Sims wins NCAA event in shocker

<p>Cal sophomore Amanda Sims, a seven-time North Coast Section champion at Montgomery High, stunned a star-studded field that included two American record holders to win the 100-yard butterfly at the NCAA Swimming Championships on Friday night in College Station, Texas.</p><p>Sims, who entered seeded seventh in the event, won in 51.28 seconds to beat Stanford junior Elaine Breeden, a 2008 Olympian who finished in 51.34. Cal senior Dana Vollmer, the 2007 NCAA champion in the 100 fly, finished fourth in 51.69.</p><p>Breeden, a 12-time All-American, is the U.S. record holder in the 200 fly. Vollmer, who won a relay gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, is the U.S. record holder in the 200 freestyle.</p><p>But it was Sims — without an Olympics or an NCAA title on her resume — who ruled the pool.</p><p>Talk about March Madness.</p><p>Even Sims’ most ardent supporters couldn’t believe it.</p><p>“I think I’m having an out-of-body experience,” said Sims’ mother, Fran, when she was reached Friday in College Station.</p><p>Sims, who had a massage and went to a team meeting after winning her title, didn’t return a phone message Friday night.</p><p>Maybe she couldn’t figure out how to express exactly what had just happened.</p><p>Consider that a year ago Sims finished 15th in the 100 fly at the NCAA Championships in 53.49 seconds.</p><p>Less than a month ago she finished fifth at the Pac-10 Championships in 51.63, more than half-second behind Breeden, the winner, and Vollmer, who finished second.</p><p>But Friday was her day, from morning to night.</p><p>On Friday morning, Sims had the fastest time in the preliminaries. In fact, her time of 51.12 lowered her personal best by .47 seconds, a stunning drop in the 100 fly.</p><p>She couldn’t equal that performance in the final, but she didn’t need to. The title helped put Sims — and Cal — in exclusive company.</p><p>The Bears have now won eight 100 fly NCAA titles, tying them with Stanford for the most by any school. Sims joins a Cal list that includes Vollmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist Mary T. Meagher and 11-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin.</p><p>In addition, Sims helped Cal vault into first place after the second day of the three-day meet. Cal, which has never won an NCAA swimming title, has 302 points, leading second-place Georgia (295.5) and third-place Arizona (282.5).</p><p>Sims, a legendary youth simmer in Santa Rosa who held three since-broken national age-group records, will compete in the 200 butterfly today. She is seeded sixth with a time of 1:54.20. Breeden is seeded first in 1:49.92.</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Eric Branch at 521-5268 or eric.branch@pressdemocrat.com</p>