GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Stanford’s women’s swimmers combined to qualify for seven individual event finals, to go along with two relay finals, in Day 2 of the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Five of the Cardinal’s swims, four individuals and one relay, will come in ‘A’ finals along with diver Kassidy Cook in the 3-meter event.
Sarah Haase had Friday morning’s most impressive effort, leading prelims with a time of 58.19 in the 100-yard breaststroke. The mark is the ninth best in history and a Stanford record, as the junior human biology major looks for her first individual national title. The previous Stanford record was held by Tara Kirk (58.41, 2003).
The 200-yard freestyle ‘A’ final will be 25% Cardinal. Freshman Simone Manuel qualified in second (1:41.93), just .01 behind California’s Missy Franklin, and sophomore Lia Neal went for sixth (1:43.77). Tonight’s matchup between Manuel and Franklin is one of the most highly anticipated races of the championships.
Freshman Ally Howe’s 51.63 in the 100-yard backstroke was good for sixth in the morning session. It was the best time of her career and third-best ever by a Stanford swimmer.
The 800-yard freestyle relay is the third seed in tonight’s final. The 200-yard freestyle relay went for 11th in prelims to make the ‘B’ final.
Stanford swimmers in ‘B’ finals tonight include senior management science and engineering major Katie Olsen (100 breaststroke), freshman Janet Hu (100 butterfly) and freshman Lindsey Engel (100 butterfly).
Cook qualified fourth in the 3-meter after finishing second in the 1-meter last night. The top eight advanced to the 'A' finals.
Event finals begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN3.
