Katie Ledecky Counts for Former Stanford Teammate at NCAA Championships

What do you do if you are the best swimmer in the world and you are back watching your former team aim for an NCAA title?

Be a counter for the mile of course.

Former Stanford national champion Katie Ledecky was the official counter in the 1650 yard freestyle for her former college teammate Leah Stevens on Saturday at the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships.

Ledecky also handed out the awards in the event, in which she holds the American and NCAA record in 15:03.31, set in 2017.

Stevens finished fourth (15:47.31) behind Penn State’s Ally McHugh (15:39.22), Ohio State’s Molly Kowal (15:44.61) and Minnesota’s Mackenzie Padington (15:47.16).

Ledecky was part of an elite training group that practiced between NCAA sessions this weekend, along with Simone Manuel, Kelsi Dahlia, Ali DeLoof, Gabby DeLoof, Madisyn Cox, Bethany Galat and Lizzi Smith.

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Sarah Norton

5 years ago

I always remember her coach telling my 13 year old daughter..that”Katie Ledecky is an even better person than swimmer “. It was a great message.

Jake Renie

5 years ago

Did she have a student-athlete deck pass? ?

Mika Costello

5 years ago

Reply to Jake Renie

I’m more interested in what the time was for the swimmer but it’s fine

Katy Dean

5 years ago

Reply to Jake Renie

Jake Renie I thought the exact same thing being well versed in on deck access rules!! I guess when you are a champion yourself you get free run of the pool deck. I would count for my daughter all the time if I could just get on deck, LOL.

Kathy Allman

5 years ago

Yesssss! Even Katie Ledecky counts!!!! I LOVE this!!!! Pay attention, teammates who seem to never be available for this task ✅
#team

Jen McColley

5 years ago

Reply to Kathy Allman

Kathy Allman YES

Mary Deshotels Courville

5 years ago

Reply to Kathy Allman

Kathy Allman ?

Tom Lombardo

5 years ago

This is why college swimming is so much fun

Erin Tobias

5 years ago

#slownewsday

Tara Garrett Houser

5 years ago

Reply to Erin Tobias

Erin Tobias nah- sometimes it’s nice to see a happy story about teamwork & friendship.

Eva Applebee

5 years ago

Class act??

Dee Loose

5 years ago

That is why she is such a great person.

Jim Densmore

5 years ago

Always. If you get asked, and you know how :-), and unless you’re about to swim too, you count for your friends. Good to see

Riccardo Guareschi

5 years ago

Stay humble ??

Ed Johnston

5 years ago

And she is just as focused as when she swims.

Adrienne Quinn Washington

5 years ago

Of course she did ❤️

Mary Deshotels Courville

5 years ago

As a mom of 2 distance swimmers, finding a counter is always a task!

Tom Turner

5 years ago

Great. Everyone she see this.

Gerry Sisson

5 years ago

Nikki Sisson Kaylee Sisson Carol LaRue Sisson. Pretty cool

5 years ago

So did Simkne

5 years ago

Reply to bs

Simone

Gary Austin

5 years ago

What does a ‘counter’ do?

Amy Hennies Priddle

5 years ago

Reply to Gary Austin

For the longer events, a counter puts a plastic flip book in the water that shows the odd numbered laps to help the swimmer keep track of where they are in the race.

Gary Austin

5 years ago

Reply to Gary Austin

Amy Hennies Priddle Thank you.

Christine Kennedy

5 years ago

Simone Manuel did too for the same race

Alexander B Gallant

5 years ago

I didn’t recognize her. That’s what champions do. Beautiful

Kady Dalbey Gaines

5 years ago

A lap counter who has swam the race knows how to do it right!

Charlene Butcher

5 years ago

role model in so many ways.

Robin Walker

5 years ago

I love reading this about her! An amazing swimmer who is a great teammate and friend as well!!

Dennis Yarbrough

5 years ago

Awesome

Kathi Heapy

5 years ago

That’s what teammates do! Right Kim Holmes O’Shea?❤️

Kim Holmes O'Shea

5 years ago

Reply to Kathi Heapy

Kathi Heapy yup!!!

Bruce Davis

5 years ago

“No one is too good to help with the lane ropes” or count! Good for her. She’s human, and a teammate. You could tell she was watching splits too.

Karen A Hayes

5 years ago

Tara, Karrah is always so grateful for Sophia counting!

Jocelyne Humbert O'Kane

5 years ago

Of course Katie did, she’s a swimmer, member of a team, and distance girls never ever disappoint.

Diane Pavelin

5 years ago

As a former distance swimmer, having a reliable counter is important. My distance swimmers usually find someone who will be on the team at least a couple years so they have the same person all the time. It’s interesting to see the bond that forms between the swimmers and their counters.

Ali Richman

5 years ago

Awesome!!!