FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Freshman Patrick Conaton posted a lifetime-best in the 200-yard backstroke and Stanford’s relay units achieved a pair of NCAA A-cuts Wednesday to open the swimming portion of the Pac-12 Conference Championships.
Conaton’s 1:40.48 in the 200 back came during a time trial, and the NCAA A-cut was over four seconds faster than his previous benchmark.
Peter Arnet dropped nearly a second and a half from his lifetime best by going 44.29 for an NCAA B-cut in the 100-yard freestyle.
“Our senior class showed tremendous leadership tonight, and freshman Patrick Conaton, along with Peter Arnet, put this team on their young shoulders and showed us all what we have been working towards this year,” said Ted Knapp, Stanford’s Goldman Family Director of Men’s Swimming. “This promises to be an exciting meet.”
USC holds a narrow lead over the six-team field. The Trojans hold 74 points through the first two events, followed by Cal (72) and Stanford (66).
Cal had the first win of the meet in the 200-yard medley relay, clocking in at 1:24.16. USC (1:24.39) came in second, while Stanford placed third in 1:25.13. Stanford’s time was nearly a second faster than its 2014 standard.
The Trojans posted a victory in the 800 free relay, setting a Pac-12 Championships record in 6:12.51. Following the lead of Drew Cosgarea’s 1:34.34, Stanford surged to second with an NCAA A-cut 6:14.98 and narrowly missed a school record. The Cardinal bettered the time from its third-place finish in the event at last season’s NCAA Championships.
The meet continues Thursday at the Weyerhauser King County Aquatic Center with prelims at 11 a.m. (PT) and finals beginning at 6 p.m. The 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle relay will be contested.