NCAA Women’s Championships: Taylor Ruck Repeats as 200 Free Champ With Swim That ‘Added Fuel to the Fire’

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships continued with the 200 freestyle.

Stanford’s Taylor Ruck is the defending champion in the event, battling back from a lot of adversity to win last year.

She took that momentum into this year and was able to repeat. Ruck is the sixth swimmer to ever repeat as NCAA champion in the 200 free.

“It is definitely cool to do the two-peat,” Taylor Ruck said. “It wasn’t my best time, but I am super happy with that result and getting those points for the team. It definitely added more fuel to the fire gearing up for next year.”

It also made Ruck reflect on last year’s struggles.

“Last year definitely was coming back from some ups and downs. This year, it was working within my place on the team and soaking it all in with my teammates, and acknowledging how special it is,” Ruck said. “Having all the feelings that go with that and trying to inspire the freshmen. It definitely was a really good year.”

Being the senior on a team loaded with young talent has been something Ruck has embraced.

“There are a lot of fifth-year grannies out there and I definitely identify as one of them,” she said. “It is so cool to see their enthusiasm remind me of the passion of why I got into swimming.”

Ruck jumped right out to an early lead on the first 50 as she continued her strategy of starting strong and holding on. She led at the 100 and kept a smooth rhythm. Ruck led still at the 150 and turned just ahead at the 175 and hung on to a late charging Brooklyn Douthwright, and Ruck’s Canadian compatriot, from Tennessee, getting the home crowd into it.

Ruck touched the wall at 1:42.36 and Douthwright was at 1:42.41. Stanford’s Kayla Wilson was third in 1:42.50.

“I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates, of course, and Greg (Meehan) and Tracy (Slusser) and them pushing me in practice every day,” Ruck said.

And sometimes, that comes with some changes.

This season, Ruck, who has scored major points in the backstroke events over the years, went into her final NCAA meet with a completely different lineup – all freestyle.

“This meet has been kind of weird. I haven’t done best times, but I have done times I am happy with. Lots of ups and downs in just a few sessions,” Ruck said. “This season, we focused more on the 50. That went OK at this meet. The consistency is there, but sometimes my backstroke is on and sometimes it is off. I guess it is off right now.”

No one has come close to Missy Franklin‘s NCAA and American record of 1:39.10 set in 2015. In fact, only Louisville’s Mallory Comerford – who won this event three times – has also been under 1:40.

But now Ruck, joins both Franklin and Comerford as back-to-back winners, giving her plenty of momentum for the quick turn around to Canadian Trials.

“It is like in a week. We will see how I can maneuver that situation,” Ruck said. “After this, I am going right to Toronto and train with the High Performance Centre. But I am trying to just keep my focus here.”

Event 10  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         Meet: M 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
     American: A 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
      US Open: O 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         Pool: P 1:41.40  12/6/2013 Missy Franklin, California
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Ruck, Taylor           SR Stanford          1:42.70    1:42.36   20  
    r:+0.71  23.23        48.99 (25.76)
        1:15.09 (26.10)     1:42.36 (27.27)
  2 Douthwright, Brooklyn  SO Tennessee         1:43.22    1:42.41   17  
    r:+0.61  23.96        49.58 (25.62)
        1:15.57 (25.99)     1:42.41 (26.84)
  3 Canny, Aimee           FR Virginia          1:42.94    1:42.50   16  
    r:+0.76  24.04        50.16 (26.12)
        1:16.18 (26.02)     1:42.50 (26.32)
  4 Wilson, Kayla          FR Stanford          1:43.27    1:42.90   15  
    r:+0.68  24.28        50.24 (25.96)
        1:16.54 (26.30)     1:42.90 (26.36)
  5 Parker, Maxine         JR Virginia          1:43.28    1:43.48   14  
    r:+0.71  24.55        50.94 (26.39)
        1:17.40 (26.46)     1:43.48 (26.08)
  6 Peplowski, Anna        SO Indiana           1:43.27    1:43.57   13  
    r:+0.71  24.52        50.80 (26.28)
        1:17.31 (26.51)     1:43.57 (26.26)
  7 Stepanek, Chloe        JR TAMU              1:43.83    1:43.76   12  
    r:+0.72  23.95        50.13 (26.18)
        1:16.82 (26.69)     1:43.76 (26.94)
  8 Hetrick, Paige         JR Louisville        1:43.90    1:44.32   11  
    r:+0.67  24.11        50.59 (26.48)
        1:17.59 (27.00)     1:44.32 (26.73)
 
                        === Consolation Final ===                        
 
  9 Webb, Abbey            JR NC State          1:44.02    1:43.48    9  
    r:+0.73  24.57        51.03 (26.46)
        1:17.51 (26.48)     1:43.48 (25.97)
 10 Atkinson, Emma         JR VT                1:44.31    1:43.58    7  
    r:+0.73  24.73        50.61 (25.88)
        1:16.93 (26.32)     1:43.58 (26.65)
 11 Pash, Kelly            SR Texas             1:43.91    1:43.61    6  
    r:+0.69  24.30        50.90 (26.60)
        1:17.26 (26.36)     1:43.61 (26.35)
 12 Fulmer, Amy            SR Ohio St           1:43.99    1:43.78    5  
    r:+0.65  24.37        50.93 (26.56)
        1:17.51 (26.58)     1:43.78 (26.27)
 13 Nikonova, Ekaterina    SO Florida           1:43.93    1:44.05    4  
    r:+0.68  24.30        50.94 (26.64)
        1:17.59 (26.65)     1:44.05 (26.46)
 14 Carlson, Abby          SO Wisconsin         1:44.27    1:44.52    3  
    r:+0.68  24.86        51.42 (26.56)
        1:17.97 (26.55)     1:44.52 (26.55)
 15 Tankersley, Morgan     SR Stanford          1:44.02    1:44.60    2  
    r:+0.68  24.57        50.92 (26.35)
        1:17.53 (26.61)     1:44.60 (27.07)
 16 Motekaitis, Mia        SR California        1:44.47    1:44.69    1  
    r:+0.73  24.79        51.42 (26.63)
        1:18.18 (26.76)     1:44.69 (26.51)
 
                Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 10                 
 
  1. Virginia                        298.5   2. Stanford                          191
  3. Texas                           181.5   4. Louisville                      158.5
  5. Florida                           118   6. Ohio St                           113
  7. NC State                          110   8. Indiana                            97
  9. California                         80  10. Lsu                                79
 11. Tennessee                          78  12. UNC                                73
 13. Georgia                          66.5  14. Alabama                            56
 15. Wisconsin                          52  16. Kentucky                           37
 16. Southern California                37  18. Virginia Tech                      25
 19. Minnesota                          24  20. Texas A&M                          19
 21. Arizona                            17  22. Miami (Fl)                         16
 23. Duke                               13  24. Arkansas                           12
 25. Michigan                           10  26. Northwestern                        9
 26. South Carolina                      9  26. Miami (Ohio)                        9
 29. Auburn                              7  29. Florida St                          7
 31. UCLA                                6  32. Arizona St                          4
 33. Utah                                2

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Swimfan

1 year ago

Congrats Taylor! Excellent mindset! Inspired by your love of the journey and close friendships you make along the way. Have fun in Toronto!