Virginia Shatters Fastest Time Ever in Women’s 200 Medley Relay; Gretchen Walsh Swims First-Ever Sub-23 50 Backstroke

kate-douglass-gretchen-walsh-200-medley-relay-virginia-acc-championships-2022

Virginia celebrates breaking the American and NCAA records in the women's 200 medley relay -- Photo Courtesy: Kyle Hess/theACC.com

Virginia Shatters Fastest Time Ever in Women’s 200 Medley Relay; Gretchen Walsh Swims First-Ever Sub-23 50 Backstroke

The University of Virginia women have done it again. After breaking the American and NCAA records in the 200 freestyle relay Wednesday evening, another Cavaliers quarter broke the all-time record in the women’s 200 medley relay. The team of Gretchen Walsh, Alexis Wenger, Lexi Cuomo and Kate Douglass swam a mark of 1:31.81, more than a second faster than the previous American and NCAA record of 1:32.93.

The Cavaliers owned the previous mark from exactly one year previously at the ACC Championships, and three of the swimmers were back from that 2021 squad. Caroline Gmelich, last year’s backstroker, graduated, Walsh stepped into her shoes and led off in 22.82, the fastest 50-yard backstroke performance ever recorded. Michigan’s Maggie Mac Neil owned the previous top mark at 23.02. Wenger then split 25.77, and Cuomo swam the butterfly in 22.68 before Douglass came home in a blistering 20.54. Virginia was able to break the record without versatile star Alex Walsh competing, allowing her to focus on the other four relay events.

NC State finished second in the event in 1:33.25 with Katharine Berkoff, Sophie Hansson, Abby Arens and Kylee Alons. That time was only seven hundredths slower than the Wolfpack swam to win the event at last year’s NCAA Championships, and NC State ranks as the second-fastest team in the nation so far this season behind Virginia.

Finishing third was the Florida State team of Tania Quaglieri, Nina Kucheran, Jenny Halden and Rebecca Moynihan in 1:35.40.

Live Results

Event 14  Women 200 Yard Medley Relay
==================================================================================
         MEET: # 1:32.93  2/17/2021 University of Virginia, Virginia-VA
                          C Gmelich, A Wenger, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         CONF: % 1:32.93  2/17/2021 University of Virginia, Virginia-VA
                          C Gmelich, A Wenger, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         AMER: $ 1:32.93  2/17/2021 Virginia
                          C Gmelich, A Wenger, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         USOP: & 1:32.93  2/17/2021 Virginia, Virginia
                          C Gmelich, A Wenger, A Cuomo, K Douglass
         NCAA: ! 1:33.11  3/16/2018 Stanford
                          A. Howe, K. Williams, J. Hu, S. Manuel
         Pool: ^ 1:34.81  3/18/2016 Stanford, Stanf
                          A Howe, S Haase, J Hu, L Neal
                 1:36.40  A
                 1:37.05  B
    School                           Seed     Finals       Points 
==================================================================================
  1 UVA  'A'                      1:33.74    1:31.81#A       64  
     1) Walsh, Gretchen C FR          2) r:0.13 Wenger, Alexis SR     
     3) r:0.22 Cuomo, Alexa JR        4) r:0.28 Douglass, Katherine JR
    r:+0.63  22.82        48.59 (25.77)
        1:11.27 (22.68)     1:31.81 (20.54)
  2 NC State  'A'                 1:34.31    1:33.25^A       56  
     1) Berkoff, Katharine F JR       2) r:0.30 Hansson, Sophie SR    
     3) r:0.15 Arens, Abigail SO      4) r:0.10 Alons, Kylee SR       
    r:+0.58  23.10        49.23 (26.13)
        1:12.23 (23.00)     1:33.25 (21.02)
  3 Florida St.  'A'              1:36.37    1:35.40 A       54  
     1) Quaglieri, Tania JR           2) r:0.15 Kucheran, Nina SR     
     3) r:0.05 Halden, Jenny SO       4) r:0.22 Moynihan, Rebecca SR  
    r:+0.69  24.38        51.25 (26.87)
        1:13.68 (22.43)     1:35.40 (21.72)
  4 UNC  'A'                      1:37.27    1:35.58 A       52  
     1) Pattison, Greer A FR          2) r:23.99 Higgs, Lillian SR    
     3) r:51.41 Lindner, Sophie SR    4) r:74.65 Countie, Grace SR    
    r:+0.52  23.89        50.99 (27.10)
        1:14.20 (23.21)     1:35.58 (21.38)
  5 Louisville  'A'               1:36.36    1:36.49 B       50  
     1) Ulett, Tristen D SO           2) r:0.26 Wheeler, Kaylee SR    
     3) r:0.29 Regenauer, Chriiana JR 4) r:0.19 Albiero, Gabriela SO  
    r:+0.74  24.47        51.62 (27.15)
        1:14.90 (23.28)     1:36.49 (21.59)
  6 Duke  'A'                     1:37.43    1:36.97 B       48  
     1) Shuppert, Emma K JR           2) r:24.33 Foley, Sarah SO      
     3) r:51.45 Ozkan, Aleyna SO      4) r:74.79 Snyder, Sarah JR     
    r:+0.59  24.24        51.11 (26.87)
        1:14.81 (23.70)     1:36.97 (22.16)
  7 Notre Dame  'A'               1:38.59    1:37.53         46  
     1) Geriane, Jessica J FR         2) r:24.83 Fry, Elizabeth JR    
     3) r:52.30 Gillilan, Coleen JR   4) r:75.59 Christman, Madelyn FR
    r:+0.70  24.62        52.05 (27.43)
        1:15.49 (23.44)     1:37.53 (22.04)
  8 Miami  'A'                    1:39.97    1:38.00         44  
     1) Huizinga, Danika 5Y           2) r:0.17 Sundstrand, Emma SO   
     3) r:0.17 Mason, Zorryonna JR    4) r:0.34 Knapp, Sydney 5Y      
    r:+0.76  24.61        52.07 (27.46)
        1:15.66 (23.59)     1:38.00 (22.34)

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use