Abbey Weitzeil Slams Down American Record 21.02 in 50 Free at NCAAs

Photo Courtesy: Dan D'Addona

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California junior Abbey Weitzeil is on fire on Thursday night at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. After splitting the second fastest 50 free ever at 20.49 earlier in the night, Weitzeil swam a 21.02 to break her own American Record of 21.12 from 2016. Weitzeil also broke Erika Brown’s NCAA Record in the process as the latter was a 21.15 at SECs last month.

Weitzeil had held the American and US Open Record from the 2016 American Short Course Championships in this pool at the University of Texas as she finally beat that time three years later. This is Weitzeil’s first NCAA title individually as she sat behind Simone Manuel at the last two NCAAs in this event.

Weitzeil was able to beat Tennessee’s Brown as she placed second at 21.23 for the Lady Vols. The two swimmers will have one more year to go head to head at NCAAs in this event. Louisville’s Mallory Comerford, swimming in the 50 free for the first time at NCAAs, placed third at 21.49. Comerford just out-touched Michigan freshman Maggie MacNeil (21.50).

Comerford moved up to 12th all-time in a tie with MacNeil. Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin (21.51) also moved up to 14th all-time with Cal’s Amy Bilquist (21.52) in 15th.

NC State’s Ky-lee Perry (21.57) and Kylee Alons (21.89) also swam in the A-Final.

Cal now has four NCAA titles in the 50 free. Weitzeil joins the likes of Conny Van Bentum (1985) and Liv Jensen (2010, 12) as winners of the event for the Golden Bears.

All-Time List

Abbey Weitzeil, Cal, 21.02 (2019)
Erika Brown, Tennessee, 21.15 (2019)
Simone Manuel, Stanford, 21.17 (2017)
Olivia Smoliga, Georgia, 21.21 (2016)
Lara Jackson, Arizona, 21.27 (2009)
Liz Li, Ohio State, 21.28 (2018)
Farida Osman, Cal, 21.32 (2016)
Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace, Auburn, 21.34 (2011)

 Event 5  Women 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: I 21.15  20-Feb-19 Erika Brown, Tennessee
         Meet: M 21.17  16-Mar-17 Simone Manuel, Stanford
     American: A 21.12  05-Mar-16 Abbey Weitzel, Canyons Aquatics
      US Open: O 21.12  05-Mar-16 Abbey Weitzel, Canyons Aquatics
         Pool: P 21.12  05-Mar-16 Abbey Weitzeil
                 21.74  AUTO NCAA A Standard
                 22.76  CONS NCAA B Standard
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Abbey Weitzeil   JR California          21.24      21.02A        20  
    r:+0.61  10.08        21.02 (10.94)
  2 Erika Brown      JR Tennessee           21.30      21.23         17  
    r:+0.67  10.36        21.23 (10.87)
  3 Mallory Comerfo  SR Louisville          21.64      21.49         16  
    r:+0.63  10.41        21.49 (11.08)
  4 Maggie MacNeil   FR Michigan            21.49      21.50         15  
    r:+0.65  10.41        21.50 (11.09)
  5 Anna Hopkin      FR Arkansas            21.63      21.51         14  
    r:+0.65  10.40        21.51 (11.11)
  6 Amy Bilquist     SR California          21.60      21.52         13  
    r:+0.66  10.41        21.52 (11.11)
  7 Ky-lee Perry     JR NC State            21.66      21.57         12  
    r:+0.67  10.36        21.57 (11.21)
  8 Kylee Alons      FR NC State            21.87      21.89         11  
    r:+0.63  10.57        21.89 (11.32)

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 5                 
 
  1. Stanford                        135.5   2. California                        131
  3. Michigan                           97   4. Louisville                         72
  5. Southern Cali                      65   6. Texas                              64
  7. Tennessee                          59   8. NC State                           56
  9. Virginia                           44   9. Wisconsin                          44
  9. Texas A&M                          44  12. Auburn                             40
 13. Minnesota                          32  14. Arizona                          30.5
 15. Georgia                            28  16. Kentucky                         27.5
 17. Arizona St                         25  18. Ohio St                            18
 19. Duke                               16  20. Missouri                           14
 20. Arkansas                           14  22. South Carolina                   13.5
 23. Indiana                            11  24. Florida                             2
 24. UNC                                 2

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