COLUMBUS, Ohio — Back-to-back national champions.
Stanford won its second straight women's swimming and diving NCAA team title on Saturday. The Cardinal had 16 different All-Americans combine for 51 All-America honors, five American records, eight individual national championships and five relay titles during the four-day NCAA championship meet inside McCorkle Aquatic Center.
MORE: Championship history
Stanford's 13 event victories tied the all-time record set several times, last by Stanford in 1993. Stanford is just the third school to sweep all five relays at the NCAA Championships, joining Georgia in 2005 and Arizona in 2008.
Stanford's 593 points were the most since Georgia had 609.5 in 2005 and the most for the program since the Cardinal totaled 649.5 in 1993. Cal was second with 373 points – the 220-point difference was the third-largest margin of victory at the NCAA Championships and the largest since 1993 (Stanford over Florida, 649.5-421).
Champions #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/oEED0QzYq5
— Stanford WSwim/Dive (@stanfordwswim) March 18, 2018
This is Stanford's 10th NCAA women's swimming and diving title and 11th overall, the most in the nation, and marks the program's first back-to-back NCAA championships since winning five straight from 1992-96. The Cardinal also earned its 38th straight top-eight finish (every year the NCAA has sponsored a championship meet).
"This is an amazing group," said Paul A. Violich Director of Women's Swimming Greg Meehan. "They inspire us as coaches every day, and they inspire our amazing families and fans. And we draw inspiration off of representing Stanford at this stage—we're going back to The Farm with the 116th national championship for Stanford University."
"It's truly so inspiring watching these people compete," senior diver Kassidy Cook said of her teammates. "We are surrounded by greatness every single day. I watched Ally Howe win the backstroke and I got goosebumps everywhere, and it made me so pumped to compete. They make you want to be better."
Award winners
Eastin was named the Swimmer of the Meet. She set two American records en route two relay titles and a meet-best three individual national titles. In addition to Saturday's victory in the 200 fly, Eastin swept the individual medleys with a pair of American records. On Thursday, the Irvine, California, native set the NCAA and American standards in the 200 individual medley at 1:50.67, and on Friday, she shattered Ledecky's American record in the 400 IM by nearly two seconds (3:54.60). She was also a member of the winning 800 free relay on Wednesday, and the 400 free relay that capped the meet.
Bringing No. 116 back to The Farm #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/31u6LRbKUc
— Stanford WSwim/Dive (@stanfordwswim) March 18, 2018
Meehan won the NCAA Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive season and the third time overall. He is the fifth coach to win the award at least three times and the second Stanford coach to do so, joining five-time winner Richard Quick (1984-86, 1989, 1992).
Up next
Stanford swimmers are set to compete in national and international competitions throughout the summer. The Pan-Pacific Championships are in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 23-27. You can follow Cardinal women's swimming and diving all year long on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (@StanfordwSwim).
