Gretchen Walsh Excels Again as Virginia Women Beat North Carolina; Tar Heel Men Stay Undefeated
In the opening act of her senior collegiate season, Gretchen Walsh set a world record and three additional American records as Virginia battled Florida in short course meters. Now, with the Cavaliers traveling to Chapel Hill, N.C., to battle ACC rival North Carolina in a dual meet Friday, Walsh is already achieving times that only she has ever matched as Virginia’s women won by a dominant 213.5-85.5 margin.
Walsh won the 50 freestyle against UNC in 20.84, less than a half-second off the fastest time ever of 20.37, which she set on the way to an NCAA title last year. She later topped the 100 butterfly in 48.43, a full second behind her top time ever from last year (47.42) but quicker than the second-fastest swimmer ever (Kate Douglass at 48.46).
The Virginia women opened with a 200 medley relay performance that only two teams (including the Cavaliers) surpassed at last year’s NCAA Championships. Walsh, Emma Weber, Claire Curzan and Anna Moesch recorded a mark of 1:33.81, with each swimmer having the fastest split in the field on their respective legs, and it would be no surprise if this is the group that pursues another national title in the event in March.
Walsh split 22.96 on the medley relay, and she concluded the day by going 20.47 as the second leg on Virginia’s winning 200 medley relay. Moesch, Curzan and Maxine Parker joined Walsh on the way to a winning time of 1:26.25. For this relay, only three teams (including UVA) beat that time at the 2024 NCAAs.
Curzan also shined individually, recording a mark of 50.54 to win the 100 backstroke before returning to dominate the 200 back in 1:51.84. Weber, who finished second in the 100-meter breaststroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials, won the yards equivalent event in 58.77. Aimee Canny clocked 1:44.31 to win the 200 free, and she added the win in the 200 breast in 2:07.60.
Sophia Knapp led the way for Virginia in the 1000 free (9:40.25), and Maxine Parker grabbed the win in the 100 free (48.18). Tess Howley was the winner of the 200 fly (1:54.73). Cavan Gormsen touched first in the 500 free (4:40.46). Freshman Leah Hayes capped off Virginia’s sweep of the swimming individual events as she won the 200 IM in 1:56.22.
North Carolina’s Aranza Vazquez Montano shined in diving, winning 1-meter (347.85) and 3-meter (345.30).
On the men’s side, however, North Carolina was the superior team by almost the same margin as Virginia with the women. The Tar Heels scored 208.5 points to Virginia’s 91.5, moving to 3-0 on the season after previously beating Auburn and South Carolina.
Walker Davis, Xavier Ruiz, Boyd Poelke and Louis Dramm opened up with a 200 medley relay win in 1:24.52, with the North Carolina B-team taking second to get the Tar Heels off to an ideal start. Brady Begin then won the 1000 free (9:06.94), with Patrick Hussey taking the 200 free (1:34.54) and Davis winning the 100 back (46.53).
Ben Delmar led the way in the 100 breast (52.17) and 200 breast (1:53.30), and Seb Lunak was victorious in both the 200 fly (1:42.21) and 200 IM (1:46.19). PJ Foy edged out the field to win the 50 free in 19.84, followed by Dramm taking down UVA’s Connor Boyle by three hundredths to win the 100 free, 43.47 to 43.50.
Hussey was another multi-event winner, topping the 500 free by two tenths in 4:21.32, and Poelke won yet another tight race in the 100 fly, beating UVA’s Spencer Nicholas by three hundredths (45.82 to 45.85). Diving wins went to Carter Loftin on 3-meter (382.35) and Rodolfo Vazquez Montano on 1-meter (345.53), and the team of Davis, Dramm, Hussey and Foy won the 200 free relay in 1:17.18.
Virginia only picked up one men’s win, when Jack Aikins put together a strong performance in the 200 back with a time of 1:41.61.