Virginia Sweeps Texas Again as Gretchen Walsh Show Continues

Gretchen Walsh -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Virginia Sweeps Texas Again as Gretchen Walsh Show Continues

In the first portion of a two-day class, Virginia took care of business against both the Texas women and men in front of a sellout crowd Friday evening, with the men’s meet coming down to the final relay. Same story Saturday, but this time, the scores were not close for either gender, with the women going up 119-48 over Texas and the men winning by a 109-58 margin. And in another parallel with Friday evening’s meet, Gretchen Walsh was magical again.

The Virginia junior has won NCAA titles in the 100 freestyle the last two years, and in March 2023, she swam the fastest time in history in the 100 backstroke in winning that event on the national level. Walsh has also contributed to eight national-title-winning relays over her first two seasons. Currently, she is swimming slightly off her best times but with marks that are unprecedented for dual-meet swims or while wearing a practice suit. After swimming the second-quickest time ever in the 50 back and times that only three other women ever have surpassed in the 100 fly and 50 free, Walsh recorded sizzling 100 back and 100 free efforts Saturday.

Leading off Virginia’s 400 medley relay, Walsh clocked 49.17, which only she, Katharine Berkoff and Regan Smith have ever beaten. Jasime Nocentini, Alex Walsh and Aimee Canny finished off a five-second win in 3:27.56. After that, the younger Walsh sister won the 100 free in 46.42, a mark which only nine others have beaten in history. The time actually surpassed the 46.46 that Torri Huske swam to finish second behind Walsh at last year’s NCAAs. Walsh concluded her morning by splitting 46.46 on UVA’s 400 free relay, combining with Canny, Nocentini and Maxine Parker to win comfortably in 3:12.74.

It was a big morning for Walsh’s older sister Alex as well, with the 2022 world champion in the 200-meter IM winning the 200 breast in 2:08.16 and then taking the 200 IM in 1:57.26. Virginia’s strong freshman class contributed with Tess Howley posting strong times of 1:53.73 in the 200 back and 1:55.06 in the 200 fly while Cavan Gormsen clocked 9:46.92 for a 1000 free winning result. The Longhorns’ only women’s win came in 3-meter diving, with Bridget O’Neil scoring 357.15.

Notably, Texas competed this weekend without Erica Sullivan, Kelly Pash and Olivia Bray, all members of the U.S. Pan American Games team who did not make the trip to Charlottesville. Some of UVA’s returnees, including 200 back Pan Ams silver medalist Reilly Tiltmann, did race.

The Texas men were also at a disadvantage without Coby Carrozza and Chris O’Connor, with both swimmers days removed from finishing up in Santiago. Pan Ams swimmer Jack Aikins of the Cavaliers also sat out while Pan Ams 100 breast silver medalist Noah Nichols was part of two winning efforts for Virginia Saturday. The team of Will Cole, Nichols, Tim Connery and Connor Boyle topped the 400 medley relay in 3:11.05, and Nichols won the 200 breast in 1:56.12.

Additionally, Cole won the 200 back (1:46.34), and Boyle edged Texas’ Luke Hobson in the 100 free, 44.20 to 44.39. Tanner Haring won the 1000 free (9:16.79), and Sebastian Sergile led a UVA 1-2-3 finish in the 200 fly (1:46.91). Boyle, Hayden Bellotti, Sergile and Connery won the 400 free relay in 2:56.22. Texas got a win from freshman Nate Germonprez in the 200 IM (1:46.53), and Nick Harris scored 379.28 to lead a Longhorns sweep on the 1-meter board.

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