March 15, 2012
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AUBURN, Ala. -
A record-setting day for California propelled the defending NCAA champion into first place at the NCAA Championships on Thursday, the first day of the national meet. The Golden Bears captured the 400-yard medley relay and junior Caitlin Leverenz won the 200-yard individual medley in NCAA and U.S. Open records, and senior Liv Jensen posted a school record in winning the second 50-yard freestyle title of her career.
Cal leads with 132 points, while Stanford and USC are tied for second with 118 points apiece. The top four teams hail from the Pac-12 Conference, as Arizona is fourth with 107 points.
Sophomore Cindy Tran, Leverenz, senior Sara Isakovic and senior Katherine Raatz won the 400-yard medley relay final for Cal in a time of 3:28.10, surpassing the NCAA, U.S. Open, Pac-12, school and pool record of 3:28.14 that the same four Bears set in this morning's preliminary round.
Leverenz likewise set an NCAA, American, U.S. Open, Pac-12, school and pool record of 1:51.77 to win the 200 IM, her first individual title in three appearances at the NCAA Championships. Her time edged her previous school record of 1:52.43 set earlier this season.
Jensen, who claimed the 50 free at 2010 NCAAs, clocked a school-record time of 21.48 to win the sprint tonight. She also broke her own school record (21.50) set last season.
After setting a pool record of 1:27.11 with the fastest 200-free relay in the prelim, the Cal quartet of freshman Kaylin Bing, Jensen, senior Colleen Fotsch and Raatz took second place in the final with a time of 1:27.22. Stanford broke the pool record in the final, winning in a time of 1:26.85.
Senior Shelley Harper took seventh place in the 500-free final with a time of 4:38.50. In the prelim, she recorded a time of 4:37.58 to move past Natalie Coughlin as the third-fastest Bear ever in the 500 free. Freshman Catherine Breed took 11th place in the final with a time of 4:38.05 and ranks as the fifth-fastest Bear in the 500 free.
Sophomore Kahley Rowell - only the second Cal women's diver to qualify for the NCAA Championships - did not reach the Thursday night finals. She finished in 37th place in the prelim with a score of 227.55.
"We had a really great start from the get go this morning with the 200 free relay," Cal head coach Teri McKeever said. "Those girls really stepped up and got us a lane in the final, and it's the first time Shelley Harper scored points at NCAAs. Actually everyone who swam today had her best time, including Melanie Klaren (4:43.40 in the 500-free prelim) and Caroline Piehl, who's now No. 10 all-time at Cal in the 200 IM (1:58.56 in the prelim). With that relay winning, Liv winning and Caitlin breaking the American record, it was a really solid first day that we had.
"We just have to stay focused on having another good morning. Tomorrow's another important day for us, and we can't get too confident. There are definitely six or seven teams that can win this."
The three-day NCAA Championships continue Friday, March 16, with eight events - 200-medley relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 free, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, three-meter springboard and 800-free relay.
NCAA Championships
Auburn, Ala.
Day 1 - Thursday, March 15
Standings (top 10)
Team Points
1. California 132
2. Stanford 118
2. USC 118
4. Arizona 107
5. Auburn 94
6. Georgia 91
7. Texas A&M 89
8. Texas 74
9. Tennessee 73
10. Missouri 44
Final Round
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
2. Cal A (
Kaylin Bing,
Liv Jensen,
Colleen Fotsch,
Katherine Raatz) 1:27.22.
500-Yard Freestyle
7. Shelley Harper 4:38.76. 11. Catherine Breed 4:38.05.
200-Yard Individual Medley
1. Caitlin Leverenz 1:51.77*^-#+.
50-Yard Freestyle
1. Liv Jensen 21.48#.
400-Yard Medley Relay
1. Cal A (Cindy Tran, Caitlin Leverenz, Sara Isakovic, Katherine Raatz) 3:28.10*^-#+.
Preliminary Round
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
1. Cal A (
Kaylin Bing,
Liv Jensen,
Colleen Fotsch,
Katherine Raatz) 1:27.11.
500-Yard Freestyle
7. Shelley Harper 4:37.58. t14. Catherine Breed 4:40.66. 24. Melanie Klaren 4:43.40.
200-Yard Individual Medley
1. Caitlin Leverenz 1:53.31+. 23. Caroline Piehl 1:58.56.
50-Yard Freestyle
3. Liv Jensen 21.71. 22. Kaylin Bing 22.47. t47. Colleen Fotsch 22.81.
400-Yard Medley Relay
1. Cal A (Cindy Tran, Caitlin Leverenz, Sara Isakovic, Katherine Raatz) 3:28.14*^-#+.
One-Meter Springboard
37. Kahley Rowell 227.55.
*NCAA Record
^U.S. Open Record
-Pac-12 Record
#School Record
+Pool Record
