The top-ranked Stanford women’s swim and diving team got off to a strong start in the first day of competition at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis. The Cardinal was led by senior diver Cassidy Krug, who placed first in the one meter with 361.55 points.

In the swimming events, freshmen Julia Smit and Elaine Breeden led Stanford, finishing third and fifth respectively in the 200 yard individual medley with times of 1:56.43 and 1:58.03. Smit was the top-seeded swimmer going into the event but finished behind Arizona senior Whitney Myers and Auburn freshman Ava Ohlgren. Smit and Breeden were also members of the Cardinal’s fifth-place 200 freestyle relay team, along with sophomore Fiona O’Donnell-McCarthy and junior Brooke Bishop. In the prelims, the relay’s time of 1:29.40 broke a school record. Bishop also finished fifth in the 50 free with a time of 22.17. In the final event of the day, the 400 medley relay, the Cardinal squad of Smit, Breeden, Bishop and junior Caroline Bruce finished third behind California and Arizona with a time of 3:34.86.

The NCAA championships continue today and Saturday. Today’s competition will include the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and three-meter diving events. Saturday’s events are the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay and platform diving.