NCAA Women’s Championships Day 3: Anna Peplowski Claims 200 Free in Big Ten Showdown
With all eyes on Virginia and Stanford this week, the 200 freestyle looked to be a good old-fashioned Big Ten duel and it ended up a three-way duel of Big Ten swimmers.
Indiana senior Anna Peplowski had been the best performer in the event all season, including winning the Big Ten title. Meanwhile, Michigan sophomore Stephanie Balduccini took the top seed from the morning, the only swimmer to go a 1:41 in prelims.
Balduccini took the early led with Peplowski just behind after 50 and 100. USC’s Minna Abraham‘s made a charge and it was a three-way race down the stretch.
Peplowski, a 2024 Olympian, won the race in 1:40.50 to hold off Abraham (1:40.56). Balduccini was just behind at 1:40.89 as all three broke the 1:41 mark.
“I focused on my own race and coming home as fast as I could,” Peplowski said in the on-deck interview.
Cal’s Lea Polonsky took fourth in 1:41.85 to hold off Virginia’s Anna Moesch (1:42.39).
Stanford’s Aurora Roghair, who swam in the consolation final of the 200 free after leading Stanford to the 800 free NCAA title, was named the Elite 90 Award winner – the athlete with the highest GPA at the championships. ‘
Roghair was third in the consolation to finish 11th in 1:43.08.
