Gretchen Walsh Shines as Virginia Women Top Florida; Gator Men Win Every Event in Dominant Victory
In their first intercollegiate competition of what they hope will be a fourth consecutive national-title-winning campaign, the University of Virginia women showed off some of the star power that has been so critical to the first two of those titles on the way to a 164-136 victory. Meanwhile, the University of Florida men flexed their talent against an top-10 foe, winning every event as some of Florida’s big names looked strong in this early season battle.
On the women’s side, Virginia opened with a dominant performance in the 200 medley relay. Gretchen Walsh, Jasmine Nocentini, Alex Walsh and Maxine Parker posted a time of 1:35.89, with graduate transfer Nocentini looking like a key add to an already-dominant squad.
Both Walsh sisters had two individual wins apiece. Gretchen took first in the 100 backstroke in 50.29, more than two seconds off her NCAA record of 48.26 set last March, but only three swimmers (Walsh, Katharine Berkoff and Claire Curzan) beat that time at last year’s NCAA Championships. Gretchen later won the 100 free in 47.19, and she would swim even faster leading off Virginia’s 400 free relay to conclude the competition, touching in 46.90. The Walsh sisters teamed with Aimee Canny and Zoe Skirboll to win that relay in 3:14.73.
Alex, meanwhile, led a Virginia 1-2-3-4 sweep of the 100 breaststroke with her time of 59.37, and she won a head-t0-head battle with Florida freshman and U.S. Olympic teammate Bella Sims in the 100 butterfly. Walsh touched in 51.87 to Sims’ 52.09.
Canny won a tight contest with two of the Gators’ top performers in the 200 free. Canny overtook Isabel Ivey and held off Emma Weyant to win in 1:44.44, with Weyant second (1:45.16) and Ivey third (1:45.18). Fifth-year swimmer Ella Nelson won the 200 breast in 2:09.68. A pair of Virginia freshman originally from Long Island showed off in the win, with Cavan Gormsen claiming the 1000 free in 9:42.49 and Tess Howley dominating the 200 fly by 3.5 seconds in 1:54.75.
As for Florida, Weyant had a big day as she competed against her former team. She won the 500 free in 4:39.22 and the 400 IM in 4:07.51. Micayla Cronk topped Parker in the 50 free, 22.79 to 22.88, and Sims grabbed a dominant win in the 200 back (1:52.49). Gators freshman Camyla Monroy won 3-meter (318.38) and 1-meter (319.05) diving.
The men’s meet, meanwhile, saw Florida dominate from the beginning, with a 1-2 finish in the 200 medley relay that saw the Gators’ top squad top Virginia by 2.36 seconds. The team of Adam Chaney, Aleksas Savickas, Josh Liendo and Macguire McDuff won the event in 1:25.82. This team is similar to the one that finished third at last year’s national championships, with Liendo shifting from free to fly and McDuff stepping in for anchor duties.
Jake Mitchell, who swam on the silver-medal-winning 800-meter free relay team for the U.S. men at the World Championships, captured wins in the 200 free (1:35.06) and 500 free (4:21.35) while the sprint events went to Liendo (50 free, 19.43) and McDuff (100 free, 43.09). Liendo added a second win in the 100 fly (46.99). Mason Laur was also a double winner, capturing the 200 fly (1:44.14) and 400 IM (3:49.64).
Chaney won the 100 back in 46.99 while Julian Smith edged Savickas in the 100 breast, 54.18 to 54.26. Savickas would go on to dominate the 200 breast (1:58.67). Eric Brown won the 1000 free in 9:03.88 as Florida swept the top five positions, and Jonny Marshall went 1:45.82 for a win in the 200 back. In diving, freshman Conor Gesing beat the field on 1-meter (364.05) and 3-meter (407.93). The Gators completed their dominant day with Liendo, Chaney, Smith and McDuff combining for a 2:54.61 victory in the 400 free relay.