COLLEGE SWIMMING : PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS : Stanford Wins 4th Consecutive Women’s Title

The Stanford women’s swimming team won four more events Sunday night to seal their fourth consecutive Pacific 10 Conference women’s swimming championship at the East Los Angeles College Pool.

Stanford totaled 1,717 points. California finished second with 1,238, followed by UCLA (1,143), Arizona State (1,075) and USC (936).

Stanford’s first victory came in the first event when freshman Janet Evans lapped the field in the 1,650-yard freestyle, setting a conference record of 15:53.77.

Although victories are almost becoming routine for Evans, who had won two events in earlier sessions, she was excited by her effort.

“My goal was to go under 16 minutes and I was very happy to do it,” she said.

Susannah Miller, a Stanford senior, led a Cardinal sweep in the 200-yard backstroke. Miller, who touched with an NCAA qualifying time of 2:01.29, was followed by Jody Smith and Dede Trimble.

Kristin Stoudt, a sophomore at UCLA, won the 100-yard freestyle with a conference record of 49.93. Michelle Thompson of Arizona State was second.

Stoudt, who won the 50-yard freestyle Friday night, swam her best time ever.

“My goal was to break 50 seconds,” Stoudt said. “I’m confident going to NCAA’s because I know I can go faster.”

In the next event, the 200-yard breaststroke, Stanford freshman Lori Heisick led from the beginning on the way to her second championship with a time of 2:15.82. Her teammates, Jill Johnson and Bethanne Lambert, were second and third, respectively. Heisick won the 100-yard breaststroke Saturday night.

Stanford’s final victory came when freshman Janel Jorgensen joined Evans as a three-event winner with a victory in the 200-yard butterfly. Jorgensen’s time of 1:58.75 was just off Mary T. Meagher’s conference record of 1:57.4, but well under the qualifying standard.

Jorgensen was happy with the victory, but had hoped for Meagher’s record.

“I knew about the record, but I wasn’t sure if I could get it tonight,” Jorgensen said. “We’ll see, with a couple of weeks of rest, whether I can get her other marks.”

Meagher also holds the American records in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events.

UCLA added another championship by winning the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:23.29. Stanford was second and USC third. All three teams qualified for the NCAA championships to be held March 15-17 at the University of Texas.

For Stanford, the relay was merely icing on the cake. Stanford, the defending national champion, is top-ranked this year, and after this weekend’s performances is in good position to repeat.

For UCLA and USC, the result of the relay was a great way to end the meet.

“We had a great Pac-10’s,” UCLA Coach Cyndi Gallagher said. “The last relay just topped it off.”

At the Pac-10 diving championships, Jill Campbell of California won the 10-meter platform event, defeating Kristin Jensen of Stanford, 360.30-350.50, at the McDonald’s Swim Stadium at USC. Katie Connor of Stanford, who won the one- and three-meter springboard championships, was third.

Brian Earley of USC won the men’s 10-meter platform with 543.80 points. The victory was Earley’s second of the meet; he won the three-meter springboard Saturday. Chris Dudka of UCLA finished second.