2022 ACC Championships: Alexis Wenger Moves to Third All-Time in 100 Breast; Louisville Top Seed in Four Events

alexis wenger
Alexis Wenger -- Photo Courtesy: Virginia Athletics

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2022 ACC Championships: Alexis Wenger Moves to Third All-Time in 100 Breast; Louisville Top Seed in Four Events

The University of Virginia women and North Carolina State University men have been impressive through the first three days of the ACC Championships, while Louisville sits third in the women’s meet and second in the men’s. Friday morning proved to be a strong session for the Cardinals, however, as junior Abby Hay claimed the top seed in the women’s 200 fly, and reigning NCAA champion Nick Albiero paced the men’s 200 fly. Teammates Mitchell Whyte and Evgenii Somov were first in the men’s 100 back and 100 breast, respectively.

In the women’s 100 breast, Virginia’s Alexis Wenger set a new ACC record in the 100 breast to top defending NCAA champion Sophie Hansson of NC State in qualifying, and Wenger became the third-fastest performer in history in the process. Meanwhile, NC State’s Katharine Berkoff was first in the women’s 100 back prelims, two spots ahead of Virginia freshman Gretchen Walsh, who swam the fastest 50 back relay leadoff ever in Thursday’s 200 medley relay, leading to a Virginia American record.

2022 ACC Championships Links

Women’s Team Standings

  1. Virginia, University of         790.5   2. North Carolina State Universit    690
  3. Louisville, University of       547.5   4. Duke University                   425
  5. North Carolina, University of,    365   6. VA Tech                           356
  7. Notre Dame, University of         340   8. University of Miami (Florida)     273
  9. Florida State University          268  10. Georgia Institute of Technolog    211
 11. Pittsburgh, University of         175  12. Boston College                    105

Men’s Team Standings

  1. North Carolina State Universit  843.5   2. Louisville, University of       634.5
  3. VA Tech                           561   4. Virginia, University of           487
  5. Georgia Institute of Technolog  382.5   6. Florida State University          344
  7. North Carolina, University of,    332   8. Notre Dame, University of         212
  9. Pittsburgh, University of         202  10. Duke University                   187
 11. Boston College                  115.5  12. University of Miami (Florida)      57

Women’s 200 Butterfly

Louisville junior Abby Hay took the top spot in a wide-open event at 1:54.43, six tenths ahead of Coleen Gillilan of Notre Dame (1:55.02). NC State’s Abby Arens (1:55.23) and Louisville’s Tristen Ulett (1:55.32) were third and fourth, respectively, just ahead of the Virginia duo that finished 1-2 in the event at ACCs last year, Jessica Nava (1:55.44) and Abby Harter (1:55.75).

Virginia’s Alex Walsh owns the second-fastest time in the nation in the 200 fly at 1:51.83, but she skipped the event for the conference championships.

Event 23  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 1:52.81  2/23/2019 Grace Oglesby, Louisville-KY
         CONF: % 1:50.61  3/19/2016 Kelsi Worrell, LVLE-KY
         AMER: $ 1:49.51  2/24/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         USOP: & 1:49.51  2/24/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         NCAA: ! 1:49.51  2/24/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         Pool: ^ 1:50.61  3/19/2016 Kelsi Worrell, Louisville-KY
                 1:53.20  A
                 1:57.42  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
                 1:59.23  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Hay, Abigail E   JR Louisville        1:54.92    1:54.43 qIV21  
    r:+0.83  25.16        53.76 (28.60)
        1:23.52 (29.76)     1:54.43 (30.91)
  2 Gillilan, Colee  JR ND                1:55.55    1:55.02 qIV21  
    r:+0.60  25.42        54.46 (29.04)
        1:24.12 (29.66)     1:55.02 (30.90)
  3 Arens, Abigail   SO NCSU              1:55.42    1:55.23 qIV21  
    r:+0.68  25.22        54.58 (29.36)
        1:25.08 (30.50)     1:55.23 (30.15)
  4 Ulett, Tristen   SO Louisville        1:55.87    1:55.32 qIV21  
    r:+0.75  25.88        55.46 (29.58)
        1:25.10 (29.64)     1:55.32 (30.22)
  5 Nava, Jessica L  SR UVA               1:55.90    1:55.44 qIV21  
    r:+0.70  25.18        53.99 (28.81)
        1:24.05 (30.06)     1:55.44 (31.39)
  6 Harter, Abigail  SO UVA               1:54.19    1:55.75 qIV21  
    r:+0.73  25.42        54.31 (28.89)
        1:24.43 (30.12)     1:55.75 (31.32)
  7 Sheble, Grace E  FR NCSU              1:58.18    1:55.92 qIV21  
    r:+0.71  26.09        55.49 (29.40)
        1:25.66 (30.17)     1:55.92 (30.26)
  8 Jernstedt, Edit  FR FSU               1:58.26    1:56.42 qIV21  
    r:+0.89  25.80        55.21 (29.41)
        1:25.31 (30.10)     1:56.42 (31.11)

Men’s 200 Butterfly

Louisville fifth-year swimmer Nick Albiero won last year’s NCAA title in the 200 fly in 1:38.64, and he swam within a second of that time in qualifying first for the ACC final. Albiero touched in 1:39.53, his season-best mark by two seconds and the first sub-1:40 performance all college season. He led all qualifiers into the final by more than two seconds, with NC State’s Noah Henderson the best of the rest at 1:42.18.

The final should be an excellent battle behind Albiero as all seven other qualifiers swam 1:42s in prelims. Georgia Tech’s Christian Ferraro was third in 1:42.37, and NC State’s Noah Bowers took fourth in 1:42.42.

Event 24  Men 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 1:38.65  2/29/2020 Nicolas Albiero, Louisville-KY
         CONF: % 1:38.57  3/28/2018 Andreas Vazaios, NC State-NC
         AMER: $ 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         USOP: & 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         NCAA: ! 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         Pool: ^ 1:37.97  3/26/2016 Joseph Schooling, Texas-ST
                 1:40.44  A
                 1:43.47  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
                 1:46.69  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Albiero, Nicola  5Y Louisville        1:41.50    1:39.53 qA     
    r:+0.62  22.45        47.94 (25.49)
        1:13.77 (25.83)     1:39.53 (25.76)
  2 Henderson, Noah  JR NCSU              1:43.63    1:42.18 qIV21  
    r:+0.61  22.09        48.08 (25.99)
        1:14.49 (26.41)     1:42.18 (27.69)
  3 Ferraro, Christ  5Y GT                1:40.33    1:42.37 qIV21  
    r:+0.70  22.53        48.42 (25.89)
        1:15.26 (26.84)     1:42.37 (27.11)
  4 Bowers, Noah L   JR NCSU              1:44.64    1:42.42 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  22.30        48.64 (26.34)
        1:15.40 (26.76)     1:42.42 (27.02)
  5 Fong, Joshua L   JR UVA               1:44.20    1:42.57 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  23.62        50.26 (26.64)
        1:16.11 (25.85)     1:42.57 (26.46)
  6 Hayes, Aiden G   FR NCSU              1:42.02    1:42.61 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  22.41        48.57 (26.16)
        1:15.32 (26.75)     1:42.61 (27.29)
  7 Ivanov, Antani   SR VT                1:40.84    1:42.79 qIV21  
    r:+0.70  23.32        49.77 (26.45)
        1:16.38 (26.61)     1:42.79 (26.41)
  8 Smith, Zachary   SR ND                1:45.11    1:42.99 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  22.69        48.83 (26.14)
        1:15.80 (26.97)     1:42.99 (27.19)

Women’s 100 Backstroke

The women’s 100 back final may be the showdown of the meet between NC State’s Katharine Berkoff, last year’s NCAA champion in the event, and Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh, fresh off a 22.82 200 medley relay leadoff split Thursday night. In prelims, Berkoff was the top seed by nine tenths with her time of 50.54, while another Virginia freshman, Reilly Tiltmann, took second in 51.41, just ahead of Walsh (51.53) and North Carolina’s Grace Countie (51.54).

Event 25  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 50.45  2/19/2021 Katharine Berkoff, NC State-NC
         CONF: % 49.74  3/19/2021 Katharine Berkoff, NC State-NC
         AMER: $ 49.16  3/14/2021 Regan Smith, Riptide
         USOP: & 49.16  3/14/2021 Regan Smith, Riptide
         NCAA: ! 49.18  3/22/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
         Pool: ^ 50.28  3/18/2016 Rachel Bootsma, California-PC
                 50.93  A
                 53.01  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
                 53.94  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Berkoff, Kathar  JR NCSU                50.19      50.54 qA     
    r:+0.59  24.60        50.54 (25.94)
  2 Tiltmann, Reill  FR UVA                 51.85      51.41 qIV21  
    r:+0.68  24.90        51.41 (26.51)
  3 Walsh, Gretchen  FR UVA                 50.61      51.53 qIV21  
    r:+0.63  24.86        51.53 (26.67)
  4 Countie, Grace   SR UNC                 52.35      51.54 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  24.44        51.54 (27.10)
  5 Alons, Kylee J   SR NCSU                51.76      51.83 qIV21  
    r:+0.63  24.68        51.83 (27.15)
  6 Pattison, Greer  FR UNC                 52.95      52.05 qIV21  
    r:+0.60  24.98        52.05 (27.07)
  7 Atkinson, Emma   SO VT                  52.49      52.36 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  25.29        52.36 (27.07)
  7 Lindner, Sophie  SR UNC                 53.21      52.36 qIV21  
    r:+0.56  25.19        52.36 (27.17)

Men’s 100 Backstroke

Six swimmers broke 46 in the 100 back prelims, and leading the way was Louisville senior Mitchell Whyte, who swam a time of 45.41 in prelims. NC State’s Kacper Stokowski, who has the country’s top time this season at 44.79, placed second in the morning in 45.74, but he surely will have more in the tank for the final.

Virginia’s Matt Brownstead (45.83), Virginia Tech’s Samuel Tornqvist (45.88), Florida State’s Mason Herbet (45.90) and NC State’s Hunter Tapp (45.97) also broke 46.

Event 26  Men 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 44.04  2/28/2020 Coleman Stewart, NC State-NC
         CONF: % 43.98  3/24/2019 Coleman Stewart, NC State-NC
         AMER: $ 43.49  3/25/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
         USOP: & 43.49  3/25/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
         NCAA: ! 43.49  3/25/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
         Pool: ^ 43.49  3/25/2016 Ryan Murphy, California-PC
                 44.94  A
                 46.37  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
                 47.77  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Whyte, Mitchell  SR Louisville          46.11      45.41 qIV21  
    r:+0.62  22.16        45.41 (23.25)
  2 Stokowski, Kacp  JR NCSU                44.79      45.74 qIV21  
    r:+0.62  21.40        45.74 (24.34)
  3 Brownstead, Mat  SO UVA                 47.83      45.83 qIV21  
    r:+0.97  21.91        45.83 (23.92)
  4 Tornqvist, Samu  5Y VT                  45.89      45.88 qIV21  
    r:+0.64  21.86        45.88 (24.02)
  5 Herbet, Mason J  SO FSU                 46.07      45.90 qIV21  
    r:+0.70  22.08        45.90 (23.82)
  6 Tapp, Hunter A   JR NCSU                45.95      45.97 qIV21  
    r:+0.67  22.41        45.97 (23.56)
  7 Webb, Forest H   JR VT                  47.02      46.02 qIV21  
    r:+0.63  22.22        46.02 (23.80)
  8 Sofianidis, Nik  5Y Louisville          47.12      46.05 qIV21  
    r:+0.64  22.17        46.05 (23.88)

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

Virginia’s Alexis Wenger took down the ACC conference and meet record in prelims as she recorded a mark of 57.22 in the 100 breast, one hundredth faster than NC State’s Sophie Hansson swam to win the NCAA title in the event last season. Wenger jumped up to third-fastest in history in the event, with only Lilly King (55.73) and Molly Hannis (56.64) having ever been quicker. But in the final, Wenger will have Hansson right next to her as she qualified second in 57.60.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s Mona McSharry, who owned the fastest time in the country entering the day, will also swim the 100 breast at the SEC Championships in Knoxville, setting up an interesting virtual race between the three swimmers likely to headline the race at the NCAA Championships.

Finishing more than a second back of the top two in prelims was NC State’s Andrea Podamanikova (58.98), and another Wolfpack swimmer, Heather Maccausland, took fourth in 59.15.

Event 27  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 57.45  2/19/2021 Sophie Hansson, NC State-NC
         CONF: % 57.23  3/19/2021 Sophie Hansson, NC State-NC
         AMER: $ 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         USOP: & 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         NCAA: ! 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         Pool: ^ 56.85  3/18/2016 Lilly King, Indiana-IN
                 58.46  A
               1:00.12  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
               1:01.84  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Wenger, Alexis   SR UVA                 58.19      57.22%qA     
    r:+0.61  26.82        57.22 (30.40)
  2 Hansson, Sophie  SR NCSU                57.51      57.60 qA     
    r:+0.75  27.20        57.60 (30.40)
  3 Podmanikova, An  SR NCSU                58.06      58.98 qIV21  
    r:+0.69  28.11        58.98 (30.87)
  4 Maccausland, He  JR NCSU                59.27      59.15 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  28.05        59.15 (31.10)
  5 Kucheran, Nina   SR FSU                 59.46      59.34 qIV21  
    r:+0.63  27.88        59.34 (31.46)
  6 Astashkina, Mar  SR Louisville        1:00.13      59.77 qIV21  
    r:+0.69  28.30        59.77 (31.47)
  7 Keating, Anna E  SO UVA               1:00.33      59.89 qIV21  
    r:+0.72  28.26        59.89 (31.63)
  8 Farrington, Ade  SO Louisville        1:00.28    1:00.02 qIV21  
    r:+0.73  28.34      1:00.02 (31.68)

Men’s 100 Breaststroke

Louisville’s Evgenii Somov entered the top-10 of the national rankings in the 100 breast as he topped qualifying in the 100 breast at 51.39. He owns the conference and meet records in the event at 51.39, set last season. Somov, a fifth-year swimmer, led an experienced field into the final, as Pitt senior Cooper Van Der Laan (51.88), Georgia Tech fifth-year Caio Pumputis (51.94) and Notre Dame senior Josh Bottelberghe (52.10) rounded out the top four.

Event 28  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 51.03  2/26/2021 Evgenii Somov, Louisville-KY
         CONF: % 51.03  2/26/2021 Evgenii Somov, Louisville-KY
         AMER: $ 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         USOP: & 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         NCAA: ! 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         Pool: ^ 51.29  3/25/2016 Fabian Schwingenschlogl, Missouri-MV
                 51.59  A
                 52.40  IV21 Invited NCAA 2021
                 54.27  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Somov, Evgenii   5Y Louisville          52.47      51.39 qA     
    r:+0.70  23.94        51.39 (27.45)
  2 Van Der Laan, C  SR Pitt                51.42      51.88 qIV21  
    r:+0.64  24.46        51.88 (27.42)
  3 Pumputis, Caio   5Y GT                  52.96      51.94 qIV21  
    r:+0.66  24.76        51.94 (27.18)
  4 Bottelberghe, J  SR ND                  51.88      52.10 qIV21  
    r:+0.71  24.27        52.10 (27.83)
  5 Nichols, Noah P  SO UVA                 52.80      52.29 qIV21  
    r:+0.68  24.72        52.29 (27.57)
  6 Petrashov, Deni  JR Louisville          52.87      52.30 qIV21  
    r:+0.75  24.59        52.30 (27.71)
  7 Coll Marti, Car  SO VT                  54.06      52.48 qB     
    r:+0.64  24.44        52.48 (28.04)
  8 Crisci, Flynn J  JR Pitt                53.45      52.68 qB     
    r:+0.61  24.17        52.68 (28.51)
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