NCAA Women’s Championships: Virginia Takes Care of Business, Set For Four-Peat (Heat Sheets & Up-Downs)

The Virginia Cavaliers celebrating another strong swim at the NCAA Championships -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

NCAA Women’s Championships: Virginia Takes Care of Business in Day Four Prelims, Set For Four-Peat (Heat Sheets & Up-Downs)

The Texas Longhorns did their best to make things interesting. Virginia has been wracking up wins all week at the NCAA Women’s Championships (five individual plus three relay wins so far) in pursuit of a fourth consecutive team title while Texas has zero wins and only two second-place finishes in swimming, yet the Longhorns sat only 51.5 points behind UVA heading into the final day. In contrast, the margin a season ago after Friday’s action was 102 points.

Texas had 11 individual swimming scoring performances Friday while divers Bridget O’Neil and Hailey Hernandez were A-finalists. The 400 medley relay earned an impressive second-place finish. But the Longhorns still needed a huge Saturday morning session plus a Virginia setback or two, and that did not happen. Instead, Virginia is set up to pull away in the evening session.

Seven Cavaliers qualified for the top-eight in prelims, with Gretchen Walsh and Jasmine Nocentini in the 100 freestyle and then the trio of Alex Walsh, Ella Nelson and Aimee Canny in the 200 breaststroke. In the 200 butterfly, considered the stronghold of the Longhorns with three swimmers seeded in the top-three, Virginia’s two standouts moved from the edge of scoring territory into the A-final with huge best times.

Tess Howley opted to scratch the 200 back and focus on the 200 fly, and she moved up from the 17th seed into fourth place in prelims. Abby Harter moved up from 16th to seventh to earn her championship shot.

Texas did shine in the 200 fly, with Olivia Bray, Emma Sticklen and Kelly Pash placing first, second and fifth, respectively, but the Longhorns put only Anna Elendt into the 200 breast final as Lydia Jacoby struggled to a 16th-place result. Virginia ended up with seven A-finalists to Texas’ four as well as a four-to-two B-final advantage. Texas has Erica Sullivan seeded fourth in the 1650 free, and the Longhorns are expected to gain more points in diving, but Virginia’s Lizzy Kaye could also score on the platform after becoming the first-ever UVA A-finalist in diving during the 3-meter event Friday.

Virginia, of course, also has the advantage of the Walsh sisters being heavily favored to win their respective events.

Florida currently sits third with 267 points, and it’s hard to see the Gators being caught after a three up-one down morning, with freshmen Bella Sims, Catie Choate and Jojo Ramey all returning for the evening session in the 200 back.

Fourth place has not been decided yet, with Tennessee sitting eight points ahead of Stanford entering the final day, but the Volunteers had a strong final morning with three A-finalists, Josephine Fuller in the 200 back plus Mona McSharry and Emilie Fast in the 200 breast, and two in the B-finals. Stanford will also have five night swims, but only Lillie Nordmann (200 fly) made the top-eight.

Southern California is sitting in sixth place right now, but a rough final morning saw only Kaitlyn Dobler make it back to finals, with Dobler requiring a swim-off to secure the last A-final spot in the 200 breaststroke. USC has 157 points while Indiana (138) and Louisville (136) within striking distance. Louisville will have a very real chance to move up a spot and perhaps two after Christiana Regenauer and Gabi Albiero qualified for the 100 free A-final, while the Cardinals should be strong in the 400 free relay.

NC State and Cal, sitting seventh and eighth, respectively, each had two A-finalists as they try to hold onto top-10 spots. Ohio State could sneak up on the top-10 with Amy Fulmer in the 200 back A-final plus milers Maya Geringer and Gwen Woodbury in strong position.

Saturday Up-Downs

Virginia 7-4
Texas 4-2
Tennessee 3-2
Florida 3-1
Cal 2-0
Louisville 2-0
NC State 2-0
Stanford 1-4
Texas A&M 1-2
Duke 1-1
Indiana 1-1
Ohio State 1-1
Virginia Tech 1-1
Arizona State 1-0
USC 1-0
Wisconsin 1-0
Michigan 0-2
South Carolina 0-2
Akron 0-1
Alabama 0-1
Arkansas 0-1
Auburn 0-1
Georgia 0-1
Southern Illinois 0-1
North Carolina 0-1
Northwestern 0-1
Washington State 0-1

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 14                     
 
  1. Virginia                        360.5   2. Texas                             319
  3. Florida                           267   4. Tennessee                         185
  5. Stanford                          177   6. Southern California               157
  7. Indiana                           138   8. Louisville                        136
  9. NC State                          114  10. California                        110
 11. Ohio St                           104  12. Michigan                        102.5
 13. Georgia                            83  14. Texas A&M                          79
 15. UNC                                76  16. Wisconsin                          58
 17. Duke                               57  18. Auburn                             49
 19. Minnesota                          27  20. UCLA                               26
 21. Lsu                                19  21. Purdue                             19
 21. Utah                               19  21. Alabama                            19
 25. Siu                                12  26. Arizona St                         11
 27. Northwestern                        8  28. Kansas                              6
 28. Notre Dame                          6  28. Virginia Tech                       6
 28. Rutgers                             6  28. Miami (Ohio)                        6
 33. Cincinnati                          4  33. Florida St                          4
 35. Houston                             3  35. Miami (Fl)                          3
 37. Akron                               2  38. Arkansas                            1

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