Tess Howley Pool Record Highlights Virginia’s Cavalier Invitational
Tess Howley set an Aquatic and Fitness Center record Saturday, the third day of the Cavalier Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia
The Cavaliers’ senior went 1:52.53 in the 200 fly. That’s an AFC record and the sixth-fastest time in the country this season.
The meet followed the old NCAA format. Unscored as a team competition, the Cavaliers welcomed in Campbell, James Madison, Princeton, St. Bonaventure, South Carolina, Towson, Virginia and William & Mary to Charlottesville for the weekend.
Behind Howley in the 200 fly was Bailey Hartman in 1:55.04, then Lana Pudar’s 1:55.18 and Katie Grimes in 1:55.48. (Pudar struggled in the 100 fly but time-trialed a 51.95.)
Howley’s was the second pool record of the weekend. The first came on Thursday via the Virginia men’s 200 free relay, the squad of Maximus Williamson, Thomas Heilman, Jack Aikins and Noah Powers going 1:16.16.
On Thursday’s opening night, Lily Gormsen won the 500 free in 4:48.56, within a second of her best time this season. Virginia’s Emma Redman put down a season-best in the 200 individual medley to win in 1:58.56, with South Carolina’s Sofia Luper joining her under 2 minutes. (Redman’s time is slower than a 1:56.34 that Anna Moesch time-trialed later in the meet, a lifetime best.)
Bryn Greenwaldt won the 50 free for the Cavaliers with a time of 21.58. Her prelims mark of 21.51 is a national top-10 time, while Nina Jazy broke under 22 seconds with a time of 21.74 to enter the top 20 nationally.
Josh Howat won the men’s 50 free in 19.92, though Powers was quicker in prelims at 19.86.
On Friday, Sara Curtis blasted a collegiate-best time of 50.68 seconds. That leaps her to fifth in the nation and sixth in Virginia history. Second was Carly Novelline, who rose to eighth in Virginia history with a time of 51.09.
Sophia Umstead cracked the top 10 in Virginia history with a finals time of 4:07.49 in the 400 IM, good for ninth in program history. (Two results were faster in time trials, though, with Aimee Canny dropping a lifetime best 4:03.36 and Leah Hayes going 4:05.21, 1.2 seconds shy of her quickest of the season. Canny also time-trialed a 58.30 in the 100 breast.)
Dillon Wright won the men’s 400 IM in 3:50.02, trimming 3.5 seconds off his season-best.
In the 200 free, Claire Curzan bested the field with a time of 1:43.00, followed by Cavan Gormsen in 1:43.91. Heilman’s 1:34.24 won the men’s event.
Zoe Skirboll was the only swimmer to break a minute in the women’s 100 breaststroke, going 58.74 in prelims and then 58.89 in finals. The former is 10th in program history.
Sylvia Roy’s 52.92 won the 100 back. David King took home the men’s 100 back in 45.69, edging teammate Spencer Nicholas by .09 seconds.
In Saturday’s competition, Grimes bested Roy in the 200 back with a time of 1:51.21 before she tackled the 200 fly. Aikins won the men’s 200 back in 1:41.02.
Canny led the Virginia women’s sprint depth in the 100. She clocked in at 47.79, followed closely by Melissa Nwakalor in 47.85 and Jazy in 4790. Madi Mintenko was fourth in 48.27.
The Virginia men took the top three spots in the men’s 100 free, Williamson’s 42.60 leading the way.
