LOS ANGELES – Jonathan Tan anchored Stanford to victory in the 200-yard medley relay to open the men's swimming and diving dual and the Cardinal never trailed on the way to a 175.5-119.5 victory over USC on Saturday.
Tan was part of three victories, including the 50 freestyle (19.37) and leading off the 200 free relay, to lead No. 5 Stanford to its seventh consecutive dual triumph over No. 17 USC, at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. At 56, points, this was Stanford's smallest margin of victory in the series since 2018.
This was a matchup with family intrigue. Stanford brothers Luke and Rex Maurer were taking on a team coached by their mother, Lea Maurer, a Stanford great and former Cardinal women's coach, now in her second season directing both the men's and women's Trojan programs.
Rex Maurer, the freshman, won the 500 free in 4:18.77 and was second in the 1,000 free in 8:53.17. Luke Maurer, the senior, was second in the 200 free in 1:33.82 and third in the 100 free in 43.16.
Both the 100 and 200 free were Stanford 1-2-3 sweeps won by teammate Andres Dupont Cabrera, who clocked 43.04 and 1:33.43. This was the final meet for Dupont before he heads to Doha, Qatar, to compete for Mexico in the World Aquatics Championships, which concludes February 18. Tan also will compete in Doha, representing Singapore.
No. 5 Stanford (5-1) won 12 of the 14 swimming events against the No. 17 Trojans (2-4). Stanford swimmers set four personal bests and reached three new NCAA B standards. Ron Polonsky had two of those B standards, in the 100 backstroke (46.96) and 200 back (a PB of 1:43.77), while placing second and third, respectively. He also won the 200 individual medley.
Rafael Gu had another new B standard, in the 100 back (a PB of 47.40). And other Stanford personal bests were earned by Henry McFadden (1:43.45) in placing second to Andrei Minakov in the 200 fly. Minakov had his own PB, in the 200 IM (1:48.01).
Aaron Sequeira won the 100 back (46.65) and earned his first 100 butterfly (46.29) victory of the season.
The 200 medley relay team of Gu, Polonsky, Ethan Harrington, and Tan) helped give the Cardinal an immediate 13-4 lead that was cut slightly to 22-14 after the next event, the 1,000 free. But the Stanford 200 free sweep of Dupont, Luke Maurer, and Preston Forst, put the Cardinal in front, 38-17, after three events and Stanford wasn't threatened again.
This was Stanford's first and only road dual this season, after five home duals. Stanford closes out the dual season on February 24 with a Senior Day matchup against rival Cal at Avery Aquatic Center.
* * *
Stanford 175.5, USC 119.5
At Uytengsu Aquatics Center
Winners and all Stanford results
200-yard medley relay – 1, Stanford A (Rafael Gu, Ron Polonsky, Ethan Harrington, Jonathan Tan) 1:24.86; 3, Stanford B (Aaron Sequeira, Ethan Dang, Josh Zuchowski, Avery Voss) 1:26.65.
1,000 freestyle – 1, Krzysztof Chmielewski (USC) 8:50.29; 2, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 8:53.17; 3, Liam Custer (Stanford) 9:01.64; 4, Gabe Machado (Stanford) 9:05.09.
200 free – 1, Andres Dupont Cabrera (Stanford) 1:33.43; 2, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 1:33.82; 3, Preston Forst (Stanford) 1:36.07.
100 backstroke – 1, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 46.65; 2, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 46.96 (new B standard); 4, Rafael Gu (Stanford) 47.40 (PB; new B standard). Unplaced: Hayden Kwan (Stanford) 47.43.
100 breaststroke – 1, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 52.55; 2, Ethan Dang (Stanford) 53.46; 5, Hayden Zheng (Stanford) 54.46.
200 butterfly – 1, Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 1:40.00; 2, Henry McFadden (Stanford) 1:43.45 (PB); 5, Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:44.88.
3-meter diving – 1, Laurent Paradis (USC) 353.10; 4, Hunter Hollenbeck (Stanford) 254.55.
50 free – 1 (tie), Jonathan Tan (Stanford), Artem Selin (USC), each 19.37; 3, Avery Voss (Stanford) 19.90; 5, Ethan Harrington (Stanford) 20.15.
100 free – 1, Andres Dupont Cabrera (Stanford) 43.04; 2, Rafael Gu (Stanford) 43.12; 3, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 43.16. Unplaced: Jonathan Tan (Stanford) 43.97.
200 back – 1, Vaggelis Makrygiannis (USC) 1:42.64; 2, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:42.94; 3, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:43.77 (PB; new B standard); 4, Hayden Kwan (Stanford) 1:43.96. Unplaced: Henry McFadden (Stanford) 1:44.93.
200 breast – 1, Ethan Dang (Stanford) 1:56.01; 2, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:56.28; 4, Hayden Zheng (Stanford) 1:57.34.
500 free – 1, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 4:18.77.
100 fly – 1, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 46.29. Unplaced: Avery Voss (Stanford) 47.69; Ethan Harrington (Stanford) 48.00.
1-meter diving – 1, Sean Wang (USC) 352.40; 5, Hunter Hollenbeck (Stanford) 69.50.
200 individual medley – 1, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:43.45. Unplaced: Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:45.00; Luke Maurer (Stanford) 1:45.74; Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 1:48.01 (PB); Hayden Zheng (Stanford) 1:48.52; Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:49.43.
200 free relay – 1, Stanford A (Jonathan Tan, Avery Voss, Henry McFadden, Rafael Gu) 1:17.99; 3, Stanford D (Luke Maurer, Rick Mihm, Josh Zuchowski, Andrei Minakov) 1:19.80. Unplaced: Stanford B (Ethan Harrington, Aaron Sequeira, Ethan Dang, Preston Forst) 1:20.71; Stanford C (Liam Custer, Zhier Fan, Hayden Kwan, Gabe Machado) 1:23.54.
Records – Stanford 5-1, USC 2-4.
