STANFORD, Calif. - The Cardinal began the 2022-23 season on Thursday with a win over Pac-12 opponent Utah. Stanford won each of the 16 events in the meet, including a sweep of both the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Thursday's competition also represented the program's annual Breast Cancer Awareness meet, with all proceeds benefiting the Women's Health Center at Stanford Medicine.
Stanford started the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay, winning the event with a 1:27.91 as the quartet of Leon MacAlister, Ethan Dang, Ethan Hu, and Luke Maurer combined for the win. The Cardinal kept the pressure on, completing the clean sweep of the 1000 free in the next event with Preston Forst taking first overall with a 9:11.51. Freshmen Liam Custer and Henry Morrissey took second and third behind Forst to complete the sweep.
In the diving pool, Jack Ryan earned wins in both diving events, scoring 357.23 on the 3-meter and 376.50 on the 1-meter.
On 11 occasions, a Stanford freshman finished on the podium in an individual event. Rafael Gu earned the event win in the 200 free (1:35.77) and finished second overall in the 100 and 50 free. Freshman Hayden Kwan had a successful afternoon as well, taking home two wins, one in the 100 back in 48.23 and one in the 200 back with a 1:45.48.
Luke Maurer took control in the sprint freestyle events, winning the 50 free with a time of 20.10. In the 100 free, Maurer also claimed the top spot with a 43.98.
Maurer combined with Leon MacAlister, Rafael Gu, and Andres Dupont to claim first place in the 400 free relay to close out the meet win for the Cardinal. The quartet swam a 2:55.16, more than three seconds faster than the second place Utah relay.
Ethan Dang took home first place in both breast events, clocking a 54.69 in the 100 and a 1:58.80 in the 200.
The Cardinal returns to action in the Triple Distance Meet against California on November 4 at 2 p.m. in the Avery Aquatic Center.