Paige Madden Dominates 1650 For Third Individual Win of NCAA Championships

Photo Courtesy: Mike Comer/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Virginia senior Paige Madden concluded a perfect weekend from the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships in Greensboro with her fourth title at 15:41.86 in the 1650, adding on to her wins in the 500 and 200 freestyle as well as the 800 freestyle relay. Madden stayed calm, cool and collected in the first half of the race, staying even with the field that looked like a classic in the making, with many fans remembering the men’s 2017 race where the top four all swam under the fastest time in history.

Tennessee’s Kristen Stege, Texas’ Evie Pfeifer and Michigan’s Sierra Schmidt were all within striking distance of Madden in the first half, with Michigan’s Kaitlynn Sims and Alabama’s Kensey McMahon with a chance to pounce if the pace got too fast. But Madden, much like she did during all her races this week, turned on the jets and slowly but surely scooted away from the field and won at the very end with a comfortable margin.

Pfeifer finished in second place for the Longhorns at 15:46.41 in what could be a historic day for the program, chasing their first top four finish since 2001 and first runner-up spot since 1994. Michigan’s Schmidt was third at 15:51.09 while Tennessee’s Stege was fourth at 15:52.07.

Michigan’s Sims (15:57.80) and Alabama’s McMahon (16:00.62) placed fifth and sixth as they fell off the pace on the back half.

Texas A&M’s Camryn Toney (16:04.02) and Northwestern’s Lola Mull (16:04.11) also placed in the top eight from swimming in the earlier heats.

Virginia now has five NCAA titles in the 1650, the fourth most among Division I schools, as Madden joins the likes of Cara Lane (2000, 2001) and Leah Smith (2015, 2016) as winners of the event for the Cavaliers.

Listen to Madden’s interview below:

 Event 15  Women 1650 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 15:03.31  11/18/2017Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         Meet: M 15:07.70  3/17/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
     American: A 15:03.31  11/18/2017Katie Ledecky, Stanford
      US Open: O 15:03.31  11/18/2017Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         Pool: P 15:13.30  12/6/2014 Katie Ledecky, NCAP
    Name                 Year School               Seed     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
  1 Madden, Paige          SR Virginia         15:45.45   15:41.86   20  
    r:+0.73  26.22        54.60 (28.38)
        1:23.36 (28.76)     1:52.31 (28.95)
        2:21.30 (28.99)     2:50.31 (29.01)
        3:19.23 (28.92)     3:48.24 (29.01)
        4:17.21 (28.97)     4:46.19 (28.98)
        5:15.22 (29.03)     5:44.26 (29.04)
        6:13.17 (28.91)     6:42.22 (29.05)
        7:10.95 (28.73)     7:39.77 (28.82)
        8:08.81 (29.04)     8:37.48 (28.67)
        9:06.29 (28.81)     9:34.95 (28.66)
       10:03.10 (28.15)    10:31.31 (28.21)
       10:59.44 (28.13)    11:27.62 (28.18)
       11:55.77 (28.15)    12:24.09 (28.32)
       12:52.43 (28.34)    13:20.91 (28.48)
       13:49.29 (28.38)    14:17.68 (28.39)
       14:45.94 (28.26)    15:14.27 (28.33)    15:41.86 (27.59)
  2 Pfeifer, Evie          SR Texas            15:48.65   15:46.41   17  
    r:+0.77  26.95        55.63 (28.68)
        1:24.36 (28.73)     1:53.22 (28.86)
        2:22.29 (29.07)     2:51.27 (28.98)
        3:20.42 (29.15)     3:49.58 (29.16)
        4:18.43 (28.85)     4:47.22 (28.79)
        5:16.03 (28.81)     5:44.87 (28.84)
        6:13.65 (28.78)     6:42.55 (28.90)
        7:11.40 (28.85)     7:40.24 (28.84)
        8:09.09 (28.85)     8:38.00 (28.91)
        9:06.83 (28.83)     9:35.46 (28.63)
       10:04.10 (28.64)    10:32.57 (28.47)
       11:01.17 (28.60)    11:29.77 (28.60)
       11:58.36 (28.59)    12:27.14 (28.78)
       12:55.88 (28.74)    13:24.49 (28.61)
       13:53.39 (28.90)    14:22.07 (28.68)
       14:50.58 (28.51)    15:19.04 (28.46)    15:46.41 (27.37)
  3 Schmidt, Sierra        SR Michigan         15:53.52   15:51.09   16  
    r:+0.82  26.41        54.70 (28.29)
        1:23.44 (28.74)     1:52.28 (28.84)
        2:21.27 (28.99)     2:50.37 (29.10)
        3:19.33 (28.96)     3:48.21 (28.88)
        4:17.20 (28.99)     4:46.21 (29.01)
        5:15.07 (28.86)     5:44.10 (29.03)
        6:13.06 (28.96)     6:42.14 (29.08)
        7:11.20 (29.06)     7:40.29 (29.09)
        8:09.18 (28.89)     8:37.94 (28.76)
        9:06.61 (28.67)     9:35.64 (29.03)
       10:04.51 (28.87)    10:33.13 (28.62)
       11:01.90 (28.77)    11:30.68 (28.78)
       11:59.58 (28.90)    12:28.67 (29.09)
       12:57.76 (29.09)    13:26.86 (29.10)
       13:56.09 (29.23)    14:25.43 (29.34)
       14:54.57 (29.14)    15:23.33 (28.76)    15:51.09 (27.76)
  4 Stege, Kristen         SO Tennessee        15:47.72   15:52.07   15  
    r:+0.77  25.76        54.03 (28.27)
        1:22.82 (28.79)     1:51.88 (29.06)
        2:20.91 (29.03)     2:49.94 (29.03)
        3:18.90 (28.96)     3:47.92 (29.02)
        4:17.03 (29.11)     4:46.05 (29.02)
        5:15.16 (29.11)     5:44.15 (28.99)
        6:13.26 (29.11)     6:42.25 (28.99)
        7:11.13 (28.88)     7:40.26 (29.13)
        8:09.22 (28.96)     8:38.21 (28.99)
        9:07.14 (28.93)     9:35.98 (28.84)
       10:04.67 (28.69)    10:33.64 (28.97)
       11:02.80 (29.16)    11:32.07 (29.27)
       12:01.13 (29.06)    12:30.13 (29.00)
       12:59.22 (29.09)    13:28.30 (29.08)
       13:57.56 (29.26)    14:26.89 (29.33)
       14:55.91 (29.02)    15:24.67 (28.76)    15:52.07 (27.40)
  5 Sims, Kaitlynn         SO Michigan         15:59.70   15:57.80   14  
    r:+0.85  26.85        55.30 (28.45)
        1:23.85 (28.55)     1:52.78 (28.93)
        2:21.70 (28.92)     2:50.76 (29.06)
        3:19.85 (29.09)     3:48.91 (29.06)
        4:17.73 (28.82)     4:46.71 (28.98)
        5:15.58 (28.87)     5:44.58 (29.00)
        6:13.61 (29.03)     6:42.68 (29.07)
        7:11.70 (29.02)     7:40.73 (29.03)
        8:09.75 (29.02)     8:38.92 (29.17)
        9:08.03 (29.11)     9:37.11 (29.08)
       10:06.42 (29.31)    10:35.70 (29.28)
       11:05.23 (29.53)    11:34.96 (29.73)
       12:04.21 (29.25)    12:33.71 (29.50)
       13:03.11 (29.40)    13:32.62 (29.51)
       14:01.69 (29.07)    14:31.01 (29.32)
       15:00.46 (29.45)    15:29.75 (29.29)    15:57.80 (28.05)
  6 McMahon, Kensey        JR Alabama          15:49.22   16:00.62   13  
    r:+0.77  27.01        55.83 (28.82)
        1:25.15 (29.32)     1:54.53 (29.38)
        2:23.11 (28.58)     2:52.02 (28.91)
        3:21.16 (29.14)     3:50.14 (28.98)
        4:19.04 (28.90)     4:48.13 (29.09)
        5:17.19 (29.06)     5:46.27 (29.08)
        6:15.40 (29.13)     6:44.29 (28.89)
        7:13.33 (29.04)     7:42.40 (29.07)
        8:11.52 (29.12)     8:40.32 (28.80)
        9:09.52 (29.20)     9:38.40 (28.88)
       10:07.44 (29.04)    10:36.51 (29.07)
       11:05.76 (29.25)    11:34.93 (29.17)
       12:04.37 (29.44)    12:34.06 (29.69)
       13:03.65 (29.59)    13:33.29 (29.64)
       14:02.87 (29.58)    14:32.80 (29.93)
       15:02.60 (29.80)    15:32.29 (29.69)    16:00.62 (28.33)
  7 Toney, Camryn          SR TAMU             16:06.20   16:04.02   12  
    r:+0.69  27.34        56.48 (29.14)
        1:25.78 (29.30)     1:55.23 (29.45)
        2:24.58 (29.35)     2:53.87 (29.29)
        3:23.21 (29.34)     3:52.51 (29.30)
        4:21.76 (29.25)     4:50.86 (29.10)
        5:20.03 (29.17)     5:49.29 (29.26)
        6:18.49 (29.20)     6:47.64 (29.15)
        7:16.74 (29.10)     7:45.88 (29.14)
        8:15.07 (29.19)     8:44.25 (29.18)
        9:13.41 (29.16)     9:42.69 (29.28)
       10:11.95 (29.26)    10:41.28 (29.33)
       11:10.57 (29.29)    11:39.77 (29.20)
       12:08.96 (29.19)    12:38.14 (29.18)
       13:07.53 (29.39)    13:37.03 (29.50)
       14:06.44 (29.41)    14:36.01 (29.57)
       15:05.83 (29.82)    15:35.13 (29.30)    16:04.02 (28.89)
  8 Mull, Lola             FR Northwestern     16:08.33   16:04.11   11  
    r:+0.76  27.11        56.19 (29.08)
        1:25.29 (29.10)     1:54.49 (29.20)
        2:23.85 (29.36)     2:53.39 (29.54)
        3:22.87 (29.48)     3:52.30 (29.43)
        4:21.53 (29.23)     4:51.05 (29.52)
        5:20.43 (29.38)     5:49.97 (29.54)
        6:19.53 (29.56)     6:48.98 (29.45)
        7:18.51 (29.53)     7:47.84 (29.33)
        8:17.16 (29.32)     8:46.61 (29.45)
        9:15.96 (29.35)     9:45.26 (29.30)
       10:14.51 (29.25)    10:43.87 (29.36)
       11:13.40 (29.53)    11:42.83 (29.43)
       12:12.30 (29.47)    12:41.95 (29.65)
       13:11.47 (29.52)    13:40.91 (29.44)
       14:10.02 (29.11)    14:39.21 (29.19)
       15:08.19 (28.98)    15:37.33 (29.14)    16:04.11 (26.78)
  9 Tafuto, Sally          JR Ohio St          16:08.40   16:07.36    9  
    r:+0.75  28.17        57.85 (29.68)
        1:27.58 (29.73)     1:57.63 (30.05)
        2:27.45 (29.82)     2:57.49 (30.04)
        3:27.48 (29.99)     3:57.46 (29.98)
        4:27.32 (29.86)     4:57.08 (29.76)
        5:26.75 (29.67)     5:56.20 (29.45)
        6:25.58 (29.38)     6:55.07 (29.49)
        7:24.57 (29.50)     7:53.88 (29.31)
        8:23.09 (29.21)     8:52.66 (29.57)
        9:21.85 (29.19)     9:50.99 (29.14)
       10:20.07 (29.08)    10:49.00 (28.93)
       11:17.96 (28.96)    11:47.00 (29.04)
       12:15.98 (28.98)    12:44.82 (28.84)
       13:13.75 (28.93)    13:42.66 (28.91)
       14:11.61 (28.95)    14:40.59 (28.98)
       15:09.94 (29.35)    15:39.04 (29.10)    16:07.36 (28.32)
 10 Anderson, Olivia       SR Georgia          16:03.61   16:08.22    7  
    r:+0.79  26.89        55.53 (28.64)
        1:24.85 (29.32)     1:54.22 (29.37)
        2:23.39 (29.17)     2:52.68 (29.29)
        3:21.95 (29.27)     3:51.14 (29.19)
        4:20.28 (29.14)     4:49.39 (29.11)
        5:18.41 (29.02)     5:47.59 (29.18)
        6:16.93 (29.34)     6:46.29 (29.36)
        7:15.64 (29.35)     7:45.01 (29.37)
        8:14.47 (29.46)     8:43.96 (29.49)
        9:13.63 (29.67)     9:43.16 (29.53)
       10:12.61 (29.45)    10:42.40 (29.79)
       11:11.90 (29.50)    11:41.57 (29.67)
       12:11.37 (29.80)    12:41.33 (29.96)
       13:11.07 (29.74)    13:40.82 (29.75)
       14:10.34 (29.52)    14:40.19 (29.85)
       15:09.91 (29.72)    15:39.63 (29.72)    16:08.22 (28.59)
 11 Donohoe, Maddie        SO Virginia         16:08.05   16:09.01    6  
    r:+0.69  27.10        56.50 (29.40)
        1:26.03 (29.53)     1:55.87 (29.84)
        2:25.55 (29.68)     2:55.21 (29.66)
        3:25.17 (29.96)     3:55.07 (29.90)
        4:24.98 (29.91)     4:54.85 (29.87)
        5:24.17 (29.32)     5:53.56 (29.39)
        6:23.37 (29.81)     6:53.10 (29.73)
        7:22.92 (29.82)     7:52.66 (29.74)
        8:22.01 (29.35)     8:51.19 (29.18)
        9:20.43 (29.24)     9:49.68 (29.25)
       10:19.11 (29.43)    10:48.54 (29.43)
       11:17.95 (29.41)    11:47.27 (29.32)
       12:16.58 (29.31)    12:45.64 (29.06)
       13:14.72 (29.08)    13:43.97 (29.25)
       14:13.08 (29.11)    14:42.29 (29.21)
       15:11.48 (29.19)    15:40.81 (29.33)    16:09.01 (28.20)
 12 Palsha, Peyton         SR Arkansas         15:58.42   16:09.26    5  
    r:+0.74  26.89        55.94 (29.05)
        1:25.24 (29.30)     1:54.69 (29.45)
        2:23.85 (29.16)     2:52.81 (28.96)
        3:21.98 (29.17)     3:51.16 (29.18)
        4:20.26 (29.10)     4:49.49 (29.23)
        5:18.66 (29.17)     5:48.17 (29.51)
        6:17.67 (29.50)     6:47.12 (29.45)
        7:16.53 (29.41)     7:46.17 (29.64)
        8:15.73 (29.56)     8:45.21 (29.48)
        9:14.83 (29.62)     9:44.70 (29.87)
       10:14.31 (29.61)    10:43.88 (29.57)
       11:13.53 (29.65)    11:43.36 (29.83)
       12:13.33 (29.97)    12:42.50 (29.17)
       13:12.19 (29.69)    13:41.98 (29.79)
       14:11.68 (29.70)    14:41.27 (29.59)
       15:10.94 (29.67)    15:40.56 (29.62)    16:09.26 (28.70)
 13 McNeese, Beth          SO Kentucky         16:04.07   16:11.73    4  
    r:+0.72  27.37        56.58 (29.21)
        1:25.94 (29.36)     1:55.30 (29.36)
        2:24.87 (29.57)     2:54.45 (29.58)
        3:24.03 (29.58)     3:53.79 (29.76)
        4:23.40 (29.61)     4:53.14 (29.74)
        5:22.55 (29.41)     5:52.05 (29.50)
        6:21.41 (29.36)     6:50.81 (29.40)
        7:20.00 (29.19)     7:49.06 (29.06)
        8:18.30 (29.24)     8:47.54 (29.24)
        9:16.80 (29.26)     9:46.25 (29.45)
       10:15.70 (29.45)    10:45.05 (29.35)
       11:14.74 (29.69)    11:44.34 (29.60)
       12:13.92 (29.58)    12:43.67 (29.75)
       13:13.73 (30.06)    13:43.91 (30.18)
       14:13.83 (29.92)    14:43.52 (29.69)
       15:13.31 (29.79)    15:42.78 (29.47)    16:11.73 (28.95)
 14 Geringer, Maya         FR Ohio St          16:13.58   16:11.97    3  
    r:+0.67  27.90        58.13 (30.23)
        1:28.27 (30.14)     1:58.68 (30.41)
        2:28.99 (30.31)     2:59.62 (30.63)
        3:30.00 (30.38)     4:00.39 (30.39)
        4:30.11 (29.72)     4:59.80 (29.69)
        5:29.50 (29.70)     5:59.29 (29.79)
        6:28.88 (29.59)     6:58.46 (29.58)
        7:27.92 (29.46)     7:57.07 (29.15)
        8:26.10 (29.03)     8:55.07 (28.97)
        9:24.04 (28.97)     9:53.00 (28.96)
       10:21.98 (28.98)    10:51.06 (29.08)
       11:20.03 (28.97)    11:49.04 (29.01)
       12:18.05 (29.01)    12:47.12 (29.07)
       13:16.11 (28.99)    13:45.45 (29.34)
       14:14.91 (29.46)    14:44.43 (29.52)
       15:14.01 (29.58)    15:43.50 (29.49)    16:11.97 (28.47)
 15 Nunan, Amanda          SR Tennessee        16:10.39   16:12.82    2  
    r:+0.83  27.36        56.49 (29.13)
        1:25.77 (29.28)     1:55.34 (29.57)
        2:24.86 (29.52)     2:54.61 (29.75)
        3:24.71 (30.10)     3:54.25 (29.54)
        4:23.66 (29.41)     4:53.29 (29.63)
        5:22.72 (29.43)     5:52.12 (29.40)
        6:21.60 (29.48)     6:51.10 (29.50)
        7:20.68 (29.58)     7:50.19 (29.51)
        8:19.80 (29.61)     8:49.35 (29.55)
        9:19.00 (29.65)     9:48.60 (29.60)
       10:18.06 (29.46)    10:47.52 (29.46)
       11:17.11 (29.59)    11:46.94 (29.83)
       12:16.73 (29.79)    12:46.16 (29.43)
       13:15.78 (29.62)    13:45.53 (29.75)
       14:15.11 (29.58)    14:44.72 (29.61)
       15:14.40 (29.68)    15:43.91 (29.51)    16:12.82 (28.91)
 16 Hierath, Yara          FR NC State         16:07.92   16:13.59    1  
    r:+0.78  27.29        56.26 (28.97)
        1:25.54 (29.28)     1:55.20 (29.66)
        2:24.81 (29.61)     2:54.48 (29.67)
        3:24.17 (29.69)     3:53.73 (29.56)
        4:23.27 (29.54)     4:52.96 (29.69)
        5:22.66 (29.70)     5:52.35 (29.69)
        6:22.07 (29.72)     6:51.67 (29.60)
        7:21.25 (29.58)     7:50.84 (29.59)
        8:20.30 (29.46)     8:49.79 (29.49)
        9:19.52 (29.73)     9:49.17 (29.65)
       10:18.75 (29.58)    10:48.24 (29.49)
       11:17.98 (29.74)    11:47.65 (29.67)
       12:17.40 (29.75)    12:47.29 (29.89)
       13:17.04 (29.75)    13:46.77 (29.73)
       14:16.60 (29.83)    14:46.34 (29.74)
       15:15.94 (29.60)    15:45.45 (29.51)    16:13.59 (28.14)

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15                 
 
  1. Virginia                          370   2. NC State                          242
  3. Texas                             241   4. California                        210
  5. Ohio St                         189.5   6. Alabama                           168
  7. Michigan                        157.5   8. Stanford                          140
  9. Georgia                           122  10. Kentucky                          118
 11. UNC                               114  12. Tennessee                         107
 13. Louisville                         81  14. Missouri                           79
 15. Texas A&M                          76  16. Northwestern                       75
 17. Florida                          74.5  18. Indiana                            63
 19. Southern California                42  19. Miami                              42
 21. Minnesota                          40  22. Wisconsin                          39
 23. Virginia Tech                      28  24. Arkansas                           26
 25. Nebraska                           22  26. Arizona                          17.5
 27. Georgia Tech                       16  28. Purdue                             13
 29. Lsu                                 9  30. Houston                             6
 30. San Diego St                        6  32. Duke                                4
 32. Notre Dame                          4  34. Akron                               3

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