Robust Opening at PAC Invite – Stanford Cardinal

STOCKTON, Calif. — Beginning the season on the PAC Invite, hosted by the University of the Pacific, No. Stanford males’s swimming opened the season in a powerful approach. Competing in each the morning and afternoon periods, the Cardinal scored 9 warmth wins to depart Friday with a commanding lead. 

The morning started with a win within the 200 medley relay, with Finn Harland, Zhier Fan, Rafael Gu, and Jonathan Tan posting a time of 1:26.87, a close to three-second benefit over two different Stanford groups. 

Gu and Tan had some of the thrilling heats of the morning within the 50 free. Tan was capable of finding simply sufficient after the flip to complete in 19.80, a 0.13-second victory over Gu. 

Henry McFadden bought his first win of the season within the 500 free, beating teammate Liam Custer by almost 4 seconds with a time of 4:28.60. Later within the morning, he completed fourth within the 200 IM with a 1:51.21

That 200 IM was a Stanford-dominated warmth, with all eight lanes filled with Cardinal. Gibson Holmes was quickest within the group with a 1:49.42, edging out teammates Daniel Li (1:50.06) and Fan (1:50.12). 

The afternoon session noticed Stanford’s Gu flip the script on Tan and win the 100 fly with a time of 47.33, the second yr in a row he has received the 100 fly throughout the season-opening meet. Stanford took the highest 4 spots, with Tan ending a half-second behind Gu.

Ray Liu scored a win within the 400 IM in unbelievable style, stealing one from Holmes. Liu wanted to return from behind after Holmes was in management for the primary 350 yards of the race. Liu discovered one thing within the remaining 50 yards that vaulted him previous Holmes for the win with a time of three:56.44. The freshman from Arcadia earned his first collegiate win. 

Sophomore Daniel Li impressed within the 100 breaststroke with an enormous win and a time of 53.54. It’s his first win within the occasion and capped off a 1-2-3 end for the Cardinal within the warmth, with Fan (54.25) and Abram Mueller (55.72) following behind.

Hayden Kwan scored his first win of the 2025-26 season within the 100 again with a time of 49.40, a part of one other 1-2-3 end for Stanford. Kwan received twice within the 200 again final yr however had by no means received within the 100 again till Friday. 

Complete outcomes from the primary two periods of the PAC Invite may be discovered HERE.

The PAC Invite continues Saturday morning, however the Cardinal is not going to be competing. Stanford subsequent returns to the pool for a tri-meet with California and Arizona State on Oct. 24 and 25. The Oct. 24 date is at house whereas the Oct. 25 portion takes place in Berkeley. Stanford hosts the Friday session starting at 2:00 pm.