Matthew Thompson Highlights Day Two at Arena Invite

LONG BEACH, California, November 16. STANFORD senior Matt Thompson highlighted the second day of competition at the Arena Invite with a swift swim in the 400 individual medley.

Thompson posted a 3:46.78 to win the event and post the first sub-3:50 swim of the collegiate season. Michigan's Kyle Whitaker had previously held the top time with a 3:50.92. The winning time is not Thompson's lifetime best. He posted a 3:44.82 at the 2011 NCAA championships. Stanford went 2-3 as well in the race, with Bryan Offutt placing second with a 3:48.46, and Robert Hommel placing third with a 3:50.75.

The session started with a win by the California Golden Bears women's team in the 200 medley relay with a 1:39.82. San Diego State was second in 1:40.00, and Arizona State took third with a 1:40.80.

The Stanford Cardinal men's team won the men's 200 medley relay in 1:27.15, well ahead of Brigham Young's second-place time of 1:28.49. Air Force placed third with a 1:30.31.

Cailtin Leverenz, the American record holder in the 400 individual medley at 3:57.89, won the event today with a 4:10.67. She led from the start, finishing well ahead of San Diego State's Melanie Garibaldi's 4:15.24 and UCLA's Anna Senko's 4:16.44.

Carol Kuczynski of Arizona State won a close race in the women's 100 fly with a 53.37, ahead of Bianca Casciari's 53.49. Gemma Johnson of San Diego State finished third with a 53.56.

Aaron Wayne used a strong second 50 to beat Arizona State's Alex Coci in the men's 100 fly, 46.85 to 47.66. Lucas Mazzurana of Hawaii placed third with a 47.98.

Shannon Landgrebe made it two in a row in wins for the Arizona State women with a victory in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:45.81. She almost took down Dana Vollmer's meet record of 1:45.02 and nearly approached her lifetime best of 1:44.62, which she swam at the 2012 NCAA championships to place seventh. Postgrad Liv Jensen, known mostly for her 50 freestyle prowess, placed second in the race with a 1:47.14, a tick ahead of ASU's Tristin Baxter's 1:47.15.

Stanford took the top five places in the men's 200 free, led by Mitch Stoehr's 1:36.13. Second through fifth included Andrew Saeta (1:37.17), Thomas Stephens (1:37.28), Sean Duggan (1:37.55) and Burke Sims (1:38.01).

Katelyn Weddle of San Diego State led from the start to win the women's 100 breast with a 1:01.20. Carissa Metcalfe of UC-Santa Barbara placed second with a 1:02.08, and Tory Houston of ASU was third with a 1:02.56.

Nick Korth of UC-San Diego, one of the top breaststrokers at the NCAA Division II level, was victorious in the men's 100 breast today with a 54.21. He placed third in the event at last spring's NCAA championships with a 53.79. Placing second today was Paulo de Paula of Hawaii with a 54.92, and Paul Gabayeron of Hawaii was third with a 55.40.

Cheyenne Coffman, one of the most celebrated NAIA swimmers, won the women's 100 backstroke with a 53.26. She concluded her college career at Fresno Pacific last spring with a time of 52.76 to win the NAIA title. Placing second behind Coffman tonight was Berkeley freshman and Olympian Rachel Bootsma, who posted a 53.88. Bootsma's lifetime best is 50.76 from the 2011 NCSA junior nationals. Third in the event was San Diego State's Leona Jennings with a 54.04. Elizabeth Pelton, believed to be a contender for the NCAA Division I title in this event next March, was fourth with a 54.12.

Matthew Swanston of Stanford and Preston Jenkins of Brigham Young battled in the men's 100 back, with Swanston taking the win with a 47.66 to Jenkins' 47.86. Third place went to Will Gunderson of Stanford with a 48.16. David Nolan of Stanford, the reigning NCAA runner-up in the event, was fourth with a 48.48.

The 800 free relays concluded the evening, and Arizona State held off Berkeley for the win in the women's race, 7:10.79 to 7:12.59. UCLA was third with a 7:16.64. Stanford won the men's event with a 6:29.28 over Air Force's 6:37.82 and UC-San Diego's 6:38.84.

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