NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING : Stanford Wins Fourth Consecutive Title

Stanford won its fourth consecutive NCAA women’s swimming and diving title Saturday, overcoming Michigan in the final two events of the meet.

Michigan led Stanford by 21 points with two events left, but Stanford’s Eileen Richetelli won the platform diving, in which no Wolverines competed, and the Cardinal then wrapped up the title by capturing the 400 freestyle relay.

Stanford finished with 497.5 points to 478.5 for Michigan, which became the first team other than Texas, Stanford or Florida to finish in the top three of the team standings. Texas finished third with 355 points.

Stanford senior Jenny Thompson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, won her third individual gold of the meet in the 100 freestyle. She also was part of the winning 400 freestyle relay--the 18th national title of her four-year career.

Beata Kaszuba of Arizona State set her second NCAA record of the championships, winning the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:09.71 to earn national swimmer-of-the-year honors.

Michigan’s Rachel Gustin (2:10.37) also broke the previous record of 2:10.69, held by USC’s Kristine Quance, who finished fourth in Saturday’s final. Kaszuba had set a U.S. Open record in Friday’s 100 breaststroke.

Michigan’s top diver, Carrie Zarse, skipped the championships in order to compete in the Pan American Games in Argentina. Her absence severely damaged her team’s national title hopes.

Florida junior Mimosa McNerney opened the final day of the three-day meet with a victory in the 1,650 freestyle. The victory was her second of the meet. She earlier had won the 500 freestyle.

Alecia Humphrey won her second gold medal of the meet in the 200 backstroke (1:54.68) to keep Michigan ahead of the team standings. But Thompson’s 100-free victory, coupled with a fourth-place finish by teammate Claudia Franco in the event, helped Stanford pull ahead with four events left.

The Wolverines regained the lead, but lost it in the final two events.