March 18, 2000
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The California women's swimming team placed fourth with 311.5 points at the 2000 NCAA Women's Swimming Championship at the Indianapolis University Natatorium in Indianapolis, IN. The Bears trailed only national champion Georgia (490.5), Arizona (472) and Stanford (397).
The highlight for Cal in the final day of the NCAA Championship was freshman Staciana Stitts placing third in the 200-meter breast with a time of 2:25.02. Senior Elli Overton was fifth with a time of 2:27.88.
The Bears had an outstanding 2000 NCAA meet as Cal establish impressive records in the second day of the competiton as the 200-meter medley relay of junior Haley Cope, freshman Staciana Stitts, senior Waen Minpraphal and sophomore Josecelin Yeo won the NCAA title and set a world record with a time of 1:49.23. The previous world record was 1:49.47 by Sweden in 1999. Cope also set her own world record with a 50-meter back leadoff time of 27.25, bettering Germany Sandra Volkers' time of 27.27.
The Bears also had exceptional performances in the 100 breast and 100 back. Freshman Staciana Stitts placed second nationally in the 100-meter breast with a time of 1:06.79 and junior Haley Cope was second nationally in the 100 back with a time of 59.17.
In the first day of the NCAA Championship, the Bears captured the national title in the 200-meter free relay which was a U.S. Open record time of 1:40.18 (senior Anya Kolbisen, Cope, senior Nicole Omphroy, Yeo). Cal's time topped the old U.S. Open record of 1:42.73 set by Americus Blue in 1992. It was also the school's first NCAA relay title in women's swimming.
Other top swims in the first day included senior Elli Overton placing second in the 200-meter IM with a time of 2:10.74, and sophomore Joscelin Yeo placing fifth in the same event with a time of 2:13.09. The Bears also had a third-place finish in the 400-meter medley relay with a time of 3:58.62 (Cope, freshman Staciana Stitts, Yeo, Omphroy).
The championship finals will continue through Saturday, March 25. Meet results are available each day at the following websites: www.ncaachampionships.com, or later at www.calbears.com. The Bears have already won more NCAA titles at the 2000 NCAA Championship than anytime in school history. Cal had finished fifth in the nation at the 1999 NCAA meet.
