Cardinal swimmers set two world records at the NCAAs in March. Senior Tara Kirk broke the world record in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:04.79 at the women’s championships on March 19, and ended her college career in that event undefeated. A week later, senior Peter Marshall set a world record in the 100-meter backstroke, clocking in at 50:32. Both received NCAA Swimmer of the Year honors, and in April Kirk won the Honda Award for the nation’s most outstanding collegiate athlete in swimming and diving.
The NCAA championship was the final meet as college teammates for Kirk and her sister, Dana, a sophomore and the squad’s top butterflier. When Tara broke the world record, Dana was too emotional to congratulate her right away, according to the San Jose Mercury News. But shortly she jumped into the warm-down pool and told her sister, “I just had to calm down before I gave you a hug.”
Tara Kirk also broke the American record in the 200-meter breaststroke on March 20 with a time of 2:20.70, winning that event for the 19th consecutive time in collegiate competition and earning her 11th NCAA title. She said she didn’t think her college career “could have had a better ending.” Looking ahead to the U.S. Olympic trials, she added, “I feel like I’m ready to play with the big girls.”
The Cardinal women finished fifth overall at the NCAAs, behind Auburn, Georgia, Arizona and Florida. The men’s team finished second, with 377.5 points to Auburn’s 634. In March, the men won an unprecedented 23rd consecutive Pac-10 title.
