Saturday Prelims report:

200 Back - Bears take top 2 seeds in Isabelle Stadden (1:52.66) and Alicia Wilson (1:53.79). Ayla Spitz also in the A-Final, placing 4th overall this morning (1:55.21). Tea Laughlin in the B-Final (11th, 1:57.53) and Isabella Riley in the C-Final (23rd, 2:03.40).

100 Free - Bears going 1-2-3-4, led by Izzy (47.53), Robin (48.08), Eloise (48.57), and Elise (48.71). Emily Gantriis swimming the B-Final (14th, 49.10). Mara Allen places 32nd (51.24), right behind Emma Davidson (30th, 51.03).

200 Breast - Ema and Ali make the A-Final, placing 5th (2:09.84) and 6th (2:11.38). Natalie Tuck will swim the B-Final (14th, 2:17.82) while Alexa Skorus-Neely is in the C-Final (17th, 2:19.84)

200 Fly - Klinker takes top seed with a 1:54.04. Elizabeth Bailey in the B-Final (12th, 2:02.77). Sarah DiMeco exhibitions this event with a 1:58.76, which would have been good for 5th tonight - she'll be swimming the mile instead.

Current finals swims projection (A/B/C): Cal 10/4/2, Furd 8/2/3
Adding in 1650, would be Cal 11/4/2, Furd 10/2/3

swimmer19 said:

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200 Back - Tea Laughlin in the B-Final (11th, 1:57.53) .

100 Free - Emily Gantriis swimming the B-Final (14th, 49.10).

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Cheers for all these very useful & informational updates & summarisations!

IMO Tea (100 & 200 Back) and Emily (50 & 100 Free) will need to adjust their pacing and step up in the morning heats come NCAAs (both should be safely in), otherwise our pair of froshes could find themselves being shut out of finals in March, in spite of having done credit to the blue & gold in their evening sessions. Perhaps a case of freshie nerves stemming from the unique pressure & excitement of these collegiate championships?

Gantriis' 100 Free splits here look fine in the first 75 when you compare them with Eloise's (Riley Sr had busted out a new lifetime best there btw ), but then Emily fell off the pace considerably (over half a sec) on that last lap of hers...

Not quite as massive a drop in pace as what had happened on her 50 Free prelims, so not sure if it's a missed turn...or something else this time?

Only consolation is that there will be some room for Emily to move up in the scoring at tonight's B final based on her past performances in this event - although one can't completely discount LSJU's Emma Wheal either in this heat, as the furdette sophomore has been dropping new personal bests throughout the conference champs.

swimmer19 said:

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100 Free - Bears going 1-2-3-4, led by Izzy (47.53), Robin (48.08), Eloise (48.57), and Elise (48.71).

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Another personal record for Elise, well done there!

Garcia's previous best in the *100 Free* was a 49.03, set in the dual v. the Trojanettes last month.

*100 Free*
(2021 PB): 48.71
(HS best): 49.68

*50 Free*
(2021 PB): 22.11
(HS best): 22.64

Very encouraging to see Elise coming into her potential in the free sprints this season (and hopefully also in the fly sprints to follow ) - a much welcome development for the Bears' relay & sprint core & depth!

swimmer19-thanks for the clarity on Dimeco's statis in the 200 fly (X) when she finished 5th. I was scratching my head but now I remember that she is the #2 seed in the mile free tonight.

I think that Gantriis must have hurt herself in the 50 free earlier when she qualified 17th as the top seed. She was the #3 seed in the 100 free and qualified 14th. She was beaten on the anchor free leg of the medley relay last night by the Furd swimmer. Should Emily be kept as the anchor tonight in the 400 free relay?

Lots of pressure on soph Klinker tonight to win the 200 butterfly. With Dimeco scratched, she is the only Bear in the final. Rajic qualifying 5th as the second seed is also worrisome.

On paper Cal should win the 200 back, the 100 free & the 400 free relay. If Klinker comes through in the butterfly, the Bears should be fine there, too. Stanford appears favored in the mile free and the 200 breast.

Will the Bears defeat the Cardinal if we take four out of the six events tonight? I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Thanks for your expertise. GO BEARS!

Schroeder71 said:

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Should Emily be kept as the anchor tonight in the 400 free relay?

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I would imagine that Izzy will be our anchor in the 400 FR tonight rather than lead off that relay?

However, if Elise acquits herself really strongly in the 100 Free final (busts out yet another PB), and Emily continues to look a mite wobbly in her heat tonight, a case could conceivably be made on a merit basis (the "hot hand") for slotting Garcia in lieu of Gantriis - even if the latter has half a second's advantage on paper based on their past records...

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2021 WOMEN'S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS: DAY 4 UPS/MIDS/DOWNS


Isabel Ivey is leading a 1-2-3-4 Cal charge in the 100 free final, putting Cal in a position to potentially outscore four-time defending champions, Stanford

The final day of the 2021 women's PAC-12 Championships has come down to a battle between Cal and Stanford for 1st and a battle between UCLA and USC for 3rd. After Saturday's prelims session, Cal devoured Stanford's 16.5 point lead and created their own lead of 72.5 points. Tonight, the Golden Bears hold the most spots in finals (16), tied with UCLA, and stand to score the most points in the 100 free with four swimmers in the 'A' final. The four Golden Bears are currently ranked 1-2-3-4, led by junior Isabel Ivey who was the only swimmer to break 48 this morning (47.56).

In that same event, Stanford only has 2 swimmers in the 'A' final but they have more swimmers in the event in total: 2 in the 'A', 2 in the 'B' and 2 in the 'C' final. The 100 free is looking like their biggest opportunity to gain points, aside from the 400 free relay tonight where Stanford is ranked 2nd behind Cal by about half a second. Note that Cal having the top four swimmers in the 100 free final will make their 400 free relay tough to beat.

One event not included here is the 1650 free which is contested as a timed final. Here, Stanford has entered 2 swimmers (seeded 1st and 4th) while Cal has one entry (seeded 2nd) therefore this event could help Stanford make up some points.

SCORED PRELIMS
Cal: 347.5
Stanford: 258.5
UCLA: 238.0
USC: 213.0
Utah: 136.0
Arizona: 130.0
Washington State: 112.0

DAY 3 + SCORED PRELIMS
Cal: 1422
Stanford: 1349.5
UCLA: 1027
USC: 945.5
Utah: 793
Arizona: 763
Washington State: 467

swimmerTX said:

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Cal has second seeded Sarah DiMeco in the mile.

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• UPDATES =>

swimmerTX said:

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Cal has second seeded Sarah DiMeco in the mile.

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swimfan210_ said:

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Extra analysis: if Stanford swimmers place as high as possible (like a win or 1-2-3) in each final, and Cal swimmers place as low as possible (like last or 6-7-8) in each final, Stanford will score 301 points and Cal will score 276 points (non-1650 individual events only).
Can't wait for it! Lots of Cal swimmers on fire this season, but Stanford is outperforming earlier-season expectations even when struggling with depth. No one seems fully rested.

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Taa said:

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I don't feel that either team is geared toward trying to win conference. Cal will take it just because they have a bigger roster. Stanford is difficult to read. They haven't had much in the way of break out swims just the same swimmers doing the same swims as previous years. Maybe they have more in the tank for March. They needed Goeders, Fackenthal or Wheal or someone to step up and become their go to anchor person for the relays. Also Huske and Tang coming in the fall so lookout.

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BearlyBreathing said:

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Dave wrote: ">Fear the Trees!"

I think every single women's college swimming program does. They should. Stanford is so consistently good it makes it more special when Cal stands a change of beating them in a dual meet, conference or NCAAs. An off year like this one means Stanford is merely competitive instead of dominant. It's really annoying tbh.

Go Bears!

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Can't wait to cheer on our Bears tonight - will this be the ever-so-sweeeet & momentous occasion where we (finally) get to savour & celebrate victory over that infamous LSJU juggernaut in their rare moment of vulnerability this season??

It's been frankly a bit of a frustrating journey seeing Cal easily dominate the relays & sprints the past several Pac-12s, breaking records left & right - yet to have those meets skewed heavily in the Furdettes' favour by virtue of their broader depth, loaded distance & breaststroke squads...not to mention their vastly superior diving contingent massively out-scoring us.

Will be the men's turn to shine tomorrow (yay!), but meanwhile...last one, fast one - let's get it, Bears!


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2021 PAC-12 WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS: DAY 4 FINALS LIVE RECAP



---------

Saturday night - last one, fast one!

Mile - lone entrant Sarah DiMeco is the Pac-12 runners-up with a 16:06.45. PB by 3 seconds! (old PB 16:09.74 from 2018 Winter Juniors)

200 Back - Isabelle Stadden is the Pac-12 champ (1:50.83), and Alicia Wilson is the runner-up (1:52.67). Ayla Spitz just off the podium in 4th (1:53.21). Tea Laughlin wins the B-Final (1:54.11), and Isabella Riley moves up from seed to finish 6th in the C-Final (2:00.96)

100 Free - Izzy (47.54) leads a 1-2-4-5 finish, followed by Robin (47.94), Elise (48.73), and Eloise (48.77). Emily Gantriis finishes 6th in the B-Final (49.38).

200 Breast - Ema is your Pac-12 runner-up (2:07.19), followed by Ali Harrison in 6th place (2:11.38). Natalie Tuck takes 6th in the B-Final (2:16.75) and Alexa Skorus-Neely wins the C-Final (2:18.08).

200 Fly - Rachel Klinker wins her first Pac-12 title (1:52.82). Elizabeth Bailey 5th in the B-Final (2:02.68).

100 free: Izzy wins her third event of the meet (47.54), leading Bears in a 1-2-4-5 race. Robin second (47.94), and Elise fourth (48.73) with Eloise fifth (48.77). Go Bears!

200 BR: 2:07.19 for Ema to take second. She was out with the lead for first 175 or so, but USC's Dobler took over on the final lap for the win (2:06.53). Ali matches her morning time (2:11.38) for sixth.

Cal 1409.5 right now to Stanford's 1366.

Klink! 1:52.82 to win by over three seconds. Led from start to finish to win her first PAC-12 title. Awesome!

With one event left, that's 7 individual wins for the Bears (200 IM - Alicia, 100 free/fly/back - Izzy, 200 back - Isa, 200 free - Robin, 200 fly - Klinker), five different winners, and one more potential relay title to come.

HBear said:

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Cal 1409.5 right now to Stanford's 1366.

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Following Klink's massive PB win in the 200 Fly (old best was a 1:53.51 from the dual v. UCLA in Jan), team scoring now stands at:

• Cal 1455.5 - Furd 1393

1 more race to go -> 400 Free Relay!

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• Quick updates =>

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California women's swimming and diving wins first Pac-12 championship since 2015



HOUSTON, TX. - After a back-and-forth battle across four days, CALIFORNIA emerged from the pack as the 2021 Pac-12 Women's Swimming & Diving Champions at the University of Houston's CRWC Natatorium. The Bears, who finished as runner-up to STANFORD during the past four conference championships, punctuated their win on Saturday evening with multiple swimming victories after diving competition from Tucson, Ariz., concluded on Friday afternoon.

For the meet, CALIFORNIA finished with 1519.5 points, while STANFORD (1445) and UCLA (1169) took second and third, respectively.

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Giving the Cardinal its due: Cal wins Pac-12 championship

Champions once again.

Last week, Cal women's swim and dive achieved an enormous win at the Pac-12 Championship meet, pulling ahead of Stanford and UCLA, which came in second and third place, respectively. This is Cal's first conference championship since 2015.

Winning this championship in dominant fashion was definitely well-deserved. But breaking Stanford's four-year championship run is perhaps the most gratifying aspect of this conference title for Cal fans. The Bears found their way to the podium at seemingly every turn, and left with a win in 12 events, tying the 2015 championship team for most wins in team history.

...

While winning the Pac-12 title was a massive win for the Bears, the competitions are far from over. Cal fans can look forward to the competitive performances at the NCAA Championship meet in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 17 to 20.

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Pac-12 Champions!!

Cal Wins 12 Events And Claims Its Fifth Conference Title

• Results

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Bears for the win -- 3:11.27 (48.40 from Eloise, 47.96 from Robin, 48.10 from Elise, and 46.81 from Izzy) to sweep all relays and bring home the championship title. Congratulations to all swimmers and Cal for the title and Izzy for the Swimmer of the Meet! Onwards and upwards to the big dance

Great job Bears!!!! Pac-12 Champs 2021!

Super duper effort exemplified by the entire team! My wife watched a couple of nights with me. She normally only watches the Olympics for sports like swimming. GO BEARS!

These are the A qualifiers (5) so far for Cal. Hopefully haven't missed any.

Isabelle Stadden 200 bk
Alicia Wilson 200 IM
Isabel Ivey 100fly
Ema Rajic 100Br
Rachel Klinger 200fly

Who are the other Bears based on the 'B' marks most likely are in & who are those on the border? Not sure with the pandemic if the # of B qualifiers have changed. Any guesses?

OBear073akaSMFan said:

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Who are the other Bears based on the 'B' marks most likely are in & who are those on the border? Not sure with the pandemic if the # of B qualifiers have either. Any guesses?

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This year may shape up to be a bit different...I'd wait for Swimswam to run their intensive stats analysis on likely invitees, which may be published as soon as this coming week.

Meanwhile, my quick guess would be the following to join your list:

• Robin Neumann
• Eloise Riley
• Emily Gantriis
• Elise Garcia
• Ayla Spitz
• Sarah DiMeco
• Tea Laughlin
• Briana Thai (diving)

Around 12.5 Bears who are currently NCAA-bound then.

Senior Alicia Harrison swam a time trial in the *100 Breast* this morning to notch a 1:00.85 - her season best is a 1:00.40 from Friday's finals. I'd venture off the top of my head that it could take a 1:00.20 or faster to make it to the Big Dance this season. Ali's best is a 59.52 from 2018 Pac-12s.

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2021 PAC 12 WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS SCORING BREAKDOWN

Cal got pretty balanced contributions from each of their 4 classes with their freshmen scoring 244 individual points, their sophomores with 339.5, juniors with 325.5, and seniors with 291.

This was in contrast to Stanford who were heavily led by their juniors and seniors. The Stanford juniors and seniors scored 408 and 441 points respectively, while their freshmen (151) and sophomores (169) each scored less than half those totals.

This highlights the need for Stanford to get back their several high profile deferrals if they want to remain competitive with or pass Cal in the next few years.

On paper, the Bears return 181 more individual points. That gap disappears quickly if you assume Regan Smith and Taylor Ruck are back for the Cardinal, but if not Cal look quite strong going forward.

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• UPDATE =>

CAL'S IZZY IVEY NAMED PAC-12 SWIMMER OF THE MEET AFTER SWEEPING INDIVIDUALS



Cal junior Izzy Ivey was a dominant force at the 2021 Women's Pac-12 Championships, going three-for-three individually to earn her Swimmer of the Meet honors.

Ivey's efforts were paramount in helping the Golden Bears secure their first title since 2015, ending Stanford's four-year run.

Ivey showed off her sprinting versatility by winning the 100 freestyle (47.54), 100 backstroke (51.13) and 100 butterfly (50.87) at the meet, while also contributing on Cal's winning relays in the 200 free, 400 free, 200 medley and 400 medley. The Bears also won the 800 free to sweep all five relays, a crucial factor in the team victory.

The last swimmer to win all three of their individual events at the Women's Pac-12s was Cal's Abbey Weitzeil in 2019. In 2020, USC's Louise Hansson won Swimmer of the Meet.

Ivey's individual sweep earned her a meet-high 96 points, with teammates Isabelle Stadden, Alicia Wilson, Robin Neumann, Rachel Klinker and Ayla Spitz also eclipsing the 80-point mark.

TOP INDIVIDUAL SCORERS

• Izzy Ivey (Cal), 96
• Kaitlyn Dobler (USC), 91.5
• Brooke Forde (Stanford), 91
• Isabelle Stadden (Cal) / Alicia Wilson (Cal) / Nike Agunbiade (USC), 88
• Robin Neumann (Cal) / Morgan Tankersley (Stanford), 86
• Rachel Klinker (Cal), 82
• Ayla Spitz (Cal), 81

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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2021 PAC 12 WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS SCORING BREAKDOWN

Cal got pretty balanced contributions from each of their 4 classes with their freshmen scoring 244 individual points, their sophomores with 339.5, juniors with 325.5, and seniors with 291.

This was in contrast to Stanford who were heavily led by their juniors and seniors. The Stanford juniors and seniors scored 408 and 441 points respectively, while their freshmen (151) and sophomores (169) each scored less than half those totals.

This highlights the need for Stanford to get back their several high profile deferrals if they want to remain competitive with or pass Cal in the next few years.

On paper, the Bears return 181 more individual points. That gap disappears quickly if you assume Regan Smith and Taylor Ruck are back for the Cardinal, but if not Cal look quite strong going forward.

----------

---

Interesting analysis, and of course there is no way to predict the growth or speed of next year's large freshman class, but Stanford will be plenty reloaded. With or without Smith and Ruck, they'll have Huske, Tang, Tadder, and both Nordmanns (off the top of my head). That being said, that's a next-year scenario.

For now, plenty to commend from top to bottom for the Bears on to the men's meet tonight!

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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OBear073akaSMFan said:

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Who are the other Bears based on the 'B' marks most likely are in & who are those on the border? Not sure with the pandemic if the # of B qualifiers have either. Any guesses?

---

This year may shape up to be a bit different...I'd wait for Swimswam to run their intensive stats analysis on likely invitees, which may be published as soon as this coming week.

Meanwhile, my quick guess would be the following to join your list:

• Robin Neumann
• Eloise Riley
• Emily Gantriis
• Elise Garcia
• Ayla Spitz
• Sarah DiMeco
• Tea Laughlin
• Briana Thai (diving)

Around 12.5 Bears who are currently NCAA-bound then.

Senior Alicia Harrison swam a time trial in the *100 Breast* this morning to notch a 1:00.85 - her season best is a 1:00.40 from Friday's finals. I'd venture off the top of my head that it could take a 1:00.20 or faster to make it to the Big Dance this season. Ali's best is a 59.52 from 2018 Pac-12s.

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Thanks. Are there any other last chance meets or was today their final chance?

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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OBear073akaSMFan said:

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Isabelle Stadden 200 bk
Alicia Wilson 200 IM
Isabel Ivey 100fly
Ema Rajic 100Br
Rachel Klinger 200fly

Who are the other Bears based on the 'B' marks most likely are in & who are those on the border? Not sure with the pandemic if the # of B qualifiers have either. Any guesses?

---

This year may shape up to be a bit different...I'd wait for Swimswam to run their intensive stats analysis on likely invitees, which may be published as soon as this coming week.

Meanwhile, my quick guess would be the following to join your list:

• Robin Neumann
• Eloise Riley
• Emily Gantriis
• Elise Garcia
• Ayla Spitz
• Sarah DiMeco
• Tea Laughlin
• Briana Thai (diving)

Around 12.5 Bears who are currently NCAA-bound then.

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PROJECTING THE CUTLINE 2021 NCAA WOMEN'S DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS

Our story on pre-selection psych sheets.

See the full pre-selection NCAA women's psych sheets here.

The 2021 NCAA Championships are set to select deeper into the fields than we've seen in some time, with the entirety of row 41 from the pre-selection psych sheets earning invites.

As always, our analysis is only an unofficial projection, and we'll update this story if our checks and rechecks of the math change the projected selections.

CALCULATED LIST OF INVITEES, BY INVITE PRIORITY


LINE | NAME | SCHOOL | EVENT | TIME | TIE BREAKER
2 | Stadden, Isabelle | California | 200 Backstroke | 1:49.77 | 1.006650269
2 | Wilson, Alicia | California | 200 IM | 1:53.58 | 1.000704349
2 | Ivey, Isabel | California | 100 Freestyle | 47.24 | 0.9987298899
5 | Klinker, Rachel | California | 200 Butterfly | 1:52.82 | 1.003368197
5 | Neumann, Robin | California | 200 Freestyle | 1:43.19 | 0.9979649191
7 | Spitz, Ayla | California | 500 Freestyle | 4:38.05 | 0.9917640712
9 | Rajic, Ema | California | 100 Breaststroke | 58.45 | 1.002566296
13 | Dimeco, Sarah | California | 1650 Freestyle | 16:06.45 | 0.9854726059
18 | Riley, Eloise | California | 100 Freestyle | 48.40 | 0.9747933884
20 | Gantriis, Emily | California | 100 Freestyle | 48.44 | 0.9739884393
23 | Garcia, Elise | California | 50 Freestyle | 22.11 | 0.9796472185
23 | Laughlin, Ta | California | 100 Backstroke | 52.51 | 0.9699104932

BY SCHOOL
These are swimming invites only, not including relays or diving.

SCHOOL | INVITEES
Florida | 16
Tennessee | 15
Virginia | 14
Kentucky | 14
Georgia | 13
NC State | 13
Michigan | 12
California | 12
Ohio St | 12
Louisville | 12
Stanford | 11
Alabama | 10
Texas A&M | 9
Northwestern | 8
Indiana | 8
Auburn | 8
Texas | 7
Virginia Tech | 7
Missouri | 6
Southern Cali | 6
Arkansas | 6
Notre Dame | 6
Duke | 5
Wisconsin | 4
UNC | 4
UCLA | 4
LSU | 4
Arizona | 3
...

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• UPDATE =>

KATE DOUGLASS WILL FOCUS ON SPRINT FREES AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

On paper, Virginia's only real challenge is to "swim well," because if they do, and avoid disqualifications, they'll win the meet.

That being said, with swimmers like Izzy Ivey and Maggie MacNeil lurking, the 100 free looks a little murkier than the 200 breast, where even a mid-season time would have Douglass as the top seed by almost a second.

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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KATE DOUGLASS WILL FOCUS ON SPRINT FREES AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

On paper, Virginia's only real challenge is to "swim well," because if they do, and avoid disqualifications, they'll win the meet.

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SCORING OUT THE PSYCH SHEET FOR THE 2021 NCAA WOMEN'S SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Virginia Cavaliers sit #1 in all five relays, powering an early lead in our scoring out of the 2021 Women's NCAA Swimming psych sheets.

Note: these projections do not include diving, where athletes will be selected via NCAA Zone meets later this month.


PSYCH SHEET SCORING INDIVIDUAL & RELAY SWIMMING EVENTS ONLY

RANK | TEAM | PSYCH SHEET POINTS
1 | Virginia-VA | 474.5
2 | NC State-NC | 375
3 | California-PC | 350
4 | Texas-ST | 334.5
5 | Alabama-SE | 292.5
6 | Georgia-GA | 249
7 | Michigan-MI | 209
8 | Kentucky-KY | 182
9 | Ohio St-OH | 169
9 | Stanford-PC | 169
11 | Tennessee-SE | 145


RELAY POINTS BY TEAM
These are the relay points only these totals are already included in the list above.

RANK | TEAM | RELAY POINTS
1 | Virginia-VA | 200
2 | California-PC | 158
3 | NC State-NC | 140
3 | Alabama-SE | 140
5 | Texas-ST | 136
6 | Ohio St-OH | 114
7 | Stanford-PC | 90
8 | Michigan-MI | 88
9 | Georgia-GA | 82
10 | Tennessee-SE | 68


INDIVIDUAL PROJECTED SCORERS


LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | TEAM | PSYCH SHEET POINTS
Ivey, Isabel | California-PC | 44
Wilson, Alicia | California-PC | 36
Stadden, Isabelle | California-PC | 36
Neumann, Robin | California-PC | 22
Spitz, Ayla | California-PC | 21
Klinker, Rachel | California-PC | 15
Rajic, Ema | California-PC | 14
Dimeco, Sarah | California-PC | 4

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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My feeling is that although Izzy may well tackle the other shorter 4 relays @ Nationals (like what she's doing here @ the Conference Championships), it may be arguably more advantageous to Bears for Ivey to contribute to the 800 FR at the big dance (to position Cal to credibly challenge a very potent Virginia relay), especially if Elise Garcia can come up with the same degree of improvements in her sprint fly as she has demonstrated in her sprint free splits this season...

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Forgot to mention in the above post that the relay which Izzy could consider dropping @ NCAAs in favour of the 800 FR may potentially be the 200 MR, if someone can really step up big time to take on the sprint fly leg (i.e. Elise or perhaps even Rachel).

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IVEY CHOOSES 100 BACK/FLY DOUBLE ON DAY 3, NO INDIVIDUAL RACE ON DAY 2 AT NCAAS

Cal star Izzy Ivey is opting to swim a double on day 3 of NCAAs this year, rather than swimming the 200 IM or 50 free on day 2 of the meet. This year, Ivey is entered in the 100 fly and 100 back, both of which are on day 3, and the 100 free, which is on day 4. Ivey's event selections mirrors her scored event schedule at Pac-12s last week, though, she did did swim the 50 free exhibition at the meet as well.

Ivey has competed in 6 events this season, and realistically, she could have justifiably swum any of the 6 at NCAAs. She enters NCAAs as the 2nd seed in the 100 free, 5th seed in the 100 back, and 6th in the 100 fly. She could have entered the 200 IM on day 2 as the 8th seed, or the 50 free as the T-20 seed, although, she's split low-21s off relay starts several times, indicating she could finish significantly higher than 20th in the event. Ivey also could have swum another event on day 3 the 200 free, where she would have been the 5th seed.

Ivey choosing not to race individually on day 2 may have been strategic, as there are 2 relays on day 2 of NCAAs. Not swimming the 200 IM or 50 free may indicate that Cal intends to have Ivey race on both the 200 free and 400 medley relays. Additionally, the 200 medley relay is on day 3, where Ivey is swimming her double. The 200 medley would be the relay Ivey is least likely to compete on, since Cal can have one of their other sprinters take the fly leg on that relay.

Ivey has successfully navigated the 100 fly/100 back NCAA double before, having done so at the 2019 NCAAs. In 2019, Ivey swam to a 4th-place finish in the 100 back, and 6th in the 100 fly. She also won the B final of the 200 IM. Also, in 2019, Ivey only swam on the 800 free, 400 free, and 200 medley relays.

NCAA REVEALS OFFICIAL PSYCH SHEETS, CUTLINES FOR 2021 WOMEN'S NCAA CHAMPS

• Official Psych Sheets (with cutlines)
• Invited Swimmers by Team (Doesn't include relay-only swimmers)
• Eligible Relays
• Alternates List

Top seeds by event:

• 500 free Paige Madden, Virginia 4:33.09
• 200 IM Alex Walsh, Virginia 1:51.53
• 50 free Kate Douglass, Virginia 21.42
• 400 IM Brooke Forde, Stanford 4:02.57
• 100 fly Maggie MacNeil, Michigan 49.68
• 200 free Paige Madden, Virginia 1:42.39
• 100 breast Zoie Hartman, Georgia 57.40
• 100 back Rhyan White, Alabama 50.20
• 1650 free Paige Madden, Virginia 15:45.45
• 200 back Rhyan White, Alabama 1:48.55
• 100 free Kate Douglass, Virginia 46.83
• 200 breast Sophie Hansson, NC State 2:04.87
• 200 fly Olivia Bray, Texas 1:52.03
• 800 free relay Virginia 6:54.31
• 200 free relay Virginia 1:26.54
• 400 medley relay Virginia 3:26.25
• 200 medley relay Virginia 1:32.93
• 400 free relay Virginia 3:10.14

CAL HEAD COACH TERI MCKEEVER GIVES PERSPECTIVE ON PAC-12 TEAM TITLE, NCAA PREP



We sat down with Cal women's head coach and Olympic coach Teri McKeever.

Teri gives some context to the Cal women's Pac-12 team title, it's first since 2015, and explains what her team has had to go through with COVID protocols this past season.

She also gives her perspective on how NCAAs will look different, especially with timed finals of all relays.

McKeever is a proponent of prelims/finals relays, noting that it makes the NCAAs more about overcoming a challenge than putting oneself in a position to go fast.

It seems Thai is in. Last year they took up to 12, and she's ranked 10.

10 - Briana Thai (CAL) - Points 525.70

I think u r correct. Cal's S&D tweet (at this time) doesn't explicitly say she qualified for NCAAs, but Utah's tweet says their diver who placed 12th is going to NCAAs

PalyBear said:

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I think u r correct. Cal's S&D tweet (at this time) doesn't explicitly say she qualified for NCAAs, but Utah's tweet says their diver who placed 12th is going to NCAAs


what is up with the Cal women's twitter account.

Quote:

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Briana Thai with a 10-place finish on 1-meter at the NCAA Zone E Championships today. She'll be back on Tuesday on the 3-meter board. #GoBears

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Yep no mentioned that Briana made it. Kind of ridiculous unless we are missing something

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OBear073akaSMFan said:

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PalyBear said:

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I think u r correct. Cal's S&D tweet (at this time) doesn't explicitly say she qualified for NCAAs, but Utah's tweet says their diver who placed 12th is going to NCAAs

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what is up with the Cal women's twitter account.

Yep no mentioned that Briana made it. Kind of ridiculous unless we are missing something

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2021 ZONE E: STANFORD MEN GO 1-2, CARDINAL QUALIFY FOUR DIVERS ON DAY 1

"Cal got Briana Thai into the meet in 10th." (invited-but-not-reimbursed)

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According to DIVE MEETS ( 2021 NCAA ZONE E CHAMPIONSHIPS), Briana had also ended up 9th in the 3m final, and 6th in the Platform final (ahead of 2 Furdettes in the latter event )!

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• UPDATE =>

Briana Thai Qualifies For NCAAs

Senior Will Compete In All 3 Events Next Week

• Results

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2021 WOMEN'S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: OFFICIAL SWIMSWAM PREVIEW INDEX

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WHITE'S TIME TO SHINE IN 200 BACK

200 BACKSTROKE



The only other swimmer that has broken 1:50 this season is Cal freshman Isabelle Stadden, who hit a 1:49.77 during the mid-season Stanford Invite. That performance marked Stadden's first best time in almost two years, having previously been 1:50.37 in December of 2018, which indicates the training at Berkeley has been working for her.

The 18-year-old had no problem winning the Pac-12 title in the event in late February, clocking 1:50.83, and appears well on her way to be the latest in a long line of standout Cal swimmers in the women's 200 back. When she swam that 1:49.7 in November, it made her the sixth Cal Golden Bear sub-1:50, joining the elite club that includes Baker, Elizabeth Pelton, Missy Franklin, Natalie Coughlin and Amy Bilquist. Four of those women have won NCAA titles in the event, and Stadden has a great chance to be the next. Will it be this year?

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
1 | Rhyan White | Alabama | 1:48.55 | 1:48.06
2 | Isabelle Stadden | Cal | 1:49.77 | 1:49.77

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ELLA NELSON THE MAIN CHALLENGER TO BROOKE FORDE'S 4IM CROWN

400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

Cal junior Alicia Wilson swam a lifetime best 4:04.10 mid-season, and she went 4:04.22 to touch second behind Forde at Pac-12s

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
5 | Alicia Wilson | Cal | 4:04.10 | 4:04.10

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AFTER RACING KING AS A FRESHMAN, HANSSON SEEKS 200 BR TITLE

200 BREASTSTROKE

* (Bears not projected to make the A final in this event)...

The Pac-12 and Big Ten could both be shut out of this final completely, but there are some names to watch for both.

#11 Allie Raab is the top Stanford swimmer here (2:07.15), just ahead of #12 Cal's Ema Rajic (2:07.16), while Stanford senior Brooke Forde is tucked out of sight down at #35 with a dual meet time of 2:09.83.

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DOUGLASS V. MACNEIL PART 1 THE 50 FREESTYLE

50 FREESTYLE

* (Bears not projected to make the A final in this event)...

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UVA AND ALABAMA SEEDED JUST .14 APART IN 400 FREE RELAY

400 FREE RELAY

Virginia enters the meet as the top seed in all 5 relays, although it's tight in the 400 free relay. Alabama comes in just .14 seconds behind UVA, and the pair have an approximately 1-second buffer between themselves and 3rd-seeded Cal.

Cal comes in 3rd on the psych sheet with their 3:11.27 from Pac-12s. The Bears took a different approach than many of the other NCAA qualifying relays, having star 100 freestyler Izzy Ivey anchor at Pac-12s. Ivey, who is the 2nd seed in the individual 100 free with a 47.24, anchored Cal in 46.81, which was the fastest split we saw at any conference meet this year. At Pac-12s, Cal was led off by sophomore Eloise Riley in 48.40, then senior Robin Neumann split 47.96, and junior Elise Garcia split 48.10.

One of the most interesting questions is whether Cal will continue to anchor Ivey at NCAAs, or if they'll switch her to the lead-off. Anchoring Ivey worked out very well for Cal at Pac-12s, as Riley's 48.40 lead-off was actually the fastest in the field. However, in this heat at NCAAs, leading off with anyone other than Ivey will put Cal well behind both UVA and Michigan at the 100 mark. Although, it's possible Cal sticks with Ivey on the anchor, hoping the first 3 legs can keep the team in close enough position that she can catch the others on the final leg. Having a large deficit at after the first leg won't be as big a deal this year as it would in years past, though, because there will be an empty lane between each team, so the water should be clear regardless of whether a swimmer is ahead of or behind the field.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | TEAM
3 | Cal

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DOUGLASS V. MACNEIL PART 2 THE 100 BUTTERFLY

100 BUTTERFLY

Cal junior and versatile sprinter Izzy Ivey is seeded in 6th at a 50.87, just ahead of Alabama junior Rhyan White, who holds the top NCAA seeds in both backstroke events. As both swimmers enter this event, both their chances of winning the battle against each other are equal. Ivey and White were both on-fire at their respective conference meets, with Ivey easily winning Pac-12s at 50.87 while White stormed SECs at 50.94. Ivey also added the 100 back and 100 free titles while White swept the backstroke events.

Both swimmers have strong underwaters, yet Ivey has the upper-hand in her versatile sprinting skills while White will certainly want to build momentum heading into her backstroke events.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
7 | Izzy Ivey | Cal | 50.87 | 50.82

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200 FREE WILL GO TO THE BEST CLOSER

200 FREESTYLE

The only other returner from 2019 besides Madden, A- or B-final, is Cal senior Robin Neumann. As a sophomore, Neumann was 1:43.0 in prelims, gaining time in finals and finishing eighth. She's fifth on this year's psychs, with a 1:43.19, while her sophomore teammate Ayla Spitz sits #9 at 1:44.10. Neumann is a seasoned talent, and her Pac-12 winning performance was just tenths off of her lifetime best of 1:42.94; she's a safe bet for an A-final showing here, and she could make a run at the title, too.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
2 | Robin Neumann | Cal | 1:43.19 | 1:42.94

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CAN TOP SEED MADDEN DENY FORDE A REPEAT VICTORY IN THE 500?

500 FREESTYLE

After Moore, Ayla Spitz, Kristen Stege, and Peyton Palsha have been as fast as 4:38.05, 4:38.38, and 4:38.97, respectively this season for 7th, 8th, and 9th seeds.

It will be Cal's Ayla Spitz and East Carolina's Kristen Stege that will stand in Palsha's way during the prelims. Both earned their respective 7th and 8th seeds by moving up a fair bit from where they stood at the end of last season. Spitz was right around Palsha by the end of 2019-2020 as 25th rank nation-wide while Stege sat at 70th with a 4:43.85.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
7 | Ayla Spitz | Cal | 4:38.05 | 4:38.05

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SCRATCHES PLAGUE NC STATE, MICHIGAN, & USC 200 FR RELAYS

200 FREE RELAY

The Cal Bears enter their first NCAAs with a Weitzeil-less free relay, yet still have one of the best chances in the field to place top three, with nearly all four legs under 22 seconds.

Swimming just as fast as UVA's Walsh on her leg at Pac-12s was junior Izzy Ivey, ripping out a swift 21.14 split.

Without the power of Weitzeil's 20-point legs, the Bears are at a slight disadvantage with no other leg to match UVA's 20-point Douglass. The Bears do have 21-mid legs Emily Gantriis and Elise Garcia, yet it would be up to Eloise Riley to replicate her 21.78 leg from the 2020 medley relay at NCAAs after swimming 22.33 at Pac-12s.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | TEAM | 2020 RANK
2 | Cal | 4th

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THE WOMEN'S 200 FLY IS RIPE FOR UPSETS AND DARKHORSES

200 BUTTERFLY

* (Bears not projected to make the A final in this event)...

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STEP 2 ON WHITE'S PATH TO DOUBLE GOLD THE 100 BACKSTROKE

100 BACKSTROKE

Behind White and Berkoff, a duo of freshmen in the form of Isabelle Stadden and Olivia Bray rank 3rd and 4th with a 50.86 and 51.04, respectively.

Those performances were both season and lifetime bests, Stadden's coming from a second place performance at Pac-12s and Bray's from a prelim swim at Texas vs. TCU back in December.
Considering her history, Bacon has what it takes to out-swim fellow freshmen Stadden and Bray and we wouldn't be too shocked if she managed to pass Berkoff while she's at it.

Another swimmer who has been under 51 in the 100 back before but hasn't gotten there this season is Isabel Ivey. Ivey swam a 50.42 to earn herself a 4th place finish at NCAAs in 2019, behind Beata Nelson (49.18), Amy Bilquist (50.05), and Taylor Ruck (50.34). Ivey is the only A finalist from 2019 to return to the field this year.

Ivey's season best this year is a 51.12 for fifth seed which is actually faster than what she had going into 2019 NCAAs where she dropped her 50.42. Going to that meet, she had a season-best of 51.73. Assuming she has done a full taper for this meet, Ivey could certainly be adding her name to the list of those fighting for the crown. Given her experience in the NCAA final; a unique asset compared to the field, we'll give Ivey the third place spot in our predicted rankings.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
3 | Izzy Ivey | Cal | 51.12 | 50.42
5 | Isabelle Stadden | Cal | 50.86 | 50.86

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VIRGINIA WOMEN CLAIM BACK #1 CSCAA RANKING, TEXAS MEN EXTEND STREAK AT #1

For the final CSCAA poll of the season, the Virginia women have reclaimed the top spot after Cal moved to the #1 rank in February's poll, while the Texas men retain their #1 spot.

11 of 12 voters put the Texas men at the top rank, while all 12 voters put Virginia's women atop the rankings.

Texas has led the CSCAA poll all season, and they haven't been ranked any lower since October 2019, when they were second behind Cal.

Cal got the one non-Texas #1 vote on the men's side.

On the women's side, Cal took the top spot in February after the Texas women had claimed #1 in the previous two polls.


DIVISION I WOMEN

RK | PRV | TEAM | POINTS
1 | 2 | Virginia | 350
2 | 1 | California | 327
3 | 8 | Texas | 320
4 | 6 | Georgia | 300
5 | 11 | NC State | 299
6 | 16 | Alabama | 286
7 | 3 | Kentucky | 279
8 | 9 | Michigan | 246
9 | 10 | Stanford | 229
10 | 23 | Ohio State | 221


DIVISION I MEN

RK | PRV | TEAM | POINTS
1 | 1 | Texas | 299
2 | 2 | California | 289
3 | 5 | Florida | 276
4 | 4 | Georgia | 263
5 | 7 | Louisville | 245
6 | 5 | NC State | 232
7 | 3 | Texas A&M | 228
8 | 11 | Michigan | 223
9 | 8 | Indiana | 191
10 | 13 | Virginia Tech | 187
11 | 11 | Tennessee | 183
12 | 21 | Ohio State | 162
13 | 10 | Virginia | 153
14 | 14 | Stanford | 138

Ema Rajic Building on Cal Breaststroke Record Heading into NCAA Championships



... "Honestly, I don't even really view myself as a leader. I look at Izzy (Ivey) and think she is my leader," Rajic said. "I just try to do what is best for me and my team. We support each other and that builds the trust within the team. Once you're hear, you're a Bear. Everyone leads in their own way. We feed off of that energy and vibe."

Ivey said the reason Rajic doesn't believe she is a leader is what makes her such a good one. She leads by example and brings her voice to practice.

"We had such great leaders before with big shoes to fill," Ivey said. "Ema's vibe in practice is always really good, while I am quiet for the most part during practice. We just kind of vibe well together. Although Ema is loud during practice, I feel like we are silent leaders in a lot of ways, leading by example."

... Rajic arrived back on campus and got right to work, and it paid off with a school record early in the season, the same week Reece Whitley broke a men's breaststroke record.

Both are juniors and Rajic said Whitley has been an important bond for her, even if the men's and women's teams aren't together because of the pandemic this year.

"Seeing how he has grown and the leader he has become has been inspiring," Rajic said. "I really want to find my voice outside the pool and not just be a swimming person. I want to find another facet in myself and Reece has done an incredible job at that. Having him in the same class is the cherry on top."
Rajic is aiming for a big finish to her season, and the team's season at NCAAs.

"Keeping the momentum rolling has been really big. I wan to continue to keep that rolling and see how many more times I can break that record," Ema Rajic said. "NCAAs has been on our minds for a while. Our team is something special."

DOUGLASS V. MACNEIL PART 3 THE 100 FREESTYLE

100 FREESTYLE

This event is a little different than the first two though because while Douglass and MacNeil accounted for the top two seeds in the 50 free / 100 fly, a third swimmer is in the mix for the 100 free. Cal's Isabel Ivey is ranked in second place going into NCAAs with a 47.24 behind Douglass' #1 46.83 and MacNeil's #3 47.36. All three of the top-ranked swimmers recently won their respective conference championship titles in the 100 free; Douglass at ACCs, Ivey at Pac-12s, and MacNeil at Big Tens.

While season-best is an important consideration going into next week's championships, we need to also take a look at personal best times to get a sense of each swimmer's proven potential.

Douglass / Ivey / MacNeil 100 Free Stats
PERSONAL BEST / SEASON-BEST / TIME SWUM AT 2021 CONFERENCE CHAMPS
Douglass
46.83 (2021) / 46.83 / 46.83
Ivey
47.24 (2021) / 47.24 / 47.54
MacNeil
46.57 (2020) / 47.36 / 47.36

Note that while MacNeil is #3 this season, she has the fastest best time in the event between the three of them.
MacNeil, Ivey, and Douglass are the frontrunners this season in the 100 freestyle but as with any sprint event, if you have a spot in the final, you have a shot to pull off the win.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
4 | Izzy Ivey (Cal) | 47.24 | 47.24

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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THE WOMEN'S 200 FLY IS RIPE FOR UPSETS AND DARKHORSES

200 BUTTERFLY

* (Bears not projected to make the A final in this event)...

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Hmmm that above analysis from Swimswam is uncharacteristically dodgy imo.

Cue the chorus of "protests" from Swimswam readers here in support of our Bears lol:

• "Bear Klinker should be in the A final."
• "Rachel Kilnker?????"
• "I agree- I think she at least deserves a mention here after the season she's had."
• "Wow! I don't think a top 5 seed has been left out in any of the predictions."
• "Weakest analysis so far."
• "Yea. Ignoring Klinker, Carter very low for no reason, and Guevara a dark horse because she got a DQ."
• "Don't think Carter will be that low and Klinker looks to be in the final as well."

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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SCRATCHES PLAGUE NC STATE, MICHIGAN, & USC 200 FR RELAYS

200 FREE RELAY

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | TEAM | 2020 RANK
3 | Cal | 4th

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Swimswam reader comments

• "Is Bama known for hitting their taper at NC's? That's one of the variables. My guess is that Cal beats them. Cal will outswim our expectations. Looking for 3 47s and a low 46. VA is the fave, yes, but it will be a battle."
• "I had a dream last night the Cal women stormed from behind against all odds a la Jason Lezak to win this relay and the meet. 80s arena rock was playing. Everyone cheered. I was played by John Stamos."

HBear said:

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DOUGLASS V. MACNEIL PART 3 THE 100 FREESTYLE

100 FREESTYLE

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS
PLACE | SWIMMER | TEAM | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST
4 | Izzy Ivey (Cal) | 47.24 | 47.24

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More SS comments:

• "Dark horse Ivey btw"

UrsusArctosCalifornicus said:

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...the relay which Izzy could consider dropping @ NCAAs in favour of the 800 FR may potentially be the 200 MR, if someone can really step up big time to take on the sprint fly leg (i.e. Elise or perhaps even Rachel).

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ACC RIVALS UVA AND NC STATE SET TO BATTLE IN 200 MEDLEY

Starting with the NCAA Record-holders, UVA is in prime position to pick up an NCAA title here. The Cavaliers are the top seed in all 5 relays, but the fields in most of the relays are very tight. They enter the 200 medley with more than a half-second cushion over NC State, which it appears is the only team that could challenge for 1st.

Cal could be one of teams looming to take 3rd, but it doesn't seem like their relay will be at full power.

Izzy Ivey, Cal junior, is swimming the 100 fly/100 back double on day 3 of the meet, which makes it look like Cal plans on having Ivey sit out of the 200 medley relay, and compete on the other 4 relays. This would make sense for the Golden Bears, as they can have either Rachel Klinker, who is seeded 16th in the 100 fly (51.79), or Elise Garcia, one of the Cal sprinters who is also entered in the 100 fly, replace Ivey on this relay.

Cal does have a possible secret weapon, even without Ivey, as freshman Isabelle Stadden could be significantly faster on the backstroke leg than she was at Pac-12s. Stadden split 24.29 at Pac-12s, which was a lifetime best, but she also split 24.52 on the first 50 of the 100 back at the meet, which would seemingly indicate that she could be under 24 seconds in a 50 to the touch. If Stadden is indeed faster, and Klinker or Garcia can match Ivey's 22.7 fly split from Pac-12s, it's possible Cal could work its way into the mid-1:34 range with OSU, Bama, and Texas.

TOP 8 PICKS
6. Cal

2021 NCAA WOMEN'S DIVING PREVIEW: PURDUE, TEXAS & IU SHOULD SCORE BIG

DIVERS & ENTRIES BY TEAM

TEAM | DIVERS | TOTAL EVENTS
Texas | 4 | 9
Virginia | 3 | 7
LSU | 3 | 6
UNC | 2 | 6
Purdue | 3 | 5
Stanford | 3 | 5
Texas A&M | 3 | 5
Indiana | 2 | 5
Navy | 2 | 5
VT | 2 | 5
Nebraska | 2 | 5
Georgia Tech | 2 | 4
Miami | 2 | 4
Pitt | 2 | 4
UCLA | 2 | 4
USC | 2 | 4
Arizona | 2 | 3
Florida | 2 | 3
Hawaii | 2 | 3
Minnesota | 2 | 3
Northwestern | 2 | 3
Ohio State | 2 | 3
Utah | 2 | 3
Cal | 1 | 3