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Stanford’s Regan Smith Will Take On Tough Day 4 Double at NCAA Championships

2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships

  • March 16-19, 2022
  • Mcauley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
  • Pre-Selection Psych Sheets

Stanford freshman Regan Smith will swim a tough 200 fly/200 back double on the final day of the 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. That is a shift from the day 3 100 fly/100 back double that she chose instead at last week’s Pac-12 Championships.

Stanford head coach Greg Meehan often changes swimmers’ events between the conference and national championship meets.

Smith’s Potential Schedule:

Day 1

  • 200 medley relay finals
  • 800 free relay finals

Day 2

  • No races

Day 3

  • 100 Back Prelims/Finals
  • 400 Medley Relay Finals

Day 4

  • 200 Back Prelims/Finals
  • 200 Fly Prelims/Finals
  • 400 Free Relay Finals

At Pac-12s, Smith swam the 100 back, 100 fly, and 200 fly for points, plus an exhibition 50 free on day 2 of the meet and three relays (200 medley, 400 medley, 400 free relay).

The 200 back/200 fly double is a rare one, but not-unheard of.

Florida’s Elizabeth Beisel pulled the double as a senior in 2014, finishing 5th in the 200 back and 15th in the 200 fly. Another Florida Gator, Teresa Crippen, did this double at NCAAs regularly. As a senior in 2012, she was 5th in the 200 back and 8th in the 200 fly. In 2011, she was 4th and 7th; in 2010 she was 3rd and 5th; and in 2009 she was 2nd and 22nd.

The best model for Smith to look toward is Misty Hyman. Also a Stanford swimmer, in 1998 Hyman swam the 100 fly, 200 fly, and 200 back, and won all three races.

Hyman also had three relay swims, but wasn’t on Stanford’s 400 free relay that year, which meant no final day triple. The Cardinal used Smith on the 400 free relay at Pac-12s, and if they do so again, that would be a challenge for her, though she did do a triple (100 back/100 fly/400 medley relay) at Pac-12s and was faster in the medley relay leadoff than in the individual 100 back.

The NCAA sticking with timed-finals for all relays should reduce the total number of swims on Smith’s schedule, though.

Smith is the current World Record holder in the 200 backstroke in long course meters competition, a former World Record holder in the 100 back, and an Olympic medalist in both the 100 back and 200 fly.

She is seeded #1 in the 100 back, #1 in the 200 back, and #1 in the 200 fly going into NCAAs. She will face steep competition, especially in the backstroke races, against Olympians Rhyan White and Phoebe Bacon, star Virginia freshman Gretchen Walsh, and the defending NCAA Champion in the 100 back Katharine Berkoff.

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Kalina
2 years ago

The girl who broke my freshman record swam the 200 breast, walked over two lanes, swam the mile. Missed my record .3

Time trialed the mile that night, dropped 12 seconds. Skies the limit!!❤️

nerd
2 years ago

Hey, I swam this double in college! Can confirm it makes you want to die.

swim grad
Reply to  nerd
2 years ago

Same here, finals swims hit hard!

Ninna
2 years ago

The Stanford Sprinters (Torri Huske, Taylor Ruck, Anya Goeders, Emma Wheal, Kira Crage, and Alex Crisera) are going to dominate the NC’s

Klorn8d
2 years ago

Feel like I’d just put her on the 200 Free relay and let her focus on the individuals the last day. Feel like she’s the type of swimmer where a day off might not be best for her. I also know sprint Free is one of her weakest disciplines but with her underwaters she can definitely be 21 mid from a relay start, which I don’t think Stanford has 4 women faster than that

Hannah
Reply to  Klorn8d
2 years ago

The problem with that idea is that Stanford needs her on the other 4 relays and doesn’t on the 200 free relay.

Virtus
Reply to  Klorn8d
2 years ago

Does she even have a good 50?

Sue Knows Fly
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

How do you draw that conclusion? Look at the splits on the actual relay. A vs B. She was the fourth fastest at 21.4. I don’t see how you can conclude she’s not one of the four best options. She just proved she is when it matters. The finals split means a lot more than an exhibition flat start in prelims. Regan Smith ALWAYS gets up for it when it matters. Does that seem unfair? Genuinely curious.

Erik
2 years ago

Stanford making a statement with an 800 medley! ; )

Willswim
2 years ago

I think Regan can win both legs of the difficult double but it will probably ruin her for the relay, and that’s fine. I’d rather see her pull off the crazy double than save herself for a relay that probably isn’t winnable anyway. If you were really optimistic about Stanford’s chances to beat UVA in the 400 free relay you might say Torri can match Kate, a revitalized Ruck can match G. Walsh, the Shaw/Wheal/Goeders leg can match the Tiltmann/Cumo leg, and Regan can match A. Walsh. As unlikely as that already was, it’s now less likely. Let UVA have their fun in this event this year and then crush the record with Curzan next season.

Team Regan
Reply to  Willswim
2 years ago

Well it’s more about their breaststroke leg. Yes Regan could get Gretchen on the back, Torri could get Alex on the fly, and Taylor could get Kate on the Free, but we all are forgetting about the breaststroker. Allie Raab is Stanford’s best bet, but she’s only around 59. and she’s graduating this year. Next year, they really don’t have any breaststroke specialist coming. Hopefully they can convert someone as versatile as Torri into breast for a 58 swim, or get someone like Sam Tadder, but point being their options are limited.

redradiant
Reply to  Team Regan
2 years ago

This post is about the free relay Stanford has no chance in the medley

Team Regan
Reply to  redradiant
2 years ago

The free relay has a chance I think. They have Huske, Ruck, Goeders, Wheal, R. Smith, Crisera, and Crage. All talented sprinters and all could easily be on either the 4×50-200 free relays

Swimfan
Reply to  Team Regan
2 years ago

Agreed 400 free relay has a chance

jim
Reply to  Team Regan
2 years ago

That’s it, 8×25 relay! Let’s go!!

ALEXANDER POP-OFF
Reply to  Willswim
2 years ago

Yes, I agree Regan can pull off the “dirty double.” However, I don’t think she can match Alex Walsh in the 100 free. Alex has more sprint speed in the freestyle.

Willswim
Reply to  ALEXANDER POP-OFF
2 years ago

You’re probably right, although they’ll both be coming off the 200 fly final and a long 4 days of racing so that will play a role too.

PancakeLover
Reply to  Willswim
2 years ago

But Walsh won’t be coming off a terrible double that day.

redradiant
2 years ago

The Pink crocs will empower her to do this nasty double

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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