Swimcloud

Ranking the Classes (W): #6 California

It’s easy to overlook a team or in this case a recruiting class when the coach describes them as being able to "carry forward the rich tradition of personal growth and athletic excellence."

Many people (and we concede that includes us) underestimated Cal heading into last year’s NCAA’s, but don’t be fooled by head coach Teri McKeever’s description. With three swimmers ranked in the top 1% of this year’s class and three more in the top 10%, this is a class that, combined with last year’s returners, takes the Bears a big step towards recapturing that NCAA title.

Cindy Tran and Stephanie Bates headline the big three. Tran obliterated Lily Moldenhauer’s newly-minted high school record. She also broke the 15-16 NAG backstroke record held by a certain Natalie Coughlin, leading one to wonder – could a school record be far behind? If so, expect it to vie for a NCAA title. The same goes Bates who could be the best breaststroke recruit not named Casey Carlson. Together the two set Cal’s medley’s up nicely for the likes of Sara Isakovic and Liv Jensen.

California also landed Stepanie Au. She’s the third member of the 2008 Hong Kong Olympic team, after Hannah Wilson and Sherry Tsai, to compete for the Golden Bears and she arrives in Berkeley slightly more accomplished (national records in the 200, 400 and 800) than her Olympic alums.

Cal didn’t have to go far to complete an excellent class. Golden State natives Deborah Roth, Samantha Shellem and Kearsten Livingstone all NCAA-able as freshmen. Cal was also in the running for Alicia Mathieu and Cynthia Fascella. Even with those two opting for Florida and UCLA respectively, nobody will be overlooking Cal in 2011.

1.18Tran, CindyCA
1.36Bates, MelissaCA
1.45Au, StephanieHKG
4.41Roth, DeborahCA
6.10Shellem, SamanthaCA
9.10Livingstone, KearstenCA
15.45Klippert, KateCA
20.10Stipe, Mikkel-AneCA
#1 Stanford
#2 Arizona
#3 Virginia
#4 Auburn
#5 Tennessee
#6 California
#7 USC
#8 Florida
#9 Texas
#10 Ohio St
#11 SMU
#12 Louisville
#13 Princeton
#14 LSU

#15 Georgia
#16 Indiana

#17 Arkansas
#18 UNC
#19 Alabama

#20 Penn St
#21 Duke
#22 SDSU

#23 Texas A&M
#24 Arizona St
#25 Minnesota

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