STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's Andrei Minakov shattered one school record, swam to four NCAA 'A' standard times, and won two events on Friday in a top-10 matchup against No. 1 Arizona State at Avery Aquatic Center.
Minakov, a 2020 Russian Olympian who was not enrolled in the fall, raced in earnest for the first time this season and helped the No. 9 Cardinal to five victories, though the Sun Devils (8-0) pulled out a 156-5.-115.5 victory.
Stanford (3-1) doesn't get much rest, facing No. 20 Arizona on Saturday at Avery at 11:30 a.m.
Minakov's day went like this:
- Swam the third leg in the opening event, the 200 medley relay, helping the Cardinal to a season-best 1:23.48.
- Crushed the school record in the 200 butterfly, swimming 1:38.63.
- Won the 100 fly in 44.16, the fastest by a Cardinal this season.
- Anchored Stanford with a 100 split of 41.42 – an 'A' standard if it came in its own event – to give Stanford a victory in 2:49.15.
In an illustration of the meet's strength, Minakov's performances in the 200 medley relay and record-setting 200 fly were not fast enough to win. However, that didn't take away from Minakov's memorable performances.
His time in the 200 fly was a personal best and broke the Stanford mark of 1:40.76 set in 2011 by Bobby Bollier, who won the U.S. title in the 200-meter fly that year.
Minakov, a junior, was the 2022 NCAA champion in the 100 fly and placed fourth in the Tokyo Games in the 100-meter fly. Minakov now holds school records in eight events -- four individual and four relays. He also owns Stanford individual records in the 100 fly, and 100 and 200 free.
The 400 free relay was quite dramatic. The Stanford team of Rafael Gu, Jonathan Tan, Andres Dupont, and Minakov trailed by 0.3 going into the final leg and was tied at the final turn, only for Minakov pull in front in the final 25 yards.
Stanford swept the diving events, with Jack Ryan (388.43) taking the 1-meter springboard and Hunter Hollenbeck (393.68) winning at three meters.
The Cardinal's first victory of the day came from freshman Henry McFadden in the 200 free. McFadden came within 0.1 of his PB, clocking 1:32.88.
In the 1,000 free, freshman Rex Maurer was second in 8:51.50 -- a huge personal best that places him at No. 4 on Stanford's all-time list.
Ron Polonsky, a 2020 Israeli Olympian who also rejoined the team this quarter, achieved his first NCAA 'B' standards of the season. Polonsky did so in the 100 breaststroke (51.49), 200 breast (1:55.10), and 200 individual medley (1:43.46).
Aaron Sequeira. Photo by John Todd/ISI Photos
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Arizona State 156.5, Stanford 115.5
At Avery Aquatic Center
Winners and Stanford results
200-yard medley relay – 1, Arizona State 1:22.24; 2, Stanford A (Rafael Gu, Ron Polonsky, Andrei Minakov, Jonathan Tan) 1:23.48 (A standard); 4, Stanford B (Hayden Kwan, Ethan Dang, Ethan Hu, Avery Voss) 1:27.21.
1,000 freestyle – 1, Zalan Sarkany (ASU) 8:38.13; 2, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 8:51.50 (PB; No. 4 Stanford AT); 4, Gabe Machado (Stanford) 8:59.98 (PB; No. 14 Stanford AT); 6, Liam Custer (Stanford) 9:04.71. Unplaced: Henry Morrissey (Stanford) 9:08.12.
200 free – 1, Henry McFadden (Stanford) 1:32.88 (B standard); 4, Andres Dupont (Stanford) 1:33.86 (B standard); 6, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 1:34.40 (B standard); 7, Preston Forst (Stanford) 1:36.39.
100 backstroke – 1, Hubert Kos (ASU) 45.28; 3, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 46.30 (B standard); 4, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 47.21 (B standard); 5, Hayden Kwan (Stanford) 48.69.
100 breaststroke – 1, Leon Marchand (ASU) 51.46; 2, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 51.49 (B standard); 3, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 52.29 (B standard); 6, Ethan Dang (Stanford) 53.40 (B standard). Unplaced: Hayden Zheng (Stanford) 54.11.
200 butterfly – 1, Ilya Kharun (ASU) 1:37.93; 2, Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 1:38.63 (PB; A standard; school record); 4, Matt Fenlon (Stanford) 1:44.75 (B standard); 5, Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:46.06. Unplaced: Gibson Holmes (Stanford) 1:44.85.
50 free – 1, Donny Kulow (ASU) 19.19; 2 (tie), Rafael Gu (Stanford) 19.46 (B standard); 4, Jonathan Tan (Stanford) 19.63 (B standard); 6, Avery Voss (Stanford) 19.82. Unplaced: Ethan Harrington (Stanford) 20.10.
1-meter diving – 1, Jack Ryan (Stanford) 388.43; 2, Hunter Hollenbeck (Stanford) 289.05.
100 free – 1, Donny Kulow (ASU) 42.44; 3, Andres Dupont (Stanford) 42.98 (B standard); 5, Jonathan Tan (Stanford) 43.39 (B standard); 7, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 43.76. Unplaced: Ethan Harrington (Stanford) 44.51.
200 back – 1, Hubert Kos (ASU) 1:38.96; 3, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 1:43.40 (B standard); 4, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:43.77 (B standard); 5, Hayden Kwan (Stanford) 1:45.07.
200 breast – 1, Leon Marchand (ASU) 1:51.71; 4, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:54.91 (B standard; No.14 Stanford AT); 5, Ethan Dang (Stanford) 1:55.03 (B standard); 6, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:55.10 (B standard). Unplaced: Hayden Zheng (Stanford) 1:56.02 (B standard).
500 free – 1, Zalan Sarkany (ASU) 4:13.95; 2, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 4:17.45 (B standard); 4, Henry McFadden (Stanford) 4:19.69 (B standard); 5, Matt Fenlon (Stanford) 4:24.67; 6, Preston Forst (Stanford) 4:25.38. Unplaced: Gabe Machado (Stanford) 4:25.65; Liam Custer (Stanford) 4:25.66; Andrew Matejka (Stanford) 4:28.35.
100 fly – 1, Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 44.16 (A standard); 3, Rafael Gu (Stanford) 45.54 (B standard); 6, Ethan Hu (Stanford) 48.89. Unplaced: Gibson Holmes (Stanford) 47.69.
3-meter diving – 1, Hunter Hollenbeck (Stanford) 393.68.
200 individual medley – 1, Leon Marchand (ASU) 1:38.78; 3, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:43.46 (B standard); 5, Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:45.07 (B standard); 7, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:46.74; 8, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 1:47.67.
400 free relay – 1, Stanford A (Rafael Gu, Jonathan Tan, Andres Dupont, Andrei Minakov) 2:49.15 (A standard); 4, Stanford B (Avery Voss, Luke Maurer, Preston Forst, Henry McFadden) 2:54.27.
PB = Personal best
AT = All-time