STANFORD, Calif. – It was another stellar season for the Stanford synchronized swimming team.
After winning the program's eighth Collegiate National Championships in 2016, the Cardinal finished second to host Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. Boosted by a large, boisterous crowd, the Buckeyes amassed 100 points in the three-day competition, while Stanford accumulated 88.
"Our girls did all they could," said Cardinal head coach Sara Lowe. "I am beyond proud of them."
Stanford has now placed third or higher for five consecutive seasons.
Senior captains Isabella Park and Marisa Tashima, juniors Clare McGovern, Sandra Ortellado and Erica Slavin, and sophomore Rachel Hyon were named All-Americans. Tashima earned the honor for the fourth time, becoming just the 10th Cardinal to accomplish the feat.
Regular-season highlights included a home weekend sweep against Lindenwood and Ohio State in February at the Avery Aquatic Center, and a dominating performance in the Western Regionals in March in Oro Valley, Arizona.
Nearly 400 spectators turned out at cool and overcast Avery for the Saturday tri-competition against Lindenwood and Ohio State. The Cardinal didn't disappoint, claiming all four routines and recorded 101 points. The Buckeyes were second with 86, followed by Lindenwood with 61.
McGovern won the solo routine with a score of 84.6667, while Ortellado and Slavin took the duet (83.0000), and Ortellado, Slavin and McGovern captured the trio (84.0333). Ortellado, Slavin, McGovern, Tashima, Park, Hyon, Amanda Urke and Karen Li prevailed in team (86.2333). Tashima, Park and Hyon placed second in trio (83.0667), and Elle Billman, Dylan Harding, Natalie Fletcher, Lily Randhawa and Gillian Brassil posted fourth in team (81.1167).
At the Western Regionals, Stanford finished first in all routines. McGovern scored 83.1333 in solo, Slavin and Ortellado 80.6667 in duet, Slavin, Ortellado and McGovern 83.0667 in trio, and the Cardinal went 1-2 in team.
That set up the showdown against Ohio State in the Collegiate Championships. Stanford started strong in first day qualifying, winning the duet and trio, while McGovern came in second in solo. But it wasn't enough to prevent the Buckeyes from winning their 30th national title two days later in the finals.
McGovern, Ortellado and Slavin repeated as national champions in trio, scoring 84.1667. Hyon, Park and Tashima garnered third with 82.5000.
In solo, McGovern repeated as national runner-up with a total of 83.1333. Ortellado and Slavin finished third in duet at 84.0000. Hyon, Li, McGovern, Ortellado, Park, Slavin, Tashima and Urke tallied second in team with a total of 84.4333, while Billman, Brassil, Fletcher, Harding and Randhawa took sixth at 79.2100.
Billman was honored for finishing first in Division B Figures, and Hyon placed third in Elements.
Fletcher, Li and Slavin were recognized for academic achievement.
