NCAA Women’s Championships Pre-Cut Psych Sheet: Walsh Sisters, Bella Sims Top Seeds in Three Events Each

The University of Virginia women are heavily favored to capture their fourth consecutive national title after defeating Texas by 127 points last year. Virginia stars Gretchen Walsh and Alex Walsh are the top seeds in three individual events apiece. Gretchen is entered in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle after swimming the fastest times in history in all three events at last month’s ACC Championships.

The younger of the two Walsh sisters would have been the top seed in the 100 backstroke after swimming the fastest time ever in that event as well at the conference meet, but when forced to choose either the 100 back or 100 fly, she opted to aim for the fly title in a wide-open field this year. However, she could still try to become the first woman ever under 48 in the 100 back if she leads off UVA’s 400 medley relay.

Meanwhile, Alex has the top seed in the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke. She is poised to regain the title in the 200 IM after falling to graduated teammate Kate Douglass last year, and she is aiming for her third consecutive top finish in the 400 IM. However, she will be racing the 200 breast on the national level for the first time since her freshman season. With Douglass graduated, Walsh shifts from the 200 fly into an event where she ranks second in history. Walsh also ranks No. 2 ever in the 200 fly after clocking 1:49.16 at the ACC Championships, but she opted for breaststroke instead.

Virginia also holds down the top seed in four out of five relays by significant margins. The only exception is the 200 medley relay, where the Cavaliers won the ACC title without using either Gretchen or Alex Walsh. At least Gretchen is likely to return to that squad at NCAAs, but in the meantime, Ohio State owns the top time in that race.

Also seeded first in three events is Florida freshman Bella Sims, who will have the 500 free, 200 free and 200 back on her schedule at her first collegiate national championships. Sims, a member of the 2021 U.S. Olympic team and the past two World Championship teams, is one of only six women in history to break 4:30 in the 500 free and the only swimmer currently in college. In the 200 back, meanwhile, she will face off with the likes of Isabelle Stadden, Josephine Fuller and 2021 NCAA champion Phoebe Bacon in what is likely to be a spirited showdown.

Fifth-year swimmer Katharine Berkoff of NC State is poised to regain her national crown in the 100 backstroke with Gretchen Walsh not swimming that event. Berkoff swam her lifetime best at 48.70 at the ACC meet, and she is seeded first by one-and-a-half seconds.

With Alex Walsh opting out of the 200 fly, Texas’ Emma Sticklen is the 200 fly, where she is the defending national champion, and second seed over 100 yards. Texas also has Kelly Pash seeded second in the 200 fly, third in the 100 fly and fifth in the 200 IM while breaststrokers Anna Elendt and Lydia Jacoby are both top-five entrants into both the 100 and 200-yard races. Jacoby is the defending NCAA champion in the 100 breast, but she will have to fight off Tennessee’s Mona McSharry, USC’s Kaitlyn Dobler and Virginia’s Jasmine Nocentini if she hopes to win again.

The 1650 freestyle is helmed by Georgia’s Abby McCulloh, with Indiana’s Ching Hwee Gan and Stanford’s Aurora Roghair set to swim alongside her in the top heat at the NCAA Championships while Texas’ Erica Sullivan, the Olympic silver medalist in the 1500-meter free, is looming.

Schedule of Events and Top-Seeded Swimmers