Stanford Silences Arizona
STANFORD, Calif. – Swimmers David Nolan and Danny Thomson and diver Kristian Ipsen each won two individual events to help the Stanford men’s swimming and diving pull away from Arizona in 185-113 victory Friday afternoon at Avery Aquatics Center. The Cardinal won the meet’s final five events against its first Pac-12 foe of the 2013-14 season.
“It was a very competitive meet and I was really proud of the way the guys prepared and then executed,” said Ted Knapp, the Goldman Family Director of Men's Swimming. “It’s our first Pac-12 meet and the first of only four. It’s really important that we take advantage of these four opportunities to get race ready, work on strategies and build confidence. I think we accomplished that today.”
Thomson won both distance swims in a pair of 1-2-3 Cardinal finishes that propelled Stanford. First he took the 1,000 free in 9:16.79 and later he started Stanford’s breakaway run by claiming the 500 free. He was ahead of Jimmy Yoder and Justin Buck, with a time of 4:27.03 in the 500 and edged Buck and Bryan Offutt in the 1,000.
Nolan led a Cardinal trio in the top three spots of the 100 free, winning the event in 44.34, and also owned the 100 back, an event he has an NCAA title in. The junior also played a part in Stanford’s 200 free relay and 400 medley relay wins.
Ipsen won both diving competitions in convincing fashion. His 409.13 off of the one-meter board was nearly 50 points ahead of the field and his 429.15 in the three-meter won by 31.30. Conner Kuremsky scored for Stanford by placing third in each event.
Knapp was particularly pleased with the way diving helped the squad, “diving played a big part, so that was great to see.”
Drew Cosgarea (200 free, 1:38.83), Tom Kremer (200 fly, 1:47.13), Connor Black (100 fly, 48.18) and Maxwell Williamson (3:51.58) were also individual winners for the Cardinal.
Stanford is back in action tomorrow afternoon against Arizona State. The Sun Devils, who fell at Cal 178-113 today, will visit at 12 p.m.
Knapp says fans can expect a varied look to the Cardinal against ASU. “Tomorrow we’ll mix up our lineup with different events, a different squad. All-in-all, it’s good we started a great weekend with a good day.”