Pacific-12 Conference Championships (Women), Day Three

FEDERAL WAY, Washington, February 24. PROPELLED by record-breaking performances, CALIFORNIA moved into the lead at the 2012 Pac-12 Women's Swimming and Men's and Women's Diving Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. USC's Victoria Ishimatsu also made history, becoming the first women's diver to win the same event four years in a row.

The Golden Bears enter the final day of competition with 961.5 points. STANFORD sits in second with 868 and USC rounds out the top three with 819. ARIZONA is fourth (782), followed by UCLA (682.5), ARIZONA STATE (556), UTAH (351), OREGON STATE (230.5) and WASHINGTON STATE (187.5).

Cal won four events, highlighted by capturing the 400-yard medley relay in a U.S. Open, NCAA and Conference record time of 3:28.26. Sophomore Cindy Tran, junior Caitlin Leverenz and senior Sara Isakovic all won individual events earlier in the evening, while anchor and senior Liv Jensen captured the 50 free on Thursday. Arizona was second with an NCAA qualifying time of 3:30.18, and Stanford finished third in 3:33.70.

Leverenz opened the evening with a win in the 400 individual medley, clocking 3:58.46. She is only the second swimmer to go under four minutes at the Conference meet. Stanford sophomore Maya DiRado (4:08.79) and USC sophomore Stina Gardell (4:04.65) finished second and third, respectively.

Isakovic won her first Pac-12 individual title, taking the 100 butterfly in 51.72. Stanford senior Sam Woodward recorded an NCAA qualifying time of 51.79 for second, while Tran was third in 52.09.

USC senior Katinka Hosszu added her sixth individual championship, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:43.15. Hosszu took over the lead from Cal's Jensen in the final 50 yards as Jensen finished second in 1:44.01. Cardinal junior Andi Murez took third (1:44.54).

Arizona State senior Rebecca Ejdervik became the first Sun Devil women's swimmer to capture three titles in the same event, winning the 100 breaststroke in 59.77. Arizona junior Ellyn Baumgardner finished second (59.79) while USC sophomore Kasey Carlson placed third in 1:00.09.

Cal's Tran won her second straight 100 backstroke crown, winning in 50.65 to break her Conference meet record of 51.22 set last year. Tran is the defending NCAA champion in the event. Arizona junior Lauren Smart was the runner-up in 52.13 while Stanford senior Betsy Webb took third (52.28).

Ishimatsu sat in second after the preliminary round of the 3-meter springboard, but scored 386.80 in the final for her seventh Conference win. Arizona State senior Elina Eggers finished second with 360.15 points while UCLA freshman Emma Ivory-Ganja broke the school record to place third with 348.75.

Arizona senior Ben Grado won his second Pac-12 title of the week, capturing the 1-meter with 405.20 points. ASU senior Cameron Bradshaw placed second (398.50) while Stanford senior Taylor Sishc was third (362.40).

The 2012 Pac-12 Championships conclude on Saturday with the women's platform preliminaries beginning the day's action at 10 a.m. PT. The remaining swimming events are the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1,650 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay. The men's platform will also be featured on the final day.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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