NCAA Women’s Championships: Gretchen Walsh Scorches 22.10 Backstroke Split as Virginia Nearly Breaks Record

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2024 Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships kicked off from Athens, Georgia, with the 200 medley relay.

Virginia set the NCAA, American and U.S. Open record last year to win the event in 1:31.51.

Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh crushed the opening split at 22.10 to put the Cavaliers in the lead, the fastest backstroke split in the history of the event.

“It was a really great start. I didn’t do the 200 medley at ACCs, so I have no idea what I would have been there, but I don’t think it would have been that fast. I am really happy with that time. I was nervous being the first leg of the first event of the meet. I was just happy I nailed my start and from there, everything just carried forward and these ladies closed it out,” Walsh said. “It is a huge statement (that we were so close to the record) because we were seeded second in the event – a little bit of underdog. Having that as our first event of the meet is a good teller of how we are all going to perform at this meet. Making memories like that is exciting.”

Jasmine Nocentini took over in the breaststroke and held the lead before Carly Novelline took over and got to the wall with a body lead.

“It is definitely a new experience. It is kind of a dream to be an All-American and then being on the podium means even more,” Nocentini said. “It was exciting to see how we came out and performed.”

For Novelline, it was her first relay ever at the NCAA Championships.

“This is the first time I have done a relay at this level. It was everything I hoped for and more,” she said. “It is definitely something I will cherish the rest of my life.”

Maxine Parker dove in with the lead and kept it as the Cavaliers won in 1:31.58. Parker closed in 21.38.

“It definitely takes a lot of pressure off when you dive in ahead. That makes you just want to carry it home for them,” Parker said. “We just wanted to start out with some momentum.”

It was just seven hundredths of a second off the last year’s NCAA record and broke the pool record.

But that team had both Walsh sisters and Kate Douglass on it.

This relay had one Walsh sister and showed the depth this Virginia program really has.

Ohio State finished NCAA runner-up in 1:33.09 behind Nyah Funderburke, Hannah Bach, Katherine Zenick and Teresa Ivan. It also broke the previous pool record.

NC State touched the wall third in 1:33.48 but was disqualified for an early takeoff in the third exchange.

Third place went to Florida’s Aris Runnels, Molly Mayne, Olivia Peoples and Mikayla Cronk in 1:34.30.

Fourth place went to Cal with Isabelle Stadden, Jade Neser, Mia Kragh and Stephanie Akakabota finishing in 1:34.55.

Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller, Mona McSharry, Sara Stotler and Amber Myers took fifth in 1:34.64.

Sixth went to Texas’ Emma Kern, Anna Elendt, Emma Sticklen and Grace Cooper (1:34.74).

USC took seventh behind Caroline Famous, Kaitlyn Dobler, Anicka Delgado and Minna Abraham (1:34.81).

Stanford won the second of three heats and finished eighth in 1:35.10.

There were three heats that encompassed the timed NCAA final.

Live Results

Meet Page

Event 1  Women 200 Yard Medley Relay
==================================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:31.51  3/15/2023 Virginia
                          G Walsh, A Walsh, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         Meet: M 1:31.51  3/15/2023 Virginia
                          G Walsh, A Walsh, A Cuomo, K Douglass
     American: A 1:31.51  3/15/2023 Virginia
                          G Walsh, A Walsh, A Cuomo, K Douglass
      US Open: O 1:31.51  3/15/2023 Virginia
                          G Walsh, A Walsh, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         Pool: P 1:34.18  11/17/2023Florida
                          Sims, Mayne, Peoples, Ivey
    School                                 Seed     Finals Points 
==================================================================================
  1 Virginia                            1:33.69    1:31.58P  40  
     1) Walsh, Gretchen JR            2) r:0.27 Nocentini, Jasmine SR 
     3) r:0.04 Novelline, Carly SO    4) r:0.29 Parker, Maxine SR     
    r:+0.61  10.98        22.10 (22.10)
          33.67 (11.57)       47.82 (25.72)
           57.67 (9.85)     1:10.20 (22.38)
        1:20.58 (10.38)     1:31.58 (21.38)
  2 OSU                                 1:33.47    1:33.09P  34  
     1) Funderburke, Nyah JR          2) r:0.20 Bach, Hannah 5Y       
     3) r:0.22 Zenick, Katherine SR   4) r:0.09 Ivan, Teresa JR       
    r:+0.75  11.58        23.44 (23.44)
          34.97 (11.53)       49.12 (25.68)
           59.05 (9.93)     1:11.45 (22.33)
        1:21.64 (10.19)     1:33.09 (21.64)
  3 Florida                             1:34.18    1:34.30   32  
     1) Runnels, Aris JR              2) r:0.07 Mayne, Molly FR       
     3) r:0.13 Peoples, Olivia JR     4) r:0.11 Cronk, Micayla JR     
    r:+0.76  11.93        23.82 (23.82)
          35.77 (11.95)       50.53 (26.71)
         1:00.49 (9.96)     1:12.95 (22.42)
        1:23.03 (10.08)     1:34.30 (21.35)
  4 California                          1:33.89    1:34.55   30  
     1) Stadden, Isabelle SR          2) r:0.16 Neser, Jade 5Y        
     3) r:0.33 Kragh, Mia JR          4) r:0.10 Akakabota, Stepanie JR
    r:+0.61  11.53        23.58 (23.58)
          35.14 (11.56)       49.91 (26.33)
        1:00.26 (10.35)     1:13.03 (23.12)
         1:22.96 (9.93)     1:34.55 (21.52)
  5 Tennessee                           1:34.89    1:34.64   28  
     1) Fuller, Josephine JR          2) r:0.13 McSharry, Mona SR     
     3) r:0.04 Stotler, Sara JR       4) r:0.27 Myers, Amber JR       
    r:+0.64  11.79        23.74 (23.74)
          35.22 (11.48)       49.42 (25.68)
          59.67 (10.25)     1:12.62 (23.20)
        1:22.99 (10.37)     1:34.64 (22.02)
  6 Texas                               1:34.14    1:34.74   26  
     1) Kern, Emma FR                 2) r:0.22 Elendt, Anna SR       
     3) r:0.12 Sticklen, Emma SR      4) r:0.13 Cooper, Grace SR      
    r:+0.54  11.74        24.00 (24.00)
          35.94 (11.94)       50.53 (26.53)
        1:00.85 (10.32)     1:13.10 (22.57)
        1:23.10 (10.00)     1:34.74 (21.64)
  7 USC                                 1:34.07    1:34.81   24  
     1) Famous, Caroline SR           2) r:0.30 Dobler, Kaitlyn SR    
     3) r:0.24 Delgado, Anicka SR     4) r:0.17 Abraham, Minna FR     
    r:+0.69  11.78        23.75 (23.75)
          35.55 (11.80)       50.20 (26.45)
        1:00.54 (10.34)     1:13.01 (22.81)
        1:23.65 (10.64)     1:34.81 (21.80)
  8 Stanford                            1:35.58    1:35.10   22  
     1) Mannion, Natalie SO           2) r:0.29 Thomas, Lucy FR       
     3) r:0.20 Johnson, Gigi SO       4) r:0.15 Tang, Amy JR          
    r:+0.60  12.20        24.83 (24.83)
          36.35 (11.52)       51.24 (26.41)
        1:01.25 (10.01)     1:13.87 (22.63)
         1:23.74 (9.87)     1:35.10 (21.23)
  9 Duke                                1:35.85    1:35.16   18  
     1) Pfaff, Ali FR                 2) r:0.29 Gridley, Kaelyn SO    
     3) r:0.17 Ozkan, Aleyna SR       4) r:-0.03 Wall, Tatum SO       
    r:+0.79  12.05        24.26 (24.26)
          36.46 (12.20)       51.03 (26.77)
        1:01.16 (10.13)     1:13.80 (22.77)
         1:23.66 (9.86)     1:35.16 (21.36)
 10 UNC                                 1:35.15    1:35.19   14  
     1) Pattison, Greer JR            2) r:0.15 Smith, Skyler JR      
     3) r:0.21 Vannote, Ellie 5Y      4) r:0.10 Carlton, Delaney 5Y   
    r:+0.64  11.76        23.80 (23.80)
          35.63 (11.83)       50.14 (26.34)
        1:00.68 (10.54)     1:13.37 (23.23)
        1:23.58 (10.21)     1:35.19 (21.82)
 11 Louisville                          1:35.37    1:35.45   12  
     1) Barrett, Karoline SO          2) r:0.01 Welch, Ella SO        
     3) r:0.26 Regenauer, Chriiana 5Y 4) r:0.15 Albiero, Gabi SR      
    r:+0.66  11.91        24.58 (24.58)
          36.67 (12.09)       51.48 (26.90)
        1:01.55 (10.07)     1:14.29 (22.81)
         1:24.13 (9.84)     1:35.45 (21.16)
 12 Michigan                            1:35.28    1:35.62   10  
     1) Greenhawt, Alexis FR          2) r:0.13 Kan, Natalie JR       
     3) r:0.15 Kendall, Brady SO      4) r:0.33 Flynn, Lindsay JR     
    r:+0.61  11.80        24.17 (24.17)
          36.44 (12.27)       51.77 (27.60)
        1:01.78 (10.01)     1:14.19 (22.42)
        1:24.29 (10.10)     1:35.62 (21.43)
 13 Indiana                             1:35.81    1:35.84    8  
     1) McKenna, Kacey JR             2) r:0.03 Crawford, Brearna JR  
     3) r:0.19 Sze Yeo, Chiok SO      4) r:0.20 Paegle, Kristina SO   
    r:+0.56  11.72        23.58 (23.58)
          35.72 (12.14)       50.94 (27.36)
        1:01.74 (10.80)     1:14.45 (23.51)
        1:24.52 (10.07)     1:35.84 (21.39)
 14 Wisconsin                           1:36.58    1:35.85    6  
     1) McConagha, Mackenzie JR       2) r:0.24 Ozkan, Hazal SO       
     3) r:0.16 Tierney, Hailey FR     4) r:0.14 Wanezek, Abby SO      
    r:+0.61  12.16        24.25 (24.25)
          36.56 (12.31)       51.34 (27.09)
        1:01.49 (10.15)     1:14.00 (22.66)
        1:24.37 (10.37)     1:35.85 (21.85)
 15 Auburn                              1:35.25    1:35.97    4  
     1) Lee, Meghan SR                2) r:0.26 Makarova, Stasya JR   
     3) r:0.15 Ficken, Lawson FR      4) r:0.22 Mulvihill, Alexis JR  
    r:+0.61  12.06        24.18 (24.18)
          36.32 (12.14)       50.94 (26.76)
        1:01.30 (10.36)     1:14.45 (23.51)
        1:24.66 (10.21)     1:35.97 (21.52)
 16 Alabama                             1:35.32    1:36.18    2  
     1) Van Brunt, Gaby FR            2) r:0.17 Wiseman, Avery JR     
     3) r:0.26 Winter, Kailyn JR      4) r:0.27 Vincent, Cadence FR   
    r:+0.60  12.05        24.29 (24.29)
          36.28 (11.99)       51.07 (26.78)
        1:01.41 (10.34)     1:14.23 (23.16)
        1:24.81 (10.58)     1:36.18 (21.95)
 17 Georgia                             1:35.43    1:36.19  
     1) McCarty, Eboni JR             2) r:0.23 Hartman, Zoie 5Y      
     3) r:0.11 Norton, Emma SO        4) r:0.20 Jones, Helena FR      
    r:+0.67  11.70        23.71 (23.71)
          35.94 (12.23)       50.81 (27.10)
        1:01.37 (10.56)     1:14.49 (23.68)
        1:24.75 (10.26)     1:36.19 (21.70)
 18 FSU                                 1:36.20    1:36.26  
     1) Evans, Sarah SO               2) r:0.14 Huggins, Maddy JR     
     3) r:0.11 Halden, Jenny SR       4) r:0.13 Muzito, Gloria JR     
    r:+0.64  12.22        24.74 (24.74)
          36.75 (12.01)       51.73 (26.99)
         1:01.45 (9.72)     1:14.08 (22.35)
        1:24.44 (10.36)     1:36.26 (22.18)
 19 TAMU                                1:35.87    1:36.31  
     1) Grana, Miranda FR             2) r:0.26 Kennett, Bobbi SR     
     3) r:0.25 Theall, Olivia SR      4) r:0.21 Stepanek, Chloe SR    
    r:+0.56  11.97        24.11 (24.11)
          36.63 (12.52)       51.42 (27.31)
        1:02.08 (10.66)     1:14.68 (23.26)
        1:25.00 (10.32)     1:36.31 (21.63)
 -- NC State                            1:34.22         DQ  
      Early take-off swimmer #4
     1) Noble, Kennedy SO             2) r:0.17 Arens, Abby SR        
     3) r:0.12 Sheehan, Miriam FR     4) r:-0.17 Berkoff, Katharine 5Y
    r:+0.53  11.57        23.58 (23.58)
          35.28 (11.70)       50.17 (26.59)
        1:00.22 (10.05)     1:13.13 (22.96)
         1:22.45 (9.32)          DQ (20.35)
 -- Princeton                           1:36.79         DQ  
      False start - Misc
     1) Korbly, Isabella JR           2) r:0.09 McDonald, Margaux SR  
     3) r:0.27 Johnston, Sabrina SO   4) r:0.40 Noble, Ela JR         
    r:+0.74  12.18        24.91 (24.91)
          37.04 (12.13)       52.23 (27.32)
        1:02.74 (10.51)     1:15.69 (23.46)
        1:26.04 (10.35)          DQ (21.99)

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