University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Pac-12 Championships - Day 4
Swim & Dive Places Fourth at 2020 Pac-12s
February 29, 2020 | Swimming & Diving
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. โย The No. 24 UCLA swim & dive team cemented a fourth place overall finishย Saturday night on the final day of the 2020 Pac-12 Swimming and Diving Championships. It's the highest finish for the Bruins at Pac-12s since the 2014 season.
The Bruins closed the four-day meet with 995.5 points, just missing out on breaking the 1,000-point barrier for the first time since 2017. UCLA ended the competition with one champion (Ruby Neave, 1-meter diving), one new school record (400 medley relay, 3:33.81)ย and 14 individualย "A" Finalists.
"I am unbelievably proud of our whole team effort this week, our goal was to finish top-four so as a team we are elated with our performance," said UCLA head coach Jordan Wolfrum. "This squad demonstrated a toughness and determination that we've talked about all season. This is a great start for our team and will be even better next year."
The biggest individual standouts for the Bruins on Saturday were seniors Kenisha Liu and Amy Okada, who ended their final Pac-12s in style.
Okada posted a lifetime-best of 1:55.93 to take fifth place in the 200 fly, putting her in serious contention for an NCAA Qualification as she currently ranks No. 31 in the country in that event.
Liu also made an A Final for the Bruins on Saturday, taking seventh in the 100 free finals with a season-best time of 48.57. It was Liu's second individual A Final of the week. ย
The Bruins opened the finals session with five swimmers competing in the 1650 free.
Freshmen Daniella Hawkins (16:25.92, 11th) and Stephanie Su (16:30.74) were the team's top performers in the mile, as both notched best times while Hawkins picked up a B Cut. The Bruins' other 1650 finalists included sophomore Katie Sulkevich (16:50.06, 15th), senior Lisa Kaunitz (16:57.37, 17th), and freshman Lauryn Johnson (17:21.76, 18th).
Freshman Sophia Kosturos was UCLA's highest finisher in the 200 back with a 15th-place time of 1:56.85. The Bruins placed 2-3-5 in the C Final, led by Abriana Howard's 1:56.83 and followed by Delaney Smith's 1:56.96 and Ella Kirschke's 1:57.38. Both Smith and Kirschke recorded best times in the final.
Sophomore Claire Grover won the C Final in the 100 free for UCLA at 49.18. Maisie Jameson (49.87, 16th) and Rachel Rhee (49.58, 21st) also qualified for the finals.
Sophomore Emily Lo was the lone Bruin to make the 200 breast finals, and she ended the competition in 12th place at 2:12.77. Her time was both a B Cut and a season-best.
The Bruins had six total finalists in the 200 fly, more than any other Pac-12 squad. After Okada's top-five time, UCLA had finishers at No. 16 (Lauryn Johnson, 2:06.37), No. 19 (Lia Foster, 2:01.28), No. 20 (Sophie Clarkowski, 2:02.57, best time), No. 21 Gabrielle Anderson (2:02.61), and No. 22 (Jessica Epps, 2:03.08).
UCLA closed the night's events by tying for fourth place in the 400 free relay as the A Team of Grover, Okada, Jameson, and Liu swam a 3:15.64 to match Arizona State's time. That time represented a B Cut, was a new season-best, and was just .55 seconds off the school record.
The Bruins just missed out on qualifying a finalist in platform diving, as freshman Katie Shaheen was the ninth-place finisher in prelims with a score of 215.30. Freshman Hannah Butler (186.75) was 15th while junior Alice Yanovsky (179.15) was 17th. Neave โ the 1M champion and third-place finisher in 3M โ did not compete.
As has been the case all week, several Bruins set new best times in the prelims. They included Sophia Kosturos (200 back, 1:55.45), Maisie Jameson (100 free, 49.28), and Olivia Andrew (100 free, 50.09).
Championship season continues for UCLA with the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships from Mar. 9-11 and the CSCAA National Invitational from Mar. 12-14. The NCAA Championships are set to run from Mar. 18-21.
Women's Team Point Totals
1. Stanford University, 1598
2. California, 1224.5
3. USC, 1212
4. UCLA, 995.5
5. ASU, 943.5
6. Arizona 725
7. Utah, 636.5
8. Washington State University, 396
Players Mentioned
