SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sophomore Kathleen Baker, racing for the first time as a Golden Bear since winning two Olympic medals in Rio over the summer, captured the Queen of the Pool title in Cal's opening meet of the 2016-17 season Friday.
 
The unique competition, featuring teams from Cal and Cal Poly, tests the swimmers on their versatility, with each person taking part in five 100-yard races - freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke and individual medley. All times are combined, and the one with the fastest overall time is declared the queen.
 
Baker's total time for the five events was 4:43.28, just ahead of senior Celina Li's 4:44.91. Li had earned the title each of her first three years with the Bears.
 
Individually, freshman Abbey Weitzeil, also a two-time Olympic medalist, claimed the 100 free in 49.81 as well as the 100 breast in 1:04.56. Sophomore Amy Bilquist won the 100 back in 53.25, while Baker took the 100 fly (54.11) and the 100 IM (55.79).
 
Entering the IM, Li held a slight 0.31-second lead. But Baker completed the final race in 55.79 to Li's 57.73 to wrest the crown away.
 
Following Baker and Li, Bilquist was third overall in 4:45.24, with Weitzeil fourth in 4:45.46 and sophomore Katie McLaughlin fifth in 4:52.10.
 
After an Oct. 7 visit to Oregon State, Cal returns to Berkeley to host Washington State Oct. 21 at Spieker Aquatics Complex.