UCLA — Yes, UCLA — Wins Women’s Pac-10 Title; Coughlin Lowers Her American Record in the 100 Free

FEDERAL WAY, Wash., March 1. WHEN UCLA women's swim coach Cyndi Gallagher left the King County Aquatic Center here two years ago following the conclusion of the Pac-10 Championships, she had a very unsettling feeling,

Her Bruins were classified as runners-up to Arizona in the team race, but Gallagher undoubtedly thought otherwise.

After a rescoring of the diving events, the Bruins were declared champions, their first (and to that point) only Pac-10 title.

However, when Gallagher left here tonight, there was no question as to who was the champ, as UCLA won its second title in three years with a solid 1399-1308 victory over heavily-favored Stanford.

The Bruins accomplished their feat in what can safely be described as "unorthodox" fashion: they did it without winning a single event!

Coach Mark Schubert's Women of Troy, who had the most individual winners (five plus gold in the 800 free relay) were third with 1138, followed by Arizona and Cal rounding out the top five teams.

On the final night's action, two meet records tumbled beneath the King County Aquatic Center waves, and one of them happens to be an American record too,

That honor belongs to the Swimmer of the Meet for the third-consecutive year, Cal's Natalie Coughlin, who broke her own American/NCAA 100 free standard (47.47 from last season's NCAAs at Texas) with a stunning 47.42.

And she didn't have to lead off the relay to do it either!

(Last year in Austin at NCAAs, Coughlin led off Cal's 400 free relay and set the 100 free record. Her time [47.47] broke the American/NCAA mark of 47.56 that Georgia's Maritza Correia had swum only moments earlier while winning the 100 free race itself.

(However, Coughlin swam the 200 back at NCAAs on the final day last season, setting the current American/ NCAA-record of 1:49.52 in the process. So…her only chance at the 100 free record was in the relay.

(Coughlin has now broken American/NCAA records in the 100-200 frees and the 200 fly this season, and the collegiate championships are still three weeks away!)

When Coughlin went that 47.47 at Texas her opening 50 was a mind-blowing 22.75, a time that would have won NCAAs not too long ago. Tonight she was a tad slower going out (23.05) but came home in 24.37 versus 24.72.

(Correia swam an SEC-record 47.49 at Auburn a week ago during that meet, her pr and history's third-fastest century. She also won the 50 free in 21.93 with an SEC record- and nation-leading 21.92 in the prelims. Coughlin won the 50 free here in a Pac-10 meet-record 22.05, .04 off the all-time Pac-10 record of 22.01 by Stanford's Catherine Fox.)

The other meet standard to fall was the 200 breast, where Stanford's Tara Kirk — who broke her own American/NCAA record in the 100 breast last night (58.41) — won in 2:07.37, an oh-so-close .01 off her American/NCAA-record 2:07.36 from Austin.

* * * * *

As noted above, the Bruins won their championship the hard way with nary a single individual and/or relay victory to their credit. But the name of the game is scoring points, and the Bruins had enough finalists and consol finalists to score the requisite number of points to win the title.

The Bruins had one of their best days ever (if not the best) in the 17-year-history of the Pac-10 Championships, having at least one swimmer in every race and taking the bronze in the 400 freestyle relay.

Distance specialiast Jackie Lobdell, a finalist in the 500 free Thursday evening, went a pr 16:32.28 for sixth place in the 1650 free to initiate the Bruin run.

Backstroker Taylor Spivery, a transfer from Auburn, then won the bronze in the 200 back with a seasonal-pr and NCAA "B" cut 1:58.08. Teammate Naoko Watanabe also made the "B" cut with per pr 1:59.89, good for seventh.

In the 100 free, junior Sara Platzer, who was runner-up to Coughlin in the 50 free, was third with a pr and Bruin record 49.28. Interestingly, Platzer is a former prep All-America from nearby Seattle and former state sprint record-holder.

Bruin sophomore Malin Svahnstrom, third in the 200 IM and fifth in the 200 free the first two days, added a sixth in the 100 free for more Bruin points.

In the 200 breast, Brooke Winkler scored an eighth with a "B' cut 2:15.96.

Then came the clincher in the 200 fly. Freshman Kim Vandenberg finished runner-up to USC senior Michala Kwasny (1:55.75-pr 1:55.89) and teammate Kristen Lewis scored a fifth (pr 1:57.75). The top seven finishers all made the NCAA "A" cut of 1:58.98.

Vandenberg trailed in third after the initial 100, behind both Kwasny and Stanford froshwoman Dana Kirk, Tara's sister. But a fast 1:00.17 final 100 gave her the silver, and her time was just .05 off the Bruin record of 1:55.84 by former All-America Annette Salmeen from the 1996 NCAAs.

The Bruins also scored two divers in the platform final, with Regan Gosnell winning the bronze and teammmate Jen McNally taking eighth.

The 400 free relay saw the Bruins finish third and the championship was theirs, no "ifs' "ands" or "buts" about it!

* * * * *

While Coughlin and Kirk were grabbing the headlines with their record-breaking exploits, USC sophomore Kaitlin Sandeno was a triple gold-medalist herself — taking No. 1s in the 500 free, 400 IM and 1650 frees — all in "A" cuts too.

Her 500 free (4:39+) ranks her No. 2 nationally to SMU's defending NCAA champ Flavia Rigamonti's 4:38+ from this weekend's WAC Championships. In the 400 IM, she's No. 3. The list-leader is Auburn's defending champ Maggie Bowen, who went a Southeastern Conference record 4:05.82 at home last weekend during SECs. SMU's
Slovenian import, ALenka Kejzar, who swam a 4:07.5 two days ago at the WAC meet, is second.

In the 1650 free, Sandeno ranks second behind SMU's Flavia Rigamonti, whose 15:40 tonight was only one second off former Stanford star Janet Evans' American/ NCAA standard. Sandeno's time was less than a second off the meet record of 15:53.77 by Evans from 13 years ago. Three weeks after that swim, Evans set the current American/NCAA record of 15:39.14 at the collegiate championships in Austin.

Sandeno's pr is 15:49.27 from the Speedo Challenge meet at Belmont Plaza two years ago. That time ranks her as the race's eighth-fastest performer (tenth-best performance).

Sandeno was suffering from back spasms at last year's Pac-10s but she's healthy now and the Trojan coach believes she has a big NCAAs ahead of her.

Other competitors who fared well this weekend included Arizona's Beth Botsford, who won her second gold with victory in the 200 back after having won the 100; Washington's Kim Harada, who followed up her upset win in the 200 free with a runner-up finish and Husky record 49.15 in the 100 free; Arizona State's Agnes Kovacs, second to Kirk in both breaststrokes with her 200 (2:08.82) ranking second nationally; Cal freshman Helen Silver, who was second in the 200 back with a pr and "B" cut 1:58.08; and USC's Margie Pedder, a freshman and British Olympian who was third in the 500 free and second in the mile.

Kwasny also starred, winning the 200 IM-200 fly and taking second in the 400 IM.

For the second-consecutive year, USC dver Blythe Hartley swept the boards. She's also defending NCAA champ on the 1-meter and platform.

2003 PAC-10 WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
KING COUNTY AQUATIC CENTER
FEDERAL WAY, WA.
MARCH 1, 2003

25 YD. POOL

FINAL TEAM SCORES

1. UCLA (1399)
2. Stanford (1308)
3. USC (1138)
4. Arizona (1013)
5. California (940.5)
6. Arizona State (765)
7. Washington (578.5)
8. Oregon State (544)
9. Washington State (299)

DAY 3 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

**American/NCAA-record

*Meet Record

Event 15 Women 1650 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 15:39.14 1990 Janet Evans, STAN
American: * 15:39.14 1990 Janet Evans, Stanford
Meet Record: ! 15:53.77 1990 Janet Evans, STAN
16:27.53 2A-A
16:57.15 2A-B
Name Year School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Sandeno, Kaitlin S USC 16:04.08 15:54.41 2A-A
26.92 28.89 28.82 28.87 29.08 29.15 28.93 29.01
29.05 29.05 29.05 29.04 28.98 28.92 29.20 29.06
29.02 29.07 28.76 28.96 29.18 29.16 29.10 29.30
29.26 29.15 29.19 29.22 29.11 28.93 28.93 28.79
27.26
2 Pedder, Margie USC 16:35.46 16:04.94 2A-A
27.90 28.99 29.26 29.53 29.17 29.39 29.57 29.45
29.37 29.42 29.30 29.42 29.33 29.24 29.39 29.31
29.28 29.33 29.22 29.35 29.26 29.39 29.23 29.30
29.23 29.25 29.33 29.34 29.37 29.56 29.39 29.33
27.74
3 Sandlund, Asa K USC 16:21.75 16:22.12 2A-A
28.41 29.87 29.90 29.93 29.89 29.92 29.93 29.87
29.72 29.78 29.61 29.53 29.80 29.70 29.74 29.76
29.63 29.69 29.76 29.86 29.85 29.72 30.02 29.81
30.20 30.07 29.96 29.79 29.89 29.95 29.52 29.77
29.27
4 Higashijima, Naya OSU 16:51.31 16:27.59 2A-B
28.48 30.26 30.35 30.39 30.46 30.40 30.28 30.22
29.95 30.07 30.00 30.13 30.16 30.03 30.11 30.10
30.08 30.06 29.89 29.84 30.04 29.81 29.83 30.00
29.89 29.82 29.65 29.61 29.74 29.86 29.75 29.66
28.67
5 Galloway, Joy C USC 16:46.38 16:27.79 2A-B
28.08 29.89 29.60 29.73 29.74 29.77 29.86 29.89
30.07 29.66 29.69 29.94 29.99 29.86 30.01 29.90
29.98 29.86 29.91 30.31 30.08 30.28 30.08 30.24
30.36 30.17 30.42 30.40 30.19 30.11 30.29 30.31
29.12
6 Lobdell, Jackie A UCLA 16:50.06 16:32.21 2A-B
27.56 30.28 30.19 30.25 30.11 30.04 30.06 30.21
30.00 29.98 30.15 30.00 30.14 30.18 30.17 30.34
30.17 30.15 30.28 30.39 30.43 30.39 30.44 30.39
30.35 30.15 30.24 30.15 30.21 29.98 30.07 29.95
28.81
7 Hennesey, Kathryn ASU 16:53.92 16:32.90 2A-B
27.33 29.31 29.95 30.25 30.14 30.20 30.17 30.41
30.25 29.95 30.24 29.97 30.16 30.05 30.17 30.11
30.21 30.17 30.11 30.08 30.19 30.18 30.12 30.21
30.29 30.21 30.25 30.30 30.54 30.65 30.48 30.48
29.77
8 Tiedeman, Kate M CAL 16:43.75 16:37.38 2A-B
27.64 29.53 30.01 30.15 30.24 30.20 30.12 30.24
30.26 30.43 30.58 30.43 30.44 30.48 30.37 30.64
30.71 30.60 30.71 30.17 30.37 30.50 30.54 30.63
30.59 30.51 30.63 30.62 30.52 30.50 30.24 29.93
27.85

Event 16 Women 200 Yard Backstroke
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 1:49.52 2002 Natalie Coughlin, CAL
American: * 1:49.52 2002 Natalie Coughlin, California
Meet Record: ! 1:50.90 2002 Natalie Coughlin, CAL
1:57.70 2A-A
2:01.23 2A-B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
===============================================================================
A – Final
8 Botsford, Beth A UA 1:57.63 1:55.24 2A-A
27.78 29.30 28.91 29.25
2 Silver, Helen E CAL 1:57.81 1:58.08 2A-B
27.78 29.69 30.46 30.15
2 Spivey, Taylor T UCLA 1:58.45 1:58.08 2A-B
27.74 29.92 30.31 30.11
4 Manitt, Julie M UA 1:58.91 1:58.33 2A-B
28.22 29.91 30.32 29.88
5 Kozak, Marisa A USC 2:00.03 1:58.60 2A-B
28.38 30.31 30.21 29.70
6 Hayes, Jessica M UA 1:59.11 1:58.69 2A-B
28.37 29.84 30.15 30.33
7 Watanabe, Naoko UCLA 2:00.12 1:59.89 2A-B
28.77 30.29 30.41 30.42
8 Wagner, Amy I STAN 2:00.63 2:12.81
30.08 34.03 34.52 34.18

Event 17 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 47.47 2002 Natalie Coughlin, CAL
American: * 47.47 2002 Natalie Coughlin, California
Meet Record: ! 48.99 1992 Jenny Thompson, STAN
49.63 2A-A
51.11 2A-B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
===============================================================================
A – Final
1 Coughlin, Natalie CAL 48.32 47.42**2A-A
23.05 24.37
2 Harada, Kim E UW 49.17 49.15 2A-A
23.80 25.35
3 Platzer, Sara C UCLA 49.68 49.28 2A-A
23.71 25.57
4 Boutwell, Lacey A STAN 49.77 49.83 2A-B
24.23 25.60
5 Szigeti, Florencia ASU 50.49 50.00 2A-B
24.21 25.79
6 Svahnstrom, Malin UCLA 50.24 50.03 2A-B
24.32 25.71
7 Hedenskog, Claire ASU 50.52 50.23 2A-B
24.03 26.20
8 Jones, Sarah M STAN 50.80 50.95 2A-B
24.15 26.80

Event 18 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 2:07.36 2002 Tara Kirk, STAN
American: * 2:07.36 2002 Tara Kirk, Stanford
Meet Record: ! 2:07.75 2002 Agnes Kovacs, ASU
2:14.23 2A-A
2:18.25 2A-B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
===============================================================================
A – Final
1 Kirk, Tara J STAN 2:10.31 2:07.37*2A-A
28.62 32.17 33.07 33.51
2 Kovacs, Agnes ASU 2:11.20 2:08.82 2A-A
29.36 32.64 32.96 33.86
3 Steven, Birte OSU 2:11.75 2:11.45 2A-A
29.78 33.60 33.76 34.31
4 Caverly, Kristen J STAN 2:14.49 2:12.96 2A-A
30.37 33.52 34.27 34.80
5 Miller, Kamren A USC 2:13.07 2:14.15 2A-A
29.98 33.91 34.80 35.46
6 Miller, Marcelle M CAL 2:15.89 2:15.06 2A-B
30.87 33.97 34.67 35.55
7 Copland, Jane M WSU 2:16.11 2:15.71 2A-B
31.42 34.37 34.61 35.31
8 Winkler, Brooke E UCLA 2:16.78 2:15.96 2A-B
31.29 34.04 34.88 35.75

Event 19 Women 200 Yard Butterfly
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 1:51.91 2002 Natalie Coughlin, CAL
American: * 1:51.91 2002 Natalie Coughlin, California
Meet Record: ! 1:53.50 2002 Shelly Ripple, STAN
1:58.98 2A-A
2:02.54 2A-B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
===============================================================================
A – Final
1 Kwasny, Michala L USC 1:57.17 1:55.75 2A-A
25.99 29.20 29.68 30.88
2 Vandenberg, Kim UCLA 1:56.99 1:55.89 2A-A
26.55 29.17 30.10 30.07
3 Kirk, Dana J STAN 1:56.92 1:56.02 2A-A
25.38 29.23 30.25 31.16
4 Krohn, Jana L USC 1:57.91 1:57.13 2A-A
26.50 29.33 30.19 31.11
5 Lewis, Kristen J UCLA 1:58.90 1:57.65 2A-A
26.74 29.81 30.47 30.63
6 Pedder, Margie USC 1:58.22 1:58.34 2A-A
27.36 30.21 30.39 30.38
7 Higashijima, Naya OSU 1:58.07 1:58.76 2A-A
27.45 29.72 30.45 31.14
8 Hilyard, Anissa V UW 2:00.78 2:01.06 2A-B
27.57 30.26 30.96 32.27

Event 20 Women Platform Diving
===============================================================================
Meet Record: ! 628.35 1999 Erin Sones, STAN
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
===============================================================================
Finals
1 Hartley, Blythe USC 493.10 J489.20
2 Fusaro, Nicci USC 451.70 J434.85
3 Gosnell, Regan UCLA 439.75 J443.95
4 Murphy, McKenze STAN 414.80 J435.15
5 Febvay, Claire UA 395.85 J427.35
6 Tumlinson, Trisha ASU 384.10 J454.05
7 Bowling, Sara STAN 370.05 J365.25
8 McNally, Jen UCLA 367.25 J359.70

Event 21 Women 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
===============================================================================
NCAA Rec: # 3:13.71 2002 Georgia, Georgia
American: * 3:13.71 2002 Georgia, Georgia
Meet Record: ! 3:17.20 1998 ARIZ, ARIZ
Edwards, Loveless, Jorgensen, Thompson
3:20.26 2A-A
3:26.26 2A-B
School Seed Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Stanford University 'A' 3:22.52 3:19.82 2A-A
1) Boutwell, Lacey A 2) Jones, Sarah M
3) Daly, Ashley L 4) Baumgartner, Megan E
24.13 49.69 23.45 49.87 24.07 49.92 23.77 50.34
2 University of California/Berk 'A' 3:19.37 3:19.90 2A-A
1) Harper, Michelle M 2) Coughlin, Natalie A
3) Becks, Danielle Y 4) Bingaman, Cheryl A
24.59 51.07 22.87 47.59 24.03 50.40 24.13 50.84
3 Univ of Calif/Los Angeles 'A' 3:22.19 3:20.49 2A-B
1) Vandenberg, Kim 2) Smart, Lindsey I
3) Svahnstrom, Malin 4) Platzer, Sara C
24.18 49.95 24.45 51.27 24.10 50.45 23.31 48.82
4 Arizona State University 'A' 3:20.14 3:21.52 2A-B
1) Szigeti, Florencia 2) Banovic, Petra
3) Hedenskog, Claire 4) Mauro, Florence
24.18 50.54 24.08 50.57 23.01 49.38 24.32 51.03
5 University of Washington 'A' 3:25.85 3:21.71 2A-B
1) Olson, Sharon A 2) Harada, Kim E
3) Liu, Liya W 4) Staubitz, Melody A
24.72 51.55 23.25 48.92 23.80 49.98 24.18 51.26
6 University of Arizona 'A' 3:23.25 3:22.26 2A-B
1) Hayes, Jessica M 2) Gresdal, Jenna M
3) Smith, Marshi L 4) Willis, Katie J
24.32 50.60 24.18 50.70 24.09 50.68 23.80 50.28
7 University of Southern Califor 'A' 3:23.40 3:25.24 2A-B
1) Kwasny, Michala L 2) Krohn, Jana L
3) Galloway, Joy C 4) Pedder, Margie
24.60 51.27 23.81 50.13 24.13 51.73 25.16 52.11
8 Oregon State University 'A' 3:28.77 3:27.74
1) Huston, Kristin L 2) Pacebutaite, Ausra
3) Kinney, Christina D 4) Steven, Birte
24.44 51.34 24.66 52.01 24.86 52.14 25.29 52.25

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