Matt Brownstead sets UVA 50 free record at NCAA Championships

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Sophomore Matt Brownstead became the fifth-fastest performer in history in the 50-yard freestyle on Thursday night at the 2022 NCAA Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center.

Brownstead put down an 18.60 in finals to finish third and earn All-America honors. He improved on his own UVA record time of 18.85 from prelims earlier in the day. It was Brownstead’s first top-eight individual finish at the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Matt King finished 12th in the 50 free in 19.02, the second-fastest time in UVA history. King swam a then-personal-best 19.05 in prelims.

The Cavaliers closed out the night with a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Brownstead, King, freshman Connor Boyle and junior August Lamb, respectively, clocked in with a time of 1:14.70 for the second-fastest time in school history. The fifth-place finish was UVA’s best finish in a relay at NCAAs since finishing fourth in the 800 free relay in 2012.

In Prelims

• Senior Casey Storch finished 43rd in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:44.90.
• Boyle just missed qualifying for finals, finishing 17th in the 50 free in career-best 19.18.
• Lamb was 21st in the 50 free with a career-best 19.25.
• Freshman Jack Aikins finished 34th in the 50 free with a time of 19.47.

UP NEXT

Friday’s events will include the 400-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard backstroke, 3-meter diving and the 400-yard medley relay.