UVA Women Break Their 200 Medley Relay American Record (ACC Day 1 Race Videos)

2023 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Courtesy: UVa Swimming

WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:31.81, Virginia – 2022 ACC Championships
• ACC Record: 1:31.81, Virginia – 2022 ACC Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:31.81, Virginia (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:36.24

Top 8:

1. Virginia – 1:31.73
2. NC State – 1:33.02
3. Louisville – 1:34.23
4. UNC – 1:34.70
5. Duke – 1:36.31
6. FSU – 1:36.61
7. Pitt – 1:36.68
8. Miami (FL) – 1:36.73

The UVA team of Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Lexi Cuomo, and Kate Douglass lowered the NCAA and American records that they set last year, clocking 1:31.73 to break the record by .08 seconds.

Highlighting the relay was the younger Walsh’s 22.65, which stood as the fastest 50 back of all-time for about 45 minutes before Maggie MacNeil dove in at SECs. Kate Douglass also split a jaw-dropping 20.49 freestyle anchor, one of the fastest relay splits in history. A. Walsh and Cuomo rounded out the relay with splits of 26.10 and 22.49, respectively.

On the fly leg, keep your eye on NC State’s Kylee Alons, who split a huge 21.99.

Courtesy: UVa Swimming

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:21.13, Florida – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:21.69, NC State – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:21.84, Louisville (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.76

Top 8:

1. NC State – 1:22.25
2. Virginia – 1:23.03
3. Louisville – 1:23.59
4. Pitt – 1:23.98
5. Notre Dame – 1:24.22
6. Virginia Tech – 1:24.36
7. UNC – 1:24.65
8. FSU – 1:24.97

After being disqualified for an early takeoff last year, NC State reclaimed their title in dominant fashion. The quartet of Kacper Stokowski (20.70), Mason Hunter (23.07), Nyls Korstanje (19.72), and David Curtiss (18.76) posted 1:22.25.

They were the only team under 1:23, as Virginia’s team of Matt Brownstead (21.12), Noah Nichols (23.09), Max Edwards (20.28), and August Lamb (18.54) touched second in 1:23.03. That’s a big improvement for the Cavaliers, who finished sixth last year.

Courtesy: UVa Swimming

WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:45.91, Stanford – 2017 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 6:52.56, Virginia – 2021 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 6:53.27, Virginia (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 7:00.86

Top 8:

1. Virginia – 6:55.15
2. Louisville – 6:57.51
3. NC State – 6:59.22
4. Virginia Tech – 7:00.97
5. Duke – 7:05.18
6. UNC – 7:08.66
7. FSU – 7:10.79
8. Georgia Tech – 7:11.03

It was a close race for the first three legs between Virginia and Louisville, but ultimately, Virginia’s Ella Nelson powered away on the anchor (1:43.30) to secure the win for the Cavaliers by over two seconds. In addition to Nelson’s anchor, Virginia had Reilly Tiltmann lead off in 1:44.28, then Aimee Canny went 1:42.79, and Claire Tuggle split 1:44.78.

For Louisville, Tristen Ulett started things off in a 1:45.08. The Cards climbed steadily back into the race, with Paige Hetrick splitting 1:43.10, then handing things off to Fernanda Gomes Celidonio in 1:44.91.  Ella Welch anchored in 1:44.46. She couldn’t stay with Nelson, but she kept the Cardinals well clear of the rest of the field as they finished almost two seconds ahead of third place NC State.

Courtesy: UVa Swimming

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:03.89, Texas – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 6:05.31 – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 6:08.22, NC State (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 6:16.02

Top 8:

1. NC State – 6:10.65
2. Louisville – 6:11.26
3. Virginia Tech – 6:14.86
4. Notre Dame – 6:16.29
5. UNC – 6:16.36
6. Virginia – 6:16.62
7. FSU – 6:17.12
8. Pitt – 6:19.45

The men’s 800 free relay was a back-and-forth battle that ultimately came down to the closing yards of the race. The Wolfpack men won their third straight title in the event as they got their hand on the wall ahead of Louisville.

It seemed like it could be anyone’s race through a large part of the race as NC State, Louisville, and Virginia Tech all battled for position. NC State led off with Noah Bowers, who had them running sixth with a 1:34.46. Bartosz Piszczorowicz put the team into third with a 1:31.98 split, then defending 200 free champion, Luke Miller, moved the Pack into first place with a 1:31.65 split. Finally,  Hunter Tapp held off Louisville anchor Michael Eastman with a 1:32.56 split, giving NC State the win in 6:10.65.