Courtney Bartholomew Essential in Virginia’s Eighth-Consecutive ACC Championship Win

Photo Courtesy: UVa Media Relations

By Taylor Brien, Swimming World College Intern

ATLANTA—After an impressive morning, Courtney Bartholomew again broke her ACC meet record in the 200 back to help secure Virginia’s eighth-consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

The UVA women claimed first with an impressive 1308.5 points while North Carolina was second with 1255. Virginia Tech rounded out the top three with 1018 points.

Virginia’s Leah Smith opened the meet with a new pool record in the mile of 15:52.00 beating the competition by a staggering 18.84 seconds. Teammate Hanne Borgersen claimed second with 16:10.84 and Pittsburgh’s Kaleigh Ritter grabbed third in 16:14.31.

After setting a new 200 back ACC meet record during prelims this morning Virginia’s Courtney Bartholomew delivered a swift 1:49.87 to lower both the ACC meet and conference records. She also qualified for an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

North Carolina State’s Alexia Zevnik placed second with a 1:52.98, and North Carolina’s Hellen Moffitt was third with 1:53.88.

Day three’s momentum continued for Louisville junior Kelsi Worrell who succeeded in lowering her own record in the 100 free to a quick 47.71. This earned her another new ACC meet and conference record, as well as, an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

Following Worrell to the finish was Florida State’s Kaitlyn Dressel (48.30) and North Carolina State Riki Bonnema (48.73).

Virginia kept the speed going with a new pool record from Laura Simon in the 200 breaststroke. Simon’s 2:07.48 was enough to keep Notre Dame senior Emma Reaney, the current ACC meet, conference, American, U.S. Open, and NCAA record holder, at bay. Reaney clocked in a 2:07.69 for second, while Louisville’s Andrea Cottrell rounded out the top three with a 2:08.48.

Louisville’s Tanja Kylliainen delivered a strong finish in the 200 fly smashing Megan Eve’s 2009 ACC meet record of 1:54.59 with a 1:53.19. Kyllianen’s time also took down Chelsea Britt’s 2014 conference record of 1:53.68. Incidentally, she qualified for an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

Chelsea Britt led the final heat for the first 100 of the race but couldn’t hold onto the lead coming in with a 1:54.09 and also qualifying for an NCAA ‘A’ cut. Virginia Tech’s Klaudia Nazieblo turned in a 1:55.16 for third.

It was a close night for the women as the top two platform divers kept it an incredibly close match. Virginia Tech’s Kalyea Arnett won by a slim .20 with 295.30 points. Florida State’s Katrina Young settled for second with 295.10, while Emma Villarreal of Virginia Tech took third with 279.95.

North Carolina State, Virginia, and Louisville all battled for the gold in the 400 free relay, but it was North Carolina State’s Alexia Zevnik (48.29), Riki Bonnema (48.15), Lotta Nevalainen (49.20) and Natalie Labonge’s (48.93) who came out victorious with a 3:14.57. This qualified them for an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

Virginia’s relay team of Kaitlyn Jones (49.75), Ellen Thomas (48.21), Caitlin Cooper (49.04) and Courtney Bartholomew (48.25) time of 3:15.25 and Louisville’s relay of Andrea Kneppers (49.23), Kelsi Worrell (47.39), Ashley Leclair (50.05) and Tanja Kylliainen (49.23) time of 3:15.90 was swift enough to also grab an NCAA ‘A’ cut.

2015 ACC Women’s Championships, Full Results – Results

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Bill Bell

9 years ago

Laura Simon could be in Kazan this summer but not for Uncle Sam.

She swims for Germany and she’ll likely have the company of another U.S.- trained collegian in the person of Florida Gator Theresa Michalak, winner of the SEC 200 IM earlier this week.