Brooke Forde Drops Huge 4:31 in 500 Free For First Individual NCAA Title

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Stanford sophomore Brooke Forde won her very first individual NCAA title in the 500 free on Thursday night at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships with a 4:31.34 to move up to fifth all-time in the event.

Forde anchored Stanford’s 800 free relay on Wednesday night in Austin as that was her second relay national title. She was on the same winning relay in 2018. Forde also accidentally did an extra 50 last night on the end of Stanford’s 800 free relay and joked that she was excited to swim the 500 today with lap counters. She correctly counted her race tonight.

Forde was in a battle with fellow sophomore Paige Madden of Virginia as those two were leading the field and distanced themselves away from the pack. The two were dead even at 400 but Forde dropped a huge last 100 at 53.52 as she pulled away from Madden, who swam a 4:32.98 for the runner-up spot. Madden moved up to 12th all-time with her swim.

Minnesota’s Mackenzie Padington (4:35.21) had the fastest last 50 in the field with a 26.21 on the final 50 to steal third place from Arizona State’s Cierra Runge (4:35.39), who placed fourth.

Minnesota’s Chantal Nack (4:35.88), Stanford’s Lauren Pitzer (4:36.57), Texas’ Evie Pfeifer (4:37.09) and Georgia’s Courtney Harnish (4:37.61) also placed in the A-Final.

Stanford now has 10 NCAA titles in the 500, the most of any school. Forde joins the likes of Marybeth Linzmeier (1982-84), Janet Evans (1990, 91), Lisa Jacob (1993) and Katie Ledecky (2017, 18) as winners of the event for the Cardinal.

All-Time List

Katie Ledecky, Stanford, 4:24.06 (2017)
Leah Smith, Virginia, 4:28.90 (2017)
Katie Hoff, North Baltimore, 4:30.47 (2007)
Dagny Knutson, ASK, 4:31.18 (2009)
Brooke Forde, Stanford, 4:31.34 (2019)
Cierra Runge, Cal, 4:31.90 (2015)
Allison Schmitt, Pitchfork, 4:32.08 (2015)
Brittany MacLean, Georgia, 4:32.53 (2014)

 Event 3  Women 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: I 4:24.06  16-Mar-17 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         Meet: M 4:24.06  16-Mar-17 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
     American: A 4:24.06  16-Mar-17 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
      US Open: O 4:24.06  16-Mar-17 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         Pool: P 4:32.08  05-Mar-15 Allison Schmitt
                 4:36.30  AUTO NCAA A Standard
                 4:47.20  CONS NCAA B Standard
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Brooke Forde     SO Stanford          4:34.97    4:31.34P        20  
    r:+0.73  25.48        52.92 (27.44)
        1:20.61 (27.69)     1:48.30 (27.69)
        2:15.99 (27.69)     2:43.54 (27.55)
        3:10.89 (27.35)     3:37.82 (26.93)
        4:04.65 (26.83)     4:31.34 (26.69)
  2 Paige Madden     SO Virginia          4:35.65    4:32.98         17  
    r:+0.72  25.54        52.94 (27.40)
        1:20.51 (27.57)     1:48.23 (27.72)
        2:15.85 (27.62)     2:43.35 (27.50)
        3:10.57 (27.22)     3:37.58 (27.01)
        4:05.19 (27.61)     4:32.98 (27.79)
  3 Mackenzie Padin  SO Minnesota         4:35.70    4:35.21         16  
    r:+0.75  25.19        52.86 (27.67)
        1:21.06 (28.20)     1:49.39 (28.33)
        2:17.68 (28.29)     2:45.88 (28.20)
        3:14.03 (28.15)     3:41.60 (27.57)
        4:09.00 (27.40)     4:35.21 (26.21)
  4 Cierra Runge     JR Arizona St        4:34.64    4:35.39         15  
    r:+0.79  25.20        52.78 (27.58)
        1:20.58 (27.80)     1:48.59 (28.01)
        2:16.70 (28.11)     2:44.53 (27.83)
        3:12.59 (28.06)     3:40.37 (27.78)
        4:08.37 (28.00)     4:35.39 (27.02)
  5 Chantal Nack     SR Minnesota         4:35.47    4:35.88         14  
    r:+0.67  25.42        53.15 (27.73)
        1:21.25 (28.10)     1:49.51 (28.26)
        2:17.79 (28.28)     2:45.93 (28.14)
        3:14.16 (28.23)     3:42.05 (27.89)
        4:09.53 (27.48)     4:35.88 (26.35)
  6 Lauren Pitzer    SO Stanford          4:35.80    4:36.57         13  
    r:+0.72  25.72        53.43 (27.71)
        1:21.50 (28.07)     1:49.63 (28.13)
        2:17.98 (28.35)     2:45.86 (27.88)
        3:13.91 (28.05)     3:41.89 (27.98)
        4:09.80 (27.91)     4:36.57 (26.77)
  7 Evie Pfeifer     SO Texas             4:36.04    4:37.09         12  
    r:+0.75  25.38        52.94 (27.56)
        1:21.08 (28.14)     1:49.18 (28.10)
        2:17.24 (28.06)     2:45.52 (28.28)
        3:13.75 (28.23)     3:41.86 (28.11)
        4:09.71 (27.85)     4:37.09 (27.38)
  8 Courtney Harnis  SO Georgia           4:37.30    4:37.61         11  
    r:+0.79  25.76        53.54 (27.78)
        1:21.95 (28.41)     1:50.01 (28.06)
        2:18.08 (28.07)     2:46.33 (28.25)
        3:14.08 (27.75)     3:42.06 (27.98)
        4:10.07 (28.01)     4:37.61 (27.54)

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 3                 
 
  1. Stanford                        113.5   2. Michigan                           75
  3. California                         74   4. Texas                              63
  5. Louisville                         56   6. Southern Cali                      50
  7. Virginia                           35   8. Minnesota                          32
  9. Arizona                          30.5  10. NC State                           30
 11. Auburn                             28  11. Georgia                            28
 13. Texas A&M                          27  14. Tennessee                          26
 15. Arizona St                         25  16. Wisconsin                          24
 17. Ohio St                            18  18. Missouri                           14
 18. Kentucky                           14  20. Duke                               10
 21. UNC                                 2

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