GREENSBORO, N.C. – In its first Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, Stanford took second at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Stanford closed out the five-day competition with two podium finishes – Liam Custer in the 1,650-yard freestyle relay and the Cardinal 400 free relay – while finishing with 1,065 points to Cal’s 1,271.5 in a sweep by the conference’s Bay Area newcomers.
Stanford finished with four ACC titles and nine all-conference performances (top-three individuals and winning relays). It was Stanford’s second consecutive conference runner-up team finish, after last year’s second place in the Pac-12.
Stanford individual swimmers set 25 personal bests during the meet and had 19 improvements or additions to Stanford’s all-time Top 15 lists, including a school record in the 200 free by Henry McFadden.
In the 1,650 free, Custer placed second in a personal record 14:36.44 – a time that placed him at No. 4 in Stanford history.
In the 400 free relay, Stanford placed third in an NCAA ‘A’ time and season best of 2:47.09. The team, with each split, was Andres Dupont Cabrera (41.95), Andrei Minakov (41.44), Kaihan Gu (42.27), and McFadden (41.43).
Dupont Cabrera’s opening 100 was a personal best and strengthened his spot at No. 4 at Stanford all-time. It also closed a strong day for the junior. Earlier, Dupont Cabrera won the 100 free consolation final in 42.02. And that time was matched by Minakov, who was eighth in the championship final.
Stanford had three individuals in championship finals on Saturday – Minakov in the 100 free, Josh Zuchowski in the 200 free and Daniel Li in the 200 breast. Li had the highest finish of the three, placing sixth in a personal best 1:52.60 – good for No. 5 on Stanford’s all-time list.
In the 200 back, Zuchowski was eighth in the final in 1:40.65. In the prelims, he set a PB of 1:39.71 for No. 5 all-time at Stanford. Aaron Sequeira was second in the consolation final in 1:39.54. That strengthens his position at No. 4 all-time.
Since the second final on the meet’s first day, Stanford held second place in the team competition behind the Golden Bears. However, on Saturday, with only two events to go, North Carolina State passed the Cardinal in second, 964-954.
The 200 breaststroke, the second-to-last event, was the game-changer for Stanford, which outscored the Wolfpack in that event, 57-1. Led by Li, Stanford had five scorers in that event, including Ron Polonsky (13th), Ethan Dang (16th), Go Nagaoka (20th), and Zhier Fan (22nd).
That allowed Stanford to take a 1,011-965 lead going into the final event, the 400 free relay. The only way Stanford could be overtaken by the Wolfpack in the team scores would be a disqualification. But that didn’t happen.
Stanford’s divers, including ACC 1-meter champion Jack Ryan, next compete at the Zone E Championships March 10-12. And the rest of the Cardinal next competes at the NCAA Championships March 26-29. Both Zone diving and the NCAA meet are in Federal Way, Washington.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Saturday’s Results
ACC Championships
At Greensboro Aquatic Center
Final team scores – 1, California 1,271.5; 2, Stanford 1,065; 3, North Carolina State 1,021; 4, North Carolina 852; 5, Louisville 814.5; 6, Virginia Tech 654; 7, Florida State 639; 8, Virginia 529.5; 9, Georgia Tech 465; 10, Pittsburgh 456.5; 11, SMU 434; 12, Duke 171; 13, Boston College 123; 14, Miami 84; 15, Notre Dame 45.
1,650-yard freestyle – 1, Kenneth Lloyd (North Carolina State) 14:31.64; 2, Liam Custer (Stanford) 14:36.44 (PB; No. 4 Stanford AT); 9, Gabe Machado (Stanford) 14:52.16.
200 backstroke – Finals: 1, Gabriel Jett (Cal) 1:37.19; 8, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:40.65; 10, Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) 1:39.54 (PB; No. 4 Stanford AT). Prelms: 4, Zuchowski 1:39.71 (PB; No. 5 Stanford AT); 11, Sequeira 1:41.22.
100 freestyle – Finals: 1, John Alexy (Cal) 41.19; 8, Andrei Minakov (Stanford) 42.02; 9, Andres Dupont Cabrera (Stanford) 42.02; 22, Kaihan Gu (Stanford) 42.78. Prelims: 6, Minakov 42.06; 11, Dupont Cabrera 42.27; 19, Gu 42.66; 27, Jonathan Tan (Stanford) 42.81; 37, Ethan Harrington (Stanford) 43.26; 43, Avery Voss (Stanford) 43.73.
200 breaststroke – Finals: 1, Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) 1:49.62; 6, Daniel Li (Stanford) 1:52.60 (PB; No. 5 Stanford AT); 13, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:53.85; 16, Ethan Dang (Stanford) 1:54.91; 20, Go Nagaoka (Stanford) 1:54.85; 22, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:55.39. Prelims: 7, Li 1:53.19 (PB; No. 7 Stanford AT); 9, Polonsky 1:53.76; 12, Dang 1:54.06; 22, Nagaoka 1:55.48; 23, Fan 1:55.50.
400 free relay -- 1, Cal 2:44.81; 3, Stanford (Andres Dupont Cabrera, Andrei Minakov, Kaihan Gu, Henry McFadden) 2:47.09.
PB = personal best
AT = all-time
ACC champions (4)
Henry McFadden: 200 freestyle
Andrei Minakov: 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Jack Ryan: 1-meter diving
All-ACC performances (9)
Misha Andriyuk: Platform diving
Liam Custer: 1,650 freestyle
Henry McFadden: 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle
Andrei Minakov: 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly
Ron Polonsky: 100 breaststroke, 200 individual medley
Jack Ryan: 1-meter diving