Kate Douglass Lowers Mac Neil’s NCAA Record, Her Own American Record in 100 Butterfly

Kate Douglass Lowers Mac Neil’s NCAA Record, Her Own American Record in 100 Butterfly

Last March, Kate Douglass won an extremely close race with Torri Huske and Maggie Mac Neil in the 100 butterfly at the NCAA Championships, with Douglass notching an American record of 49.04. As she prepares for a rematch with the swimmers who have each won international gold medals in the 100-meter fly, Douglass now owns the quickest time in history in the yards event after she knocked off Mac Neil’s NCAA and U.S. Open records in the ACC Championships final Thursday evening.

In a head-to-head race against Virginia teammate Gretchen Walsh, who lowered Douglass’ American, NCAA and U.S. Open records in the 50 freestyle Wednesday night, both swimmers went out in 22.86, equal to Douglass’ pace from her American record last March, but Douglass opened up a lead on the second 50 before hitting the wall in 48.84, the fastest time in history by five hundredths. Previously, Mac Neil swam a time of 48.89 at the 2021 NCAA Championships (in a race where Douglass finished second). Douglass also beat her own national mark of 49.04 set last season.

MacNeil won the 100 fly at the SEC Championships later in the night – the meet in College Station, Texas, starting an hour later – in 48.99. It was an SEC record and gives MacNeil the second and third fastest times in history behind Douglass, though the Canadian looked thoroughly unimpressed by the result.

The record was the fourth NCAA and American record of the meet, with all of the marks set by the Virginia women. Previously, Douglass, Walsh, Walsh’s older sister Alex and Lexi Cuomo setting records in the 200 medley relay Tuesday evening and 200 freestyle relay Wednesday before the younger Walsh sister achieved the fastest time ever in the 50 free.

Walsh placed second here in 49.34, which made her the sixth-fastest performer in history behind Douglass, Mac Neil, Huske, Claire Curzan and Louise Hansson, while Louisville’s Gabi Albiero notched a third-place time of 50.04, which left her mere hundredths away from becoming the 11th swimmer in history to join the sub-50 club. She ranks seventh in the country so far this season, with Huske, Mac Neil, Emma Sticklen and Curzan having all recorded sub-50 swims previously.

Results

Event 18  Women 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         MEET: # 49.86  2/17/2022 Katherine C Douglass, UVA-VA
         CONF: % 49.04  3/17/2022 Kate Douglass, UVA-VA
         AMER: $ 49.04  3/17/2022 Kate Douglass, UVA-VA
         USOP: & 48.89  3/19/2021 Maggie MacNeil, Michigan
         NCAA: ! 48.89  3/19/2021 Maggie MacNeil, Michigan
     GAC Pool: ^ 48.89  3/19/2021 Maggie MacNeil, MICH-MI
                 50.92  A
                 52.35  IV22 Invited NCAA 2022
                 53.69  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Douglass, Kate   SR UVA                 50.96      48.84&A       32  
    r:+0.67  10.48        22.86 (12.38)
          35.67 (12.81)       48.84 (13.17)
  2 Walsh, Gretchen  SO UVA                 51.07      49.34#A       28  
    r:+0.77  10.26        22.86 (12.60)
          35.85 (12.99)       49.34 (13.49)
  3 Albiero, Gabi M  JR Louisville          50.72      50.04 A       27  
    r:+0.68  10.91        23.48 (12.57)
          36.67 (13.19)       50.04 (13.37)
  4 Arens, Abby L    JR NC State            51.10      50.84 A       26  
    r:+0.66  10.88        23.95 (13.07)
          37.21 (13.26)       50.84 (13.63)
  5 Alons, Kylee J   SR NC State            51.13      50.93 IV22    25  
    r:+0.66  10.68        23.48 (12.80)
          36.74 (13.26)       50.93 (14.19)
  6 Regenauer, Chri  SR Louisville          51.07      51.03 IV22    24  
    r:+0.69  10.99        24.08 (13.09)
          37.66 (13.58)       51.03 (13.37)
  7 Cuomo, Lexi M    SR UVA                 51.47      51.51 IV22    23  
    r:+0.73  10.67        23.40 (12.73)
          37.32 (13.92)       51.51 (14.19)
  8 Ulett, Tristen   JR Louisville          51.63      51.59 IV22    22  
    r:+0.74  10.93        24.06 (13.13)
          37.65 (13.59)       51.59 (13.94)

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