Friday, February 18, 2022
Virginia Relay Teams Tackle Three American Records, National Team Talents Move Up All-Time Rankings in Individual Events
The NCAA’s conference championships season is in full swing and has now produced three new American records in relay events—all thanks to the University of Virginia—and numerous shakeups to the all-time event rankings by American swimmers.
Wednesday evening, the University of Virginia women’s 4x50-yard freestyle relay team of Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Alexa Cuomo and Gretchen Walsh clocked in a 1:24.47 to etch their names into the event’s history as the new American-record holders. All Cavalier swimmers on the relay posted splits under 21.45 (Douglass with a 21.10, Alex Walsh with a 21.38, Cuomo with a 21.41 and Gretchen Walsh with a 20.58) which was a mark that only one other swimmer bested in the final. The quartet beat the previous record of 1:24.55 which was set by Cal in 2019.
Just one day after breaking the 4x50y freestyle relay American record, Virginia women tackled the 4x50y medley relay American record. Gretchen Walsh led off with a 22.82 backstroke leg, followed by Alexis Wenger’s 25.77 breaststroke, Cuomo’s 22.68 butterfly and Douglass’ 20.54 freestyle anchor leg. Their collective 1:31.81 time scorched the previous American record of 1:32.93, which was also set by the Cavaliers in 2021.
The men’s 4x50y freestyle relay also saw its American record fall to a Virginia team as Matt Brownstead (18.87), Matthew King (18.49), Connor Boyle (18.63) and Augustus Lamb (18.48) combined to go 1:47.47. The quartet beat the previous record, set by NC State in 2018, by just three hundredths of a second.
The relays have not been the only historic performances by Cavalier swimmers at these ACC Championships, as Douglass and Gretchen Walsh posted a 21.00 and 21.04, respectively, in the 50y freestyle to give them the second and fourth-fastest swims in the event’s history.
Meanwhile, numerous U.S. National Team talents competitors have continued to climb up the historical leaderboard at their respective conference championships. NC State freshman David Curtiss moved up the rankings in the 50y freestyle, going 18.74 to make him the eighth-fastest American in history. Curtiss’ NC State teammate Ross Dant also threw down a 4:10.35 in Wednesday’s ACC Championships 500y freestyle final, making him the 17th-fastest American in the event.
At SEC Championships, Tokyo Olympian and LSU junior Brooks Curry has had an impressive meet so far that has moved him up to the No. 5 50y freestyler (18.67) and No. 11 200y freestyler (1:31.39) in American history. The meet has also featured fast swimming from Georgia’s Luca Urlando, whose 44.41 in the 100y butterfly makes him one of only 10 Americans to ever go sub-44.5 in the event.
Conference championships continue throughout the month of February as a buildup to the NCAA Division I Championships, which take place March 16-19 for the women and March 23-26 for the men.
Wednesday evening, the University of Virginia women’s 4x50-yard freestyle relay team of Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Alexa Cuomo and Gretchen Walsh clocked in a 1:24.47 to etch their names into the event’s history as the new American-record holders. All Cavalier swimmers on the relay posted splits under 21.45 (Douglass with a 21.10, Alex Walsh with a 21.38, Cuomo with a 21.41 and Gretchen Walsh with a 20.58) which was a mark that only one other swimmer bested in the final. The quartet beat the previous record of 1:24.55 which was set by Cal in 2019.
Just one day after breaking the 4x50y freestyle relay American record, Virginia women tackled the 4x50y medley relay American record. Gretchen Walsh led off with a 22.82 backstroke leg, followed by Alexis Wenger’s 25.77 breaststroke, Cuomo’s 22.68 butterfly and Douglass’ 20.54 freestyle anchor leg. Their collective 1:31.81 time scorched the previous American record of 1:32.93, which was also set by the Cavaliers in 2021.
The men’s 4x50y freestyle relay also saw its American record fall to a Virginia team as Matt Brownstead (18.87), Matthew King (18.49), Connor Boyle (18.63) and Augustus Lamb (18.48) combined to go 1:47.47. The quartet beat the previous record, set by NC State in 2018, by just three hundredths of a second.
The relays have not been the only historic performances by Cavalier swimmers at these ACC Championships, as Douglass and Gretchen Walsh posted a 21.00 and 21.04, respectively, in the 50y freestyle to give them the second and fourth-fastest swims in the event’s history.
Meanwhile, numerous U.S. National Team talents competitors have continued to climb up the historical leaderboard at their respective conference championships. NC State freshman David Curtiss moved up the rankings in the 50y freestyle, going 18.74 to make him the eighth-fastest American in history. Curtiss’ NC State teammate Ross Dant also threw down a 4:10.35 in Wednesday’s ACC Championships 500y freestyle final, making him the 17th-fastest American in the event.
At SEC Championships, Tokyo Olympian and LSU junior Brooks Curry has had an impressive meet so far that has moved him up to the No. 5 50y freestyler (18.67) and No. 11 200y freestyler (1:31.39) in American history. The meet has also featured fast swimming from Georgia’s Luca Urlando, whose 44.41 in the 100y butterfly makes him one of only 10 Americans to ever go sub-44.5 in the event.
Conference championships continue throughout the month of February as a buildup to the NCAA Division I Championships, which take place March 16-19 for the women and March 23-26 for the men.