March 18, 2010

Results

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - California sophomore Liv Jensen won the 50-yard freestyle final, and the Golden Bears had major contributions from a variety of swimmers to stand in third place after the first day of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday at Purdue's Boilermaker Aquatic Center. Cal compiled 122 points to trail only leader Stanford (142.5) and Georgia (134) through day one of the three-day meet.

"It feels pretty good," said Jensen, a product of Palo Alto, Calif. "It's gratifying, and the best feeling in the world to look up and know that I swam that. It feels really great to be able to swim for my team and do that."

"It was a great effort, and I'm really proud of her for finding a way to get her hand to the wall first," Cal head coach Teri McKeever said. "She's pretty excited. For Cal to pick up another national championship is really special."

Junior Hannah Wilson was Cal's second 50-free finalist, with the 2008 Hong Kong Olympian taking seventh with a time of 22.43.

Cal senior Lauren Boyle swam the fastest 500-yard freestyle prelim and took second place in the final with a lifetime-best time of 4:37.18, which moves her past Natalie Coughlin as the second-fastest Bear in the 500 free. Sophomore teammate Sara Isakovic holds the record at 4:36.79.

Georgia's Allison Schmitt won the 500 free in a pool-record time of 4:34.13.

In the first A final of the night, Cal finished third in the 200-free relay. The Bears quartet of Wilson, sophomore Colleen Fotsch, junior Erica Dagg and Jensen posted a time of 1:28.97, while Florida won the relay in a time of 1:27.79.

Freshman Caitlin Leverenz, who was sixth in the morning prelim, took seventh in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:57.16. Her prelim time of 1:56.66 ranks her as the second-fastest swimmer in the 200 IM in Cal history behind Coughlin. Stanford's Julia Smit won the final with a pool-record time of 1:53.56.

In the last race of the night, the Cal foursome of Fotsch, senior Alexandra Ellis, junior Amanda Sims and Wilson took seventh place in the 400-medley relay with a time of 3:33.88. Arizona won the event with a pool-record 3:29.76.

"It was a great first day," McKeever said. "I'm proud of the team. We really took advantage of things and made our own opportunities. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

Friday's action includes the 200-medley relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 free, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke.

NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championships

March 18

Top 10 teams    Points - Through Event 6
1. Stanford	142.5
2. Georgia	134
3. California	122
4. Florida	107
5. Texas A&M	106
5. Arizona	106
7. Auburn	         67
8. Virginia	64
8. USC	         64
10. Texas	         38

Cal Results

Finals
200-Yard Freestyle Relay

3. Cal A (Hannah Wilson, Colleen Fotsch, Erica Dagg, Liv Jensen) 1:28.97.

500-Yard Freestyle
2. Lauren Boyle 4:37.18. 14. Katie Kastes 4:41.57.

200-Yard Individual Medley
7. Caitlin Leverenz 1:57.16. 15. Heather White 1:58.18.

50-Yard Freestyle
1. Liv Jensen 22.04. 7. Hannah Wilson 22.43.

400-Yard Medley Relay
7. Cal A (Colleen Fotsch, Alexandra Ellis, Amanda Sims, Hannah Wilson) 3:33.88.

Preliminary Round

200-Yard Freestyle Relay

5. Cal A (Hannah Wilson, Colleen Fotsch, Erica Dagg, Liv Jensen) 1:28.82.

500-Yard Freestyle
1. Lauren Boyle 4:38.72. 16. Katie Kastes 4:42.47. 46. 4:47.49. 53. Blake Hayter 4:48.98.

200-Yard Individual Medley
6. Caitlin Leverenz 1:56.66. 11. Heather White 1:57.04.

50-Yard Freestyle
2. Liv Jensen 22.21. 7. Hannah Wilson 22.31. 51. Erica Dagg 23.12.

400-Yard Medley Relay
8. Cal A (Colleen Fotsch, Alexandra Ellis, Amanda Sims, Hannah Wilson) 3:33.58.