Pac-12 Weekly Recap: Katie Ledecky Breaks 2 Records in Home Debut

Katie Ledecky. Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

By Dan.D’Addona.

Stanford has been waiting for more than a year to see Katie Ledecky swim with the Cardinal cap on.

The Olympic gold medalist and face of women’s swimming made her home debut at Stanford on Thursday and didn’t disappoint.

Ledecky set two Avery Aquatic Center records and another was set by junior Simone Manuel, another Olympic gold medalist.

Stanford earned a 149-99 victory over Washington State.

The Cardinal (2-0, 2-0 Pac-12) posted the top time in all 14 events and finished 1-2 in nearly every race while showcasing a roster packed with Olympians and All-Americans.

Ledecky set the pool record in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:44.18 to eclipse Manuel’s mark of 1:44.34 from 2015. Manuel, however, found another spot in the pool record book as she finished the 100-yard freestyle in 48.00, and topped the 48.47-mark set by Lia Neal last year.

Ledecky then swam 4:36.43 in the 500-yard freestyle. She broke an eight-year-old record set by two-time Olympian Julia Smit by more than five seconds. Smit had held the standard at 4:41.74 since 2008. Ledecky’s finish is the second-fastest all-time at Stanford, trailing only legend Janet Evans, who set the school record 26 years ago at 4:34.49.

Stanford, which has won nine straight dual meets and eight in a row at home, began the meet with the top three times in the 200-yard medley relay. Ally Howe, Ella Eastin, Lindsey Engel and Ledecky were first for the Cardinal at 1:42.09.

Howe was the first to touch the wall in the 100-yard butterfly (53.93) and 200 fly (1:58.27), Eastin was tops in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.29), and Engel won the 100-yard backstroke (55.30).

Junior Janet Hu won a pair of events. She earned the top spot in the 50-yard freestyle at 22.69, and then bested the field in the 200-yard backstroke at 1:54.81.

Sophomore Kim Williams was first in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:16.61), and freshman Katie Drabot won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a winning time of 10:03.04.

Stanford and Cal at Pacific

The Stanford men’s swim team used a host of NCAA provisional cuts to finish third at the Pacific Invitational with 578 points.

Denver won the men’s meet with 788, followed by Air Force (649.5). Pacific was fourth (459), followed by Cal (317) and Fresno Pacific (269.5).

The race of the meet was Stanford’s Abraham DeVine winning the 200-yard IM in 1:48.15, barely edging Cal’s Michael Thomas (1:48.33). Both were NCAA provisional qualifying times.

Stanford’s Sam Perry won the 100 freestyle in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 44.15. Max Williamson won the 200 breaststroke (2:01.12), edging Cal’s Hunter Cobleigh (2:01.21). Tru Sweetser won the 500 freestyle (4:21.84) and the 1,650 freestyle (15:03.04) in provisional cuts. Teammate Liam Egan was second in the 1,650 (15:26.99), also a provisional cut.

Thomas, Connor Hoppe, Justin Lynch and ‘Aukai Lileikis won the 400 medley relay (3:16.89) for Cal.

Thomas won the 200 butterfly in an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:47.72. Lynch won the 100 butterfly (47.39) in a provisional cut.

Lynch, Pawel Sendyk, Dillon Williams and Hoppe won the 200 freestyle relay (1:20.93).

In the women’s meet, Pacific won with 706, followed by San Jose St. (676), Fresno State (653), Air Force (617) and Fresno Pacific (434).

Cal women defeat Washington State

The Cal women beat Washington State 155-97 on Friday.

The Golden Bears claimed 13 of 14 events, led by triple-winner Celina Li, who won the 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard breaststroke and 400-yard individual medley.

Freshmen Abbey Weitzeil, Courtney Mykkanen and Chenoa Devine earned victories in their first meet in Berkeley. Weitzeil, a two-time medalist at the Rio Olympics, is the American-record holder in the 50 freestyle won the event in 22.26. She also anchored the opening 200 medley relay to victory and swam a leg of the winning 200 free relay.

Mykkanen won the 200 backstroke in 2:00.22, and Devine cruised to a win in the 500 free in 4:53.91.

Cal also received wins from Katie McLaughlin (1,000 free), Kristen Vredeveld (100 back), Farida Osman (100 fly) and Noemie Thomas (100 fly).

UCLA dominates to win Pink Meet

The Bruins posted nine first-place finishes in their home-opening Breast Cancer Awareness meet on Saturday afternoon. Seven swimmers won, while senior Annika Lenz swept the 1- and 3-meter diving events.

Senior Katy Campbell cruised to a comfortable victory in the 1,000 freestyle (10:13.52). Linnea Mack won the 200 freestyle (1:49.43) and the 100 freestyle (50.07). Freshman Kenisha Liu won the 200 breaststroke (2:17.81).

USC tops Florida Gulf Coast, Cal St.-Bakersfield

The No. 12 USC swimming and diving teams, under a cloudless sky with 80-degree weather, turned in successful home-opening performance as the Trojan women defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 162-124, while the men downed CSU Bakersfield, 171-97.

The men’s squad improved to 3-0 overall while the women, who saw freshmen win a combined eight events, moved to 2-0.

Freshman Becca Mann, an open water national teamer, won her first home distance event by taking the 1,000-yard free in 10:01.20, more than eight seconds clear of Florida Gulf Coast’s Liz Ziegler (10:09.92). Junior Pawel Furtek won the men’s race in 9:32.25, winning by almost 20 seconds. Mann also won the 500 freestyle (4:56.09).

Freshman Tatum Wade won the 200 freestyle in 1:48.23 and the 200 breaststroke (2:16.91). Hannah Weiss (55.00) won the 100 backstroke. Sophomore Kirsten Vose won the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.52. Sophomore Maddie Wright won the 200 butterfly in 1:58.07. Hanni Leach won the 200 backstroke (2:00.27). Catherine Sanchez won the 100 butterfly (54.89 and Louise Hansson won the 200 IM (1:59.52).

Jon Knox won the 100 backstroke (50.92) and the 200 backstroke (1:50.84) to lead the men.

Arizona State at Utah

The Arizona State men’s and women’s swimming opened the regular season beating Utah, the women winning 159.9-138.5 and the men winning 168-132.

Freshmen Kendall Dawson and Chloe Isleta recorded two wins apiece in their first collegiate competition, Dawson in the 500 and 100-yard free, and Isleta in the 100 and 200-yard back.

Arizona State also swept BYU on Saturday with the men winning 189-109 and the women winning 189-107.

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Veeboy Daniels

7 years ago

Please Visit South Africa one day #fortheloveofswimming

Cornelia Gleissner

7 years ago

The girl is hot !

Kristie Wisniewski

7 years ago

She should probably have to swim in the men’s races to make things more fair. lol

Academia Natación PC

7 years ago

Ledecky rompio 2 récords en su debut con el equipo de Standford https://t.co/yZ57RT7VOJ vía https://t.co/HYqGhX9DS8

Jody Dykes

7 years ago

Why is this news? ?She does this all the time!! It’s who she is!

mark adams

7 years ago

Reply to Jody Dykes

Yep! They might as well start removing names now?

Kitt

7 years ago

Reply to Jody Dykes

I know, right!

Thomas A. Small

7 years ago

Congratulations your the best

Bill

7 years ago

Ledecky is a GOAT in the making. Pure greatness.