ACC Championships, Day 2: Gretchen Walsh Splits 20.02 as Virginia Women Scare 200 Free Relay Record
The spectators inside Greensboro Aquatic Center did not have to wait long for the University of Virginia women to take flight. Less than 24 hours after taking down the eight-year-old NCAA record in the 800 freestyle relay, the Cavaliers took aim at the mark in the 200 free relay and came up just short while Gretchen Walsh recorded the second-fastest split in history. Walsh later scored the win in the 50 free while Olympic gold medalist Torri Huske swam the nation’s top time in the 200 IM.
On the men’s side, NC State opened up the evening with a win in the men’s 200 free relay, holding off a outside-smoke surge from new ACC team Cal and coming up just short of the American record. Quintin McCarty, who led off that near-record quartet, later concluded the evening with a win in the splash-and-dash.
In the team competition, the Virginia women have opened up a lead with 494.5 points, with Stanford holding down second (413) ahead of Louisville (397). For the men, Cal has a 75-point lead over NC State, 436 to 361, with Stanford currently third (341).
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 13 1. Virginia, University of 494.5 2. Stanford University 413 3. Louisville, University of 397 4. California, University of, Ber 308.5 5. North Carolina, University of, 260 6. North Carolina State Universit 228 7. Pittsburgh, University of 201 8. University of Miami (Florida) 181 9. Florida State University 162 10. Duke University 138 11. Notre Dame, University of 132 12. VA Tech 126 13. Boston College 78 14. Southern Methodist University 76 15. Georgia Institute of Technolog 65
Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 14 1. California, University of, Ber 436 2. North Carolina State Universit 361 3. Stanford University 341 4. North Carolina, University of, 306 5. Louisville, University of 251 6. Florida State University 243.5 7. Virginia, University of 238 8. VA Tech 192 9. Pittsburgh, University of 190.5 10. Georgia Institute of Technolog 189 11. Southern Methodist University 184 12. Duke University 103 13. Boston College 62 14. University of Miami (Florida) 24 15. Notre Dame, University of 5
Women’s 200 Freestyle Relay
As heat two of the sprint relay began, all eyes were on Gretchen Walsh with the possibility that she could dip below 20 seconds on her split, just as she did at last season’s ACC Championships. Walsh dove in with Virginia just behind Stanford and Torri Huske, but Walsh quickly took over to give her team a lead of more than a second. However, she came up just short of 20 seconds, splitting 20.02 before older sister Alex Walsh dove in.
The split was the second-quickest ever behind the 19.95 that Walsh clocked at last season’s ACC Championships. Anna Hopkin is the second-fastest relay swimmer ever at 20.27.
Most importantly for Virginia, the team cruised to a title. Claire Curzan led off in 21.40 before Alex Walsh split 21.23 and Maxine Parker came home in 21.38. The Cavaliers finished in 1:24.03, just off the NCAA and U.S. Open records of 1:23.63 set by Virginia at last year’s ACC Championships. This year’s group was nearly identical, with Curzan taking over leadoff duties from Jasmine Nocentini. Virginia was even closer to the American record of 1:23.87 set by the Walsh sisters, Kate Douglass and Lexi Cuomo in 2023.
Louisville finished second in 1:25.52, buoyed by a 20.78 split from Julia Dennis on the second leg. Caroline Larsen led off before Gabi Albiero and Ella Welch finished off the relay. Following Huske’s leadoff leg, Stanford held on for third in 1:26.08 with Lucy Thomas, Gigi Johnson and Amy Tang completing the team. Huske led off in 21.04, crushing her previous best time of 21.30 and jumping to No. 6 all-time in the event.
Event 7 Women 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
MEET: @ 1:23.63 2/21/2024 Virginia, University of, UVA-A
J Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, M Parker
CONF: # 1:23.63 2/21/2024 Virginia, University of, UVA-A
J Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, M Parker
AMER: $ 1:23.87 2/15/2023 University of Virginia, UVA-V
K Douglass, G Walsh, A Cuomo, A Walsh
USOP: % 1:23.63 2/21/2024 Virginia, University of, UVA-A
J Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, M Parker
NCAA: ^ 1:23.63 2/21/2024 Virginia, University of, UVA-A
J Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, M Parker
Pool: & 1:23.63 2/21/2024 Virginia, University of, UVA-A
J Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, M Parker
1:28.42 A
1:29.00 B
School Seed Finals Points
==================================================================================
1 UVA 'A' 1:24.29 1:24.03 A 64
1) Curzan, Claire JR 2) r:0.17 Walsh, Gretchen SR
3) r:0.26 Walsh, Alexandra 5Y 4) r:0.18 Parker, Maxine 5Y
r:+0.70 21.40 41.42 (20.02)
1:02.65 (21.23) 1:24.03 (21.38)
2 Louisville 'A' 1:26.18 1:25.52 A 56
1) Larsen, Caroline FR 2) r:0.18 Dennis, Julia JR
3) r:0.24 Albiero, Gabi 5Y 4) r:0.10 Welch, Ella JR
r:+0.66 21.71 42.49 (20.78)
1:04.09 (21.60) 1:25.52 (21.43)
3 Stanford 'A' 1:27.44 1:26.08 A 54
1) Huske, Victoria JR 2) r:0.22 Thomas, Lucy SO
3) r:0.13 Johnson, Garlynd JR 4) r:0.20 Tang, Amy SR
r:+0.60 21.04 42.82 (21.78)
1:04.38 (21.56) 1:26.08 (21.70)
4 NCSU 'A' 1:26.88 1:26.52 A 52
1) Nel, Olivia JR 2) r:0.34 Christianson, Llian FR
3) r:0.22 Pelaez, Erika FR 4) r:0.26 Driscoll, Tyler SO
r:+0.70 21.82 43.26 (21.44)
1:04.82 (21.56) 1:26.52 (21.70)
5 California 'A' 1:27.54 1:26.69 A 50
1) Moluh, Mary-Ambre FR 2) r:0.23 Stadden, Isabelle 5Y
3) r:0.12 Stone, Mckenna SR 4) r:-0.03 West, Mia FR
r:+0.68 21.82 43.56 (21.74)
1:05.21 (21.65) 1:26.69 (21.48)
6 Pitt 'A' 1:29.07 1:27.78 A 48
1) Yendell, Sophie 5Y 2) r:0.31 Kudlac, Avery SO
3) r:0.07 Wiechertjes, Anna FR 4) r:0.04 Jansen, Claire JR
r:+0.70 21.40 43.67 (22.27)
1:05.81 (22.14) 1:27.78 (21.97)
7 VA Tech 'A' 1:28.87 1:28.18 A 46
1) Weiler Sastre, Carmen JR 2) r:0.10 Claesson, Emily JR
3) r:0.14 Summers, Anna SR 4) r:0.21 Gyurinovics, Fanni JR
r:+0.69 22.23 44.06 (21.83)
1:05.99 (21.93) 1:28.18 (22.19)
8 Duke 'A' 1:29.03 1:28.26 A 44
1) Wall, Tatum JR 2) r:0.15 Truong, KyAnh SR
3) r:0.25 Pfaff, Alison SO 4) r:0.36 Logan, Clare FR
r:+0.69 21.98 43.61 (21.63)
1:05.52 (21.91) 1:28.26 (22.74)
Men’s 200 Freestyle Relay
Just like the Virginia women in the previous event, the North Carolina State men came up just short of an American record in the 200 free relay, knocking 15-hundredths off the meet mark posted they posted last season while finishing merely 16-hundredths shy of their own domestic record. Quintin McCarty went out in 18.78, giving him a lead of three tenths over North Carolina’s Martin Kartavi, and teammates Jerry Fox, Drew Salls and Luke Miller each recorded splits between 18.4 and 18.7 on the way to a time of 1:14.29.
The team broke the meet record of 1:14.44 set by the NC State squad of McCarty, Salls, Noah Henderson and Miller last season while coming up just behind the 1:14.13 that McCarty, Fox, Henderson and miller clocked at the NCAA Championships.
California grabbed second place in 1:15.10, jumping back into contention when Jack Alexy went 18.30 on the third leg. The team also included Lucca Battaglini, Bjorn Seeliger and Destin Lasco. Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan, Brendan Whitfield, Mario Molla Yanes and Will Hayon placed third in 1:15.53.
Event 8 Men 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
==================================================================================
MEET: @ 1:14.44 2/21/2024 North Carolina State Universit, NC St
Q McCarty, L Salls, N Henderson, L Miller
CONF: # 1:14.13 3/28/2024 North Carolina State Universit, NCSU
Q. McCarty, J. Fox, N, Henderson, L. Miller
AMER: $ 1:14.44 2/21/2024 North Carolina State Universit, NC St
Q McCarty, L Salls, N Henderson, L Miller
USOP: % 1:13.35 3/23/2023 Florida, Flori
J. Liendo, A. Chaney, E. Friese, M Mcduff
NCAA: ^ 1:13.35 3/23/2023 Florida, Flori
J. Liendo, A. Chaney, E. Friese, M Mcduff
Pool: & 1:13.93 11/21/2024ASU, ASU
I Kharun, T Palmer, P Sammon, J Kulow
1:16.54 A
1:17.13 B
School Seed Finals Points
==================================================================================
1 NCSU 'A' 1:15.10 1:14.29@A 64
1) McCarty, Quintin SO 2) r:0.15 Fox, Jerry SO
3) r:0.21 Salls, Larry JR 4) r:0.08 Miller, Lukas 5Y
r:+0.67 18.78 37.18 (18.40)
55.61 (18.43) 1:14.29 (18.68)
2 California 'A' 1:16.75 1:15.10 A 56
1) Battaglini, Lucca FR 2) r:0.28 Seeliger, Bjorn 5Y
3) r:0.20 Alexy, John SR 4) r:0.33 Lasco, Destin 5Y
r:+0.62 19.15 37.64 (18.49)
55.94 (18.30) 1:15.10 (19.16)
3 VA Tech 'A' 1:15.74 1:15.53 A 54
1) Ramadan, Youssef 5Y 2) r:0.23 Whitfield, Brendan SO
3) r:0.20 Molla Yanes, Mario SR 4) r:0.15 Hayon, William JR
r:+0.61 19.10 37.67 (18.57)
56.59 (18.92) 1:15.53 (18.94)
4 Stanford 'A' 1:16.19 1:15.79 A 52
1) Minakov, Andrei SR 2) r:0.25 Gu, Kaihan JR
3) r:0.13 Voss, Avery SR 4) r:0.21 Tan, Jonathan SO
r:+0.66 19.24 38.27 (19.03)
57.12 (18.85) 1:15.79 (18.67)
5 FSU 'A' 1:16.66 1:15.86 A 50
1) Arkhangelskiy, Michel 2) r:0.29 Keblys, Jokubas SR
3) r:0.09 Bork, Samuel JR 4) r:0.08 Wilson, Maximillian JR
r:+0.63 19.45 38.56 (19.11)
57.20 (18.64) 1:15.86 (18.66)
6 UNC 'A' 1:16.35 1:15.88 A 48
1) Kartavi, Martin FR 2) r:0.30 Dramm, Louis JR
3) r:0.14 Hussey, Patrick 5Y 4) r:0.20 Foy, Patrick FR
r:+0.63 19.08 38.14 (19.06)
57.01 (18.87) 1:15.88 (18.87)
7 UVA 'A' 1:15.86 1:16.61 B 46
1) Aikins, Jack JR 2) r:0.18 Boyle, Connor SR
3) r:0.13 Madoch, Jack SO 4) r:0.29 Lins, Simon SO
r:+0.68 19.22 38.11 (18.89)
57.17 (19.06) 1:16.61 (19.44)
8 SMU 'A' 1:17.42 1:16.74 B 44
1) Butler, Lance 5Y 2) r:0.18 Sungail, Sage JR
3) r:0.09 Lockhart, Harold SR 4) r:0.12 Rusnock, Joseph SR
r:+0.63 19.50 38.54 (19.04)
56.99 (18.45) 1:16.74 (19.75)
Women’s 500 Freestyle
Swimming at her first conference championship meet, Virginia freshman Katie Grimes led for almost the entire way in the 500 freestyle final, opening up an advantage of almost one-and-a-half seconds over Stanford’s Aurora Roghair by the 300-yard mark. Down the stretch, however, Roghair accelerated and pulled into a dead-heat at the 450-yard mark. Roghair appeared to take the lead entering the final 25 yards, but Grimes had one final surge to get to the wall 19-hundredths ahead.
Grimes touched in 4:32.69, followed by Roghair’s time of 4:32.88. Grimes improved upon her season-best time (previously 4:33.05) while remaining in the No. 4 spot in the national rankings while Roghair was behind her third-ranked mark of 4:31.63. Texas’ Jillian Cox and Florida’s Bella Sims own the two quickest marks this year. However, Grimes has the fastest career-best of any swimmer currently in college, having gone 4:28.27 in December 2023 to rank third all-time in the event.
Virginia picked up the win in the first individual swimming event of the competition, and the Cavaliers got additional big points from Cavan Gormsen (third, 4:35.88) and Aimee Canny (fourth, 4:36.31).
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
4:36.89 A
4:41.19 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
4:47.20 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Grimes, Kathryn FR UVA 4:37.84 4:32.69 A 32
r:+0.69 25.16 52.66 (27.50)
1:20.48 (27.82) 1:48.14 (27.66)
2:15.91 (27.77) 2:43.44 (27.53)
3:11.14 (27.70) 3:38.61 (27.47)
4:06.34 (27.73) 4:32.69 (26.35)
2 Roghair, Aurora SR Stanford 4:34.79 4:32.88 A 28
r:+0.79 25.94 53.69 (27.75)
1:21.78 (28.09) 1:49.57 (27.79)
2:17.27 (27.70) 2:44.83 (27.56)
3:12.13 (27.30) 3:39.42 (27.29)
4:06.34 (26.92) 4:32.88 (26.54)
3 Gormsen, Cavan SO UVA 4:35.60 4:35.77 A 27
r:+0.74 25.65 53.45 (27.80)
1:21.74 (28.29) 1:49.83 (28.09)
2:17.83 (28.00) 2:45.48 (27.65)
3:13.34 (27.86) 3:41.33 (27.99)
4:09.07 (27.74) 4:35.77 (26.70)
4 Canny, Aimee JR UVA 4:39.31 4:36.31 A 26
r:+0.80 25.57 53.44 (27.87)
1:21.56 (28.12) 1:49.80 (28.24)
2:17.70 (27.90) 2:45.71 (28.01)
3:13.77 (28.06) 3:41.84 (28.07)
4:09.70 (27.86) 4:36.31 (26.61)
5 Geringer, Maya 5Y California 4:41.14 4:39.81 IV24 25
r:+0.65 26.03 54.27 (28.24)
1:22.62 (28.35) 1:50.96 (28.34)
2:19.23 (28.27) 2:47.44 (28.21)
3:15.64 (28.20) 3:43.77 (28.13)
4:11.98 (28.21) 4:39.81 (27.83)
6 Wilson, Kayla JR Stanford 4:42.06 4:40.50 IV24 24
r:+0.71 25.94 53.83 (27.89)
1:22.16 (28.33) 1:50.61 (28.45)
2:19.13 (28.52) 2:47.30 (28.17)
3:15.26 (27.96) 3:43.70 (28.44)
4:12.42 (28.72) 4:40.50 (28.08)
7 Bodenstab, Amel FR Louisville 4:41.63 4:42.52 B 23
r:+0.66 25.61 53.81 (28.20)
1:22.22 (28.41) 1:50.73 (28.51)
2:19.23 (28.50) 2:47.71 (28.48)
3:16.11 (28.40) 3:44.74 (28.63)
4:13.75 (29.01) 4:42.52 (28.77)
8 Mannion, Natali JR Stanford 4:41.87 4:43.34 B 22
r:+0.76 25.84 54.20 (28.36)
1:22.76 (28.56) 1:51.38 (28.62)
2:19.79 (28.41) 2:48.24 (28.45)
3:16.97 (28.73) 3:45.93 (28.96)
4:15.21 (29.28) 4:43.34 (28.13)
Men’s 500 Freestyle
In December, Lucas Henveaux won his first global-level medal with a Short Course World Championships bronze in the 200-meter free, and shortly after, he returned to Cal for a second run with the Golden Bears. In one of his first meets, he clocked 4:10.82 in the 500 free, and he swam two seconds faster in cruising to the ACC title in the event Wednesday evening. Henveaux’s time ranks third in the country behind Texas’ Rex Maurer and Georgia teammates Tomas Koski and Jake Magahey.
Henveaux trailed teammate Gabriel Jett in the early going before pulling away to finish one-and-a-half seconds ahead. Jett, meanwhile, held steady in second place and surged off the final few turns to finish in 4:10.27, good for No. 6 in the country. Stanford’s Henry McFadden used a strong finish to take third from lane eight, clocking 4:12.33, with Cal’s Tyler Kopp taking fourth in 4:12.46 for more Golden Bear points.
Event 10 Men 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
MEET: @ 4:10.00 2/26/2009 Matt McLean, Virginia
CONF: # 4:09.13 1/26/2018 Anton Ipsen, NCSU-NC
AMER: $ 4:04.45 11/20/2024Rex Maurer, Texas
USOP: % 4:02.31 3/27/2024 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
NCAA: ^ 4:02.31 3/27/2024 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
Pool: & 4:07.97 3/24/2021 Jake Magahey, UGA-GA
4:10.64 A
4:14.90 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
4:21.28 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Henveaux, Lucas 5Y California 4:12.42 4:08.83#A 32
r:+0.69 22.72 47.48 (24.76)
1:12.47 (24.99) 1:37.58 (25.11)
2:02.76 (25.18) 2:28.08 (25.32)
2:53.45 (25.37) 3:18.92 (25.47)
3:44.31 (25.39) 4:08.83 (24.52)
2 Jett, Gabriel SR California 4:14.53 4:10.27 A 28
r:+0.71 22.47 47.27 (24.80)
1:12.57 (25.30) 1:37.99 (25.42)
2:03.79 (25.80) 2:29.53 (25.74)
2:54.71 (25.18) 3:20.30 (25.59)
3:45.61 (25.31) 4:10.27 (24.66)
3 McFadden, Henry SO Stanford 4:15.47 4:12.33 IV24 27
r:+0.69 22.96 47.94 (24.98)
1:13.41 (25.47) 1:39.06 (25.65)
2:04.65 (25.59) 2:30.34 (25.69)
2:55.91 (25.57) 3:21.71 (25.80)
3:47.71 (26.00) 4:12.33 (24.62)
4 Kopp, Tyler 5Y California 4:14.60 4:12.46 IV24 26
r:+0.62 23.50 48.79 (25.29)
1:14.42 (25.63) 1:40.25 (25.83)
2:05.83 (25.58) 2:31.23 (25.40)
2:56.68 (25.45) 3:22.38 (25.70)
3:47.92 (25.54) 4:12.46 (24.54)
5 King, David FR UVA 4:14.18 4:13.43 IV24 25
r:+0.75 22.94 48.42 (25.48)
1:13.80 (25.38) 1:39.20 (25.40)
2:04.70 (25.50) 2:30.30 (25.60)
2:55.83 (25.53) 3:21.57 (25.74)
3:47.72 (26.15) 4:13.43 (25.71)
6 Norris, Lance JR NCSU 4:14.58 4:15.26 B 24
r:+0.74 23.45 49.01 (25.56)
1:14.79 (25.78) 1:40.47 (25.68)
2:06.27 (25.80) 2:32.05 (25.78)
2:57.92 (25.87) 3:23.91 (25.99)
3:49.99 (26.08) 4:15.26 (25.27)
7 Forrest, Jack JR SMU 4:15.46 4:15.53 B 23
r:+0.68 23.27 48.57 (25.30)
1:14.29 (25.72) 1:40.31 (26.02)
2:06.40 (26.09) 2:32.61 (26.21)
2:58.41 (25.80) 3:24.22 (25.81)
3:50.27 (26.05) 4:15.53 (25.26)
8 Lloyd, Kenneth 5Y NCSU 4:14.13 4:18.35 B 22
r:+0.78 23.28 48.50 (25.22)
1:14.08 (25.58) 1:40.00 (25.92)
2:06.03 (26.03) 2:32.19 (26.16)
2:58.55 (26.36) 3:25.35 (26.80)
Women’s 200 IM
A potential medley showdown between Torri Huske and Alex Walsh did not materialize as the Virginia fifth-year swimmer chose to focus on other events, but Huske delivered an impressive performance even without any serious competition. She was up by seven tenths after 50 yards and one-and-a-half seconds by the halfway point. Breaststroke is Huske’s weakest stroke, but she held serve and did not allow the field to close in.
Huske finished in 1:51.46, less than one-and-a-half seconds off her best time of 1:50.06 that ranked her third all-time in the race. The effort was the top time in the country, surpassing the 1:51.80 Walsh swam last month. A race between the two at next month’s NCAA Championships is surely looming.
Stanford’s Caroline Bricker placed second in 1:52.97, good for No. 5 in the national rankings, while Cal’s Lea Polonsky finished in 1:53.28 for third, the sixth-best time in the country. Virginia’s top finisher was freshman Leah Hayes, who clocked 1:54.01.
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
1:57.03 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
1:59.35 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Huske, Victoria JR Stanford 1:54.35 1:51.46 A 32
r:+0.61 23.59 51.34 (27.75)
1:24.42 (33.08) 1:51.46 (27.04)
2 Bricker, Caroli SO Stanford 1:55.55 1:52.97 A 28
r:+0.63 25.00 53.64 (28.64)
1:26.14 (32.50) 1:52.97 (26.83)
3 Polonsky, Lea SR California 1:54.89 1:53.28 A 27
r:+0.67 25.17 53.50 (28.33)
1:26.18 (32.68) 1:53.28 (27.10)
4 Hayes, Leah FR UVA 1:54.18 1:54.01 IV24 26
r:+0.80 25.07 53.74 (28.67)
1:25.98 (32.24) 1:54.01 (28.03)
5 Bell, Lucerne JR Stanford 1:55.31 1:54.74 IV24 25
r:+0.67 24.87 54.64 (29.77)
1:26.98 (32.34) 1:54.74 (27.76)
6 Nordmann, Lilli SR Stanford 1:55.49 1:55.15 IV24 24
r:+0.69 24.28 52.82 (28.54)
1:28.03 (35.21) 1:55.15 (27.12)
7 Thompson, Emily FR Stanford 1:56.36 1:55.87 IV24 23
r:+0.63 25.33 54.85 (29.52)
1:28.05 (33.20) 1:55.87 (27.82)
8 Gomes Celidonio SR Louisville 1:56.51 1:56.75 IV24 22
r:+0.70 25.02 54.40 (29.38)
1:28.42 (34.02) 1:56.75 (28.33)
Men’s 200 IM
American-record holder and reigning NCAA champion Destin Lasco was in the field in the 200 IM A-final, but the fifth-year Cal swimmer never factored into contention for the conference title. Instead, it was Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti going wire-to-wire and touching in 1:40.95. Coll Marti is fresh off a surprise short course world title in the 200-meter breaststroke in December, he posted the country’s fourth-best mark behind Florida’s Julian Smith, Texas teammates Hubert Kos and Will Modglin and Indiana’s Owen McDonald.
The battle for second place was tight, but Georgia Tech’s Berke Saka distinguished himself on the breaststroke leg and narrowly held on down the stretch. Saka finished in 1:41.77, five hundredths ahead of Stanford’s Ron Polonsky (1:41.82). North Carolina’s Louis Dramm was just off the pace (1:42.05), while Lasco finished a surprising sixth, his time of 1:42.80 almost five seconds behind his personal best.
Event 12 Men 200 Yard IM
=========================================================================
MEET: @ 1:40.31 2/15/2023 Arsenio Bustos, NC State
CONF: # 1:39.35 3/24/2019 Andreas Vazaios, NCSU-NC
AMER: $ 1:37.91 3/28/2024 Destin Lasco, California
USOP: % 1:36.34 3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
NCAA: ^ 1:36.34 3/24/2022 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
Pool: & 1:39.26 11/16/2023Hubert Kos, ASU
1:40.75 A
1:43.05 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
1:45.68 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Coll Marti, Car 5Y VA Tech 1:41.35 1:40.95 IV24 32
r:+0.62 21.29 46.74 (25.45)
1:15.87 (29.13) 1:40.95 (25.08)
2 Saka, Berke SR GT 1:42.45 1:41.77 IV24 28
r:+0.69 22.15 47.42 (25.27)
1:16.40 (28.98) 1:41.77 (25.37)
3 Polonsky, Ron SR Stanford 1:42.75 1:41.82 IV24 27
r:+0.69 22.39 47.83 (25.44)
1:17.04 (29.21) 1:41.82 (24.78)
4 Dramm, Louis JR UNC 1:42.41 1:42.05 IV24 26
r:+0.67 21.76 47.25 (25.49)
1:17.43 (30.18) 1:42.05 (24.62)
5 Nicholas, Spenc FR UVA 1:42.83 1:42.67 IV24 25
r:+0.59 21.77 47.59 (25.82)
1:17.78 (30.19) 1:42.67 (24.89)
6 Lasco, Destin 5Y California 1:43.21 1:42.80 IV24 24
r:+0.68 22.18 47.91 (25.73)
1:18.46 (30.55) 1:42.80 (24.34)
7 Mihm, Richard 5Y Stanford 1:43.02 1:43.17 B 23
r:+0.70 22.18 47.64 (25.46)
1:17.55 (29.91) 1:43.17 (25.62)
8 Tomac, Mewen 5Y California 1:42.96 1:43.29 B 22
r:+0.63 22.04 47.46 (25.42)
1:18.09 (30.63) 1:43.29 (25.20)
Women’s 50 Freestyle
Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh has almost no weaknesses in short course yards racing, but starts have never been her strength. Indeed, in the 50 free final, Walsh was noticeably behind the field off the blocks, with a 0.82 reaction time that was more than a tenth behind anyone else in the field. But from there, Walsh dominated, flipping in 10.05 and pulling further ahead off the turn before hitting the wall in 20.60.
The time was three hundredths behind the meet record Walsh set last year and 23-hundredths short of the NCAA, U.S. Open and American records she recorded at last year’s NCAA Championships. But even if she did not eclipse any records, the time was much quicker than anyone else in history has ever recorded, with Maggie Mac Neil ranked No. 2 at 20.79.
Louisville’s Julia Dennis swam a strong mark of 21.08 for second place, the time ranking her No. 7 all-time in the event and third in the country this season behind Walsh and the 21.04 relay leadoff posted by Torri Huske earlier in the night. Third went to Virginia’s Claire Curzan in 21.26, just ahead of Pitt’s Sophie Yendell (21.30).
Event 13 Women 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
MEET: @ 20.57 2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
CONF: # 20.37 3/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
AMER: $ 20.37 3/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
USOP: % 20.37 3/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
NCAA: ^ 20.37 3/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
Pool: & 20.57 2/21/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
21.58 A
22.11 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
22.58 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Walsh, Gretchen SR UVA 20.87 20.60 A 32
r:+0.82 10.05 20.60 (10.55)
2 Dennis, Julia JR Louisville 21.44 21.08 A 28
r:+0.63 10.16 21.08 (10.92)
3 Curzan, Claire JR UVA 21.67 21.26 A 27
r:+0.68 10.28 21.26 (10.98)
4 Yendell, Sophie 5Y Pitt 21.68 21.30 A 26
r:+0.69 10.20 21.30 (11.10)
5 Larsen, Carolin FR Louisville 21.76 21.63 IV24 25
r:+0.68 10.44 21.63 (11.19)
6 Albiero, Gabi 5Y Louisville 21.88 21.71 IV24 24
r:+0.63 10.39 21.71 (11.32)
7 Moluh, Mary-Amb FR California 21.92 21.88 IV24 23
r:+0.69 10.47 21.88 (11.41)
8 Wall, Tatum JR Duke 21.89 21.95 IV24 22
r:+0.71 10.72 21.95 (11.23)
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Cal’s Jack Alexy was the most decorated sprinter in the field, having won World Championship medals in the 50 and 100 free in both short course and long course, but NC State’s Quintin McCarty upstaged Alexy in this conference final. Alexy was up by three hundredths at the turn, 9.02 to 9.05, but McCarty had the better turn and acceleration in the second length to pull ahead and secure the win.
McCarty clocked 18.63, 11-hundredths clear of Alexy’s 18.74, while McCarty’s Wolfpack teammate Jerry Fox placed third in 18.83. Virginia Tech’s Brendan Whitfield was the only other swimmer to clear 19 seconds (18.92). McCarty now ranks fifth in the country while Alexy sits eighth.
Event 14 Men 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
MEET: @ 18.57 2/21/2024 Christopher Guiliano, Notre Dame-AC
CONF: # 18.49 3/28/2024 Christopher Guiliano, Notre Dame-AC
AMER: $ 17.63 3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
USOP: % 17.63 3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
NCAA: ^ 17.63 3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
Pool: & 18.33 3/25/2021 Ryan Hoffer, CAL-PC
18.72 A
19.13 IV24 Invited NCAA 2024
19.69 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 McCarty, Quinti SO NCSU 18.81 18.63 A 32
r:+0.66 9.05 18.63 (9.58)
2 Alexy, John SR California 18.71 18.74 IV24 28
r:+0.68 9.02 18.74 (9.72)
3 Fox, Jerry SO NCSU 18.97 18.83 IV24 27
r:+0.65 9.07 18.83 (9.76)
4 Whitfield, Bren SO VA Tech 18.89 18.92 IV24 26
r:+0.66 9.31 18.92 (9.61)
5 Salls, Larry JR NCSU 19.12 19.00 IV24 25
r:+0.64 9.07 19.00 (9.93)
6 Bork, Samuel JR FSU 19.22 19.06 IV24 24
r:+0.61 8.97 19.06 (10.09)
7 Foy, Patrick FR UNC 19.21 19.18 B 23
r:+0.70 9.30 19.18 (9.88)
8 Seeliger, Bjorn 5Y California 19.09 19.43 B 22
r:+0.69 9.60 19.43 (9.83)
Men’s 1-Meter Diving
