MINNEAPOLIS -- Stanford's 400 free relay team capped an outstanding 2014 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships by winning the Cardinals seventh event to clinch a second-place finish.
Head coach Greg Meehan took home CSCAA Swimming Coach of the Year honors for his team's surprise finish behind national champion Georgia.
"It's pretty rewarding," said Meehan. "I think mostly for our seniors. For them to go out like this, with a second-place finish and winning four of five relays is just really special."
Stanford also picked up second-place showings from Lia Neal (100 free, 47.17), Maya DiRado (200 fly, 1:52.99) and Katie Olsen (200 breast, 2:05.88) on the final night of action. Neal and Olsen both smashed school records in the process.
Neal also played a huge part in the final 400 free relay, as she swam the final leg. She split a 47.14 in the ending 100 to turn a virtual tie into another Cardinal victory. Joining Neal on the relay were Maddy Schaefer, Felicia Lee and DiRado.
Stanford entered the event just 8.5 points ahead of California for second.
The Cardinal, led by seven All-America efforts from Lee and Neal and six more from DiRado, earned its best finish since 2010 and its 17th overall top-three finish at the NCAA meet.
DiRado, perhaps the meet's most impressive swimmer, won both IM events, contributed to a pair of national title relays and another third place in addition to her 200 fly second-place effort. She helped Stanford score its most points at the national meet since 2000.
All-America
Julia Anderson (1)
800 free relay (3rd)
Alex Clay (1)
1-meter (14th)
Maya DiRado (6)
200 IM (1st), 400 medley relay (1st), 400 IM (1st), 800 free relay (3rd), 200 fly (2nd), 400 free relay (1st)
Sarah Haase (1)
100 breast (10th)
Felicia Lee (7)
200 free relay (1st), 200 IM (6th), 400 medley relay (1st), 200 medley relay (1st), 100 fly (1st), 100 back (3rd), 400 free relay (1st)
Lia Neal (7)
200 free relay (1st), 50 free (10th), 400 medley relay (1st), 200 free (9th), 800 free relay (3rd), 100 free (2nd), 400 free relay (1st)
Katie Olsen (5)
200 free relay (1st), 400 medley relay (1st), 200 medley relay (1st), 100 breast (5th), 200 breast (2nd)
Maddy Schaefer (5)
200 free relay (1st), 50 free (6th), 200 medley relay (1st), 400 free relay (1st), 100 free (7th)
Nicole Stafford (2)
200 medley relay (1st), 800 free relay (3rd)
Andie Taylor (1)
400 IM (14th)
Annemarie Thayer (1)
200 back (14th)
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