New Cal Conference Titles: Women’s Swim wins 4 relays, Baker takes 2 events; Track and Field wins 3 events

With both the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships and MPSF Indoor Track and Field Championships both concluding on Saturday, it is time to count all the new conference titles won by Golden Bears this weekend.

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Cal Women’s Swimming and Diving dominated relays at the Pac-12

Mostly copied and pasted from my post tracking the four day event, Cal Bears took 2nd place at the Pac-12 Championships behind Stanford as expected. What was a pleasant surprise was how the Bears managed to win 4 of the 5 relays (they came extremely close to winning the 5th) - this is precisely what the Bears need to do in three weeks from Columbus, OH for the NCAA Championships to possibly pull off an upset team win over Stanford. Bears won the opening 200 Medley and 800 Free relay. They took the mid-meet 200 Free relay and the meet ending 400 Free relay. Bears came a close second to Stanford in the 400 Medley relay on Friday night.

Individually, Cal junior Kathleen Baker won two events - 200 IM and 200 Back. Baker, the defending NCAA champ in 200 IM, 200 Back, and 100 Back, was edged in 100 Back by Stanford’s Janet Hu. Cal sophomore Abbey Weitzeil was edged in both 50 Free and 100 Free by Stanford’s Simone Manuel. Plenty of other Bears had a strong meet, particularly Amy Bilquist in the relays and 100 Back and Sarah Darcel in 400 IM. Many younger Bears posted NCAA B-qualification times and may find their way to the NCAA Championships in Columbus, OH in three weeks as the result.

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2018 Pac-12 Titles for Cal Women’s Swimming and Diving

• 200 Yard Medley Relay - Kathleen Baker - back, Abbey Weitzeil - breast, Noemie Thomas - fly, Amy Bilquist - free, 1:34.13 which is a new Pac-12 Record

1) Baker, Kathleen JR 2) Weitzeil, Abbey SO

3) Thomas, Noemie SR 4) Bilquist, Amy JR

23.59 50.17 (26.58) 1:12.91 (22.74) 1:34.13 (21.22)

• 800 Yard Freestyle Relay - Robin Neumann, Kathleen Baker, Katie McLaughlin, Amy Bilquist, 6:52.62 top time in NCAA this year

1) Neumann, Robin FR 2) Baker, Kathleen JR

3) McLaughlin, Katie JR 4) Bilquist, Amy JR

23.97 49.85 (49.85) 1:16.59 (1:16.59) 1:43.38 (1:43.38)

2:06.70 (23.32) 2:32.67 (49.29) 2:59.17 (1:15.79) 3:26.67 (1:43.29)

3:50.07 (23.40) 4:16.67 (50.00) 4:43.40 (1:16.73) 5:09.96 (1:43.29)

5:32.90 (22.94) 5:58.99 (49.03) 6:25.98 (1:16.02) 6:52.62 (1:42.66)

• 200 Yard Individual Medley - Kathleen Baker, 1:52.70

• 200 Yard Freestyle Relay - Maddie Murphy, Amy Bilquist, Katie McLaughlin, Abbey Weitzeil, 1:25.87, Pac-12 Record

1) Murphy, Maddie SO 2) Bilquist, Amy JR

3) McLaughlin, Katie JR 4) Weitzeil, Abbey SO

21.96 43.20 (21.24) 1:04.87 (21.67) 1:25.87 (21.00)

• 200 Yard Backstroke - Kathleen Baker, 1:48.27

• 400 Yar Freestyle Relay - Amy Bilquist, Katie McLaughlin, Kathleen Baker, Abbey Weitzeil - 3:09.04

1) Bilquist, Amy JR 2) McLaughlin, Katie JR

3) Baker, Kathleen JR 4) Weitzeil, Abbey SO

22.84 47.79 (47.79) 1:10.43 (22.64) 1:35.22 (47.43)

1:57.61 (22.39) 2:22.69 (47.47) 2:44.45 (21.76) 3:09.04 (46.35)

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Cal Track and Field won 3 events at the MPSF Championships

Congratulations to junior Lauren Martinez, senior Ashtyn Davis (also a DB and kickoff returner for Cal Football), and sophomore Tuomas Kaukolahti on winning MPSF titles this weekend from Seattle, Washington.

Martinez won pole vault with a jump of 13-9.25. What is perhaps even more important is that Martinez attempted and cleared a jump of 14-1.5 at the end of the meet to qualify for the NCAA Indoors National Championship in two weeks, where a top 12 record is needed to qualify. The Cal women finished 4th with the help of this title and few other close calls. Former MPSF champ Isabella Marten took 2nd in the triple jump; teammate Ashley Anderson was 3rd. In the 3000 meter run, Bethan Knights and Brie Oakley finished 4th and 5th, respectively. Jordyn Colter took 4th in the 800 meter run. Noelle Schiller was 5th in the long jump. Camryn Roger and Destiny Parker were 3rd and 6th in the weight toss, respectively.

On the men’s side, Ashtyn Davis defended his MPSF 60m hurdles title. Finnish sophomore Tuomas Kaukolahti won the triple jump with a 53-5.50. The Cal men as a whole finished 8th. Distance Medley Relay finished 3rd this year after winning the title last year. McKay Johnson and Peter Simon were 2nd and 5th in shotput, respectively.

A number of Golden Bears will go to College Station, TX for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in two weeks. Other Bears will transition to the outdoor track and field season.

GO BEARS!