March 17, 2006
ATHENS, Georgia - Freshman Jessica Hardy won the 100-yard breaststroke title and the No. 3 California Golden Bears sit in fourth place after two days of the 2006 NCAA Women's Swimming Championships. Hardy was seeded first in the final and clocked a 1:00.02 for the title at the University of Georgia's Gabrielsen Natatorium Friday. Hardy set a world record in the 100-meter breaststroke last summer.
"I was very happy with the win, even though my time was not necessarily as
fast as I had hoped," Hardy said after the race. "I love racing, I love competing, and I guess that's what made me come out on top."
Hardy's title is the first individual title by a Cal woman swimmer since Natalie Coughlin won the 100 back and 100 butterfly crowns in 2004. The Bears also won the 800 free relay that year.
Cal is currently in fourth with 205 points. Defending national champion Georgia leads the team race (379), followed by Auburn (326) and Arizona (315).
Junior Erin Reilly turned in a second-place performance in the 200 free, with a new lifetime-best time of 1:44.63. She was seeded second in the event after posting a 1:45.00 in this morning's prelims - her previous lifetime best. Senior Ashley Chandler finished eighth in the championship final in 1:47.39.
"I feel like I swam really well," Reilly said. "That was my personal best. Last night I was really nervous for the 500, so tonight I just tried to relax more. I didn't have very high expectations for this event. Overall I feel the meet is going really well for our team. We are really pulling together."
The Bears' 200 medley relay team of junior Sherry Tsai, Hardy, sophomore Leann Toomey and sophomore Emily Silver finished fourth in 1:39.09.
Senior Helen Silver won the consolation final of the 100 back in 53.35, which was tied for the fourth-fastest time in the final two heats. Her time of 53.35 eclipsed the 53.69 she clocked in the prelims, which was a lifetime best.
The 800 free relay team of Chandler, Silver, freshman Lauren Rogers and Reilly finished fourth in 7:07.38.
Junior Annie Babicz was third in the consolation championship (11th overall) of the 100 breast in a time of 1:01.72.
Rachel Ridgeway took fifth in the consolation final (14th overall) of the 400 IM in a time of 4:18.26.
2006 NCAA Championships
Day 2 Finals Results
200 freestyle
2 Reilly, Erin, 1:45.00
8 Chandler, Ashley, 1:47.39
100 breaststroke
1 Hardy, Jessica, 1:00.02
11 Babicz, Annie, 1:01.72
200 medley relay
4 California, 1:39.09
Tsai, Sherry; Hardy, Jessica; Toomey, Leann; Silver, Emily
400 IM
14 Ridgeway, Rachel, 4:18.26
100 backstroke
9 Silver, Helen, 53.35
800 free relay
4 California 7:07.38
Chandler, Ashley; Silver, Emily; Rogers, Lauren; Reilly, Erin
Team Standings (through Day 2)
1. Georgia 379
2. Auburn 326
3. Arizona 315
4. California 205
5. Stanford 164
6. USC 140
7. Florida 101
8. Wisconsin 93
