OVERREACTIONS: Day 1 on the 2022 NCAA Girls’s D1 Championships
2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
It’s lastly right here, the 2022 Division I Girls’s Swimming and Diving Championship. Primarily based on tonight, it seems to be like we’re in for a quick meet. Now it’s time to overreact.
- Berkoff is able to rock and roll
For starters, Katharine Berkoff appears locked and loaded, able to problem Regan Smith for the 100 backstroke crown. Berkoff turned the quickest performer in historical past along with her backstroke lead-off break up on the Wolfpack’s 200 medley relay, posting a 22.76 en-route to the workforce ending 2nd behind Virginia. Smith was 24.31 main off for Stanford, however completely missed her flip, going into the flip third behind Berkoff and Gretchen Walsh, however got here off the wall seventh. Berkoff is seeded 2nd behind Smith within the 100 backstroke by .18 seconds.
- Virginia is on par to defend its NCAA title
Talking of Virginia, the Cavaliers added just a bit little bit of time in comparison with their ACC efficiency, successful the 200 medley relay in 1:32.16 seconds, versus their American Document 1:31.81 set on the ACC Championships. Within the 800 freestyle relay, Virginia was 2nd (6:53.47) and at ACC Championships the workforce was 6:53.37. Whereas Virginia is only a spark off from their seed instances, they’re nonetheless shut sufficient to cruise to a different workforce title, barring an total shift within the meet.
Stanford is off to a stable begin, successful the 800 freestyle relay by five-seconds, the one workforce to dip underneath 6:50. The spotlight of that relay was Taylor Ruck, who produced the quickest break up within the area (1:40.49). This break up units her up for a really promising meet forward. Stanford has been hammered by their performances each on the collegiate and worldwide stage not too long ago. Ruck’s break up and the general 800 freestyle relay efficiency ought to assist quell that a little bit.
- Texas and Cal are rolling
Cal and Texas seem like they’re prepared to supply their finest performances at this meet. Cal moved up from their seed in each relays, ending seventh as an alternative of ninth within the 200 medley relay. The Golden Bears had been projected to complete fifth, however completed third, led by Isabel Ivey’s 1:41.35 lead-off break up, which is a lifetime finest for her. She is swimming the person 200 freestyle on Friday and sits 2nd on the psych sheet (1:42.29). Her break up from tonight is quicker than the top-seed within the occasion, Lia Thomas (1:41.93).
Texas completed as projected in each relays, ending fifth within the 200 medley relay and 4th within the 800 freestyle relay. Kelly Pash led off in 1:42.94 seconds, proper on her break up from final yr. Evie Pfeifer anchored in 1:44.29 seconds, additionally proper on her break up from this meet final yr.
Final yr, Pash was seventh within the 200 IM (1:55.72), third within the 200 freestyle (1:43.50), and 4th within the 200 butterfly (1:53.42). This yr, Pash is seeded 14th within the 200 IM, twelfth within the 200 freestyle, and eighth within the 200 butterfly. In 2021, Pfeifer was 2nd within the 500 freestyle (4:35.02), fifth within the 400 IM (4:05.41), and 2nd within the 1,650 freestyle (15:46.41). This yr, Pfeifer is seeded seventeenth within the 500 freestyle, twenty second within the 400 IM, and eleventh within the 1,650 freestyle. Primarily based on their respective splits from Wednesday evening, it’s anticipated that this duo will transfer up within the rankings and be in competition for A-final spots.
- Tennessee was locked in at SEC Championships
Tennessee appears to have confirmed that they had been all in on the SEC Championships. The Vol’s dropped from their projected seed in each relays, ending eleventh within the 200 medley relay (1:35.26) after being seeded sixth (1:34.63). Tennessee was eighth within the 800 freestyle (6:57.79) relay, however was seeded third (6:56.43). Final yr, Tennessee added two-seconds from their seed time within the 800 freestyle relay to complete sixteenth (7:04.08). In 2021, the Vol’s had been eighth within the 200 medley relay (1:36.25), however going a contact quicker than their seed time.
Primarily based on Maggie MacNeil’s 50 backstroke break up (23.07), she seems to be proper on observe from prior years, however not quicker. Final yr, she break up a 23.17 on this relay. MacNeil additionally set the world file within the 50 again quick course meters. Tomorrow would be the tell-all with the 50 freestyle. She was 2nd within the 50 freestyle final yr, and is the reigning champion within the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle. Total, MacNeil must be on her A-game all through this meet as she has challenges in opposition to large names in all of her particular person occasions, particularly within the 100 butterfly the place she’s going to face Torri Huske and Kate Douglass.
- Louisville is already out-scoring their projected rating
Louisville began out with a bang, like they often do on the NCAA Championships. Over the previous three NCAA Championships, Louisville has outscored their psych sheet projection. The Cardinals weren’t seeded to attain within the 200 medley relay, however completed eighth, which was an enormous pickup. Louisville additionally moved up from their projected tenth place to ending seventh within the 800 freestyle relay.
It seems to be like first-year head coach Margo Geer has mastered the double taper for Alabama, placing the Crimson Tide in actual competition for a third place end. Alabama was 4th within the 200 medley relay and thirteenth within the 800 freestyle relay.
- We’re in for a quick meet
12 out of 24 groups improved from their seed instances within the 200 medley relay. The most important drop was Louisville shaving almost two-seconds off its seed time to choose up 22 factors, when the Cardinals weren’t seeded to attain.
10 out of 21 groups improved from their seed instances within the 800 freestyle relay. Stanford was the one workforce to go sub-6:50 (6:48.30). Cal had a monster enchancment from its seed time to take third (6:53.52), almost out-touching Virginia for the win. Cal was seeded with a 6:57.59, so their efficiency tonight was an enormous four-second drop.
Georgia additionally dropped considerably, posting a 6:58.56 in comparison with their seed time 7:01.34 seconds. The Bulldogs completed fifth, choosing up 28 factors versus their projected 6. Additionally enhancing was Florida (6:56.96), after being seeded at 7:01.77 seconds. The Gators picked up 26 factors as an alternative of their projected 4.
