Cal Wins Women's Pac-12 Swimming and Diving Title

Bears finish ahead of USC and Stanford; NCAA championships next

The No. 7-ranked Cal women's swimming and diving team captured its sixth conference championship with a dominating, four-day performance in the 2024 Pac-12 Championships, which were completed on Saturday in Federal Way, Washington.

The Golden Bears won the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2021 by totaling 1,397.5 points to easily outpoint runnerup USC, which finished with 1,291 points. Stanford, which won each of the past two conference crowns, placed third with 1,283 points.

Cal’s next challenge is the 2024 NCAA Championships, which are scheduled for March 20-23. Selections will be announced Wednesday. The Golden Bears women finished 11th in last year’s NCAA championships and last won a national title in 2015. They were runnersup in 2018 and 2019.

Cal led after every night of the four-day Pac-12 meet, and won two of the four individual events Saturday evening to eliminate any chance of losing its lead. Senior Isabelle Stadden won her third career Pac-12 championship in the 200-yard backstroke while graduate student Rachel Klinker took her second conference title in the 200 butterfly and her first since 2021.

Stadden also won the 100 backstroke for the first time in her career Friday night after three straight runner-up finishes while junior Mia Kragh also claimed her first conference championship in the 100 butterfly. The Bears also began the meet Wednesday by setting the meet record in a victory in the 200 medley relay.

Cover photo of Rachel Klinker by Chuck Arelei, courtesty of Cal Athletics

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