PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Florida women’s swimming and diving team recorded some impressive individual performances against Michigan and Stanford at the Cardinal’s Avery Aquatics Center.
Following day one of a two-day, double-dual meet, Stanford leads both the Gators and Wolverines. The team scores for the first day are unavailable due to technical difficulties. The Gators and Cardinal were meeting for the first time since Florida’s 382-379.5 victory in the NCAA Championships on March 20.
“We swam against an extremely talented Stanford team and a deep Michigan squad,” Florida coach Gregg Troy said. “We had a slow start to the meet but picked up momentum toward the end that should carry us into tomorrow.”
Six different Gators combined to record seven NCAA provisional marks in five different events, led by freshman Elizabeth Beisel. The reigning SEC Female Freshman of the Week set the Avery Aquatics Center record in the 200-yard backstroke with a NCAA “B” cut time of 1:54.27. The U.S. National Team member also clocked a NCAA provisional time in the 200-yard individual medley with a first-place mark of 1:59.39.
Junior Sarah Bateman captured the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.74. The victory improved Bateman to 4-0 this season in the 50 free this year, with all four wins resulting in NCAA provisional marks. Also recording a “B” cut time was sophomore Jamie Bohunicky, who finished second in the 500 free (4:50.18).
A trio of Gators recorded “B” cut times as well, placing third through fifth in the 1,650 free. Freshman Alicia Mathieu took third (16:45.20), junior Angelina Ballatore (16:50.07) was fourth and sophomore Sharla Milne (16:51.21) was fifth.
Junior Kirsten Smith recorded top-five finishes as well, placing fourth in the 200 IM (2:05.06) and 200 breaststroke (2:19.18). Fellow junior Shara Stafford helped Florida to a second-place finish in the 400 medley relay (3:46.77), was fourth in the 200 free (1:50.01) and fifth in the 100 free (50.96).
On the diving side, junior Kaylee Doback and senior Monica Dodson were third (265.95) and fourth (263.30) on the one-meter board. Dodson also dove in the three-meter competition, taking second with a score of 312.40.