LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Call it the other March Madness. One day after winning the 200-meter freestyle national championship, Louisville senior Mallory Comerford won the 100-meter title to lead the Cardinals to a best-ever fourth-place finish at the NCAA women's swimming and diving championships in Austin, Texas.
Stanford, aided by an individual medley championship from Louisville native Brooke Forde, won the national title with a team score of 456.5. California placed second with 419 points, followed by Michigan with 314 and Louisville with 235, the most it has ever scored at the NCAA meet.
Indiana's women finished ninth; Kentucky finished 15th.
Comerford's title -- her first in the 100 freestyle -- was her fourth career individual title, matching Kelsi Worrell Dahlia for most ever won by a Louisville swimmer.
"We battled so many different things this season, but this group continued to find different ways to perform," Louisville head coach Arthur Albiero said. "Grace Oglesby put together an incredible performance in the 200 fly, Mallory Comerford won the 100 free. If I remember correctly, the last time the 100 and 200 free were won together was by Joao de Lucca in this pool. I'm so proud of this group and this staff, it starts with all of them and the support we have from the administration.
"The fact that 11 years ago, we went to this meet and we scored one point and now 11 years later, to be here and to be standing with the elite of the elite is incredible. I'm honored to be a part of this, it has been a great journey."
Other notes from the meet for Louisville, provided by the school's sports information office:
- Mallory Comerford won her third straight NCAA championship in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:40.26, becoming the first UofL swimmer in history to win three titles in a single event.
- With Comerford's win, the Cardinals extend their streak to eight consecutive seasons with an NCAA champion.
- Comerford also won her first career title in the 100 free on the final night of NCAAs, earning her fourth NCAA championship, which ties the program record for most titles won by a Cardinal.
- As a team, the Cardinals recorded their highest finish in program history, placing fourth with 235 points, also the most points scored at an NCAA Championships in UofL history.
- Junior Molly Fears made history as the Cardinals' first diver to earn Honorable Mention All-American Honors with a 12th place finish on platform.
- Junior Grace Oglesby won her first NCAA bronze medal with a time of 1:50.80, becoming the fifth-fastest performer in history.
- The Cardinals broke a total of four records at the NCAA Championships.
- Comerford – 50 free (21.49)
- Alina Kendzior – 100 back (51.71), 50 back (23.96)
- Lainey Visscher, Comerford, Avery Braunecker, Casey Fanz – 200 free relay (1:26.71)
- In the 200 free relay, Louisville recorded its best finish in program history, placing fourth with a school record time of 1:26.71.
- The Cards' 800 free relay team of Sophie Cattermole, Comerford, Arina Openysheva and Alena Kraus matched the best finish in program history with a sixth place showing in a time of 6:56.07.
- Five Cardinals earned All-American honors in a combined eight individual events.
- Comerford (50, 100, 200 free)
- Fears – (HM Platform)
- Kendzior (HM 100 back)
- Kraus – (HM 200 fly)
- Oglesby – (100, 200 fly)
- All five UofL relays qualified for the A final for the second consecutive NCAA Championships.
- In the 800 free relay, Comerford split a 1:39.19, the second fastest 200 free split in history to her 1:39.14 from last year's NCAAs.
- Comerford won a medal in each of her individual NCAA events for the first time in her career, a feat that only Olympian Kelsi Worrell had accomplished previously.
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