INDIANAPOLIS – Stanford took two entries into the last evening of finals at the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday and won both races.
One was a heat and the other a consolation final, but the victories allowed the Cardinal to leave the IU Natatorium on a high at the conclusion of the four-day meet.
Stanford finished eighth, matching its finish of 2023, scoring 177 points, which was more than last year's 143.5.
Andrei Minakov was involved in both of Stanford's final races. He won the 200-yard butterfly consolation final and then led off the Cardinal's 400 free relay team that won the third of four finals heats and placed seventh overall in a school record 2:46.06.
Following Minakov in the relay order was Rafael Gu, Andres Dupont Cabrera, and Henry McFadden. Their time broke the Stanford standard of 2:47.17 by a 2022 team that included Minakov. The junior from Saint Petersburg, Russia, owns eight school records – four in individual events and four on relays.
With two more All-America honors Saturday, Minakov has 19 altogether and 13 of the first-team variety.
The 400 free relay mark was the second Stanford record to fall during the meet. The first came from Ron Polonsky, who broke his own 100 breaststroke record with a 50.87 in Thursday's trials.
In the 200 fly trials, Minakov clocked 1:40.41, the ninth-best time and only 0.01 from the eighth and final qualifying spot for the championship final.
In the consolation final, Minakov bolted to the lead with a 21.87 first 50 and was never threatened, even as his pace began to slow over the final 50.
Including trials, Minakov raced eight times over four days, concluding with his opening leg of the 400 free relay.
While there was little drama on which team would win the championship – Arizona State won its first title, with Pac-12 rival Cal a distant second – Stanford and Virginia Tech were waging a battle for eighth. Stanford held that position since Day Two. But with three events to go on the final day, Virginia Tech overtook Stanford and held a 146-144 advantage. Minakov's ninth in the 200 fly put the Cardinal back in eighth.
The 400 free relay would determine that position. Stanford had a 153-146 lead, but the Hokies were seeded seventh to Stanford's 11th and in position to move ahead. Virginia Tech actually improved its position by finishing sixth, but Stanford's effort was enough to keep the Cardinal close and prevent a change in the order of team finish. Virginia Tech finished ninth with 172 points -- five behind the Cardinal.
Minakov opened with a 100 split of 42.09 and Gu followed in 41.13 to close the gap among the leaders. But it was Andres Dupont Cabrera who put the Cardinal in front on the third leg, which he split in 41.23. McFadden extended the lead with an anchor of 41.61.
This was the first time this season Dan Schemmel, Stanford's Goldman Family Director of Men's Swimming, had used this lineup.
Beyond the relay, the day was a good one for both Dupont and McFadden. Though neither advanced to the evening session in the 100 free, each earned a personal best and advanced on Stanford's all-time top-15 list. Dupont swam 41.97 to move to No. 4 in school history, and McFadden swam 42.06 for No. 5.
In the 200 fly, Rick Mihm clocked a personal best 1:42.32 for No. 8 all-time at Stanford.
And thus ended the collegiate season, though several Cardinal has international aspirations this summer, including a berth on a national team for the Paris Olympic Games.
But, with a consolation title and a resounding relay heat win and top-eight place, the college season ended on a high.
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Saturday's results
NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
At IU Natatorium
Winners and Stanford
Final team leaders – 1, Arizona State 523.5; 2, California 444.5; 3, Florida 378; 4, Indiana 376; 5, North Carolina State 318; 6, Tennessee 231; 7, Texas 189; 8, Stanford 177; 9, Virginia Tech 172; 10, Notre Dame 132.
1,650-yard freestyle – 1, Zalan Sarkany (ASU) 14:30.57; 30, Liam Custer (Stanford) 15:03.38.
200 backstroke – Final: 1, Destin Lasco (Cal) 1:35.37. Trials: 27, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 1:41.13; 34, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:42.41; 38, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 1:43.00.
100 free – Final: 1, Josh Liendo (Florida) 40.20. Trials: 23, Andres Dupont Cabrera (Stanford) 41.97 (PB; No. 4 Stanford AT); 26, Henry McFadden (Stanford) 42.06 (PB; No. 5 Stanford AT); 34, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 42.26; 35, Rafael Gu (Stanford) 42.29.
200 breaststroke – Final: 1, Leon Marchand (ASU) 1:46.35. Trials: 19, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:53.41; 35, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:56.13.
200 butterfly – Final: 1, Ilya Kharun (ASU) 1:38.26. Consolation: 9, Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 1:40.13. Trials: Minakov 1:40.41; 26, Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:42.32 (PB; No. 8 Stanford AT).
400 free relay – 1, Arizona State 2:43.40; 7, Stanford (Andrei Minakov, Rafael Gu, Andres Dupont Cabrera, Henry McFadden) 2:46.06.
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
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Stanford All-Americans
First team
Andres Dupont Cabrera (400 FR), Rafael Gu (200 MR, 400 MR, 400 FR), Luke Maurer (800 FR), Rex Maurer (200 MR), Henry McFadden (800 FR, 400 FR), Andrei Minakov (200 MR, 800 FR, 400 MR, 400 FR), Ron Polonsky (100 breast, 200 MR, 800 FR, 400 MR), Jack Ryan (1M diving, 3M diving), Aaron Sequeira (400 MR).
Second team
Rafael Gu (200 FR), Luke Maurer (200 FR), Henry McFadden (200 free), Andrei Minakov (200 fly, 200 FR), Ron Polonsky (200 IM), Avery Voss (200 FR).
