Beata Nelson Shocks Ella Eastin in 200 IM Final, Narrowly Misses American Record

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Editorial content for the 2019 NCAA DI Championship coverage is sponsored by SwimOutlet.com. See full event coverage.

Wisconsin junior Beata Nelson stunned the field in the 200 IM final on Thursday night at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships with a 1:50.79. Nelson moved up to second all-time in the 200 IM as she narrowly missed Ella Eastin’s American Record set in 2018 of 1:50.67. Nelson’s previous best time was a 1:52.27 as she had a monster breaststroke split of 32.33, the third fastest in the field.

Eastin finished in second at 1:51.81 as she held off a hard charge from Texas A&M senior Sydney Pickrem (1:51.84). The two seniors were expected to fight for the win but ended up in second and third.

Eastin was going for a third title in this event, adding on to her titles from 2016 and 2018. But she was still able to finish in the top two all four years of her career. Eastin will keep her American Record as Nelson has one more year of college swimming to chase it down.

USC’s Louise Hansson was the early leader in the race with a 23.86 on the fly. She placed fourth for the Trojans with a 1:52.14. She moved up to ninth all-time with her swim.

Kentucky’s Asia Seidt (1:53.54), South Carolina’s Emma Barksdale (1:53.54), Tennessee’s Meghan Small (1:53.57) and Indiana’s Bailey Andison (1:54.17) also swam in the A-Final.

Nelson is just the second swimmer from Wisconsin to win an NCAA title as she joins Maggie Meyer as winners for the Badgers. Meyer won the 200 back in 2011 in this same pool at the University of Texas.

All-Time List

Ella Eastin, Stanford, 1:50.67 (2018)
Beata Nelson, Wisconsin, 1:50.79 (2019)
Kathleen Baker, California, 1:51.25 (2018)
Meghan Small, Tennessee, 1:51.62 (2019)
Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M, 1:51.66 (2019)
Caitlin Leverenz, California, 1:51.77 (2012)
Katinka Hosszu, Southern Cal, 1:51.80 (2012)
Missy Franklin, California, 1:52.11 (2015)

 Event 4  Women 200 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         NCAA: I 1:50.67  15-Mar-18 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         Meet: M 1:50.67  15-Mar-18 Ella Eastin, Stanford
     American: A 1:50.67  15-Mar-18 Ella Eastin, Stanford
      US Open: O 1:50.67  15-Mar-18 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         Pool: P 1:52.46  21-Mar-19 Ella Eastin, Stanford-PC
                 1:54.31  AUTO NCAA A Standard
                 1:59.94  CONS NCAA B Standard
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Beata Nelson     JR Wisconsin         1:52.83    1:50.79P        20  
    r:+0.77  23.94        51.61 (27.67)
        1:23.94 (32.33)     1:50.79 (26.85)
  2 Ella Eastin      SR Stanford          1:52.46    1:51.81P        17  
    r:+0.71  24.60        51.67 (27.07)
        1:24.27 (32.60)     1:51.81 (27.54)
  3 Sydney Pickrem   SR Texas A&M         1:52.75    1:51.84P        16  
    r:+0.67  25.22        53.02 (27.80)
        1:25.10 (32.08)     1:51.84 (26.74)
  4 Louise Hansson   JR USC               1:53.50    1:52.14P        15  
    r:+0.71  23.86        51.79 (27.93)
        1:25.35 (33.56)     1:52.14 (26.79)
  5 Emma Barksdale   SR South Carolina    1:53.52    1:53.54         13.5
    r:+0.66  25.03        54.18 (29.15)
        1:26.11 (31.93)     1:53.54 (27.43)
  5 Asia Seidt       JR Kentucky          1:53.51    1:53.54         13.5
    r:+0.70  24.66        51.84 (27.18)
        1:26.00 (34.16)     1:53.54 (27.54)
  7 Meghan Small     JR Tennessee         1:54.54    1:53.57         12  
    r:+0.70  24.42        52.64 (28.22)
        1:26.25 (33.61)     1:53.57 (27.32)
  8 Bailey Andison   SR Indiana           1:54.75    1:54.17         11  
    r:+0.63  24.71        54.00 (29.29)
        1:26.70 (32.70)     1:54.17 (27.47)

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 4                 
 
  1. Stanford                        130.5   2. California                         89
  3. Michigan                           75   4. Southern Cali                      65
  5. Texas                              63   6. Louisville                         56
  7. Wisconsin                          44   7. Texas A&M                          44
  9. Tennessee                          42  10. Virginia                           40
 11. Auburn                             35  12. NC State                           33
 13. Minnesota                          32  14. Arizona                          30.5
 15. Georgia                            28  16. Kentucky                         27.5
 17. Arizona St                         25  18. Ohio St                            18
 19. Missouri                           14  20. South Carolina                   13.5
 21. Indiana                            11  22. Duke                               10
 23. Florida                             2  23. UNC                                 2

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Brian Culver

5 years ago

Congrats from WISCONSIN!!!

Tammy Foerster

5 years ago

YESSSSSSS!!! WI PROUD!!

Lisa Sudenga Meyer

5 years ago

On Wisconsin! Go Beata! Congratulations!

Scott Tyacke

5 years ago

Oooowwwww!!!!

Nancy Petrick

5 years ago

#beastmode

Charlene Tallen

5 years ago

Amazing and WOW on the breastroke ??

Tim Higgins

5 years ago

Beata swam against our daughter for 12 years in the summer city league. Always knew she could go super fast in the breaststroke, too. She’s just a natural talent who can take down anyone when she’s mentally locked in. Very happy for her. Good luck in the 100 and 200 back!
Tim Higgins (Madison)

Kari Roth Humphrey

5 years ago

#onWisconsin