MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 13 California women's swimming & diving team got off to a dominant start at the Minnesota Invitational on Wednesday, winning the only two events on the schedule and recording NCAA standard times in the process.

The Golden Bears' team of Isabelle Stadden (backstroke), Jade Neser (breaststroke), McKenna Stone (butterfly) and Eloise Riley (freestyle) easily won the 200-yard medley relay, recording an NCAA A-Cut time of 1:34.23 - the fifth-fastest time in the event in the country this season. Arizona was second at 1:36.60.

Stadden and Riley joined teammates Ava Chavez and Mia Motekaitis for the 800 freestyle relay, and Cal pulled away to win in a time of 7:01.70. That mark, which is an NCAA B Standard time, was over six seconds faster than another quartet of Golden Bears that came in second - Rachel Klinker, Kathryn Hazle, Emily Gantriis and Lizzy Cook.

The Bears are in first place in the team standings after the first day of the competition with 326 points, followed by Pittsburgh (258) and host Minnesota (210).

The Minnesota Invitational resumes Thursday with the first individual events of the meet - 500 free, 200 individual medley and 50 free. Prelims begin at 8 a.m. PT with the finals commencing at 4 p.m. PT. The 1-meter diving competition also takes place Thursday with prelims at 11 a.m. PT.
 

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