Swimming & Diving: UVA women capture fifth-consecutive ACC title, 20th overall

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Thanks to a sweep in the five swimming events during the final night of competition at the ACC Championships, the Virginia women’s program won its fifth consecutive conference title and smashed the league’s all-time championship scoring mark in the process. The title was the 20th in the Cavalier program’s history.

The UVA women totaled 1637.5 points, besting the mark of 1615 set by the NC State men’s team during the 2023 championship. The Cavalier men placed fifth in the men’s competition. Their final night of swimming was highlighted by Matt Brownstead’s fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle (41.85) and Noah Nichols (1:53.06) and Max Iida (1:53.49) placing fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 200 breaststroke.

UVA’s men’s 400 free relay team of Brownstead, Connor Boyle, August Lamb and Tim Connery placed fourth (2:49.64), the fifth best showing in program history.

With five gold medals on Saturday, the Cavalier women won a total of 17 events over the five-day championship.

Saturday was highlighted by another NCAA, American and US Open record performance by Gretchen Walsh with a winning time of 45.16 in the 100 freestyle. It was her fourth NCAA record of the meet. She also set new standards in the 50 free (20.57), the 100 fly (48.25) and the 200 free relay (1:23.63).

Walsh was named the ACC’s most valuable swimmer. During the course of the meet, she won a total of seven gold medals to raise her career total to 16.

Not to be outdone by her younger sister, Alex Walsh also picked up an individual gold and relay first-place victory to up her career ACC gold medal count to 26, the most ever by a Cavalier, topping former UVA standout Kate Douglass’ previous record of 25.

Alex Walsh’s individual win came in the 200 breaststroke, where she led the Hoos to a podium sweep with a meet and pool record time of 2:02.24. That was also a personal best in the event she had not swam this season until the ACC meet. Ella Nelson was second in the race with a personal-best time of 2:04.29 while Anna Keating was third (2:07.97).

UVA’s other individual goal medalists included Cavan Gormsen with a thrilling finish in the 1,650 freestyle to win with a time of 16:07.50. In the 200 backstroke, Reilly Tiltmann also used a comeback on the final lap to claim gold with a time of 1:51.77. 

In the 100 freestyle, Jasmine Nocentini picked up the silver (46.78). Nocentini was part of UVA’s victorious 400 free relay squad that capped UVA’s performance. The Cavaliers won by almost three seconds, posting a time of 3:07.34. That was the program’s 24th relay win in the last 25 contested at ACC Championship competition.

SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH

The ACC Championship also served as the competition to decide the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash points between the Cavaliers and Virginia Tech. The two program split points as the UVA women picked up the point for the Hoos while the Hokie men’s team finished ahead of UVA in the men’s standings. UVA currently leads the Clash 6.5 to 5 following the swimming and indoor track championships on Saturday.

The head man, Todd DeSorbo talks about the Hoos’ fifth straight ACC women’s title. pic.twitter.com/c3O0iO7398

— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) February 25, 2024

NEXT UP

The Cavalier divers will compete at the NCAA Zone A championships on March 11-13 in Princeton, N.J. The NCAA Championships for the women take place in Athens, Ga., on March 20-23. The men will compete at the NCAAs on March 27-30 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Men’s Highlights

• Matt Heilman set a personal best in the 200 breast (1:56.98)
• Sam O’Brien was ninth in the 1650 free (15:15.03)

Women’s Highlights

• Gretchen Walsh heads to the NCAA Championships as the owner or participant in eight NCAA Records: 100 free, 50 free, 100 back, 100 fly, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and  400 medley relay.
• Maddie Donohoe was fourth (16:13.18) and Sophia Knapp sixth (16:19.58) in the 1650 free
• Tess Howley was eighth in the 200 back (1:54.17)
• Maxine Parker placed seventh in the 100 free (47.92)
• In addition to sweeping the 200 breast, the Hoos had two other finishers in the top seven – Aimee Canny was sixth (2:08.73) and Emma Weber was seventh (2:10.54). Zoe Skirboll swam a PB (2:10.02) to place 16th

TEAM SCORES
Women
1. Virginia – 1637.5
2. Louisville – 1145
3. NC State – 1106
4. North Carolina – 786.5
5. Duke – 779.5
6. Virginia Tech – 632.5
7. Florida State – 531
8. Notre Dame – 493
9. Georgia Tech – 450
10. Pittsburgh – 407
11. Miami – 391

Men
1. NC State – 1499.5
2. Notre Dame – 1038.5
3. Virginia Tech – 960.5
4. Louisville – 885.5
5. Virginia – 768.5
6. Florida State – 762
7. Pittsburgh – 647
8. North Carolina – 616
9. Georgia Tech – 575.5
10. Duke – 287
11. Miami – 122

NCAA Records Set by Cavaliers at the ACC Championships:
Gretchen Walsh: 100 free (45.16) 50 free (20.57) 100 fly (48.25)
Alex Walsh: 200 fly (1:49.16)
200 Free Relay: Gretchen Walsh, Jasmine Nocentini, Alex Walsh and Maxine Parker (1:23.63)

Event Titles at the ACC Championships
Women
200 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 200 Fly, 100 Breast, 400 Medley Relay, 1650 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 400 Free Relay

Men
100 Breast

ACC Championships by Individual

Men
Noah Nichols (100 Breast)

Women
Aimee Canny (200 Free, 800 Free Relay)
Cavan Gormsen (1650 Free, 500 Free)
Ella Nelson (400 IM, 800 Free Relay)
Jasmine Nocentini (400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 100 Breast, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay)
Carly Novelline (200 Medley Relay)
Maxine Parker (400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay)
Reilly Tiltmann (200 Back, 200 Medley Relay)
Alex Walsh (400 Free Relay, 200 Breast, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Fly, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 200 IM)
Gretchen Walsh (400 Free Relay, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 50 Free)

All-ACC

Men
Matt Brownstead (100 Back, 50 Free)
Tim Connery (200 IM)
Noah Nichols (100 breast)

Women
Ella Bathurst (400 IM)
Aimee Canny (200 free, 800 Free Relay, 500 Free)
Cavan Gormsen (1650 Free, 500 Free)
Abby Harter (200 Fly)
Anna Keating (200 Breast)
Sophia Knapp (500 Free)
Ella Nelson (200 Breast, 400 IM, 800 Free Relay, 200 IM)
Jasmine Nocentini (400 Free Relay, 100 Free, 400 Medley Relay, 100 Breast, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 50 Free)
Carly Novelline (200 Medley Relay)
Maxine Parker (400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 free, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay)
Reilly Tiltmann (200 Back, 100 Back, 200 Medley Relay)
Alex Walsh (400 Free Relay, 200 Breast, 400 Medley Relay, 200 fly, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 200 IM)
Gretchen Walsh (400 Free Relay, 100 Free, 400 Medley Relay, 100 fly, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay, 50 Free)
Emma Weber (100 Breast)