Men’s swim and dive notches another top-15 finish at NCAAs

March 28, 2021, 10:09 p.m.

Stanford men’s swim and dive finished 14th at this year’s NCAA championships in Greensboro, N.C. to extend its streak of consecutive top-15 finishes that dates back to the 1978-79 season. The team earned 19 All-American awards over the four-day championship meet, with freshmen earning eight of the honors.

Freshmen Luke Maurer and Preston Forst, junior Mason Gonzalez and senior Grant Shoults started the Cardinal off with a strong showing in Wednesday evening’s only event, the 800 free relay. The group finished in 6:13.02 to take seventh and earn All-American honors.

Shoults also took 12th place in the 500 free one night later, finishing in 4:13.20 and earning second-team All-American honors in the process.

Senior Alex Liang placed 17th in the 200 IM in 1:43.15, a season-best, on Thursday as well. Although he did not score points for the Cardinal in that event, his time moved him into fifth place in Stanford’s all-time record book.

To conclude Thursday’s swim program, sophomore Shane Blinkman, junior Daniel Roy, freshman Ethan Hu and Maurer added two points to Stanford’s team total with a 16th place finish in the 400 medley relay. The quartet completed the event in 3:05.35. 

The one-meter diving finals took place on Thursday as well, as junior and Pac-12 champion Conor Casey scored 294.55 to finish eighth and earn first-team All-American honors.

Liang started Stanford off strong on Friday too, swimming to 13th place in 3:43.59 in the 400 IM finals to earn another All-American honor.

Hu also earned another All-American honor in the 100 fly, finishing 12th in 45.46. Forst gave Stanford its third All-American of the day in Friday evening’s third event, the 200 free. He finished in 1:32.80, good for 10th place. No other Cardinal scored points for his team on Friday, although Casey finished 17th in the three-meter dive, one spot outside of scoring and another All-American award.

Shoults began Saturday’s program with an 11th place finish in 14:46.51 in the 1650 free to earn yet another All-American award. 

Roy then finished fifth in the 200 breast, the highest placing of any Cardinal athlete at the championship. His time of 1:51.82 earned him first-team All-American honors.

In the platform diving finals, junior Noah Vigran scored 346.35 to add three more points to Stanford’s team total with his 14th place finish. Maurer, freshman Jonny Affeld, Forst and Gonzalez swam to a ninth place finish in the final event of the championship, the 400 free relay. The group finished in 2:50.13 to give the Cardinal one final All-American relay squad.

A previous version of this article misspelled Luke Maurer’s name. The Daily regrets this error.

Sofia Scekic '22 is a former managing editor for the sports section. She is from Wisconsin and is studying Public Policy. An avid Green Bay Packers fan, she has watched nearly every game for the past nine years. Contact her at sscekic 'at' stanforddaily.com.

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