What to Watch at the Women’s ACC Championship Meet

Photo Courtesy: University of Georgia Tech Athletics

By Abby Boone, Swimming World College Intern

It’s championship season, and every meet is a fast one. The women of the Atlantic Coast Conference are no different, especially with the inclusion of the seven-year reigning champions from the University of Virginia. Here’s the full Women’s ACC Championship psych sheet, chock full of potentially epic races.

But there are a few specific things that should make women’s ACCs particularly fun to watch.

1. Speed That Goes the Distance

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Distance events aren’t everyone’s favorite thing to watch, but Leah Smith of Virginia should make for some fast swims in the 200, 500, and 1650 free. With a seed time of 4:32.61 she is set to break her 500 free conference record from last year, and her 1650 (15:42.75) is not only seeded first in the conference, but in the division as well. The 200 free will offer more competition for her, including teammate Hanne Borgersen and Danielle Siverling from North Carolina who won the event last year.

2. The 200 IM

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This race is always a fast one, but with the defending champ and conference record holder Emma Reaney (Notre Dame) facing competition such as Courtney Bartholomew and Kaitlyn Jones, both of Virginia, the competition will be especially fierce on the home stretch.

3. Louisville’s Premier

Photo Courtesy: Mike Comer and Shanda Crowe/ProSwimVisuals.com

This may be the University of Louisville’s first year in the ACC, but some swimmers are making a big splash in the conference. Tanja Kyllianen is seeded first in the 400 IM and fourth in the 200 fly. Kelsi Worrell is also high in the 200 fly, seeded second, and is first in the 100 fly, 100 free and 50 free, with a high chance of breaking the conference record in the 100 fly. Other swimmers such as Andrea Kneppers, Andrea Cottrell and Abby Chin will add depth across the board to the former Big East team.

4. The 100 Breast

Photo Courtesy: Kenneth Martin

Again, conference champ and record holder Emma Reaney faces competition, this time not only from Virginia, but from Louisville and Virginia Tech as well. So far, Laura Simon (Virginia) is the only breaststroker to break a minute this season, but in the past, many of the top ten seeds have done so. Add in the past swims of Andrea Cottrell (Louisville), Weronika Paluszek (Virginia Tech) and Sami Pochowski (Florida State), and the race is sure to be one that is not only fast, but fun.

5. Splash & Dash

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

No event is as fast as the 50 free, but with the top eight seeded less than seven tenths apart, the racing should be especially strong. The top fifteen swimmers in the event come from seven different schools, so the competition will be even more encompassing and rivalrous, mimicking the energy of the entire ACC conference meet.

In case you missed it, here’s the ACC psych sheet!

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Camille Cono

9 years ago

The Wolfpack Women!