NCAA Record Watch: Which Standards Are On Alert This Week in Athens?

Virginia's Gretchen Walsh -- Photo Courtesy: Jaylynn Nash

NCAA Record Watch: Which Standards On Alert This Week in Athens?

At last year’s NCAA Women’s Championships, we saw the fastest collegiate times ever recorded in five out of 13 individual events. Kate Douglass was responsible for three of those records, in the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 200 breaststroke as she completed one of the greatest college careers ever. Maggie Mac Neil defeated Gretchen Walsh to grab the record in the 50 freestyle before Walsh rebounded to swim the top 100 backstroke in history.

How about this year? Which of the records are in jeopardy, and which of those marks are unlikely to be touched? Records in four events have already gone down this year, all courtesy of Walsh, but there are other swimmers who could knock off some marks. On the other hand, generational talents established records during their respective college careers that continue to be well out of range of the current generation.

Break Them Again?

50 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
100 Backstroke
100 Freestyle

Walsh broke all four of these records at the ACC Championships, clocking 20.57 in the 50 free, 48.25 in the 100 fly, 48.10 in the 100 back and 45.16 in the 100 free. Can she top those times this week in Athens, Ga.? No reason to believe she cannot, with one exception: when she led off the 400 medley relay at the ACC Championships, she had the day off from individual events. In that same position at the national meet, Walsh will be coming off an individual final in the 100 fly.

That said, we cannot rule out Katharine Berkoff taking down Walsh’s 100 back record. It’s a long shot, but Berkoff is poised to regain the title she previously won in 2021 and 2022 with Walsh absent from the individual event. Berkoff clocked a best time of 48.70 at the ACC Championships, a mark that only Walsh has ever surpassed.

lsh sister had everyone in anticipation each time she stepped to the blocks at the ACC Championships. Walsh ended up breaking four individual records, twice , beating Douglass’ official record and Walsh’s own unofficial record in the 100 butterfly and almost becoming the first swimmer under 48 in the 100 backstroke on a relay leadoff before taking down Manuel’s long-standing 100 free record.

Definitely Possible

Emma Sticklen — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly

Chances are strong that any non-Gretchen Walsh individual records will have to wait until the final day, but these two could be challenged. In the 200 breast, Gretchen’s older sister Alex Walsh will try to beat Douglass’ mark of 2:01.29 set last year after clocking 2:02.24 at the ACC Championships to become the second-fastest performer in history. That jump from the conference meet to the national level is not out of the question.

Also within reach is the 200 fly collegiate record, which was established at 1:49.16 by Alex Walsh at this year’s ACC Championships. Walsh is not racing the event at NCAAs, but last year, Texas’ Emma Sticklen broke 1:50 for the first time as she came from behind to win the title in 1:49.95. That sort of drop is within Sticklen’s range in her senior campaign, although she would have a tough time closing the gap on the American and U.S. Open records of 1:48.33 that Regan Smith set last year.

Very Slight Chance

200 Freestyle

Missy Franklin has owned the quickest time ever in the 200-yard free since 2015, and since then, Mallory Comerford is the only woman to join her under the 1:40-barrier. But we have seen some quick efforts so far this season. Gretchen Walsh moved to No. 3 all-time with her 1:40.23 relay leadoff leg at the ACC Championships, while Florida’s Bella Sims swam as fast as 1:40.78 in high school, and she went 1:40.90 at the SEC Championships. USC’s Minna Abraham and Florida’s Isabel Ivey have both been 1:41s entering the NCAA meet.

Walsh is not entered in the individual 200 free while she may or may not reprise her role leading off Virginia’s 800 free relay. Sims will certainly be in position to make a run at the 200 free, but 1:39.10 might be too quick for this year.

No Chance

500 Freestyle
200 IM
400 IM
100 Breaststroke
1650 Freestyle
200 Backstroke

It’s really hard to see any of these six records being touched. The 500 free and 1650 free records belong to Katie Ledecky, far out of range of any current college athletes. Ditto Lilly King’s 100 breaststroke record. Alex Walsh will chase the individual medley records, the 200 IM mark set by Douglass last year and the 400 IM standard belonging to Eastin since 2018, but the times of 1:48.37 and 3:54.60, respectively, are far out there. Finally, it’s tough to see anyone cracking 1:48 in the 200 back, with the NCAA record standing at 1:47.24 (Beata Nelson) and the American and U.S. Open marks just a bit quicker at 1:47.16 (Smith).

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Fact Check

4 months ago

Alex Walsh holds the current NCAA record in the 200 fly, not Ella Eastin. See 2024 ACC Championships.