ATLANTA, Ga. – Three years after earning seven All-America honors as a freshman at the 2019 national championships, Taylor Ruck won her first individual national championship on Friday to lead Stanford on day three of the 2022 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. Ruck highlighted a dominant day for the Cardinal which featured two runner-up finishes and three third-place efforts.
Ruck – who took two years away from Stanford while training for the 2020 Olympics, which were postponed to 2021 – won the 200 free in a time of 1:41.12 to follow up Wednesday's victory as a member of the 800 free relay.
The redshirt junior was joined in the A final by Lillie Nordmann (1:42.63) and Morgan Tankersley (1:43.78) in fourth and eighth, respectively. Both moved into the top 10 in school history in the event on the day.
Ruck also earned All-America honors in the 100 back less than 30 minutes later where she took 10th in 51.07. She also swam a leg on Stanford's third-place 400 medley relay team – joining Regan Smith, Allie Raab and Torri Huske to race 3:25.63.
Opening the evening session for the Cardinal was a runner-up finish from Brooke Forde in the 400 IM. The fifth-year senior swam 4:00.41 to finish second. In her career, Forde has finished first, second, third and fourth in the event.
Huske was second in the 100 fly in 49.17 to lower her school and set the Pac-12 record in the process. The freshman also finished second in the 200 IM on Thursday.
In the 100 back, Regan Smith led the way with a 49.96 to finish third in her first individual race at a national championship. Ruck and Lucie Nordmann also reached the 'B' final of the night, with the latter finishing 11th overall in 51.20.
Over at the diving pool, Carolina Sculti led a strong day for the Cardinal. The senior reached the championship final of the event where she finished seventh with a score of 344.00 to score 12 pivotal team points. Maria Papworth came within six-tenths of a point of reaching the consolation final to finish 17th.
Friday's dominant outing moved the Cardinal into second place with 276 points – 17 ahead of Texas in third.
The national championships concludes tomorrow with the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, the platform diving and the 400 free relay.
