2018 Women’s ACCs: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2018 Women’s ACCs

This morning will mark the final day of competition in the 2018 Women’s ACC Championships. Going into Saturday morning, the Virginia women have over a 100-point lead, outscoring Louisville 886.5 to 774.5. NC State is coming up third with 677.

Your top seeds going into this morning are Virginia’s Emma Seiberlich in the 200 back, Louisville’s Mallory Comerford in the 100 free, Pitt’s Lina Rathsack in the 200 breast, and Virginia’s Jen Marrkand in the 200 fly. Slower heats of the 1650 will swim this afternoon.

Women’s 200 back – prelims

  • Meet: 1:49.61 2/16/2017 Alexia Zevnik, NCSU-NC
  • ACC: 1:49.09 3/18/2017 Alexia Zevnik, NC State
  • American: 1:47.84 3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
  • NCAA: 1:47.84 3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
  • U.S. Open: 1:47.84 3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
  • Pool Record: 1:47.91 3/21/2015 Missy Franklin, California-PC
  • 1:50.99 A
  • 1:54.00 Invited to 2017 NCAA
  • 1:59.19 B
  1. Paige Madden, Virginia: 1:52.23
  2. Elise Haan, NC State: 1:52.35
  3. Megan Moroney, Virginia: 1:52.60
  4. Abby Richter, Virginia: 1:53.64
  5. Chloe Hicks, Virginia Tech: 1:53.91
  6. Danika Huizinga, NC State: 1:54.15
  7. Alice Treuth, Notre Dame: 1:54.21
  8. Maddie Hess, Duke: 1:54.24

Freshman Paige Madden of Virginia dropped over a second off her personal best to hit the top time of the morning, going 1:52.23. Last year’s third-place finisher Elise Haan of NC State was a close second with 1:52.35. Virginia’s Megan Moroney was 1:52.60 for third, about half a second from her personal best time.

Virginia made a great showing in this event, taking three of the four top slots. Freshman Abby Richter put up the fourth-fastest time with 1:53.91. That time would have been fast enough to get her invited to NCAAs in 2017.

Virginia Tech’s Chloe Hicks, Danika Huizinga of NC State (the third freshman in the field to make the A final), Alice Trueth of Notre Dame, and Maddie Hess of Duke will round out tonight’s field.

Women’s 100 free – prelims

  1. Mallory Comerford, Louisville: 47.40
  2. Caroline Baldwin, UNC: 47.67
  3. Morgan Hill, Virginia: 48.22
  4. Laine Reed, Virginia: 48.25
  5. Abigail Dolan, Notre Dame: 48.36
  6. Lainey Visscher, Louisville: 48.39
  7. Eryn Eddy, Virginia: 48.57
  8. Caitlin Cooper, Virginia: 48.59

Louisville’s Mallory Comerford went an easy 47.40, splitting 23.11/24.29, to hit the top seed of the morning. Senior Caroline Baldwin of North Carolina put up the second-fastest time of the morning with 47.67, about half a second away from her seed time.

Virginia continued their onslaught, placing four swimmers into the final. Sophomore Morgan Hill was third with 48.22, and senior Laine Reed was fourth with 48.25. Virginians also took the seventh and eighth slots, as Eryn Eddy and Caitlyn Cooper rounded out the final.

Notre Dame’s Abigail Dolan and Louisville’s Lainey Visscher will also swim the championship final.

Women’s 200 breast – prelims

  • Meet: 2:04.34 2/22/2014 Emma Reaney, Notre Dame
  • ACC: 2:04.06 3/22/2014 Emma Reaney, Notre Dame
  • American: 2:03.18 3/18/2017 Lilly King, Indiana
  • NCAA: 2:03.18 3/18/2017 Lilly King, Indiana
  • U.S. Open: 2:03.18 3/18/2017 Lilly King, Indiana
  • Pool Record: 2:04.34 2/22/2014 Emma Reaney, UND-IN
  • 2:07.18 A
  • 2:10.55 Invited to 2017 NCAA
  • 2:15.99 B
  1. Rachael Bradford-Feldman, Louisville: 2:09.42
  2. Maria Astashkina, Louisville: 2:09.76
  3. Natalie Pierce, Florida State: 2:09.84
  4. Morgan Friensen, Louisville: 2:11.33
  5. Lauren James, Louisville: 2:11.42
  6. Annie Kyriakidis, Miami FL: 2:12.01
  7. Lina Rathsack, Pitt: 2:12.29
  8. Julia Poole, NC State: 2:12.33

After Virginia placed 3-4 swimmers in the A finals of the 200 back and 100 free, Louisville struck back with four swimmers in the championship final of the 200 breast.

Leading the way is the Cardinals’ Rachael Bradford-Feldman, who put up a beautifully-split personal best 2:09.42 this morning (29.57/33.05/33.66/33.14). Her freshman teammate Maria Astashkina was second with 2:09.76.

Florida State’s 2017 upstart Natalie Pierce (Florida State’s first-ever A finalist at World Championships Trials) finished third in 2:09.84.

Louisville’s two other swimmers in the top eight, Morgan Friesen (2:11.33) and Lauren James (2:11.42) were fourth and fifth. 1-2-4-5 this morning for Cardinals.

Annie Kyriakidis, Lina Rathsackand Julia Poole will round out the A final.

Women’s 200 fly – prelims

  1. Jen Marrkand, Virginia: 1:54.28
  2. Grace Oglesby, Louisville: 1:54.61
  3. Klaudia Nzieblo, Virginia Tech: 1:56.20
  4. Nikki Smith, Notre Dame: 1:56.38
  5. Isabella Paez, Duke: 1:56.56
  6. Bryanna Cameron, UNC: 1:57.23
  7. Kylie Jordan, Duke: 1:57.50
  8. Tayla Lovemore, FSU: 1:57.77

Jen Marrkand of Virginia put up the top time of the morning with 1:54.28, followed by Louisville’s Grace Oglesby in 1:54.61 and Virginia Tech’s Klaudia Nzieblo in 1:56.20.

Notre Dame’s Nikki Smith, Duke’s Isabella Paez, North Carolina’s Bryanna Cameron, Duke’s Kylie Jordan, and Florida State’s Tayla Lovemore will round out tonight’s A final.

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alice wright belknap
6 years ago

Louisville Lady Cardinals are flying over the water !!!!!!!!

Observer
6 years ago

Nice swims by Virginia’s freshman class throughout the week. Some credit has to be given to the coaches that recruited them to the program (they were fast out of hs too—did not magically become good swimmers). Ncaa will be interesting

Swimmer
Reply to  Observer
6 years ago

The Busch name is losing its stigma. Future recruits will be more likely to take a look at UVA now that DeSorbo and Fenwick are there.

SwimGeek
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

It looks like the change to DeSorbo has been outstanding for UVA. But c’mon — you can’t seriously dispute that the prior staff recruited a an outtanding freshman class. DeSorbo just got hired in August.

Hannah
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

The freshman have seriously outperformed all expectations. More importantly, the upperclassmen have too. Seniors no one has even heard of are throwing down wicked fast times.

Swimmer
Reply to  Hannah
6 years ago

There were too many big names on last years team and that’s why some swimmers were in the shadows and yes DeSorbo inherited a great team. If it was all about coaching the men’s team would also win but we know that is not going to happen. Not even close.

Swimmer
6 years ago

Looks like DeSorbo is going swimming tonight. Kudos to him and the ladies for showing up and getting it done. The men’s team will need some work and a couple of good years of recruiting to get it to the top of the ACC. The program is definitely headed in the right direction.

Swimsquare
6 years ago

Hats off to UVA! prohibiting a disaster they should win easily. Amazing that Louisville was the predicted winner by 300 points.

SwimGeek
6 years ago

UVA just put 3 in the top 4 and 5 in the top 10 of the 200 back. Lville only 11th and 13th. Looks like this meet is over.

Joel Lin
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

Yup. The math is too prohibitive now…unless UVa steps into a DQ fiesta later this morning & tonite, that 2 back essentially ended this meet.

SwimGeek
Reply to  Joel Lin
6 years ago

And if there was any remaining doubt, the 100 free ended it. UVA with FOUR in the A Final (plus 11th and 18th). That means UVA had 13 A-finalists across the 50-100-200. Think their free relays are good?

samuel huntington
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

for the morning, UVA 8 A-finalists and Lousville 7 A-finalists, so fairly close. But Lousville had to do better than that.

SwimGeek
Reply to  samuel huntington
6 years ago

Lville no doubt had a terrific 200 breast with 4 of the top 5. But it doesn’t matter. UVA not only has 8:7 over the in A-finals; they also have 9:5 over them in B/C finalists. Oh, and they start with a 100-pt lead.

Hannah
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

Louisville has a chance to make up some ground in the mile but not enough to overcome a 100 point lead.

Middle C
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

Last year UVA had 6 A finalists in 50-100-200, while NC State led all ACC teams with 7 A finalists. This year, when UVA exploded to 13 A finalists, NC State had zero A finalists! DeSorbo is one of the premier sprint coaches in the country and his move from NC State to UVA seems to have impacted both programs.

About Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht grew up in Kansas and spent most of her childhood trying to convince coaches to let her swim backstroke in freestyle sets. She took her passion to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and swam at NAIA Nationals all four years. After graduating in 2015, she moved to …

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