Upcoming Event: Men's Swimming & Diving versus Alumni Meet on October 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM
10:00 AM
Men's Swimming & Diving
vs Alumni Meet
Utah to Face Stanford and Cal
10/18/2011 12:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 18, 2011
The University of Utah swimming and diving team begins its Pac-12 Conference era by challenging the Stanford Cardinal on Thursday, at the Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto, Calif. The women's competition will begin at 12 p.m. PT and men's meet will follow at 2 p.m. PT.
The following day, the Utes will travel to Berkeley to face the California Golden Bears at the Spieker Aquatics Center at 1 p.m. PT.
"This is an amazing opportunity and a fun way to get started into the Pac-12," head Utah head coach Greg Winslow said. "We get to go up against the best. This is the level we want to be at."
The Intermountain Shootout
In the Utes' last competition, both the men's and women's teams put on outstanding performances as they beat Air Force (M:190-164), Northern Colorado (W:259-76), Colorado State (W:221-113) and Colorado Mesa (W:275-56 M:270-83). The Utah women's squad brought in 13 wins as a team, including four from team captain Hannah Caron in the 50 fly (25.28), the 200 IM (2:07.98), the 200 free (52.66) and the 100 fly (56.47).
Samantha Zuch contributed four wins, taking the top spot in the 500 free (5:05.93), the 50 breast (30.15), the 200 free (1:53.04), and the 100 breast (1:04.09). Freshman Valerie McMullen stepped up for the Utes with a second-place finish in the 200 free (1:55.01) and assisted in the winning 400 free relay (3:31.05).
Standout performances by newcomers Nick Soedel and Winter Heaven padded the Ute victories on the men's side. Soedel won the 50 free (20.83) and the 100 free (1:59.43) while Heaven finished first in the 200 free (1:43.88).
Other notable Ute performances include two wins from Karson Applin in the 200 IM (1:56.52) and the 100 fly (50.46) along with a first-place finish from Major Robinson in the 200 back (1:54.35).
Nelson Foo took top honors in the 1-meter dive with 281.45 points and was closely followed by Caleb Herrick in second (276.00 points) while Brandon Stopplemoor came in fourth. In the 3-meter dive, Stopplemoor took the win with 294.00 points. Foo closely followed with 290.00 and Herrick was fourth (264.80).
This Week's Competition
Stanford Cardinal
Coming off their 30th-straight Pac-10 Conference championship, the Cardinal are the swimming and diving team to beat. Since 1982, Stanford has won seven national championships and has never placed lower than fourth at the NCAA Championships.
The Stanford men's team finished last season at number two in the CollegeSwimming.com/CSCAA Coaches rankings, while the Cardinal women held the number three spot.
Returning for the Cardinal is a very strong men's senior class including Bobby Boiller, a 2011 All-American and reigning Pac-10 champion in the 400 IM and the 200 free. In last year's NCAA Championships, Bollier took the runner-up spot in both the 500 free and the 200 fly.
Morgan Priestley, three-time All-American in the 200 free (2011) and 800 free relay (2010-11), will also be back this season. Priestley was a member of the Pac-10 champion 800 free relay team and was ranked 15th nationally in the 500 free in 2011.
A third tough competitor is six-time All-American Chad La Tourette, who won the 1650 free at the NCAA Championships in 2010 and is the Pac-10 champion three-years running in the same event.
California Golden Bears
The 2010-11 season brought the Cal women's second national title in three years and the first NCAA men's national title in 21 years. The Golden Bears men's squad currently claims the number one spot in the rankings while the women are second.
Returners for the Golden Bears include NCAA 100 back champion Cindy Tran. Tran also contributed to the American and NCAA-record 200 medley relay title and the school-record 400 medley relay win at the NCAA Championships last season.
Deborah Roth is back again to swim for Cal. She was runner up in the 100 back at the NCAA Championships last season and earned two All-American honors for her performances.
Tom Shields also rejoins Cal for their 2011-12 campaign. Shields is the current NCAA champion in the 100 back and the 100 fly and also the Pac-10 title winner in the same events. He is the current Cal record holder in the 200 free, 100 back, and 200 fly.
In the Utes' next competition, the Utah women return home to take on Washington State on Oct. 29 in their first home meet at the Ute Natatorium at 11 a.m.
Players Mentioned
Fly/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
IM/Fly/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free
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