Virginia wins three NCAA titles, American & NCAA records fall at NCAA Championships

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Virginia women’s swimming & diving team won three events and set two American & NCAA records on Thursday night at the 2022 NCAA Championships at the McAuley Aquatic Center.

Virginia leads the standings with 210 points, ahead of Texas (128), Stanford (123), Alabama (120) and NC State (99). UVA won two of the three individual swimming events and has won its second of three relays through the first two nights.

Sophomore Alex Walsh won her second consecutive 200-yard IM NCAA championship with the fastest time in history in the event. Walsh finished in 1:50.08, to break the previous record by .59 seconds and was first by over a second.

Junior Kate Douglass started the day with a bang, setting an American and NCAA record in the 50-yard freestyle prelims. Her time of 20.87 was the fastest-ever in the event, until finals. Douglass and freshman Gretchen Walsh entered finals with the top two times and finished one-two with the two fastest times in UVA history.

Douglass improved on her record-setting time with a 20.84 to win her second consecutive 50 free NCAA title. Walsh touched second, breaking 21 seconds with a 20.95.

Virginia closed out the night with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Douglass, A. Walsh, junior Lexi Cuomo and G. Walsh, respectively, combined to take the NCAA title in 1:24.96, the second-fastest time in UVA history. It is the second relay title of the meet for the Cavaliers.

Freshman Emma Weyant finished second in the 500-yard freestyle, with a career-best swim and the third fastest time in UVA history in 4:34.99.

Also swimming in the championship finals, junior Ella Nelson finished eighth in the 200-yard IM with a time of 1:55.01. Nelson swam a career-best time of 1:54.48 in prelims.

Junior Maddie Donohoe finished 15th in the 500 free with a time of 4:40.49. Her 4:39.61 in prelims was a career-best and the 10th fastest in UVA history.

Sophomore Abby Harter placed 11th in the 200-yard IM with a career-best time of 1:55.08, to move into fifth all-time at UVA.

Cuomo finished 14th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.03. Her 21.80 in prelims was a personal-best.