ACC Championships, Day 3 Prelims: Gretchen Walsh, Youssef Ramadan Fast in 100 Fly

youssef-ramadan-virginia-tech
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

ACC Championships, Day 3 Prelims: Gretchen Walsh, Youssef Ramadan Fast in 100 Fly

It has become news when Gretchen Walsh doesn’t set a record in a swim, such is the Virginia star’s stature. So Thursday, on the third day of the ACC Championships, Walsh delivered a ho-hum 49.32 seconds in the women’s 100 butterfly, a top seed by nearly two seconds.

Just light work for the Cavaliers’ latest all-conquering star.

Both NCAA favorites in the 100 fly were in action Thursday morning at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, with reigning men’s 100 fly champ Youssef Ramadan easily through as the top seed for Virginia Tech in the men’s event.

The big change is Alex Walsh scratching out of the individual events on Thursday. She had carried the top 400 individual medley time into the meet at 4:00.52. She was seeded second in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 fly.

All the morning prelims action:

Team Scores

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 14                  
 
  1. North Carolina State Universit  531.5   2. Notre Dame, University of       335.5
  3. Louisville, University of         302   4. VA Tech                         298.5
  5. Florida State University          292   6. Virginia, University of         249.5
  7. Georgia Institute of Technolog    235   8. North Carolina, University of     223
  9. Pittsburgh, University of         193  10. Duke University                   130
 11. University of Miami (Florida)      54
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15                 
 
  1. Virginia, University of           552   2. Louisville, University of       473.5
  3. North Carolina State Universit    418   4. Duke University                   332
  5. North Carolina, University of     328   6. Notre Dame, University of         274
  7. VA Tech                         253.5   8. Florida State University          217
  9. Pittsburgh, University of         183  10. Georgia Institute of Technolog    177
 11. University of Miami (Florida)     162

Women’s 400 individual medley

Virginia started the day in control of the team competition, about 80 points to the good. The IM should put that out of reach, the Cavaliers qualifying the top three times. Margaret Nelson leads the way in 4:09.07, the top seed and only one under 4:11. She owns the top seed time of the season at 4:03.61.

Second was Ella Bathurst, with the Cavs’ Anna Keating in third. Louisville put two in the A final, led by fourth-place Kim Herkle.

vent 16  Women 400 Yard IM
==================================================================
         MEET: # 3:59.33  2/16/2023 Ella E Nelson, UVA-VA
         CONF: % 3:57.25  3/18/2022 Alex Walsh, UVA-VA
         AMER: $ 3:54.60  3/16/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         USOP: & 3:54.60  3/16/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         NCAA: ! 3:54.60  3/16/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
         Pool: * 3:59.33  2/16/2023 Ella Nelson, UVA-VA
                 4:03.62  A
                 4:11.36  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 4:17.30  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Nelson, Margare     UVA               4:03.61    4:09.07 qIV23  
    r:+0.77  26.62        56.30 (29.68)
        1:28.61 (32.31)     2:00.37 (31.76)
        2:34.34 (33.97)     3:08.77 (34.43)
        3:39.52 (30.75)     4:09.07 (29.55)
  2 Bathurst, Ella      UVA               4:10.46    4:11.28 qIV23  
    r:+0.71  26.93        57.32 (30.39)
        1:28.68 (31.36)     2:00.80 (32.12)
        2:35.97 (35.17)     3:12.33 (36.36)
        3:42.28 (29.95)     4:11.28 (29.00)
  3 Keating, Anna       UVA               4:15.46    4:12.36 qB     
    r:+0.71  27.76        58.53 (30.77)
        1:32.81 (34.28)     2:05.74 (32.93)
        2:39.80 (34.06)     3:13.90 (34.10)
        3:43.89 (29.99)     4:12.36 (28.47)
  4 Herkle, Kim         Louisville        4:09.46    4:12.61 qB     
    r:+0.73  27.18        58.25 (31.07)
        1:31.10 (32.85)     2:04.00 (32.90)
        2:37.93 (33.93)     3:13.06 (35.13)
        3:43.50 (30.44)     4:12.61 (29.11)
  5 Sheble, Grace       NC State          4:09.12    4:12.85 qB     
    r:+0.68  26.54        56.72 (30.18)
        1:28.94 (32.22)     2:00.74 (31.80)
        2:36.59 (35.85)     3:12.96 (36.37)
        3:43.22 (30.26)     4:12.85 (29.63)
  6 Helms, Katherin     NC State          4:12.50    4:12.86 qB     
    r:+0.76  27.37        58.59 (31.22)
        1:31.01 (32.42)     2:02.90 (31.89)
        2:39.09 (36.19)     3:15.64 (36.55)
        3:45.21 (29.57)     4:12.86 (27.65)
  7 Campbell, McKen     GT                4:11.72    4:13.64 qB     
    r:+0.67  26.52        56.75 (30.23)
        1:29.29 (32.54)     2:01.86 (32.57)
        2:37.65 (35.79)     3:14.00 (36.35)
        3:44.48 (30.48)     4:13.64 (29.16)
  8 Ulett, Ryenne       Louisville        4:14.68    4:14.49 qB     
    r:+0.75  27.18        57.46 (30.28)
        1:29.78 (32.32)     2:01.38 (31.60)
        2:38.40 (37.02)     3:16.04 (37.64)
        3:45.79 (29.75)     4:14.49 (28.70)

Men’s 400 individual medley

Thomas Bried of Louisville was the fastest qualifier in the morning, popping a 3:42.36 to lead the field. He’s 1.5 seconds up on NC State’s Kenneth Lloyd, with fellow Wolfpack swimmer Kyle Ponsler third.

Event 17  Men 400 Yard IM
==================================================================
         MEET: # 3:38.43  3/1/2017  Robert Owen, VT-VA
         CONF: % 3:38.00  3/27/2009 Gal Nevo, Georgia Tech
         AMER: $ 3:33.42  3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
         USOP: & 3:28.82  3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
         NCAA: ! 3:28.82  3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona St.
         Pool: * 3:33.65  11/18/2022Leon Marchand, ASU
                 3:38.90  A
                 3:42.99  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 3:50.68  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Bried, Thomas       Louisville        3:45.99    3:42.36 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  23.63        49.64 (26.01)
        1:18.80 (29.16)     1:47.30 (28.50)
        2:18.15 (30.85)     2:49.61 (31.46)
        3:16.53 (26.92)     3:42.36 (25.83)
  2 Lloyd, Kenneth      NC State          3:42.54    3:44.07 qB     
    r:+0.76  23.85        51.08 (27.23)
        1:20.09 (29.01)     1:48.13 (28.04)
        2:20.88 (32.75)     2:53.11 (32.23)
        3:19.13 (26.02)     3:44.07 (24.94)
  3 Ponsler, Kyle       NC State               NT    3:44.50 qB     
    r:+0.68  23.58        50.70 (27.12)
        1:19.14 (28.44)     1:46.62 (27.48)
        2:18.54 (31.92)     2:50.69 (32.15)
        3:18.33 (27.64)     3:44.50 (26.17)
  4 Styczen, Matthe     UVA               3:46.66    3:44.60 qB     
    r:+0.71  24.01        50.99 (26.98)
        1:20.07 (29.08)     1:48.22 (28.15)
        2:19.59 (31.37)     2:51.69 (32.10)
        3:18.67 (26.98)     3:44.60 (25.93)
  5 Matteazzi, Mass     Pitt              3:46.99    3:45.07 qB     
    r:+0.66  23.01        49.37 (26.36)
        1:17.39 (28.02)     1:45.55 (28.16)
        2:17.66 (32.11)     2:50.32 (32.66)
        3:18.00 (27.68)     3:45.07 (27.07)
  6 Sergile, Sebast     UVA               3:47.32    3:45.22 qB     
    r:+0.65  24.11        51.93 (27.82)
        1:21.24 (29.31)     1:50.34 (29.10)
        2:21.50 (31.16)     2:53.75 (32.25)
        3:19.83 (26.08)     3:45.22 (25.39)
  7 Dramm, Louis        UNC               3:44.41    3:45.59 qB     
    r:+0.70  23.76        51.20 (27.44)
        1:20.06 (28.86)     1:48.07 (28.01)
        2:19.94 (31.87)     2:52.01 (32.07)
        3:19.49 (27.48)     3:45.59 (26.10)
  8 Garcia, Nicolas     VA Tech           3:50.81    3:45.90 qB     
    r:+0.60  24.12        52.38 (28.26)
        1:20.63 (28.25)     1:48.04 (27.41)
        2:20.28 (32.24)     2:53.31 (33.03)
        3:20.10 (26.79)     3:45.90 (25.80)

Women’s 100 butterfly

Gretchen Walsh is out front, again. She went 49.32 in the morning, well clear of the field. It’s slightly slower than the 49.11 she posted in-season. The 48.84 thrown down by Kate Douglass last year is the aim for the final. That time stands as the meet record. (Douglass was 48.46 at NCAAs).

Second in the race is Louisville’s Gabi Albiero in 51.15. Teammate Christiana Regenauer is the fourth seed, with Pitt’s Sophie Yendell in between. Abby Arens of NC State is also a medal contender in fifth.

Event 18  Women 100 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 48.84  2/16/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         CONF: % 48.46  2/16/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         AMER: $ 48.46  3/17/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         USOP: & 48.46  3/17/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         NCAA: ! 48.46  3/17/2023 Kate C Douglass, UVA-VA
         Pool: * 48.84  2/16/2023 Katherine Douglass, UVA-VA
                 50.69  A
                 52.20  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 53.63  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Walsh, Gretchen     UVA                 49.11      49.32 qA     
    r:+0.77  22.90        49.32 (26.42)
  2 Albiero, Gabrie     Louisville          50.83      51.15 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  23.44        51.15 (27.71)
  3 Yendell, Sophie     Pitt                52.08      51.24 qIV23  
    r:+0.71  23.70        51.24 (27.54)
  4 Regenauer, Chri     Louisville          51.41      51.33 qIV23  
    r:+0.69  23.86        51.33 (27.47)
  5 Arens, Abigail      NC State            51.45      51.53 qIV23  
    r:+0.67  24.12        51.53 (27.41)
  6 Novelline, Carl     UVA                 52.98      51.85 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  23.94        51.85 (27.91)
  7 Carvalho, Giuli     Miami               51.51      51.87 qIV23  
    r:+0.60  23.95        51.87 (27.92)
  8 Halden, Jenny       FSU                 51.83      52.13 qIV23  
    r:+0.66  24.04        52.13 (28.09)

Men’s 100 butterfly

Youssef Ramadan led the way, but it should be a scintillating final. The Virginia Tech NCAA champ and conference record holder went a season-best 44.37 in prelims, an NCAA A cut and better than the 44.85 he entered with. He was only four tenths up on Aiden Hayes of NC State, though.

The Wolfpack will have something to say in the final, with four A finalists. Third is Lukas Miller in 45.01, .11 seconds ahead of teammate Noah Henderson. Noah Bowers was seventh.

 Event 19  Men 100 Yard Butterfly
==================================================================
         MEET: # 43.90  3/26/2022 Youssef T Ramadan, VT-VA
         CONF: % 43.15  3/24/2023 Youssef T Ramadan, VT-VA
         AMER: $ 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         USOP: & 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         NCAA: ! 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: * 43.93  2/16/2023 Youssef Ramadan, VT-VA
                 44.64  A
                 45.57  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 47.08  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Ramadan, Yousse     VA Tech             44.85      44.37 qA     
    r:+0.60  20.31        44.37 (24.06)
  2 Hayes, Aiden        NC State            45.94      44.77 qIV23  
    r:+0.65  20.67        44.77 (24.10)
  3 Miller, Lukas       NC State            44.17      45.01 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  20.76        45.01 (24.25)
  4 Henderson, Noah     NC State            45.57      45.12 qIV23  
    r:+0.67  20.54        45.12 (24.58)
  5 Poelke, Boyd        UNC                 46.92      45.29 qIV23  
    r:+0.69  21.02        45.29 (24.27)
  6 Lowe, Dalton        Louisville          45.33      45.38 qIV23  
    r:+0.66  21.01        45.38 (24.37)
  7 Bowers, Noah        NC State            46.13      45.40 qIV23  
    r:+0.67  21.06        45.40 (24.34)
  8 Elaraby, Abdelr     Notre Dame          47.75      45.50 qIV23  
    r:+0.64  20.94        45.50 (24.56)

Women’s 200 freestyle

Aimee Canny led a parade of five Cavaliers into the A final in a dominant display. Canny went 1:43.58 in the morning, .65 seconds off the season-best time that earned her the pre-meet top seed. Teammate Reilly Tiltmann followed in 1:44.40, with Maxine Parker fourth, Cavan Gormsen fifth and Tess Howley eighth.

Paige Hetrick is Louisville’s only bulwark against the UVA tide, in third in 1:44.72. NC State’s Annabel Crush is also in the A final, as is Sarah Foley of Duke.

Event 20  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         MEET: # 1:40.23  2/20/2024 Gretchen Walsh, UVA-AC
         CONF: % 1:39.80  3/18/2018 Mallory Comerford, Louisville-KY
         AMER: $ 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         USOP: & 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         NCAA: ! 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
         Pool: * 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, CAL-PC
                 1:42.84  A
                 1:45.31  IV23 Invited NCAA 2023
                 1:47.12  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Canny, Aimee        UVA               1:42.93    1:43.58 qIV23  
    r:+0.76  24.22        49.96 (25.74)
        1:16.62 (26.66)     1:43.58 (26.96)
  2 Tiltmann, Reill     UVA               1:46.21    1:44.40 qIV23  
    r:+0.75  24.83        51.68 (26.85)
        1:17.76 (26.08)     1:44.40 (26.64)
  3 Hetrick, Paige      Louisville        1:45.31    1:44.72 qIV23  
    r:+0.70  24.05        50.20 (26.15)
        1:17.34 (27.14)     1:44.72 (27.38)
  4 Parker, Maxine      UVA               1:49.89    1:44.76 qIV23  
    r:+0.73  24.04        49.81 (25.77)
        1:16.97 (27.16)     1:44.76 (27.79)
  5 Gormsen, Cavan      UVA               1:45.07    1:45.20 qIV23  
    r:+0.72  24.68        51.57 (26.89)
        1:18.70 (27.13)     1:45.20 (26.50)
  6 Crush, Annabel      NC State          1:45.99    1:45.38 qB     
    r:+0.76  24.47        50.97 (26.50)
        1:18.04 (27.07)     1:45.38 (27.34)
  7 Foley, Sarah        Duke              1:45.67    1:45.73 qB     
    r:+0.70  24.71        51.41 (26.70)
        1:18.65 (27.24)     1:45.73 (27.08)
  8 Howley, Tess        UVA               1:45.74    1:46.03 qB     
    r:+0.69  25.03        52.01 (26.98)
        1:18.92 (26.91)     1:46.03 (27.11)

Men’s 200 freestyle

Chris Guiliano, the 50 free champ, is in position to add another title. He set the top time of prelims in 1:32.91, .77 off his season-best. He’s .18 seconds clear of Georgia Tech’s Baturalp Unlu.

The A final is pretty evenly split. Daniel Diehl leads NC State in 1:33.31, with the Wolfpack’s Kacper Stokowski scratching. Louisville has two swimmers, Guy Brooks in fourth and Murilo Sartori in fifth. Virginia Tech pushed two into the final. The top eight were spread over .97 seconds.

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