ACC Championships, Day 2 Finals: Gretchen Walsh Throws Down 19.95 Split, First Ever Sub-20, as Virginia Breaks 200 Free Relay Record

Gretchen Walsh -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

ACC Championships, Day 2 Finals: Gretchen Walsh Throws Down 19.95 Split, First Ever Sub-20, as Virginia Breaks 200 Free Relay Record

For the first time in history, a woman has clocked under 20 seconds for a 50 freestyle relay split. Wednesday evening at the ACC Championships, University of Virginia junior Gretchen Walsh did the honors of cracking that marker as she swam the second leg of her team’s 200 freestyle relay. Walsh split 19.95, beating the previous quickest split ever of 20.19, which Walsh set last month as Virginia hosted North Carolina and NC State in a tri-meet.

Here, with the stakes higher, Walsh took over after Jasmine Nocentini led off in 21.15, putting the Cavaliers three tenths behind NC State, but by the end of Walsh’s leg, Virginia had more than a bodylength lead, and the crowd at the Greensboro Aquatic Center erupted as they realized Walsh had just gone under the barrier. The time is more than eight tenths quicker than the top time ever in the 50-yard free, the 20.77 that Walsh swam in prelims Wednesday morning in Greensboro, N.C.

Walsh gave way to her older sister, Alex Walsh, who split 20.82, and then Maxine Parker came home in 21.31, resulting in a final time of 1:23.63. That knocked a quarter-second off the American, NCAA and U.S. Open records set by Virginia at this meet last year, an amazing accomplishment considering that the Cavaliers graduated multi-event American-record holder Kate Douglass and relay stalwart Lexi Cuomo.

In the race behind Virginia, the deep Louisville Cardinals pulled ahead of NC State to grab the second spot. After Gabi Albiero led off in 21.81, Christiana Regenauer and Julia Dennis split 21.0s before Ella Welch anchored to a final time of 1:25.39. The Wolfpack placed third in 1:26.24. Notably, Berkoff led off in 21.14, a swim which made her the sixth-fastest woman ever in the 50 free. Only Walsh, Maggie Mac Neil, Douglass, Abbey Weitzeil and Erika Brown have ever surpassed that mark.

Event 7  Women 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
         MEET: # 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-VA
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
         CONF: % 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-VA
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
         AMER: $ 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-VA
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
         USOP: & 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-VA
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
         NCAA: ! 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-VA
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
         Pool: * 1:23.87  2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-V
                          K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
                 1:28.43  A
                 1:29.21  B
    School                           Seed     Finals       Points 
==================================================================================
  1 UVA  'A'                      1:25.24    1:23.63#A       64  
     1) Nocentini, Jasmine            2) r:0.14 Walsh, Gretchen       
     3) r:0.26 Walsh, Alexandra       4) r:0.23 Parker, Maxine        
    r:+0.61  21.55        41.50 (19.95)
        1:02.32 (20.82)     1:23.63 (21.31)
  2 Louisville  'A'               1:27.32    1:25.39 A       56  
     1) Albiero, Gabriela             2) r:0.24 Regenauer, Christiana 
     3) r:0.96 Dennis, Julia          4) r:0.06 Welch, Ella           
    r:+0.64  21.81        42.86 (21.05)
        1:03.93 (21.07)     1:25.39 (21.46)
  3 NC State  'A'                 1:27.50    1:26.24 A       54  
     1) Berkoff, Katharine            2) r:0.05 Arens, Abigail        
     3) r:0.28 Donald, Meghan         4) r:0.00 Sheehan, Miriam       
    r:+0.70  21.14        42.74 (21.60)
        1:04.63 (21.89)     1:26.24 (21.61)
  4 Duke  'A'                     1:29.73    1:28.62 B       52  
     1) Wall, Tatum                   2) r:0.08 Truong, KyAnh         
     3) r:0.20 Foley, Sarah           4) r:0.03 Pfaff, Alison         
    r:+0.70  22.10        44.40 (22.30)
        1:06.70 (22.30)     1:28.62 (21.92)
  5 Pitt  'A'                     1:30.06    1:29.09 B       50  
     1) Yendell, Sophie               2) r:0.05 Jansen, Claire        
     3) r:0.28 Gring, Sydney          4) r:0.17 Kudlac, Avery         
    r:+0.71  22.19        44.13 (21.94)
        1:06.56 (22.43)     1:29.09 (22.53)
  6 VA Tech  'A'                  1:29.72    1:29.18 B       48  
     1) Weiler Sastre, Carmen         2) r:0.22 Bentz, Caroline       
     3) r:0.29 Summers, Anna          4) r:0.32 Claesson, Emily       
    r:+0.69  22.35        44.09 (21.74)
        1:06.81 (22.72)     1:29.18 (22.37)
  7 UNC  'A'                      1:30.54    1:29.21 B       46  
     1) Carlton, Delaney              2) r:0.27 Pattison, Greer       
     3) r:0.21 White, Alexandra       4) r:0.21 Smith, Skyler         
    r:+0.67  22.66        44.70 (22.04)
        1:06.99 (22.29)     1:29.21 (22.22)
  8 Notre Dame  'A'               1:29.80    1:29.56         44  
     1) Brenneman, Grace              2) r:0.19 Christman, Madelyn    
     3) r:0.25 Geriane, Jessica       4) r:0.06 Geelen, Lente         
    r:+0.60  22.81        44.65 (21.84)
        1:06.82 (22.17)     1:29.56 (22.74)

The women’s program on night two also included the 500 freestyle, 200 IM and 50 freestyle, along with 1-meter diving. The Walsh sisters were back up in the 200 IM and 50 free, respectively, and a Virginia 1-2-3 finish in the 500 free meant that the Cavaliers have not yet lost in swimming as they opened up a 78.5-point lead in the team competition.

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15                 
 
  1. Virginia, University of           552   2. Louisville, University of       473.5
  3. North Carolina State Universit    418   4. Duke University                   332
  5. North Carolina, University of     328   6. Notre Dame, University of         274
  7. VA Tech                         253.5   8. Florida State University          217
  9. Pittsburgh, University of         183  10. Georgia Institute of Technolog    177
 11. University of Miami (Florida)     162

Women’s 500 Freestyle

As if there was ever any chance of stopping the University of Virginia women on the conference level. The mid-distance freestyle events are not exactly Virginia’s specialty events, with none of the Cavaliers’ multi-time national-title-winning stars ever specializing in the events, but they are unmatched on the conference level, with a first-year swimmer leading the way ahead of a pair of second-years.

By the 100-yard mark of the 500 free final, the Virginia trio of Cavan Gormsen, Aimee Canny and Sophie Knapp was already more than a second clear of any non-UVA swimmer. Canny and Knapp would trade off the second-place spot throughout the race, but there was no doubt as to the winner as Gormsen, a freshman from Wantagh, N.Y., captured her first conference title in a time of 4:38.43, moving her to ninth in the national rankings this season.

Canny, who has been as quick as 4:36.36 (sixth nationally), finished strong to take second in 4:39.96, with Knapp taking third in 4:40.26. The best non-Virginia swimmer was Virginia Tech’s Chase Travis, who held off NC State’s Emma Hastings by 11-hundredths for fourth, 4:42.66 to 4:42.77.

Event 9  Women 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         MEET: # 4:30.74  2/18/2016 Leah Smith, Virginia
         CONF: % 4:28.90  3/16/2017 Leah Smith, Virginia
         AMER: $ 4:24.06  3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         USOP: & 4:24.06  3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         NCAA: ! 4:24.06  3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
         Pool: * 4:29.54  12/4/2014 Katie Ledecky, NCAP-PV
                 4:37.89  A
                 4:41.09  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 4:47.20  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Gormsen, Cavan      UVA               4:41.11    4:38.43 IV23    32  
    r:+0.70  25.30        52.97 (27.67)
        1:21.01 (28.04)     1:49.37 (28.36)
        2:17.91 (28.54)     2:46.54 (28.63)
        3:15.09 (28.55)     3:43.64 (28.55)
        4:11.64 (28.00)     4:38.43 (26.79)
  2 Canny, Aimee        UVA               4:42.40    4:39.96 IV23    28  
    r:+0.77  25.54        53.04 (27.50)
        1:21.11 (28.07)     1:49.70 (28.59)
        2:18.13 (28.43)     2:46.72 (28.59)
        3:15.52 (28.80)     3:44.08 (28.56)
        4:11.90 (27.82)     4:39.96 (28.06)
  3 Knapp, Sophia       UVA               4:42.14    4:40.26 IV23    27  
    r:+0.74  25.57        53.27 (27.70)
        1:21.12 (27.85)     1:49.46 (28.34)
        2:17.97 (28.51)     2:46.47 (28.50)
        3:15.12 (28.65)     3:43.73 (28.61)
        4:12.14 (28.41)     4:40.26 (28.12)
  4 Travis, Chase       VA Tech           4:44.35    4:42.66 B       26  
    r:+0.78  26.30        54.31 (28.01)
        1:22.55 (28.24)     1:50.90 (28.35)
        2:19.56 (28.66)     2:48.10 (28.54)
        3:17.05 (28.95)     3:45.93 (28.88)
        4:14.62 (28.69)     4:42.66 (28.04)
  5 Hastings, Emma      NC State          4:44.40    4:42.77 B       25  
    r:+0.73  26.54        54.70 (28.16)
        1:23.25 (28.55)     1:52.02 (28.77)
        2:20.89 (28.87)     2:49.68 (28.79)
        3:18.24 (28.56)     3:46.72 (28.48)
        4:15.18 (28.46)     4:42.77 (27.59)
  6 Travis, Brooke      NC State          4:43.94    4:43.99 B       24  
    r:+0.81  26.21        54.42 (28.21)
        1:22.96 (28.54)     1:51.65 (28.69)
        2:20.57 (28.92)     2:49.38 (28.81)
        3:18.03 (28.65)     3:47.07 (29.04)
        4:16.02 (28.95)     4:43.99 (27.97)
  7 Hierath, Yara       NC State          4:43.91    4:44.70 B       23  
    r:+0.74  26.41        54.51 (28.10)
        1:23.02 (28.51)     1:51.58 (28.56)
        2:20.39 (28.81)     2:49.27 (28.88)
        3:18.18 (28.91)     3:47.21 (29.03)
        4:16.29 (29.08)     4:44.70 (28.41)
  8 Donohoe, Madely     UVA               4:44.02    4:47.45         22  
    r:+0.68  26.29        54.67 (28.38)
        1:23.61 (28.94)     1:52.74 (29.13)
        2:21.76 (29.02)     2:50.85 (29.09)
        3:19.95 (29.10)     3:49.20 (29.25)
        4:18.74 (29.54)     4:47.45 (28.71)

Women’s 200 IM

No records were threatened in the women’s 200 IM final, but there was going to be no denying Alex Walsh a conference title here. As is usually the case with Walsh in the field, the Virginia fourth-year had the quickest split in three out of the four strokes, with only backstroke specialist Kennedy Noble swimming slightly quicker than Walsh on that stroke.

But Walsh was still six tenths ahead by the halfway point, and she pulled away to win by almost two-and-a-half seconds. She touched in 1:51.76, the top time in the country so far this season, beating the 1:52.34 her younger sister Gretchen Walsh swam at the Cavalier Invite earlier this month.

Walsh owns a best time of 1:50.07, which ranks her third all-time behind former Virginia teammate Kate Douglass (1:48.37) and Stanford’s Torri Huske (1:50.06). No non-Virginia swimmer has broken 1:53 so far this season, and with Douglass and Huske both absent from the college ranks this season, it’s hard to see anyone beating the elder Walsh sister in this event.

For the second straight women’s event, Virginia finished 1-2 as Cavaliers fifth-year Ella Nelson placed second in 1:54.21 while Duke’s Sarah Foley had a blazing back-half to run down Noble and take third, 1:55.12 to 1:55.29.

Event 11  Women 200 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         MEET: # 1:50.15  2/14/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         CONF: % 1:48.37  3/17/2022 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         AMER: $ 1:48.37  3/17/2022 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         USOP: & 1:48.37  3/17/2022 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         NCAA: ! 1:48.37  3/17/2022 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         Pool: * 1:50.15  2/15/2023 Katherine Douglass, UVA-VA
                 1:53.66  A
                 1:56.90  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 1:59.56  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Walsh, Alexandr     UVA               1:53.96    1:51.76 A       32  
    r:+0.75  24.27        52.49 (28.22)
        1:24.62 (32.13)     1:51.76 (27.14)
  2 Nelson, Margare     UVA               1:56.05    1:54.21 IV23    28  
    r:+0.70  25.55        54.18 (28.63)
        1:26.87 (32.69)     1:54.21 (27.34)
  3 Foley, Sarah        Duke              1:55.88    1:55.12 IV23    27  
    r:+0.68  24.95        54.32 (29.37)
        1:27.42 (33.10)     1:55.12 (27.70)
  4 Noble, Helen        NC State          1:56.53    1:55.29 IV23    26  
    r:+0.64  25.19        53.10 (27.91)
        1:27.15 (34.05)     1:55.29 (28.14)
  5 Gomes Celidonio     Louisville        1:56.64    1:56.46 IV23    25  
    r:+0.72  25.17        54.20 (29.03)
        1:28.40 (34.20)     1:56.46 (28.06)
  6 Bathurst, Ella      UVA               1:57.47    1:57.54 B       24  
    r:+0.71  26.09        54.87 (28.78)
        1:29.61 (34.74)     1:57.54 (27.93)
  7 Herkle, Kim         Louisville        1:57.01    1:57.74 B       23  
    r:+0.69  25.93        56.71 (30.78)
        1:29.32 (32.61)     1:57.74 (28.42)
  8 Peroni, Martina     Duke              1:57.27    1:58.57 B       22  
    r:+0.71  25.57        56.13 (30.56)
        1:30.08 (33.95)     1:58.57 (28.49)

Women’s 50 Freestyle

For the second time in a day, Gretchen Walsh has broken the American, NCAA and U.S. Open records in the 50 freestyle, and this time, she did so by a massive margin of two tenths, continuing her domination of the sprint events. In the final of the splash-and-dash at the ACC Championships in Greensboro, N.C., Walsh recorded a mark of 20.57 in the event, beating the previous record of 20.77 she set in prelims.

Walsh did not get off to a great start, with the 21-year-old appearing to enter the water behind all seven other competitors in the final. She flipped in 10.05, only two hundredths ahead of Virginia teammate Jasmine Nocentini but eight hundredths ahead of her mark from prelims. From there, Walsh shined, opening up a huge lead with a ridiculous 10.52 closing lap, more than three tenths ahead of anyone else.

This latest record-breaking effort adds to a pair of sensational relay swims from Walsh at this meet, including a 1:40.23 leadoff split on Virginia’s 800 free relay that made her the third-fastest performer evet in the event and a 19.95 50-yard split on Virginia’s record-setting 200 free relay earlier Thursday night, about 90 minutes prior to her flat-start 50 performance.

Meanwhile, it was an incredible swim from Nocentini to take second in 21.13, making her the sixth-fastest woman ever in the 50 free. NC State’s Katharine Berkoff was third in 21.23. Berkoff went 21.14 leading off NC State’s 200 free relay earlier in the night, a mark now ranked seventh in history. The Louisville trio of Christiana Regenauer (21.46), Julia Dennis (21.74) and Gabi Albiero (21.77) occupied the next three spots.

Event 13  Women 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         MEET: # 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         CONF: % 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         AMER: $ 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         USOP: & 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         NCAA: ! 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         Pool: * 20.77  2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
                 21.63  A
                 22.15  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 22.67  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Walsh, Gretchen     UVA                 20.77      20.57#A       32  
    r:+0.76  10.05        20.57 (10.52)
  2 Nocentini, Jasm     UVA                 21.30      21.13 A       28  
    r:+0.62  10.07        21.13 (11.06)
  3 Berkoff, Kathar     NC State            21.38      21.23 A       27  
    r:+0.71  10.35        21.23 (10.88)
  4 Regenauer, Chri     Louisville          21.56      21.46 A       26  
    r:+0.67  10.36        21.46 (11.10)
  5 Dennis, Julia       Louisville          21.68      21.74 IV23    25  
    r:+0.63  10.21        21.74 (11.53)
  6 Albiero, Gabrie     Louisville          21.61      21.77 IV23    24  
    r:+0.63  10.58        21.77 (11.19)
  7 Parker, Maxine      UVA                 21.81      21.81 IV23    23  
    r:+0.70  10.70        21.81 (11.11)
  8 Yendell, Sophie     Pitt                21.90      21.83 IV23    22  
    r:+0.69  10.34        21.83 (11.49)

Women’s 1-Meter Diving

For the second day in a row, North Carolina’s Aranza Vazquez had no peer on the springboard. After winning 3-meter Tuesday evening, Vazquez finished almost 30 points up on her closest competition. Vazquez scored 336.05, while Louisville’s Else Praasterink took second with 306.80. Third went to Duke’s Mago Omeara (302.20).

Event 15  Women 1 mtr Diving
=========================================================================
         MEET: # 379.25  2/15/2023 Aranza Vazquez, UNC-NC
         CONF: % 379.98  3/3/2007  Jenna Dreyer, Miami
         Pool: * 379.25  2/15/2023 Aranza Vazquez, UNC-NC
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                             === Finals ===                              
 
  1 Vazquez, Aranza  SR UNC                315.30     336.05         32  
  2 Prassterink, El  SR Louisville         277.15     306.80         28  
  3 Omeara, Margo E  JR Duke               310.20     302.20         27  
  4 Courtney, Grace  SO Notre Dame         273.95     292.85         26  
  5 Joyce, Ellie     FR UNC                276.25     273.40         25  
  6 Powley, Elizabe  FR GT                 255.50     262.20         24  
  7 Clark, Kayleigh  SR FSU                268.10     252.20         23  
  8 Brady, Calie E   JR Notre Dame         283.55     182.25         22

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