Georgia Fall Invitational: Cal Cruises to Sweep Invite

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Kathleen Baker. Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

By Dan D’Addona.

The Cal Golden Bears have been looking up at Georgia in the rankings all season, but knocked off the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs at their own invitational this weekend, winning the Georgia Fall Invitational.

In a meet featuring four of the top 10 teams in the country, the No. 10 Golden Bears finished with 914 points, well ahead of defending NCAA champion Georgia, which had 821. Virginia (716), Michigan (641) and Florida State (403) rounded out the top five. Cal also won the men’s half of the meet with the Bears securing a victory by a nearly 150-point margin over Georgia.

Cal’s Kathleen Baker won the 200-yard backstroke with the fastest time in the nation and Cal posted five NCAA “A” qualifying times Sunday.

Baker, the Olympic silver-medalist in the 100-meter back, touched first in 1:49.83, with All-American teammate Amy Bilquist, the reigning Pac-12 champion in the event, just behind in 1:50.06. The times are the two fastest in the country so far this year and were more than three seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Freshman Abbey Weitzeil reached the NCAA “A” cut with a 47.22 in the 100 free, which now ranks second nationally behind only winner Olivia Smoliga of Georgia, who was timed in 46.95, in a battle of Olympic teammates.

Georgia’s Chelsea Britt posted her first NCAA “A” cut of the year in the 200 butterfly as she placed fourth in 1:53.93.

The Lady Bulldogs also had an A-cut time of 3:11.19 in the 400 freestyle relay with Smoliga, Veronica Burchill, Meaghan Raab and Chantal Van Landeghem winning.

Michigan’s Rose Bi won the 1,650 freestyle in 15:51.94.

Virginia’s Laura Simon won the 200 breaststroke in 2:06.94. Kaitlyn Jones won the 200 butterfly (1:53.29) going 1-2 with Jennifer Marrkand (1:53.75).

UCLA’s Annika Lenz won platform diving with 279.40 points.

In the men’s meet, Cal’s Nick Norman won the 1,650 freestyle (14:51.89). Ryan Murphy won the 200 backstroke (1:38.65). Hunter Cobleigh won the 200 breaststroke (1:55.24).

Murphy, Michael Jensen, Justin Lynch and Andrew Seliskar won the 400 freestyle relay in 2:49.84.

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz earned his third A cut of the session as he won the 200 butterfly in 1:40.38.

Auburn’s Peter Holoda won the 100 freestyle in 42.69.

Florida State’s Dylan Grisell won platform diving with 371.35 points.

Check out full results here.

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Bill Bell

7 years ago

Rose Bi of Mjchigan, 1;51.9 for the 1650 free. Let’s see Ledecky swim that! Think you mean 15:51-plus.
I find it interestingly that two former Chinese Olympians, the Wolverines’ Bi (Rose) Yirong snd Ohio State sprinter Zhesi Li both wound up @ Bjg Ten schools — first two really top Chibese swimmers to college in U.S. since that Chinese flyer who won 200 @ 1999 NCAAs for Nevada Reno.
Wonder if this presages the appearance of other top Chinese swimmers @ U.S. Universities.
Drury has a very good Chinese woman sprinter too and Ohio State’s men’s team has a good Chinese backstroker- IMer. Chinesebdivers have competing here for years but not many Chinese swimmers have come over.
In a post yesterday I mentioned a backstroker for USC — Patrick Conaton — who I thought could havecstayed breakthrough season. Still believe that but Stanford coach Ted Knapp was quite surprised to see he’s swimming for the Trojans when in fact he’s on The Farm in Palo Alto!
The USC backstroker I was thinking of is Patrick Mulcare, who broke Trojan Olympic gold-medalist Lenny Krayzelbyrg’s 200 school record last season. Not sure if Mulcars’s reeady to go 1:35-plus in March as I expect the treble-defending NCAA champ to do — but he should end up in top half of finals.
Can’t for the life of me recall name of that guy who’s triple- defending 100-200 back champ…Ryan Lochte maybe?

Holly M

7 years ago

HI Bill,
Katie swam 15:03.92 at Ohio invitational to Rose Bi’s 15:51.74 at Georgia.
Sorry, she’s got Rose beat by ~48 seconds! Doubt we will see any
woman pass Katie for a while? fun to watch as she is posting videos
of many of her collegiate meets, which is AWESOME!