Kristian Ipsen’s NCAA Scoring Record Highlights Stanford’s Big Day At Pac 12 Championships

FEDERAL WAY – How do you follow up an American record at the men’s Pac 12 championships? With an NCAA scoring record from Stanford’s Kristian Ipsen to help the Cardinal hold on to their overall points lead while California and Southern California battled for second. A great tussle in the pool in the 100 breast and a close win in the 100 fly were also some of tonight’s highlights in the pool.

Team scores after day three at Pac 12 swimming championships
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400 individual medley

After breaking his 400 IM meet record in prelims with a 3:40.84, California junior Josh Prenot made it clear that he will be in the thick of the race at the NCAA championships with a 3:38.83. It’s just a bit shy of his lifetime best of 3:38.58 which he swam to place third at last year’s NCAA championships, and just off the top collegiate time so far this season of 3:38.39. It’s Prenot’s third-straight conference title in the event.

Prenot had a brief challenge from Stanford freshman Curtis Ogren, who led the race by six tenths after backstroke, 1:45.83 to 1:46.40. But Prenot’s exceptional breaststroke made the race, and Ogren settled for second with a 3:41.32 after posting a 3:41.23 in prelims for a personal best. Another freshman, Cal’s Connor Green, got his automatic NCAA qualifying time with a 3:42.23 for third. Not only has Green dropped two seconds off his lifetime best today, but he ranks 14th in the collegiate ranks so far this season.

Michael Meyer of Arizona, an NCAA finalist in this event, finished fourth with a 3:43.59. He’s been faster this season with a 3:42.90 from the Texas Invitational that should get him the nod to swim at the NCAA meet. Three swimmers posted times in the 3:46 range to make the race for fifth through seventh close. Cal’s Adam Hinshaw was fifth with a 3:46.26, Stanford’s Max Williamson took sixth with a 3:46.63 and Arizona’s Nick Thorne was seventh with a 3:46.64. Stanford’s Danny Thomson rounded out the championship final with a 3:48.05 for eighth.

With three in the championship final, Stanford’s lead in the overall points grew to 39.5 over Stanford after the 400 IM.

100 butterfly

In a field of underclassmen, California senior Seth Stubblefield was able to hold off a couple of whippersnappers to win the 100 fly. Santo Condorelli, a sophomore at Southern California, took the race out hard with a 21.11 to Stubblefield’s 21.21 after 50 yards. USC freshman Ralf Tribuntsov was also in the title hunt with a 21.28 at the 50, and the race continued to be close after 75 yards.

With a lunge for the wall, Stubblefield won with a 45.84 to Condorelli’s 45.85. Tonight’s swims marked lifetime bests for the two, and put them in the top 10 nationally heading into the NCAA championships. Tribuntsov, racing in his first short course yards championship meet after growing up in Estonia (the home of former Golden Bear Marti Aljand), was third with a 45.96. The time just missed automatic qualification, but Tribuntsov will get to swim it in Iowa in three weeks by virtue of him securing an “A” cut in the 100 back in prelims.

The rest of the field was close as well, as all six posted times within six tenths of each other. Tadas Duskinas of Arizona State finished fourth with a 46.21 to likely get an NCAA invite, while USC’s Michael Domagala was fifth with a 46.40. Stanford’s Andrew Liang (46.50), Stanford’s Connor Black (46.70) and USC’s Dylan Carter (46.80) rounded out the top eight.

Stanford’s lead grew to 55.5 points as California put only two swimmers in the top 16 compared to four for Stanford.

200 freestyle

Cristian Quintero was denied a win in the 200 free at last year’s NCAAs, but has full command over the rest of the nation in the event, thanks to a 1:32.40 tonight to win his second title of the meet.

That’s not as fast as the 1:32.28 he swam at NCAAs last year, but it is a meet record, beating the 1:32.81 he swam last year to win the event. It’s also the only swim under 1:33 in the collegiate ranks so far this season, with Blake Pieroni’s 1:33.10 now second nationally.

Long Gutierrez, who has quietly been having a standout season with the California Golden Bears, placed second in a tight race behind Quintero with a 1:34.01. Gutierrez held off Stanford’s Drew Cosgarea, who was third with a 1:34.35, and USC’s Reed Malone, who placed fourth with a 1:34.44. Notably, Malone swam a 1:34.01 in prelims this morning to earn the top seed. Stanford’s Tom Kremer attempted to match Quintero’s opening speed but couldn’t hold on at the end, placing fifth with a 1:34.66 after a 45.89 100-yard split. Thomas Stephens of Stanford was also in the mix, placing sixth with a 1:34.80.

USC’s Chad Bobrosky (1:36.33) and Utah’s Nick Soedel (1:36.66) were also in the final but posted slower times than their prelim swims.

Southern California leapfrogged over Cal in the points standings after the 200 free, but Stanford appears to be running away with the team title.

100 breaststroke

In what could be viewed as a rehearsal for the NCAA championships later this month, Arizona senior Kevin Cordes and California senior Chuck Katis had a thrilling battle in the 100 breast tonight. Though neither broke 52 seconds as expected, Cordes managed to win his third-straight conference title with a 52.18 to Katis’ 52.25. Both went faster this morning, with Katis posting a 52.00 and Cordes right behind with a 52.13. This will mark the first time that Cordes is not the top seed in the 100 breast at the NCAA championships after breaking American records or challenging them in fall championships. Cordes currently ranks eighth with his 52.04 from the Texas Invite, while Katis’ 52.00 has him sixth.

Also under 53 seconds in a major step forward in his swimming career was Southern Cal’s Andrew Malone. While no relation to teammate Reed Malone, the two are having a standout meet. Andrew Malone posted a 52.71 tonight for third after a 52.58 this morning. Connor Hoppe, who had chased the national high school record in this event as a high school senior, placed fourth with a 52.72, beating his lifetime best of 53.06.

USC’s Steven Stumph, a former national high school record holder in the event, was fifth in a 53.12. Teammate Morten Klarskov took sixth with a 53.19 while Arizona State’s Thibault Capitaine (53.23) and Christian Lorenz (53.39) rounded out the championship final field.

The USC Trojans made some inroads on Stanford in the 100 breast, cutting the Cardinal lead in the overall team points to 30.

100 backstroke

After making a statement with a 44.95 in prelims, Tribuntsov was looking to unseat reigning Pac 12 and NCAA champion Ryan Murphy of California in the final. But perhaps swimming the 100 fly about an hour earlier likely had an effect on the Estonian, as he could not replicate his astounding swim. That left the door open for Murphy to post a 44.98 to win the event, just .35 slower than the time he swam last March to win the NCAA title.

Murphy and Tribuntsov are the only swimmers under 45 seconds going into the NCAA championships. Tribuntsov posted a 45.27 to place second, barely beating out Stanford’s David Nolan and his 45.37. USC’s Luca Spinazzola was out first at the 50 with a 21.86, but faded to fourth with a 45.50. The top four all earned automatic bids to the NCAA championships, with Nolan getting his second “A” cut of the meet.

Jacob Pebley, who will be more of a force in tomorrow’s 200 back, placed fifth with a 46.43 as the only swimmer in the 46-second range. Behind him in a tie for sixth were California’s Sven Campbell and Stanford’s Ryan Arata with times of 47.01. Notably, California’s Kyle Gornay also posted a 47.01 to win the B final.

Patrick Conaton of Stanford was eighth with a 47.61.

California regained second place by 6.5 points over USC in the team standings after the 100 back, with Stanford comfortably in the lead by 35.5 points.

3-meter diving

Stanford got a big boost with a 1-2 finish in the 3-meter springboard diving, which was held last week. Kristian Ipsen, a prodigy (and Olympic medalist) in this event, didn’t wait for the NCAA championships to showcase his amazing talent, breaking David Boudia’s 2010 NCAA record of 494.90 with 520.40 points. He saved his best for last, scoring an astounding 105 points on a reverse 1-1/2 somersault with 3-1/2 twists. Not many people score more than 100 points on a single dive, and Boudia will be looking to beat the unofficial record of 111 points by Boudia at NCAAs, or maybe at the zone diving meet.

Well back in second – and scoring crucial points – was Stanford’s Brad Christensen, who posted a score of 457.15. He was able to hold off Arizona’s Rafael Quintero, who scored 447.05 for third. Jacob Crayne of Utah finished fourth to mark the other final score about 400 points with 438.95.

With the 1-2 placing, Stanford holds a 41-point lead over USC, who regained second thanks to zero points scored in diving by California.

400 medley relay
California came into the event as the defending Pac 12 and NCAA champions, but after finishing second to the Golden Bears in the 200 medley relay, Southern California wanted the win in the 400 medley relay. The race was tight through the butterfly leg, with Murphy posting a 45.18 on backstroke to Tribuntsov’s 45.30 about 30 minutes after the 100 back final. Cal held on to the lead in breaststroke and butterfly, but Tyler Messerschmidt’s 42.61 on the freestyle leg for Cal was not enough for the monster 41.69 from USC’s Quintero. The Trojans posted a 3:04.80, which is second in the nation behind the 3:04.22 by Alabama. California, using three of the four swimmers from last year’s national title squad (though putting Stubblefield on butterfly instead of freestyle), was second with a 3:05.38. That’s fifth in the nation going into the NCAA championships.

David Nolan proved that he can do anything, and he posted the fastest breaststroke split of the event with a 51.78 to help Stanford place third with a 3:07.35. Arizona, which boasted one of the fastest 400 medley relays in history with a 3:02.09 in 2013, was never in the race today and was fourth in 3:09.20. Arizona State nearly took down the Wildcats with a 3:09.71 for fifth. Utah, still looking for a relay qualification bid to the NCAAs, took sixth with a 3:12.97.

2015 Men’s Pac 12 Championships: Day Three Finals – Results