By Chandler Brandes, ACC Beat Writer
Tonight marks the final night of the 2016 ACC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Greensboro. Virginia will look to maintain their lead as they seek their ninth-consecutive ACC title.
NC State currently sits in second. North Carolina is in third, and Louisville is a close fourth.
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1650 Free
To kick off the 2016 ACC Women’s Championships, Virginia’s Leah Smith set an NCAA record in the 1000-yard free and 1650-yard freestyle events.
Smith first went out in 9:20.15 to break the 1000-yard freestyle NCAA record of 9:23.78 set by Brittany MacLean for Georgia at the 2014 NCAA Championships. That time moved Smith to fourth all time in the event behind Katie Ledecky (8:59.65), Katie Hoff (9:10.77) and Kate Ziegler (9:18.35).
Smith went on to break the 1650-yard free NCAA record of 15:27.84 set by MacLean in 2014 as well. Smith clocked a 15:25.30, moving her up to third all time after Ledecky’s 15:13.30 and Hoff’s 15:24.35.
NC State’s Hannah Moore finished second in 15:50.46 while her teammate Rachel Muller took third in 16:02.15.
200 Back
Virginia’s Courtney Bartholomew won the 200 back in 1:49.90, just off her own ACC meet record. The senior has gone eight for eight in the backstroke events, winning both the 100 and 200 since her freshman year.
This also marks her third individual win of the meet and her ninth ACC title of her career as she becomes Virginia’s most decorated swimmer of all time.
NC State’s Alexia Zevnik finished second in 1:51.26 and North Carolina’s Hellen Moffitt was third in 1:52.35.
Louisville’s Ashley Eclair won the B-Final in 1:55.18 and Florida State’s Megan Brown won the C-Final in 1:56.65.
100 Free
After setting the meet and conference record in this event earlier this morning, Kelsi Worrell went even faster tonight. The Louisville senior won in 47.30, clipping the record by .03. This is her third individual title of the weekend.
Louisville had 1-2 finish, with freshman Mallory Comerford taking second in 48.31. NC State’s Riki Bonnema finished third in 48.50.
North Carolina’s Caroline Baldwin claimed the B-Final in 48.76 and Virginia Tech’s Adriana Grabski won the C-Final in 49.30.
200 Breast
Virginia’s Laura Simon defended her title in the 200 breast, winning in a time of 2:06.86. The junior is the first back-to-back ACC Champion in the event since 2007-08.
Louisville’s Andee Cottrell finished second in 2:07.42 and Virginia Tech’s Weronika Paluszek took third in 2:07.95.
Pitt’s Katie Fernander took the B-Final in 2:13.25 and Virginia’s Vivian Tafuto dominated the C-Final in 2:13.07.
200 Fly
Virginia won their fourth event of the evening, with Kaitlyn Jones taking the 200 fly title in 1:54.65. This is the junior’s second individual ACC title of the weekend after her win in the 400 IM.
Virginia Tech’s Klaudia Nazieblo took second in 1:55.30, while the Cavaliers registered another top-3 finish with Jen Marrkand taking third in 1:55.87.
Not too long after winning the C-Final in the 200 back, Florida State’s Brown took the B-Final in 1:57.45. NC State’s Yuri Nakano won the C-Final in 1:58.94.
Men’s Platform
Georgia Tech’s Brad Homza dove to first in the men’s platform diving event with a score of 436.25. Miami’s Tanner Willfong was second with 422.00 while Virginia Tech’s Mauro Castro-Silva took third with 383.20.
Women’s Platform
After qualifying sixth during prelims, Louisville’s Andrea Aquista took the women’s platform title with a score of 318.15. Miami’s Wally Layland took second with 200.80 and Duke’s Maryellen Targonski posted a score of 286.85 for third.
400 Free Relay
NC State dominated the final event of the weekend, winning the 400 free rely with a time of 3:11.90. Zevnik (47.95), Bonnema (47.91), Courtney Caldwell (47.85), and Natalie Labonge (48.19) broke the league and meet record.
Virginia’s Megan Moroney (48.50), Ellen Thomas (48.24), Shannon Rauth (48.73), and Bartholomew (47.98) took second in 3:13.45. North Carolina’s Baldwin (49.13), Allyn Hardesty (48.27), Sarah Hitchens (48.01), and Lauren Earp (48.34) was third in 3:13.75.
