INDIANAPOLIS – Stanford relay teams opened the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships with two podium finishes on Wednesday in the first events contested at the four-day meet at the IU Natatorium.
The Cardinal opened with a victory in the second heat of the 200-yard medley relay and placed seventh overall in 1:22.43. In the 800 freestyle relay, Stanford placed seventh in the third and final heat and took eighth overall in 6:08.77.
Through two events, Stanford is seventh with 46 points. On Thursday, five more finals will be scored, including in one-meter diving, which features Stanford junior Jack Ryan, who placed third last year.
In the 200 medley relay, Rex Maurer opened with 50-yard backstroke split of 21.02. Ron Polonsky followed with a breaststroke split of 23.23, with Andrei Minakov clocking 19.57 in the backstroke. Rafael Gu closed with a freestyle anchor of 18.61.
The time of 1:22.43 was only 0.02 off the school record of 1:22.41 on a 2022 team that included Polonsky and Minakov.
The 800 free relay team (l. to r.): Luke Maurer, Ron Polonsky, Henry McFadden, Andrei Minakov. Photo by Marc Lebryk.
The 800 free relay team of Polonsky, Minakov, Luke Maurer, and Henry McFadden recorded a season best of 6:08.77. The 200-yard splits were 1:32.90 for Polonsky, 1:32.14 for Minakov, 1:32.28 for Maurer, and 1:31.45 for McFadden.
One area of significance Wednesday was that freshmen Rex Maurer and McFadden each earned their first All-America honors.
Polonsky and Minakov earn two more first-team honors. For Minakov, a junior, that's 15 All-America honors, including 11 first-team honors. For Polonsky, a junior, that's 14 All-America honors and nine on the first team.
Luke Maurer, a senior, is now a 13-time All-American with six first-team honors. Gu, a sophomore, earned his first first-team honor and is now a three-time All-American.
Goldman Family Director of Men's Swimming Dan Schemmel and Rafael Gu. Photo by Marc Lebryk.
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Wednesday's results
NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
At IU Natatorium
Winners and Stanford
Team scores (through 2 events) – 1 (tie), California and Florida, 70 each; 3, Arizona State 68; 4, Indiana 52; 5 (tie), North Carolina State and Texas, each 50; 7, Stanford 46.
200-yard medley relay – 1, Florida 1:20.15; 7, Stanford (Rex Maurer, Ron Polonsky, Andrei Minakov, Rafael Gu) 1:22.43.
800 freestyle relay – 1, California 6:02.26; 8, Stanford (Ron Polonsky, Andrei Minakov, Luke Maurer, Henry McFadden) 6:08.77.
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Stanford's NCAA Schedule (All times Pacific)
Thursday
7 a.m.
500 freestyle trials
200 individual medley trials
50 freestyle trials
9 a.m.
1-meter diving trials
2:15 p.m.
1-meter diving consolation
3 p.m.
500 freestyle consolation and final
200 individual medley consolation and final
50 freestyle
1-meter diving final
200 freestyle relay final
Friday
7 a.m.
400 individual medley trials
100 butterfly trials
200 freestyle trials
100 breaststroke trials
100 backstroke trials
9 a.m.
3-meter diving trials
3 p.m.
400 individual medley consolation and final
100 butterfly consolation and final
200 freestyle consolation and final
100 breaststroke consolation and final
100 backstroke consolation and final
3-meter diving final
400 medley relay final
Saturday
7 a.m.
200 backstroke trials
100 freestyle trials
200 breaststroke trials
200 butterfly trials
9 a.m.
Platform diving trials
2:15 p.m.
Platform diving trials
3 p.m.
1,650 freestyle final
200 backstroke consolation and final
100 freestyle consolation and final
200 breaststroke consolation and final
200 butterfly consolation and final
Platform diving final
400 freestyle relay final