Cat Stanford Season 2022-23

COLLEGIATE BESTS:

Event	Time	Date	Site/Opponent
50 Free	22.72	11/18/21	NC State Invitational
100 Free	49.15	11/18/21	NC State Invitational
200 Free	1:49.27	2/17/23	Big Ten Championships

Career Accolades:

• Owns the fifth-fastest 100 Free (49.15) in Nittany Lion program history.
• Scored for Penn State in the 50 and 100 free at 2021 Big Ten Championships.
• Wave 1 Olympic Trials finalist in the 50 Meter Free, placing 15th.
• CSCAA Scholar All-America Second Team (2022).
• Academic All-B1G (2022, 2023).

2022-23 (Junior):

• B1G Championships (2/15-18): Contributed to the 4th-placing 200 Free Relay (1:29.50). Finalist in the 50 (22.93) and 100 (49.34) free, scoring points in 20th and 19th.
• v. Villanova (1/27): Won the 50 Free (23.45).
• v. Virginia Tech (1/21): Touched 3rd and 5th in the 100 (49.83) and 50 (23.12) free. 
• NC State Invitational (11/17-19): Contributed to the 6th place 400 Free Relay (3:18.64). Finalist in the 50 (23.13), 100 (50.01) and 200 (1:49.68) free, placing 26th, 18th and 28th. 
• v. West Virginia (11/4): Part of the winning 400 Free Relay (3:25.18). Finished 2nd in the 100 Free (51.33) and 4th in the 200 Free (1:52.95). 
• v. Pitt/Notre Dame (10/21-22): Won the 100 Free (50.80) and touched 6th in the 50 Free (23.65). Contributed to the winning 200 Free Relay (1:31.77).
• v. Navy/Boston College (10/8): Won the 100 Free (50.98) and finished 3rd in the 50 Free (23.59). Part of the winning 200 Medley (1:43.38) and 400 Free (3:25.37) relays.

 
2021-22 (Sophomore):

• B1G Championships (2/16-19): Finalist in the 50 (22.89) and 100 Free (49.44).
• NC State Invitational (11/18-20): Led Penn State in finals in the 50 (22.92), 100 (49.15) and 200 Free (1:49.58). Her time in the 100 is the 5^th fastest in the Nittany Lions’ program record book.
• v. Bloomsburg (11/6): Led the Nittany Lions in sweeping the 200 Free by winning the event in 1:52.85 and helped the team to victory in the 400 Free Relay (3:26.07). 
• v. Liberty/ECU (10/29-30): Won the 25 (10.87) and 50 Free (23.23) and competed in the winning 200 Medley (1:42.51) and Free Relays (1:34.23). 
• v. West Virginia (10/15): Won the 100 Free (51.37) and outtouched her opponent for second place in tight 200 Free (1:52.87). Also swam in the winning 400 Medley Relay (3:44.19), leading PSU to sweep the event. 
• v. Navy (10/9): Won the 50 Free (23.18) and contributed to the winning 200 medley relay (1:40.16).

2020-21 (Freshman):

• Big Ten Championships (2/23-27): Finished 17^th in the 50 free (22.95), scoring points for Penn State with a season best. Also finished 17^th in the 100 free (49.48) with another season best.
• v. Ohio State/Rutgers (1/16): Placed fifth in the 100 free (51.70) and sixth in the 50 free (23.67).
• v. Northwestern/Iowa (1/22-23): Touched third in the 50 free (23.38), fourth in the 100 free (50.90) and competed in the 100 fly.
• v. Michigan State (2/5-6): Placed second in the 50 free (23.33) and the 100 free (51.70), finished third in the 200 free (1:52.78).

High School:

• Six-year letter winner at Oceanside High School.
• Won Nassau County Championship in the 50 and 100 freestyle from freshman through senior year.
• Holds Nassau County record in the 50 free (22.84).
• Elected team captain for her senior year in swimming and for her junior year in softball.
• Achieved all-county, all-Long Island, and all-American honors in the 50 and 100 free for senior year, and all-state for her sophomore and junior year.
• Placed first in the 50 free for the New York State public school championships during her junior year and first overall her senior year.
• Placed in the top ten at New York State Championships in the 50 and 100 free from freshman through senior year.
• Five-year letterwinner in softball for Oceanside High School and achieved all-county, all-Long Island, and all-state honors.
• Competed in Junior Nationals in the 50, 100, and 200 free, in addition to the 100 fly and 200 IM.
• Swam for Long Beach Aquatics Club.

Personal:

• Full name is Catherine Melissa Stanford.
• Parents are Jack and Catherine Stanford.
• Mother Catherine is a swim instructor and coach at Long Beach Aquatics.
• Has older sister Brittany Stanford.
• Sister Brittany swam for Edinboro University and Adelphi University.
• Enjoys running and playing softball.
• Fan of the NY Mets and enjoys watching ESPN SportsCenter.

Why Penn State?
“I chose Penn State because I loved the people I met on the campus, the students, the swimmers, the teachers and the coaches. I was very impressed with the great academic opportunities the school offers to any person who is willing to try, to work, to study, and give their all to be the best they can be. I felt right away that Penn State would be a place at which I could grow, learn and be so happy for the next four years of my life. I saw this in the faces and words of so many students I met. They were all so happy and full of joy to be at this great school.”