UCLA
NCAA Championships
Bruins Wrap Up at the 2023 NCAA Championships
March 18, 2023 | Swimming & Diving
DAY ONE RECAP
The UCLA swim and dive team competed in both relays on the first night of the 2023 NCAA Championships, scoring in the 800 free relay.
UCLA was the No. 15 finisher in the 800 free, going 7:04.66 to shatter the team's previous season-best of 7:07.20. The relay โ swam by senior Rachel Rhee, freshman Gizem Guvenc, freshman Katrina Bellio, and senior Brooke Schaffer โ earned the Bruins four points, matching UCLA's entire output from last year's NCAA Championships in just one race.
Bellio had the Bruins' fastest split in the 800 free at 1:45.77. Guvenc was just 0.02 seconds behind her at 1:45.79.
The result marked the first time that UCLA scored in a relay race at NCAAs since the 2017-18 season (also the 800 free relay).
The Bruins opened up the meet with a No. 21 overall finish in the 200 medley relay, as the quartet of senior Sophia Kosturos, sophomore Eva Carlson, senior Gabby Dang, and fifth-year Claire Grover combined for a time of 1:37.43. It marked UCLA's fourth-fastest time in that relay this season. The same quartet set a school record in the 200 medley (1:36.64) at this year's Pac-12 Championships.
UCLA continues action at the NCAA Championships on Thursday. Scheduled events include the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 1-meter diving, and 200 free relay. Prelims are set to begin at 7:00 a.m. PT, followed by finals at 3:00 p.m. PT.
DAY TWO RECAP
UCLA had a pair of top-25 individual finishes on the second day of the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Senior diver Hannah Butler had the Bruins' highest day two finish, placing 19th overall in 1-meter diving with a score of 264.00.
For Butler, who has qualified for NCAAs in all four of her seasons at UCLA, it was her highest-ever finish at the national meet. She was fewer than four points off from a top-16 spot in prelims, which would have sent her to tonight's finals and earned her CSCAA All-America honors.
A trio of Bruins competed in the 50 free, with fifth-year Claire Grover (22.07) finishing first among them in 21st place. It was her second-fastest time in the 50 free this year, trailing only her 22.02 at the USC dual meet on Feb. 10.
Seniors Rachel Rhee (22.44, 41st) and Gabby Dang (22.95, 60th) also had strong showings.
Sophomore Paige MacEachern was the first Bruin to hit the pool on Thursday, taking 62nd place in the 500 free with a time of 4:47.41.
Competition at NCAAs continue on Friday with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 3-meter diving, and 400 medley relay. Prelims start at 7:00 a.m. PT, followed by finals at 3:00 p.m. PT.
DAY THREE RECAP
Sophomore Paige MacEachern reached the consolation final of the 400 individual medley to lead UCLA on the third day of the 2023 NCAA Championships.
MacEachern ended up in 15th place with a time of 4:09.76 after clinching a spot in the B Final with a 4:08.10 in prelims, her third-best time of the year.
It marks the first time scoring at NCAAs for MacEachern, who finished 23rd in the 400 IM last year as a freshman.
UCLA also took part in the 400 medley relay as part of Friday's finals session, with Sophia Kosturos, Eva Carlson, Gabby Dang, and Claire Grover combining for a season-best time of 3:33.37. That clip was good for 24th place.
The Bruins had an additional six student-athletes compete during the morning prelims session.
Grover (59.70) and Carlson (1:00.02) each had strong showings in the 100 breast, placing 26th and 34th, respectively. Grover's time was her second-best of the year, and Carlson was competing for the first time as an individual at NCAAs.
Elsewhere, senior Gabby Dang (53.21) was 45th in the 100 fly, senior Rachel Rhee (1:47.74) was 57th in the 200 free, and senior Hannah Butler (257.25, 35th) led the Bruins in the 3-meter diving competition.
The 2023 NCAA Championships conclude on Saturday with the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform diving, and 400 free relay. Prelims are scheduled to start at 7:00 a.m. PT, followed by finals at 3:00 p.m. PT.
DAY FOUR RECAP
Freshman Eden Cheng earned CSCAA All-America honors in platform diving and the Bruins put together another solid relay performance on the fourth and final day of the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Cheng was the 15th place finisher on tower, posting a score of 253.20 in the finals session. She was 12th in the prelims round at 268.50. The London native set a UCLA record in platform diving earlier this year, putting together a score of 324.60 at the Pac-12 Championships.
UCLA closed out the 2023 national meet with a No. 21 finish in the 400 free relay, as the quartet of Rachel Rhee, Gizem Guvenc, Brooke Schaffer, and Claire Grover posted a time of 3:16.03. It was UCLA's second-fastest time in that relay this season.
Fifth-year Claire Grover was the first Bruin in action on Saturday, finishing No. 43 overall in the 100 free at 48.91. That marked her second-best time in that event this year, trailing only her performance at the Pac-12 Championships.
Sophomore Eva Carlson followed up with a 2:13.52 in the 200 breast, good for 48th place.
Sophomore Paige MacEachern was UCLA's final swimmer to compete in prelims, logging a 48th place finish in the 200 fly (1:58.57).
As a team, the Bruins ended the meet in 34th place with 8.0 points.ย
Players Mentioned
