- Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: USC (results)
- Live Results (also on Meet Mobile)
- Live Video
- Pac-12 Record Book
- Championship Central
Swimmers are gearing up for day 2 of the 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way, Washington. This morning’s action includes the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, and women’s 1-meter diving. One of the big swims to watch today, of course, is Katie Ledecky‘s 500 free. The Pac-12 Record currently stands at a 4:31.90, but we may see her take that down in the heats. The 200 IM will feature American Record holder Ella Eastin, as well as Kathleen Baker and Kirsten Vose, who took 2nd and 3rd respectively last season. Finally, a loaded 50 free field will include Simone Manuel, Abbey Weitzeil, and defending champ Farida Osman.
WOMEN’S 500 FREE
- NCAA ‘A’ cut: 4:36.30
- NCAA ‘B’ cut: 4:47.79
- Pac-12 Conference Record: Katie Ledecky (Stanford)- 4:26.46
- Pac-12 Meet Record: Katie Ledecky (Stanford)- 4:28.37
- Katie Ledecky, Stanford, 4:28.37
- Katie Drabot, Stanford, 4:37.49
- Megan Byrnes, Stanford, 4:39.66
- Katie McLaughlin, Cal, 4:40.03
- Leah Stevens, Stanford, 4:40.36
- Hannah Cox, Arizona, 4:40.85
- Kat Simonovic, ASU, 4:41.22
- Tatum Wade, USC, 4:42.18
The Cardinal distance group was on fire this morning, as 3 freshman took the top 3 spots in prelims. Katie Ledecky cruised to a 4:28.37, obliterating the former Pac-12 Meet Record of 4:31.90 done by Cierra Runge in 2015. Katie Drabot dropped 3 seconds from her best time to take 2nd in 4:37.49, while Megan Byrnes dropped almost 2 seconds for 3rd in 4:39.66.
The Cardinal will make up half of tonight’s championship final heat, as sophomore Leah Stevens qualified 6th, clocking a 4:40.36 to knock 3 seconds off her previous best time.
Cal’s Katie McLaughlin (4:40.03) was just a second shy of her best time to take 3rd seed ahead of Stevens. Also swimming in the 4:40-range was Arizona’s Hannah Cox, who took 6th in 4:40.85. Arizona State’s Kat Simonovic (4:41.22) dropped 3 seconds to pick up 7th, while USC freshman Tatum Wade (4:42.18) knocked a couple of seconds off her best time to take 8th.
WOMEN’S 200 IM
- NCAA ‘A’ cut: 1:55.35
- NCAA ‘B’ cut: 2:01.59
- Pac-12 Conference Record: Ella Eastin (Stanford)- 1:51.65
- Pac-12 Meet Record: Julia Smit (Stanford)- 1:52.31
- Ella Eastin, Stanford, 1:54.76
- Kathleen Baker, Cal, 1:54.87
- Louise Hansson, USC, 1:55.43
- Kirsten Vose, USC, 1:56.49
- Ally Howe, Stanford, 1:56.81
- Kim Williams, Stanford, 1:56.97
- Celina Li, Cal, 1:57.87
- Keaton Blovad, Cal, 1:57.92
All 3 of last season’s medalists will return to tonight’s final, led by a pair of 1:54s from Stanford’s Ella Eastin and Cal’s Kathleen Baker. Defending bronze medalist Kirsten Vose (USC) took 4th behind freshman teammate Louise Hansson, who is a huge medal threat in her 1st season with the Trojans.
Ally Howe and Kim Williams took 5th and 6th respectively to give the Cardinal 3 in the final. The Bears will also field 3 swimmers, with Celina Li and freshman Keaton Blovad taking 7th and 8th.
WOMEN’S 50 FREE
- NCAA ‘A’ cut: 21.80
- NCAA ‘B’ cut: 22.99
- Pac-12 Conference Record: Lara Jackson (Arizona)- 21.27
- Pac-12 Meet Record: Farida Osman (Cal)- 21.32
- Abbey Weitzeil, Cal, 21.40
- Simone Manuel, Stanford, 21.60
- Farida Osman, Cal, 21.73
- Katrina Konopka, Arizona, 21.95
- Linnea Mack, UCLA, 22.03
- Amy Bilquist, Cal, 22.04
- Lia Neal, Stanford, 22.10
- Anika Apostalon, USC, 22.19
Cal freshman and American Record holder Abbey Weitzeil was just hundredths shy of the Meet Record this morning, turning in a 21.40 to lead the way ahead of Stanford’s Simone Manuel (21.60). Defending champ Farida Osman (Cal) took 3rd in 21.73, while Arizona All-American Katrina Konopka was the last to clear 22 seconds this morning, touching 4th in 21.95.
Cal’s Amy Bilquist clipped her best time down to a 22.04 to take 6th behind UCLA school record holder Linnea Mack (22.03). Stanford’s Lia Neal (22.10) and USC’s Anika Apostalon (22.19) rounded out the top 8.
Notably, Stanford’s Janet Hu, who placed 8th last season, clocked a 22.09, but won’t be in the final as she swam it in exhibition.
tonight i’m going to be cheering so hard for mclaughlin to get on the podium in the 500 and break up the stanford distance trio. I really want to see her have success after having such a rough 2016.
Any word on reasoning for szekely’s dq? Would’ve been a fast time.
Two hand simultaneous breast to breast turn. 157.0 ?
Predicting a 4:25.
4:28.36 for Ledecky according to meet mobile. How hard did she push it?
She looked super easy for the first 200. Started putting her legs into a bit around the 250 or 300 mark.
Ugh, my streaming woes from last week continue, albeit in a different form.
Apparently, while Sling carries the Pac-12 network, that does not give you access to the pac-12.com site or the Pac-12 Now app, so streaming this meet is a no-go.
Grr!
stream still not working, no other way to watch?
You must be on the east coast like me. ?
There are ways to catch their TV broadcasts online but not the live stream AFAIK. Think Pac-12 Networks require you to be subscribed to a sports package that includes Pac-12s with your cable provider before they will let you watch the live stream.
Made the mistake of signing up for a paid sports package yesterday only to discover that it takes Pac-12 Networks 72 hours or longer to grant you access! I can watch the TV broadcasts OK but get a blank screen for the live stream on my Windows browser. Also an authentication error message when using the Pac-12 Now mobile app.
Very very frustrating!
I made the same mistake with the sports package. Really annoying.