By Chandler Brandes, ACC Beat Writer
With less than one month from the start of the women’s ACC Championships, seven teams are competing this weekend in some of their final dual meets of the season. Last weekend was successful for the eight ACC teams that competed, and the athletes will look to continue their momentum going into this weekend. The Virginia women still hold the No. 1 ranking as the Louisville men remain No. 5.
Top 5 Storylines:
1. Virginia Travels to the Tar Heel State
The Virginia men and women race North Carolina State on Friday before taking on North Carolina on Saturday. On the women’s side, No. 1 Virginia will look to battle it out with ACC rivals No. 19 NC State and No. 30 North Carolina, and the No. 15 Cavalier men will look to make a statement against the No. 11 Wolfpack and the No. 38 Tar Heels. Look for some very fast swims from all three teams.
2. Yellow Jackets vs. Crimson Tide
The No. 26 Georgia Tech men will face some challenging competition in No. 8 Alabama. The Georgia Tech women, not ranked in the most recent poll, will also see tough competition in the No. 25 Crimson Tide. Moises Loschi leads the Tech men as Iris Wang does the same for the women.
3. Another Busy Weekend for the Eagles
After competing in two dual meets last weekend, Boston College will return to the pool for the two-day Dartmouth Invite, hosted by the Upper Valley Aquatic Center. The Eagle men are led by freshman Taylor Cortens and senior Dan Kelly, and Maureen Barron has been a key component for the women.
4. Two Closely Ranked Teams Match Up
The No. 46 Virginia Tech men will face off against Wright State and No. 45 Cincinnati this weekend. The competition against the Bearcats will be tough, but Virginia Tech’s depth and strong relays should give them an edge. With their strong performances against Virginia and Towson last weekend, the Hokies should have confidence going into the meet on Saturday.
5. Battle in the Bluegrass State
The No. 5 Cardinal men and women will take on No. 31 Kentucky men and the No. 15 Wildcat women on Saturday. Louisville has seen great success with freshmen Mallory Comerford, Rachael Bradford-Feldman, and Zach Harting. The rookies, along with veterans Kelsey Worrell and Trevor Carroll, will guide the Cardinals as the two Kentucky teams fight for the win.