Nov. 17, 2011
Results
LONG BEACH, Calif. -
Caitlin Leverenz further cemented her status as one of the top IMers in the United States when the California junior won the 200-yard individual medley with the fastest time in the nation on Thursday night in the Arena Invitational at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool. The second-ranked Golden Bears placed five swimmers in individual championship finals and one relay in each of the two relay finals on the first day of the three-day meet.
Leverenz swam an automatic NCAA qualifying time of 1:55.66 to edge former Stanford star Julia Smit, who clocked a time of 1:55.83, in the championship final. In the B final of the 200 IM, sophomore Melissa Bates posted a time of 2:01.95 to finish 11th overall. Former Cal star Dana Vollmer won the C final and placed 17th overall with a time of 1:58.41.
Leverenz swam an automatic NCAA qualifying time of 1:55.66 to edge former Stanford star Julia Smit, who clocked a time of 1:55.83, in the championship final. In the B final of the 200 IM, sophomore Melissa Bates posted a time of 2:01.95 to finish 11th overall. Former Cal star Dana Vollmer won the C final and placed 17th overall with a time of 1:58.41.
In the 200 IM morning preliminary race, Leverenz posted an NCAA B time of 1:58.76 to take second.
A member of the U.S. national team, Leverenz placed fifth in the 200-meter IM (2:10.40) at last summer's World Championships and at the 2011 NCAA Championships finished fifth in the 200-yard IM (1:55.22).
Another former Bear, Lauren Boyle, won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:38.18 in the final. A trio of current Bears finished 6-7-8 in the final, with senior Sara Isakovic placing sixth (4:50.67), senior Shelley Harper taking seventh (4:50.82) and freshman Catherine Breed finishing eighth (4:54.58).
Cal's top quartet of senior Liv Jensen, senior Katherine Raatz, sophomore Cindy Tran and Bates posted an NCAA B qualifying time of 1:31.47 to take third place in the 200-free relay.
Jensen finished second in the 50-free final with an NCAA B qualifying time of 22.56. The veteran sprinter, who captured the 2010 NCAA title in the 50 free, clocked the fourth-fastest time in the nation tonight. Former Bear Erica Dagg tied for 19th place with a time of 23.27.
In the last championship final of the night, Cal's Tran, Leverenz, Isakovic and Jensen combined to clock an NCAA B qualifying time of 3:37.74 and take second place in the 400-medley relay. That time is also the fourth-fastest 400-medley relay in the nation.
The Cal divers are in Tucson, Arizona, for the Wildcat Diving Invitational, which runs from Friday to Sunday, Nov. 18-20.
The Arena Invitational continues on Friday with the 11 a.m. prelims.
2011 Arena Invitational
Thursday Finals
200-Yard Freestyle Relay
3. Cal A (
Liv Jensen,
Katherine Raatz,
Cindy Tran,
Melissa Bates) 1:31.47*.
500-Yard Freestyle
6. Sara Isakovic 4:50.67. 7. Shelley Harper 4:50.82. 8. Catherine Breed 4:54.58. 9. Melanie Klaren 4:50.79. 19. Stephanie Au 4:55.89. 31. Taylor Nanfria 4:59.40.
200-Yard Individual Medley
1. Caitlin Leverenz 1:55.66^. 11. Melissa Bates 2:01.95. 22. Caroline Piehl 2:05.33.
50-Yard Freestyle
2. Liv Jensen 22.56*. 23. Katherine Raatz 23.60. 30. Colleen Fotsch 23.84. 32. Kaylin Bing 23.86.
400-Yard Medley Relay
2. Cal A (Cindy Tran, Caitlin Leverenz, Sara Isakovic, Liv Jensen) 3:37.74.
^ NCAA A qualifying time
* NCAA B qualifying time
