Coming into the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships, Stanford’s Torri Huske was looking forward to putting together some stellar swims.
The sophomore completely nailed that goal, putting together some of the best swims, not only of the meet, but in recent NCAA history.
But with Virginia’s stars breaking NCAA and American records seemingly at will, Huske’s performance was understandably overshadowed.
That doesn’t make it any less stellar.
“The No. 1 thing I have to remember is perspective. I have to compare myself to myself. I am dropping time and that is what is most important in knowing my training is paying off,” Huske said. “I am happy that I am still improving.”
Last year, Huske had the eye-opening experience of being a freshman at NCAAs and everything not going perfectly to plan. She said that experience really helped her focus this time around.
“The biggest difference was my 100 free. Last year, I didn’t A final in it, and that was a huge disappointment for me. I remember being so upset about it,” Torri Huske said. “I wanted everything to be technically perfect this time. That learning experience of having to go fast in prelims and being 100% dialed in really helped me.
On Wednesday, Huske led off the 800 free relay with a 200 free split of 1:42.28, the fastest of the leadoffs.
It was the start of a stellar meet that got a little overshadowed by some other stellar performances.
On Thursday, Huske threw down a great swim, finishing in 1:50.06. She just happened to be in the same final as Virginia’s Kate Douglass who shattered the NCAA and American record in the event (1:48.37).
“I have been working on my breaststroke and tightening my core. That really made a huge difference,” she said. “Also, I think my back-half has always been a bit of a weak point for me and I am always getting out-touched. I have been working on that. It is nice to finally get better at my back half.”
She led off the NCAA runner-up 200 freestyle relay with a 20.98 split.
On Friday, Huske swam an extremely fast 48.96 in the 100 butterfly, just a couple of hundredths from the NCAA and American record. Again though, it was overshadowed by faster swims as Douglass (48.46) and LSU’s Maggie Mac Neil (48.51), the Olympic champion in the event, went faster than the NCAA record.
Huske was on the fourth-place 400 medley relay with a butterfly split of 46.50.
Then on the final night of the meet, she went a 46.46 in the 100 free and beat Mac Neil, but this time it was Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh who nearly broke the NCAA and American record, finishing in 45.61.
Huske ended her meet by leading off the NCAA runner-up 400 free relay with a 46.59 split.
That adds up to seven spectacular swims for Huske – they just happened to be in a meet with a few more spectacular swims.
“I honestly hit the times that I wanted to go for the most part (like 48). I was happy I hit that. Then a 1:50 in the 200 IM is faster than I though I could go,” Torri Huske said. “It was definitely really crazy looking at the board and seeing people go these insane times. But we are all bringing out the best in each other. I don’t think I would have gone as fast if they weren’t right next to me breaking these records. I think that is really cool.”
Great job, Torri! Can’t wait to see you race lc for the U.S. against the Australians (and win)!
Torri is such a class act.
Torri Huske continues to inspire the entire swimming community with her progess, her poise and graceful sportsmanship. She’s truly a class act and embodies what the great sport of swimming should be. She represents Stanford University very well, as she is a great role model for other American swimmers. Torri is a strong force to be reckoned with but humble as can be.
Since she hasn’t declared a major yet, might I suggest she look into public relations, diplomacy or any position in communications. She is a master of interpersonal relationships.