Women’s Swimming: Virginia leads heading into final day of NCAA Championships

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Virginia women’s swimming & diving team remained in the lead at the 2022 NCAA Championships after winning three more NCAA titles on Friday night at the McAuley Aquatic Center.

The Cavaliers lead the standings with 386.5 points, ahead of Stanford (276), Texas (257), NC State (193) and Alabama (177).

Sophomore Alex Walsh and junior Kate Douglass each won their second individual NCAA titles of the meet and UVA won its third relay.

Walsh cruised to the win in the 400-yard IM, setting a UVA and pool record with a time of 3:57.25. Walsh finished three seconds ahead of second place. Junior Ella Nelson placed third in 4:02.25 and freshman Emma Weyant finished fourth in a personal-best 4:03.17.

Douglass followed with a win in the 100-yard butterfly. Her time of 49.04 set an American record, her second in an individual event. Senior Jessica Nava finished 14th in 51.88 and junior Lexi Cuomo was 15th in 51.97.

UVA’s relay group of freshman Gretchen Walsh, senior Alexis Wenger, A. Walsh and Douglass, respectively, tied their own American/US Open/NCAA Record set at the ACC Championships to win the 400-yard medley relay in 3:22.24.

Wenger and G. Walsh both picked up silvers in their respective individual events. Wenger finished second, just .04 seconds off first, in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 56.97. Gretchen Walsh swam under the previous American record time in 49.00 to finish second in the 100-yard backstroke.

Freshman Reilly Tiltmann won the consolation final of the 200-yard freestyle to place ninth with a time of 1:43.55. Tiltmann returned to the pool in the 100 back, finish fifth in 50.67.

Sophomore Anna Keating was 13th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 59.05.

UVA closes out the NCAA Championships on Saturday with the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform diving and 400 free relay.