Paige Madden Takes Second Win of NCAAs With 200 Freestyle; Virginia Rolling

Photo Courtesy: Luke Jamroz Photography

Paige Madden seemingly does not get tired. Once the Virginia senior grabbed the lead in the 200 freestyle final, it was all over for the rest of the field as she showed no signs of slowing down or letting up as she won her second title of the meet with a 1:42.35.

Madden flipped first at the 100 at 49.73 with some pressure from Texas’ Kelly Pash (49.94) and the rest of the field in tow. But Pash had fallen off after the 150 turn, where Madden split a 25.91, faster than anyone in the field by a half second. Pash ended up getting out-touched at the finish with a 1:43.50 with Florida’s Talia Bates in second at 1:43.49.

Bates has had a big year for the Gators, who are trying to reach the top ten as a team. The two freshmen in the field, Chloe Stepanek of Texas A&M (1:43.82) and Alex Walsh of Virginia (1:44.12) finished fourth and fifth as this event could get a lot faster in the next few years. Bates and Pash are also sophomores and certainly will leave the 200 free title up for grabs next year.

Cal’s Robin Neumann (1:44.26), Kentucky’s Riley Gaines (1:44.67) and Georgia’s Courtney Harnish (1:45.52) also swam in the championship final.

This is Virginia’s first NCAA title in the 200 freestyle and the fourth straight for the Atlantic Coast Conference as Louisville’s Mallory Comerford won the last three.

? Second individual event, second NCAA title for Paige Madden! She wins the 200 free in 1:42.35! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/F38RovCrXy

— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) March 19, 2021

 Event 10  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         Meet: M 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
     American: A 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
      US Open: O 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         Pool: P 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Madden, Paige          SR Virginia          1:43.03    1:42.35   20  
    r:+0.70  24.13        49.73 (25.60)
        1:15.64 (25.91)     1:42.35 (26.71)
  2 Bates, Talia           SO Florida           1:43.28    1:43.49   17  
    r:+0.69  23.92        50.16 (26.24)
        1:17.06 (26.90)     1:43.49 (26.43)
  3 Pash, Kelly            SO Texas             1:43.45    1:43.50   16  
    r:+0.69  23.98        49.94 (25.96)
        1:16.46 (26.52)     1:43.50 (27.04)
  4 Stepanek, Chloe        FR Texas A&M         1:44.23    1:43.82   15  
    r:+0.67  24.29        50.70 (26.41)
        1:17.37 (26.67)     1:43.82 (26.45)
  5 Walsh, Alex            FR Virginia          1:43.61    1:44.12   14  
    r:+0.75  24.02        50.22 (26.20)
        1:17.02 (26.80)     1:44.12 (27.10)
  6 Neumann, Robin         SR California        1:43.73    1:44.26   13  
    r:+0.64  24.39        50.65 (26.26)
        1:17.39 (26.74)     1:44.26 (26.87)
  7 Gaines, Riley          JR Kentucky          1:44.06    1:44.67   12  
    r:+0.67  24.48        50.67 (26.19)
        1:17.45 (26.78)     1:44.67 (27.22)
  8 Harnish, Courtney      SR Georgia           1:44.32    1:45.52   11  
    r:+0.78  24.53        51.08 (26.55)
        1:18.25 (27.17)     1:45.52 (27.27)
 
                        === Consolation Final ===                        
 
  9 Haebig, Autumn         SR Nebraska          1:45.74    1:44.39    8  
    r:+0.79  25.19        51.84 (26.65)
        1:18.29 (26.45)     1:44.39 (26.10)
  9 Scott, Morgan          JR Alabama           1:45.61    1:44.39    8  
    r:+0.68  24.10        50.64 (26.54)
        1:17.70 (27.06)     1:44.39 (26.69)
 11 Spitz, Ayla            SO California        1:44.47    1:45.17    6  
    r:+0.73  24.54        50.96 (26.42)
        1:17.76 (26.80)     1:45.17 (27.41)
 12 Leehy, Mykenzie        SR Houston           1:45.28    1:45.59    5  
    r:+0.73  24.81        51.24 (26.43)
        1:18.40 (27.16)     1:45.59 (27.19)
 13 Valls, Kyla            SR Virginia          1:45.81    1:45.63    4  
    r:+0.67  24.53        51.22 (26.69)
        1:18.74 (27.52)     1:45.63 (26.89)
 14 Housey, Sophie         FR Michigan          1:45.69    1:45.74    2.5
    r:+0.70  24.67        51.08 (26.41)
        1:18.43 (27.35)     1:45.74 (27.31)
 14 Mortensen, Amalie      FR Arizona           1:45.60    1:45.74    2.5
    r:+0.70  25.15        51.52 (26.37)
        1:18.56 (27.04)     1:45.74 (27.18)
 16 Wheeler, Kaitlynn      SO Kentucky          1:45.72    1:45.99    1  
    r:+0.64  25.04        52.03 (26.99)
        1:18.84 (26.81)     1:45.99 (27.15)

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 10                 
 
  1. Virginia                          274   2. Texas                             167
  3. California                        148   4. NC State                          145
  5. Michigan                        125.5   6. Ohio St                         123.5
  7. Kentucky                          114   8. Alabama                           112
  9. Stanford                          111  10. Georgia                            96
 11. Florida                          70.5  12. Louisville                         64
 13. UNC                                61  14. Tennessee                          55
 14. Missouri                           55  16. Texas A&M                          52
 17. Indiana                            45  18. Northwestern                       32
 19. Wisconsin                          23  20. Virginia Tech                      22
 21. Southern California                21  22. Minnesota                          20
 22. Miami                              20  24. Arizona                          17.5
 25. Arkansas                           16  26. Nebraska                           11
 27. Houston                             6  28. Notre Dame                          3
 28. Akron                               3  30. Duke                                2

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