2021 ACC Women’s Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2021 ACC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, February 17th – Saturday, February 20th | Prelims: 11:00 am | Finals: 7:00 pm (EST) (Except Wednesday’s timed finals, which begin at 5:15 EST)
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
• Defending Champion: University of Virginia (x1) (results)
• Format: 25 Yards/Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Championship Central: Here
• Championship Manual
• Psych Sheets (uncut)
• Live Results

The 2021 ACC Women’s Championships continues at the Greensboro Aquatic Center with the finals of the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and 400 medley relay timed finals. Earlier in the day, the women’s platform diving finals took place.

UVA will look to extend their lead tonight after placing 5 swimmers in the 100 fly A-final, led by sophomore Kate Douglass (50.07). Douglass had just missed the ACC meet record by one one-hundredth and could easily eclipse that mark tonight. The ACC record stands at 49.43 by Olympian Kelsi Dahlia, just three-tenths over Douglass’ lifetime best (49.73).

Into the 400 IM, Louisville sophomore Abby Hay will swim in lane 4 after topping this morning’s prelims. However, defending ACC champion Kate Moore of NC State and 2020 runner-up Ella Nelson of UVA should make a big splash tonight. UVA senior Paige Madden will also shoot to defend her ACC title in the 200 free.

The 100 breast is set to be an exciting race after UVA junior Alexis Wenger broke NC State junior Sophie Hansson‘s ACC record by 0.07s. However, Hansson still has a shot at defending her ACC title and potentially taking the newly-minted ACC record back in her name. Yesterday’s 200 IM champion, UVA freshman Alex Walsh, will also be in the A-final.

NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff was another ACC meet record-breaker, touching in at 50.56 to lead the 100 back. Berkoff’s lifetime best sits at 50.40 from this past December, the No. 2 time in the NCAA this season.

The evening will close with the 400 medley relay timed finals, where UVA and NC State are expected to have another great relay duel.

WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES — AFTER DAY 2

1. UVA, 510
2. NC State, 486
3. Virginia Tech, 376
4. Louisville, 311.50
5. Duke, 290
6. Notre Dame, 276
7. UNC, 244.50
8. Miami, 238
9. Florida State, 214
10. Georgia Tech, 210
11. Pittsburgh, 159
12. Boston College, 115

Women’s Platform Diving Finals

• ACC Record: 367.20, Brittany Viola, 2008
• ACC Meet Record: 364.70, Katrina Young, 2014
• 2020 Champion: Molly Carlson (FSU), 297.25

Winning her second diving event after topping the 3-meter event on Wednesday was UNC freshman Aranza Vazquez, scoring 337.10 points during the platform final. Finishing in second place by nearly 15 points was Duke sophomore Aliyah Watson (323.40 pts). Rounding out the top 3 divers was Notre Dame senior Kelly Straub (297.35 pts).

After placing 3rd on the 3-meter and placing 9th on the 1-meter, Georgia Tech senior Cami Hidalgo took 4th for the platform final, scoring 287.20 points. Freshman teammate Anna Bradescu picked up points for 5th place with 286.30 points.

Women’s 100 Fly Finals

• ACC Record: 49.43, Kelsi Worrell (LOU), 2017
• ACC Meet Record: 50.06, Kelsi Worrell (LOU), 2016
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.92
• 2020 Champion: Kate Douglass (UVA), 50.83

1. Kate Douglass (UVA)- 49.96 *ACC Meet Record
2. Lexi Cuomo (UVA)- 50.65
3. Kylee Alons (NCS)- 50.74

Cracking 50 seconds and taking down Kelsi Dahlia‘s 2016 ACC meet record was UVA sophomore Kate Douglass, swimming at 49.96. That still is still a tad over Douglass’ season best and lifetime best of 49.73. Giving UVA a 1-2 finish in this event was junior Lexi Cuomo, touching in at 50.65. Finishing in third place was NC State’s Kylee Alons (50.74), who was yesterday’s 50 free champion.

In total, UVA picked up 131 points from this 100 fly A-final alone. Placing 5th and 6th respectively were teammates Jessica Nava (51.82) and Caroline Gmelich (51.94). Freshman Abby Harter finished in 8th with a 52.12, a swim worth 22 points.

Winning the B-Final was UVA freshman Reilly Tiltmann, clocking in a sub-52 effort of 51.88. Tiltmann’s points now brings UVA’s 100 fly point total to 151 points.

Women’s 400 IM Finals

• ACC Record: 4:03.51, Tanja Kylliainen (LOU), 2015
• ACC Meet Record: 4:04.21, Tanja Kylliainen (LOU), 2015
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
• 2020 Champion: Kate Moore (NCS), 4:04.35

1. Ella Nelson (UVA)- 4:02.62 *ACC Record
2. Kate Moore (NCS)- 4:04.73
3. Reka Gyorgy (VT)- 4:04.77

Winning the 400 IM in a new ACC conference and meet record of 4:02.62 was UVA’s Ella Nelson, improving from her 2nd-place finish last year. Nelson is now the 22nd-fastest event performer in history.

Finishing in second place was NC State senior Kate Moore (4:04.73), touching just 0.05s ahead of third-place finisher Virginia Tech’s Reka Gyorgy (4:04.77). NC State junior Emma Muzzy picked up points for 4th place with her evening swim of 4:05.60. This morning’s top seed, Louisville’s Abby Hay, finished in 5th at 4:09.33.

Winning the B-final was Georgia Tech sophomore McKenna Campbell, clocking in at 4:12.02.

Women’s 200 Free Finals

• ACC Record: 1:39.80, Mallory Comerford (LOU), 2018
• ACC Meet Record: 1:41.60, Mallory Comerford (LOU), 2019
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.98
• 2020 Champion: Paige Madden (UVA), 1:43.18

1. Paige Madden (UVA)- 1:42.61
2. Kyla Valls (UVA)- 1:44.63
3. Julia Poole (NCS)- 1:45.53

UVA hit another 1-2 finish tonight, this time in the 200 free A-final, completed by seniors Paige Madden (1:42.61) and Kyla Valls (1:44.63). Madden was just a tad off her season best and NCAA-leading time of 1:42.39.

Another senior, NC State’s Julia Poole, finished in third with a 1:45.53. Picking up points for Louisville include 4th-place finisher Alena Kraus (1:46.30) and 6th-place finisher Paige Hetrick (1:46.87).

Winning the B-final was Virginia Tech sophomore Sarah Shackelford, clocking in at 1:46.13, which would have placed 4th in the A-final.

Women’s 100 Breast Finals

• ACC Record: 57.67, Alexis Wenger (UVA), 2021
• ACC Meet Record: 57.67, Alexis Wenger (UVA), 2021
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.60
• 2020 Champion: Sophie Hansson (NCS), 57.74

1. Sophie Hansson (NCS)- 57.45 *ACC Record
2. Alexis Wenger (UVA)- 57.60
3. Andrea Podmanikova (NCS)- 58.10

After getting her ACC record broken during prelims, NC State’s Sophie Hansson came back to not only defend her ACC title in the 100 breast but took back her conference record with a 57.45. This is Hansson’s 3rd-straight ACC title in her career.

Finishing in second place to Hansson was UVA’s Alexis Wenger, shaving 0.07s from this morning to post a 57.60. Hansson and Wenger are now the No. 6 and No. 7 performers in event history.

Joining Hansson on the podium was junior teammate Andrea Podmanikova, who punched the wall at 58.10. UVA freshman Alex Walsh just missed the podium with her 58.28, yet was good enough to swim under the NCAA ‘A’ cut. Fellow UVA freshman Anna Keating picked up points for 6th place at 58.81.

Louisville scored A-final points from 5th-place finisher Kaylee Wheeler (58.74) and 8th-place finisher Adeline Farrington (59.73). The Cardinals currently sit in 3rd place in the team scores.

NC State’s Heather MacCausland won the B-final with a 1:00.03, improving 0.17s from this morning.

Women’s 100 Back Finals

• ACC Record: 50.01, Courtney Bartholomew (UVA), 2014
• ACC Meet Record: 50.56, Katharine Berkoff (NCS), 2021
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.93
• 2020 Champion: Katharine Berkoff (NCS), 51.64

1. Katharine Berkoff (NCS)- 50.45 *ACC Meet Record
2. Reilly Tiltmann (UVA)- 51.50
3. Grace Countie (UNC)- 51.52

Improving on her own ACC meet record from this morning was NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff, posting a 50.45. While this is her second ACC meet record today, that is still not a personal best for Berkoff. Her best rests at 50.40 from this past December.

After winning the 100 fly B-final, UVA freshman Reilly Tiltmann became ACC runner-up in the 100 back with her swim of 51.50. That lifetime best swim now moves Tiltmann to #17 in 17-18 age group history in this event.

Picking up a podium finish for the UNC Tar Heels was Grace Countie, taking the bronze medal position by 0.02s behind Tiltmann at 51.52.

Winning the B-final was Florida State senior Emma Terebo, clocking in at 53.01, improving three-tenths from this morning.

Women’s 400 Medley Relay Timed Finals

• ACC Record: 3:26.42, UVA, 2015
• ACC Meet Record: 3:27.22, NC State, 2020
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:31.66
• 2020 Champion: NC State, 3:27.22

1. UVA- 3:26.25 *ACC Record
2. NC State- 3:26.88
3. Louisville- 3:32.21

Leading off NC State’s A-relay to the early lead was 100 back champion Katharine Berkoff, who led off in a 50.53. UVA’s Alex Walsh led off for the Cavaliers in a 51.57, which would have placed 4th in the final. Next in the water were NC State’s Sophie Hansson and UVA’s Alexis Wenger, both clocking sub-58 efforts. While Hansson maintained NC State’s narrow lead with a 57.98 split, Wenger in fact out-split Hansson with a 57.56.

Swimming the fly leg for NC State was Kylee Alons (50.21), who split two-tenths faster than UVA’s flyer Lexi Cuomo (50.46). Into the anchor leg, NC State’s Heather MacCausland would split 48.16 to close out the Wolfpack for second place. For UVA, versatile sprinter Kate Douglass shredded a 46.66 split to propel UVA to the win.

UVA won the 400 medley relay with a 3:26.25, eclipsing the 2015 ACC record by 0.17s. NC State settled for second at 3:26.88, which was also under their former ACC meet record of 3:27.22.

Winning heat two of three and finishing third overall was the Louisville Cardinals (3:32.21), contributed by Tristen Ulett (52.91), Kaylee Wheeler (58.93), Gabi Albiero (51.26), Christiana Regenauer (49.11).

WOMEN’S TEAM SCORES — AFTER DAY 3

1. UVA, 1047
2. NC State, 879
3. Louisville, 683.50
4. Virginia Tech, 578
5. Notre Dame, 509
6. Duke, 502
7. UNC, 399.50
8. Georgia Tech, 391
9. Florida State, 380
10. Miami, 329
11. Pittsburgh, 277
12. Boston College, 147