Tennessee Invitational: Gretchen Walsh Swims Third-Fastest Time Ever in 50 Freestyle, Blazes in Relay Action
Whenever Gretchen Walsh races in any collegiate meet of significance, you can expect a record scare, and it was nearly inevitable that she would push some of her own NCAA and American marks as her University of Virginia Cavaliers raced this week at the Tennessee Invitational. Indeed, Walsh put on her usual show in the sprint events, posting the second-fastest 50 freestyle relay split ever, while on the men’s side, the Tennessee sprint group led by Jordan Crooks showed out.
Walsh split 20.09 in Virginia’s winning 200 free relay, combining with teammates Claire Curzan, Maxine Parker and Anna Moesch to post a time of 1:24.68. That time was a whopping eight tenths quicker than Louisville swam to finish second behind Virginia at last year’s NCAA Championships while Walsh’s split was behind her own 19.95 from last season’s ACC Championships on the all-time list. Walsh also owns the third and fourth-best splits ever at 20.19 and 20.23, respectively.
Notably, Tennessee took second in the relay as Camille Spink split 20.98 on the second leg. Jillian Crooks, Emily Armen and Brooklyn Douthwright also raced for the Lady Vols on the way to a time of 1:27.11.
Later in the session, Walsh swam a time of 20.54 to win the 50 free, the third-quickest mark in history behind her own times of 20.37 and 20.41 recorded at the NCAA Championships in March. The time beat the pool record of 20.79, which is especially notable since it was the fastest time ever when Maggie Mac Neil swam it on her way to winning the 2023 NCAA title in the event. Walsh tied the record last year before lowering the record to unthinkable heights in the spring.
Behind Walsh, Spink finished second in 21.35, just off her lifetime best of 21.33 from prelims. Both times would have been good enough for fourth at last year’s NCAAs, trailing only Walsh and two swimmers who have exhausted their eligibility, Katharine Berkoff and Jasmine Nocentini.
Finally, Walsh led off Virginia’s 400 medley relay in 49.31, a time that no other active college swimmer has ever beaten and just over a second off her own all-time top time of 48.10. Olympian Emma Weber clocked 58.85 on the second leg, followed by Curzan going 50.14, and Moesch went 47.05 to put Virginia into the wall in 3:25.35. This time was quicker than any team but UVA and Texas swam at all last season.
Tennessee’s women clocked 3:28.75 for second place, with Spink coming home in 46.56, while Virginia’s B-team was third in 3:29.03.
In the men’s 200 free relay, the elder Crooks sibling led off in 18.12, and he was joined by Nikoli Blackman, Lamar Taylor and Gui Caribe on the way to a time of 1:13.96. The mark would have placed third at last year’s NCAAs, and it was four tenths ahead of Tennessee’s own fifth-place result. Later in the session, Crooks clocked 18.16 to win the 50 free, with Caribe (18.76) and Taylor (19.18) rounding out the top three.
The Volunteers also blasted a time of 3:01.27 in the 400 medley relay. Following solid front-half splits from Harrison Lierz and Kevin Houseman, Crooks split 43.64 on butterfly before Caribe came home in 40.26. Virginia also swam a strong time in the medley relay, with Noah Nichols going 50.99 on breaststroke and Spencer Nicholas almost matching Crooks on butterfly at 43.79. With Jack Aikins and Connor Boyle bookending the relay, the Cavaliers clocked a time of 3:02.01.
Additionally, Virginia’s Aimee Canny edged out Tennessee’s Ella Jansen to win the 500 free, 4:35.43 to 4:35.85, while the Lady Vols’ Julia Mrozinski took third in 4:39.68. Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller grabbed first in the 200 IM in 1:52.84, beating out the Virginia freshman duo of Leah Hayes (1:53.84) and Katie Christopher (1:56.39).
The men’s 500 free went to Kentucky’s Carson Hick in 4:15.45, ahead of Tennessee’s Joaquin Vargas (4:16.29) and Virginia’s David King (4:16.30). Virginia’s men got a win in the 200 IM from Sebastien Sergile, who clocked 1:42.63, ahead of Tennessee’s Bjoern Kammann (1:43.90) and Virginia’s Colin Bitz (1:44.79).
In time trial action, Curzan clocked a time of 1:42.96 in the 200 free, a half-second shy of her lifetime best of 1:24.43 set in March 2022 and the country’s second-fastest time behind USC’s Minna Abraham (1:42.01), although those rankings are sure to change during the busy weekend of invitationals.
Virginia’s Lizzy Kaye won women’s 1-meter (312.45), followed by Tennessee’s Lynae Shorter (276.15) and Kentucky’s Kristy Pfaff (274.00), and Tennessee’s Bennett Greene took first in men’s 3-meter (412.85), ahead of teammates Nick Stone (348.00) and Owen Redfearn (330.60).
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