Releases Stanford Takes Lead at Collegiate Nationals Cardinal looks for first team title in 14 years. Stanford University jumped out to a preliminary lead at the 1998 U.S. Collegiate Synchronized Swimming Championships, holding off Ohio State to take top honors in Thursday's preliminary events at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. Canadian National Team member Ana Cukic of Ohio State took second in figures, while U.S. National Team member Tammy Crow of California qualified second in solo with a mark of 92.160. The University of Minnesota's top soloist Beth Gibowski narrowly missed qualifying for finals with a mark of 80.240 for 10th place.
Figures are a series of highly technical movements performed individually before a panel of judges.
Figures scores are used to determine National Team eligibility, but do not factor into final routine placement. In preliminary events, only the top eight qualifiers advance to finals. Ohio State has won 13 consecutive overall titles, and 18 titles in the 21 years of sanctioned collegiate competition. However, the loss of eight seniors from last season's squad will open the door for Stanford during the 1998 event. A Figures 1.