SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The youthful Stanford synchronized swimming team finished an impressive second to defending national champion Ohio State on Saturday in the National Collegiate Championships at the Palo Alto Aquatic Center.
The Cardinal earned runner-up in all four routine finals.
Ohio State recorded 98.0 points, followed by Stanford with 88.0 and Lindenwood with 70.0.
"Our team fought through to the end and put in their best swims of the season," said head coach Megan Azebu. "They pulled together these past few weeks of practice, and we are so proud of their strong showing. We didn't come out on top this time, but we are excited by the improvements and growth they have demonstrated this season."
In the first final, Stanford took silver and bronze in the trio free behind the Buckeyes. Ohio State scored 83.7000, followed by the Cardinal threesomes of Karen Li, Jacklyn Luu and Alexandra Suarez (82.9000), and Grace Alwan, Natalie Fletcher and Caitlin Klauer (81.8000).
In the duet free, Ohio State prevailed with a score of 85.3000. Stanford garnered silver and bronze, with Luu and Suarez tallying 83.5333 and Alwan and Klauer earning 83.1667.
In solo free, Luu won silver with a score of 84.8667, missing gold by 0.333 to Nicole Dzurko of Ohio State (85.2000).
In the team free competition, Stanford collected silver with 84.6667 behind the Buckeyes' 85.5667. The Cardinal contingent included Alwan, Fletcher, Klauer, Joanna Langner, Li, Lily Randhawa, Amanda Urke and Sabrina Walsh.
In technical competition, Luu captured gold in Collegiate A Figures with 83.4183. Klauer finished sixth with 78.2043.
Luu, Klauer, Alwan, Li, Fletcher and Suarez were named Collegiate All-American.
Eleven Stanford student-athletes received USA Synchro Academic Awards, and all three freshmen -- Alwan, Suarez and Walsh -- earned 4.00 GPA's during the fall quarter.
