Action Heats Up at NCAA's
INDIANAPOLIS – Stanford junior Jack Ryan earned his second consecutive top-four finish in 1-meter diving at the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday at the IU Natatorium.
Ryan scored 402.55 points on six dives in the final to place fourth, giving Stanford its best finish through two days seven events of the four-day competition. A year ago, Ryan placed third, and he still has the 3-meter on Friday.
Stanford had three entrants in the finals portion Thursday. Besides Ryan, the Cardinal 200-yard freestyle relay team placed ninth and Ron Polonsky was fourth in the consolation final of the 200 individual medley and 12th overall.
Stanford stands eighth as a team with 84 points and has a contender in Friday's 100 butterfly in 2022 champion Andrei Minakov.
Ryan opened the final in spectacular fashion, with a forward 2 1/2 somersault 1 twist pike. Ryan nailed it, scoring 76.80 to vault into the lead. Ryan typically goes big on his first dive and the 3.20 degree of difficulty on that dive was his highest of the final.
However, Ryan lost his momentum on his next two dives, his two lowest scores of the final, to drop to fifth after three rounds. His final three dives each scored at least 70.50. His 72.50 on a reverse 2 1/2 somersault tuck on his fifth dive moved him up to third.
The 200 free relay team of Minakov, Rafael Gu, Luke Maurer, and Avery Voss clocked a season-best 1:15.57 to place third in Heat 3 of 4. Minakov opened with a 19.15 split for 50, with Gu next in 18.60, Maurer in 19.11, and Voss in 18.71.
Minakov and Polonsky each earned their third All-America honor of the meet. Minakov, a junior, is up to 16 All-America honors and Polonsky, a junior, has 15. Voss, another junior, earned his first All-America honor.
Polonsky was timed in 1:42.28 in the 200 IM. Stanford had five in the 200 IM trials, with Rick Mihm (18th, 1:42.32) and Luke Maurer (19th, 1:42.38) narrowly missing the consolation final. Maurer's time was a personal best and moved him up a spot to No. 7 in Stanford history. With two All-America honors in this meet, Maurer is up to 14 for his career.
Jack Ryan. Photo by Justin Casterline.
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Thursday's results
NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships
At IU Natatorium
Winners and Stanford
Team leaders (through 7 events) – 1, Arizona State 201; 2, California 169; 3, Florida 161; 4, Indiana 107; 5, Texas 106; 8, Stanford 84.
500-yard freestyle – Final: 1, Leon Marchand (ASU) 4:02.31. Trials: 31, Rex Maurer (Stanford) 4:16.69; 34, Henry McFadden (Stanford) 4:17.95; Liam Custer (Stanford) 4:22.64.
200 individual medley – Final: 1, Destin Lasco (Cal) 1:37.91. Consolation: 12, Ron Polonsky (Stanford) 1:42.28. Trials: 9, Polonsky 1:41.44; 18, Rick Mihm (Stanford) 1:42.32; 19, Luke Maurer (Stanford) 1:42.38 (PB, No. 7 Stanford AT); 50, Zhier Fan (Stanford) 1:45.61; 54, Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) 1:46.28.
50 free – Final: 1, Josh Liendo (Florida) 18.07. Trials: 36, Rafael Gu (Stanford) 19.44; 48, Andres Dupont Cabrera (Stanford) 19.64.
1-meter diving – Final: 1, Lyle Yost (Ohio State) 433.55; 4, Jack Ryan (Stanford) 402.55. Trials: 2, Ryan 384.45.
200 free relay – 1, Florida 1:13.49; 9, Stanford (Andrei Minakov, Rafael Gu, Luke Maurer, Avery Voss) 1:15.57.
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Stanford's schedule (All times Pacific)
Friday
7 a.m.
400 individual medley trials (Liam Custer, Rex Maurer, Rick Mihm)
100 butterfly trials (Rafael Gu, Andrei Minakov, Aaron Sequeira)
200 freestyle trials (Andres Dupont Cabrera, Luke Maurer, Henry McFadden)
100 breaststroke trials (Zhier Fan, Ron Polonsky)
100 backstroke trials (Aaron Sequeira, Josh Zuchowski)
9 a.m.
3-meter diving trials (Jack Ryan, Hunter Hollenbeck)
3 p.m.
400 individual medley consolation and final
100 butterfly consolation and final
200 freestyle consolation and final
100 breaststroke consolation and final
100 backstroke consolation and final
3-meter diving final
400 medley relay final (Stanford)
Saturday
7 a.m.
200 backstroke trials (Rex Maurer, Aaron Sequeira, Josh Zuchowski)
100 freestyle trials (Andres Dupont Cabrera, Rafael Gu, Luke Maurer, Henry McFadden)
200 breaststroke trials (Zhier Fan, Ron Polonsky)
200 butterfly trials (Rick Mihm, Andrei Minakov)
3 p.m.
1,650 freestyle final (Liam Custer)
200 backstroke consolation and final
100 freestyle consolation and final
200 breaststroke consolation and final
200 butterfly consolation and final
400 freestyle relay final (Stanford)