Wednesday, March 20
Athens, GA
TBD
California
vs
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Justin Casterline/klcfotos
3/20/2024 6:25 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Cal Places Fourth In 200 Medley Relay
ATHENS, Ga. – The California women's swimming & diving team recorded two top-10 finishes on the first night of the 2024 NCAA Championships on Wednesday, including a season-best time in the 800-yard freestyle relay at Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
The Golden Bears began the evening with a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:34.55 – their best finish in the event since 2021 and seventh-best time in program history. Senior Isabelle Stadden (backstroke), senior Jade Neser (breaststroke), junior Mia Kragh (butterfly) and junior Stephanie Akakabota (freestyle) – the same quartet that won the Pac-12 championship in the event last month – did the honors.
Cal's 800 free relay team of graduate students Mia Motekaitis and Rachel Klinker, freshman Ava Chavez and junior Leah Polonsky clocked in with a time of 6:55.18 – easily bettering the Bears' previous top time this season of 6:56.81 set at the Pac-12 Championships.
The meet gets going in earnest Thursday with the first individual races – the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle. The Bears have five entries in the 50 free and three in the other two races. Polonsky is the No. 6 seed in the 200 IM while Klinker and Motekaitis are both top-20 seeds in the 500 free.
Cal will also compete in the 200 freestyle relay Thursday evening.
After the first night of competition, the Bears are in sixth place in the overall team standings with 48 points.
The Golden Bears began the evening with a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:34.55 – their best finish in the event since 2021 and seventh-best time in program history. Senior Isabelle Stadden (backstroke), senior Jade Neser (breaststroke), junior Mia Kragh (butterfly) and junior Stephanie Akakabota (freestyle) – the same quartet that won the Pac-12 championship in the event last month – did the honors.
Cal's 800 free relay team of graduate students Mia Motekaitis and Rachel Klinker, freshman Ava Chavez and junior Leah Polonsky clocked in with a time of 6:55.18 – easily bettering the Bears' previous top time this season of 6:56.81 set at the Pac-12 Championships.
The meet gets going in earnest Thursday with the first individual races – the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle. The Bears have five entries in the 50 free and three in the other two races. Polonsky is the No. 6 seed in the 200 IM while Klinker and Motekaitis are both top-20 seeds in the 500 free.
Cal will also compete in the 200 freestyle relay Thursday evening.
After the first night of competition, the Bears are in sixth place in the overall team standings with 48 points.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Back
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Free/Breast/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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