Regan Smith, Torri Huske Open Stanford Careers With Wins Against San Jose State

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Regan Smith, Torri Huske Open Stanford Careers With Wins Against San Jose State

At last season’s women’s NCAA championships, Stanford placed ninth after capturing the last three national championships (in 2017, 2018 and 2019). But the Cardinal will bring a much-improved team into competition this year, by no means the clear title favorite as in those previous years when stars like Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel and Ella Eastin were leading the way, but at least a group in the conversation for the top spot.

This year, Stanford has Taylor Ruck, a four-time Olympic medalist on relays, an Olympic finalist this year in the 200 back and a gold medalist at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, returning to the team after a two-year Olympic hiatus. Regan Smith is beginning her college career after a one-year deferral prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic after she captured her first three Olympic medals this summer in Tokyo. And Torri Huske has arrived on the Farm after her Olympic debut, giving Stanford two of the best freshman swimmers in the country to lead the way.

And in the team’s first meet of the season, a home dual meet against San Jose State, the trio of Ruck, Smith and Huske captured two victories apiece. Ruck won the 100 back (53.94) and 100 fly (53.57), while Smith won the 200 fly (1:57.34) and 200 IM (2:00.69) while swimming the butterfly leg with teammates Lucie Nordmann, Zoe Bartel and Anya Goeders on Stanford’s first-place 200 medley relay team (1:41.12). Meanwhile, Huske placed first in the 50 free (22.58), 500 free (4:51.33) and on the 400 free relay with fellow freshman Anna Shaw, Aurora Roghair and Amy Tang (3:24.17).

Stanford’s top performer last season, fifth-year senior Brooke Forde, finished second to Smith in the 200 fly (1:59.52) and also won the 200 breast (2:14.40). Forde was also at the Olympics this summer, repreenting the United States in the 800 freestyle relay and capturing a silver medal.

Check out full results from Stanford’s meet against San Jose State.

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Fly2Swim

2 years ago

They should all go pro, surely doesn’t make college swimming balanced at all….could have some very good swimmers who have worked so hard become depressed trying to swim against Olympian’s that will have NCAA A cuts before any taper meet for others.