2021 ACC Women’s Championships: Day 3 Relay Split Analysis

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 third day of the 2021 ACC Women’s Championships featured just one relay during tonight’s session, the 400 medley relay. After NC State held a noticeable lead on UVA, it was versatile Kate Douglass who anchored the Cavaliers to another relay win. UVA’s winning time of 3:26.25 set a new ACC conference and meet record. NC State settled for a tight second-place finish at 3:26.88.

Among the split highlights, NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff continued to prove herself as the fastest backstroker in the ACC this season with her blistering lead-off of 50.53. Roughly a half hour prior to the relay, Berkoff won the 100 back final with a new ACC meet record of 50.45, shaving a tad off her morning record swim of 50.56.

The second-fastest backstroke split came from UVA freshman Alex Walsh, who touched in the only other sub-52 swim at 51.57. Her time would have placed 4th in the 100 back final. Instead, Walsh swam the 100 breast, where she placed 4th. Louisville freshman Tristen Ulett split 52.91 on her 100 back leg for the Cardinals, which would have placed 7th in the 100 back final.

Into the breaststroke legs, both UVA’s Alexis Wenger and NC State’s Sophie Hansson were the only two swimmers to split sub-58 on their legs. Wenger had the fastest split with 57.56 while Hansson split 57.98 for the Wolfpack. The only other swimmer to break a minute in the 100 breast was Louisville’s Kaylee Wheeler (58.93). Earlier in the 100 breast final, Wheeler clocked in a 58.74 to place 5th.

NC State’s Kylee Alons, who won the 50 free on Thursday, had the fastest 100 fly split at 50.21. In the 100 fly final, Alons placed 3rd with 50.74. Event runner-up, UVA’s Lexi Cuomo, had the next-fastest split with a 50.46. Louisville’s Gabi Albiero was sub-52 on her leg with 51.26, which was three-tenths faster than her 4th-place time of 51.59 from the individual event. Virginia Tech’s Karisa Franz split 52.61 on her leg, well under her 53.17 morning swim that qualified for the B-final.

We have yet to see the 100 free individual event here in Greensboro, yet we did see UVA’s Kate Douglass split 46.66 to secure another ACC relay title for the Cavaliers. Douglass’ lifetime best from a flat start sits at 46.86, which came from this past December. The next fastest split was a 48.16, swam by NC State anchor Heather MacCausland.

100 Back

100 Breast

100 Fly

100 Free

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
4. Virginia Tech- 3:33.18
5. Notre Dame- 3:35.93
6. Duke- 3:36.22
7. UNC- 3:37.30
8. Georgia Tech- 3:39.72
9. Miami- 3:39.86
10. Pittsburgh- 3:43.64
11. Boston College- 3:46.26

Florida State’s 400 medley relay was disqualified due to an early take-off on swimmer #3. Their total relay time of 3:36.25 would have placed 7th overall (46 points). FSU currently sits in 9th place in the team standings. If their relay did not get DQed, they could have had the potential of 426 points, which would have bumped them to 7th.

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