GREENSBORO, N.C. – Day two of the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships was highlighted by three podium finishes for No. 9 Stanford, Thursday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Brooke Forde took third in the 500 free in a season-best 4:35.22 to reach the podium. Forde has now earned an All-America nod in the event all four years of her career – including two first-team honors. The senior reached the final thanks to a 4:37.49 in the preliminary round during the morning sessions.
Individually, Forde was joined by Emma Wheal in the evening session. Wheal swam a lifetime best of 21.97 in the 50 free to finish 13th, despite entering the week seeded 23rd on the psych sheet.
Wheal now moves into ninth on the school record book in the event.
"We rebounded really well tonight," said the Paul A. Violich Director of Women's Swimming Greg Meehan. "Both relays battled hard to stay in the top eight. A definite highlight was seeing Emma break the 22-second barrier for the first time (in the 50 free). We're excited to carry some good momentum tomorrow."
Both the 200 free and 400 medley relay teams reached the podium by way of eighth-place finishes. The 200 free relay team of Anya Goeders, Wheal, Amalie Fackenthal and Lauren Green tied for eighth in 1:281.6 with
Louisville. In the medley relay, Janelle Rudolph, Allie Raab, Wheal and Fackenthal swam 3:30.26 to take eighth.
On the 1-meter springboard at the diving pool, Daria Lenz (263.95) and Mia Paulsen (249.85) took 28th and 26th, respectively.
During the morning session, Stanford was also represented in the 500 free by Morgan Tankersley (4:45.70 and Isabel Gormley (4:48.14), the 200 IM by Hannah Kukurugya (1:59.94), Rudolph (1:58.73) and Zoe Bartel (2:00.05). Goeders (22.48), Fackenthal (22.46) and Alex Crisera (23.04) also swam in the prelims of the 50 free.
On the day, the Cardinal scored 62 points and remains in eighth place in the team standings.
The NCAA championships will continue Friday with the trials (7 a.m. PT) and finals (3 p.m. PT) of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and the 200 medley relay. The divers will compete on the 3-meter springboard. A live stream of both sessions will be available on ESPN3, and the NCAA will provide live results.
