Pac-12 Champs Times 2
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Second-ranked Cal got the Pac-12 Championships off to a flying start, winning the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard free relay on the opening night of the meet.
The Golden Bears, defending Pac-12 champs, posted best-in-the-nation times in both events and set a Pac-12 meet record in the 200 medley relay. As a result, Cal has 128 points through two races, with Stanford second at 112 and USC third at 108.
The Bears led from the start in the 200 medley relay with Kathleen Baker putting Cal in front after her backstroke leg. Cal continued to extend its advantage over runner-up Stanford through Abbey Weitzeil's breaststroke and Noemie Thomas' butterfly. Amy Bilquist reached the wall in 1:34.13, beating arch rival Stanford yet again.
The time was just off the NCAA mark of 1:34.10 set by Cal at last year's meet when the Bears captured the national championship.
"It feels really good. We up here to race and have fun," Weitzeil, the Pac-12 Swimmer of the Month, said. "Leading off with a win is always fun. Keeping the energy up and keeping the ball rolling is really what we need as a team."
A few minutes later, the Bears swam to victory in the 800 free relay. Robin Neumann led off in 1:43.38 on her opening leg, before handing off to Baker and then Katie McLaughlin, who edged Cal to the front through 600 yards. Bilquist, again on anchor, closed out the relay in 6:52.62, as she held off a fast-charging Katie Ledecky of Stanford, who touched in 6:53.86.
"It was a really great night for us, and I'm really proud of how we performed," head coach Teri McKeever said. "We had amazing swimming on the B relays, as well, which got the team in good spirits. We're off to a good start and we're excited to keep it rolling."
In addition to the two wins, Cal's B relays both posted fast times, including the 200 medley relay of Sophie Krivokapic-Zhou, Ali Harrison, McLaughlin and Maddie Murphy that finished in 1:36.36, which was below the NCAA "A" qualifying standard. The foursome of Chenoa Devine, Keaton Blovad, Sarah Darcel and Jenna Campbell were timed in 7:04.52 in the 800 free relay.
The Bears consider this meet a tune-up to their eventual goal of bringing home another NCAA Championship trophy. Cal has won four times since 2009, more than any other school, and came in second last year.
