Cate Swimmers Set New Standards: Record-Breaking Day at CIF Prelims

May 1, 2024

Ben qualifies for 3 events in finals.

Phin breaks school record again and qualifies for finals.

13 Swimmers Qualify for Finals, Ready to Make a Splash

Cate Swimming had a big day at the CIF Division 3 Championship Prelims today, highlighted by four school records, including a remarkable two records in one event.

In the boys’ 200 medley relay, the team of Josiah Hansen ’27, Phin Stephenson ’25, Zach White ’24, and Joba Samson ’25 knocked a full three seconds off the record set last year, posting a 1:39.29 to qualify in 3rd position for Friday’s finals.

In the girls’ 200 freestyle relay, Stella Rogers ’25, Maddie Kollock’ 27, Makayla Niu ’27 and Jen Won ’26 clipped another half a second off the record they set last Friday, logging a new mark of 1:45.78 to qualify 7th for finals.

In the second heat of 100 breaststroke, Devon Liang ’27 posted a huge swim of 1:01.13 to break teammate Stephenson’s mark of 1:01.45 set at last week’s league championships.

But records are made to be broken, and Devon’s would last only a few moments, as Phin Stephenson ’25 stepped on the blocks in the same lane one heat later and scorched a new record time of 58.99, beating Liang’s record and his own best time by more than two seconds each and qualifying in 6th position for Friday’s championship final.

In all, 13 Cate swimmers will move on to finals on Friday:

Josiah Hansen (medley relay, 200 free relay, 100 backstroke)
Maddie Kollock (100 freestyle, 200 and 400 free relays)
Devon Liang (100 breaststroke first alternate)
Makayla Niu (200 and 400 free relays)
Elliot Paige (500 freestyle)
Wil Rivera (200 and 500 freestyles, 400 free relay)
Stella Rogers (100 freestyle, 200 and 400 free relays)
Joba Samson (50 freestyle, medley relay, 200 and 400 free relays)
Phin Stephenson (medley relay, 100 breaststroke)
Ben White (200 Individual Medley, 100 backstroke, 400 free relay)
Zach White (200 medley relay, 200 and 400 free relays)
Jen Won (100 butterfly, 200 and 400 free relays)
Jae Wykoff (200 free relay)