ACC Championships, Day 4 Prelims: Alex Walsh Blasts Meet Record in 200 Fly

alex-walsh-
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

ACC Championships, Day 4 Prelims: Alex Walsh Blasts Meet Record in 200 Fly

Alex Walsh hadn’t swum a 200 fly in NCAA competition since her silver medal at the 2023 NCAA Championships. That meant an early swim in an unseeded heat Friday at the ACC Championships. Which ultimately made no difference to the UVA star.

Walsh went 1:52.05 to set the meet record to kick off the fourth day of the meet at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

Her 1:50.23 from NCAAs last year is the conference record. The meet record had belonged to Grace Oglesby of Louisville at 1:52.81 from 2019.

All the action from the penultimate day of competition:

Team Standings

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 20                 
 
  1. Virginia, University of         846.5   2. Louisville, University of         683
  3. North Carolina State Universit    573   4. Duke University                 433.5
  5. North Carolina, University of   401.5   6. VA Tech                         308.5
  7. Notre Dame, University of         276   8. Florida State University          266
  9. Pittsburgh, University of         226  10. University of Miami (Florida)     221
 11. Georgia Institute of Technolog    220
Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 22                  
 
  1. North Carolina State Universit  812.5   2. Notre Dame, University of       559.5
  3. VA Tech                         469.5   4. Louisville, University of         458
  5. Florida State University          386   6. North Carolina, University of     380
  7. Virginia, University of         344.5   8. Pittsburgh, University of         315
  9. Georgia Institute of Technolog    309  10. Duke University                   164
 11. University of Miami (Florida)      94

Women’s 200 butterfly

Alex Walsh came roaring out of the gates with a meet record no one could match. Only teammate Abigail Harter was within three seconds, and only just, in 1:55.01. UVA has the top three seeds, with Tess Howley clocking in third at 1:55.24. Margaret Schalow added a fourth A finalist.

Walsh’s record complements her sister Gretchen Walsh’s record in the 100 fly this week.

The top seed entering the meet, Louisville’s Gabi Albiero, scratched the event.

Duke has a pair of A finalists, Martina Peroni fourth in 1:55.52 and Catherine Purnell eighth.

Event 23  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 1:52.81  2/23/2019 Grace Oglesby, Louisville-KY
         CONF: % 1:50.23  3/18/2023 Alex Walsh, UVA
         AMER: $ 1:48.33  10/20/2023Reagan Smith, Ariizona St.
         USOP: & 1:49.51  10/20/2023Reagan Smith, Stanford
         NCAA: ! 1:49.51  3/18/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         Pool: * 1:51.11  3/21/2015 Kelsi Worrell, UOFL-KY
                 1:52.86  A
                 1:55.92  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 1:59.23  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Walsh, Alexandr     UVA                    NT    1:52.05#qA     
    r:+0.79  25.10        53.53 (28.43)
        1:22.78 (29.25)     1:52.05 (29.27)
  2 Harter, Abigail     UVA               1:54.71    1:55.01 qIV23  
    r:+0.77  25.72        54.73 (29.01)
        1:24.33 (29.60)     1:55.01 (30.68)
  3 Howley, Tess        UVA               1:54.75    1:55.24 qIV23  
    r:+0.70  26.00        55.27 (29.27)
        1:24.87 (29.60)     1:55.24 (30.37)
  4 Peroni, Martina     Duke              1:54.01    1:55.52 qIV23  
    r:+0.74  26.14        55.53 (29.39)
        1:25.43 (29.90)     1:55.52 (30.09)
  5 Jernstedt, Edit     FSU               1:56.11    1:55.94 qB     
    r:+0.75  25.81        54.91 (29.10)
        1:24.77 (29.86)     1:55.94 (31.17)
  6 Vannote, Elizab     UNC               1:58.50    1:56.63 qB     
    r:+0.75  26.05        55.73 (29.68)
        1:25.96 (30.23)     1:56.63 (30.67)
  7 Schalow, Margar     UVA               1:55.28    1:56.95 qB     
    r:+0.67  26.31        56.09 (29.78)
        1:26.57 (30.48)     1:56.95 (30.38)
  8 Purnell, Cather     Duke              1:56.68    1:57.61 qB     
    r:+0.65  25.79        55.58 (29.79)
        1:25.81 (30.23)     1:57.61 (31.80)

Men’s 200 butterfly

Noah Bowers led a crowded field with a time of 1:41.44. Not far behind is Notre Dame’s Tate Bacon (1:41.76) and NC State’s Aiden Hayes (1:41.86) in which might be the defining selection. Bowers has been 1:41.26 this year and entered as the top seed.

It’s a great event for North Carolina, which pushed three into the A final, led by Sebastian Lunak in fourth.

Event 24  Men 200 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 1:37.92  2/18/2022 Nicolas J Albiero, Louisville-KY
         CONF: % 1:37.92  2/18/2022 Nicolas J Albiero, Louisville-KY
         AMER: $ 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         USOP: & 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         NCAA: ! 1:37.35  3/25/2017 Jack Conger, Texas
         Pool: * 1:38.64  3/27/2021 Nicolas Albiero, LOU-KY
                 1:40.16  A
                 1:42.57  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 1:45.89  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Bowers, Noah        NC State          1:41.26    1:41.44 qIV23  
    r:+0.71  22.78        48.74 (25.96)
        1:15.01 (26.27)     1:41.44 (26.43)
  2 Bacon, Tate         Notre Dame        1:44.57    1:41.76 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  22.17        47.77 (25.60)
        1:14.01 (26.24)     1:41.76 (27.75)
  3 Hayes, Aiden        NC State          1:44.60    1:41.86 qIV23  
    r:+0.67  22.38        48.64 (26.26)
        1:15.13 (26.49)     1:41.86 (26.73)
  4 Lunak, Sebastia     UNC               1:43.24    1:42.35 qIV23  
    r:+0.66  22.39        48.37 (25.98)
        1:14.80 (26.43)     1:42.35 (27.55)
  5 Bloebaum, Carl      VA Tech           1:44.33    1:42.80 qB     
    r:+0.65  23.03        49.14 (26.11)
        1:15.73 (26.59)     1:42.80 (27.07)
  6 Hussey, Patrick     UNC               1:48.48    1:43.25 qB     
    r:+0.70  22.63        48.72 (26.09)
        1:15.48 (26.76)     1:43.25 (27.77)
  7 Poelke, Boyd        UNC               1:47.57    1:43.48 qB     
    r:+0.72  22.63        48.92 (26.29)
        1:15.64 (26.72)     1:43.48 (27.84)
  8 Sergile, Sebast     UVA               1:43.41    1:43.60 qB     
    r:+0.63  22.97        49.61 (26.64)
        1:16.55 (26.94)     1:43.60 (27.05)

Women’s 100 backstroke

Katharine Berkoff is the top seed in the 100 back, the two-time NCAA champion and NC State graduate student going 50.37 to ease to the top seed. This is an event in which the top seed entering the meet, Gretchen Walsh, scratched.

Berkoff was one of two swimmers that entered with A cuts, excluding Walsh. Kennedy Noble has one, as well, and she’s the second seed in 51.25 seconds after prelims. The Wolfpack have four A finalists, with Miriam Sheehan sixth and Meghan Donald eighth.

Virginia has just one in the final eight, Reilly Tiltmann third in 52.00.

Men’s 100 backstroke

Marcus Gentry set the pace in prelims, but all eyes will be on the second seed. That’s Kacper Stokowski, the meet record co-holder from last year.

Gentry set the pace in 45.12. But just .10 back is Stokowski. The Polish international entered as the top seed with a time of 44.37 from the regular season.

Third is Matt Brownstead of Virginia in 45.60. NC State has three in the A final, Hudson Williams fifth and Quintin McCarty eighth. It took 45.90 to make the A final.

Event 26  Men 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 44.04  2/28/2020 Coleman Stewart/Kaspar Stokows, NC State-NC
         CONF: % 43.83  3/24/2023 Kaspar Stokowski, NC State-NC
         AMER: $ 43.35  3/25/2022 Luca Urlando, Georgia
         USOP: & 43.35  3/25/2022 Luca Urlando, Georgia
         NCAA: ! 43.35  3/25/2022 Luca Urlando, Georgia
         Pool: * 44.04  2/28/2020 Coleman Stewart, NCSU-NC
                 44.71  A
                 45.70  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 47.47  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Gentry, Marcus      Notre Dame          45.77      45.12 qIV23  
    r:+0.69  21.66        45.12 (23.46)
  2 Stokowski, Kacp     NC State            44.37      45.22 qIV23  
    r:+0.77  21.74        45.22 (23.48)
  3 Brownstead, Mat     UVA                 47.07      45.60 qIV23  
    r:+0.77  21.89        45.60 (23.71)
  4 Wilson, Maximil     FSU                 45.32      45.75 qB     
    r:+0.86  21.93        45.75 (23.82)
  5 Williams, Hudso     NC State            46.17      45.80 qB     
    r:+0.70  21.95        45.80 (23.85)
  6 Lowe, Dalton        Louisville          46.09      45.82 qB     
    r:+0.81  21.90        45.82 (23.92)
  7 Goncharov, Step     Pitt                46.54      45.87 qB     
    r:+0.77  22.10        45.87 (23.77)
  8 McCarty, Quinti     NC State            46.52      45.90 qB     
    r:+0.81  21.80        45.90 (24.10)

Women’s 100 breaststroke

Jasmine Nocentini blistered a time of 57.73 seconds to book a fresh NCAA A cut and lead the field by more than a second. The Italian international is one of three UVA swimmers in the A final, with Emma Weber tied for fourth and Zoe Skirboll sixth.

The second seed went to Kelyn Gridley of Duke in 59.10 seconds. Abigail Arens of NC State is third in 59.12.

Event 27  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 56.72  2/18/2022 Sophie E Hansson, NCSU-NC
         CONF: % 56.72  2/18/2022 Sophie E Hansson, NCSU-NC
         AMER: $ 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         USOP: & 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         NCAA: ! 55.73  3/22/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
         Pool: * 57.23  3/19/2021 Sophie Hansson, NCSU-NC
                 58.02  A
                 59.73  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
               1:01.46  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Nocentini, Jasm     UVA                 58.19      57.73 qA     
    r:+0.63  27.16        57.73 (30.57)
  2 Gridley, Kaelyn     Duke                58.74      59.10 qIV23  
    r:+0.72  27.82        59.10 (31.28)
  3 Arens, Abigail      NC State            59.26      59.12 qIV23  
    r:+0.68  27.97        59.12 (31.15)
  4 Weber, Emma         UVA                 59.02      59.35 qIV23  
    r:+0.72  28.22        59.35 (31.13)
  4 Brisson, Sabyne     GT                  59.08      59.35 qIV23  
    r:+0.70  28.39        59.35 (30.96)
  6 Skirboll, Zoe       UVA               1:00.17      59.89 qB     
    r:+0.70  28.28        59.89 (31.61)
  7 Smith, Skyler       UNC                 59.32      59.98 qB     
    r:+0.68  27.94        59.98 (32.04)
  8 Huggins, Madeli     FSU                 58.76    1:00.05 qB     
    r:+0.76  28.00      1:00.05 (32.05)

Men’s 100 breaststroke

Noah Nichols gave Virginia both top seeds in the 100 breaststroke events, going 51.26 seconds. That’s his season best by nearly a half-second. Nichols owns the meet record of 50.82 from last year.

Second is Denis Petrashov of Louisville is 51.67. Carles Coll Marti of Virginia Tech, the top seed entering the meet, secured the third seed in 51.71. Both Leandro Odorici of Georgia Tech and Peter Varjasi of Florida State cracked 52 seconds. NC State is without an A finalist, and only ninth-place Sam Hoover is in the top 24.

 Event 28  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         MEET: # 50.82  2/17/2023 Noah P Nichols, UVA-VA
         CONF: % 50.78  3/24/2023 Denis Petrashov, Louisville-KY
         AMER: $ 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         USOP: & 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         NCAA: ! 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
         Pool: * 50.18  3/26/2021 Max McHugh, MINN-MN
                 51.10  A
                 51.90  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 53.63  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Nichols, Noah       UVA                 51.67      51.26 qIV23  
    r:+0.68  23.97        51.26 (27.29)
  2 Petrashov, Deni     Louisville          51.95      51.67 qIV23  
    r:+0.71  24.40        51.67 (27.27)
  3 Coll Marti, Car     VA Tech             51.52      51.71 qIV23  
    r:+0.61  23.89        51.71 (27.82)
  4 Odorici, Leandr     GT                  52.76      51.96 qB     
    r:+0.65  24.01        51.96 (27.95)
  5 Varjasi, Peter      FSU                 52.10      51.98 qB     
    r:+0.69  24.04        51.98 (27.94)
  6 Maloney, Ethan      VA Tech             53.50      52.15 qB     
    r:+0.68  24.42        52.15 (27.73)
  7 Pouch, Ananias      VA Tech             54.10      52.28 qB     
    r:+0.69  24.78        52.28 (27.50)
  8 Baravelli, Tomm     FSU                 53.14      52.33 qB     
    r:+0.67  24.28        52.33 (28.05)

 

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