2022 ACC Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2022 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships

• When: Tuesday, February 15th to Saturday, February 19th Prelims 10:00am | Finals 6:00 pm (Tuesday 11:00am/4:30pm)
• Where: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions
  • Women: University of Virginia (17x) (results)
  • Men: University of Louisville (1x) (results)
• Streaming: ACC Network
  • Tuesday (prelims/finals)
  • Wednesday (prelims/finals)
  • Thursday (prelims/finals)
  • Friday (prelims/finals)
  • Saturday (prelims/1650s/finals)
• Championship Central: Here
• Detailed Timeline: Here
• Psych Sheets: Here
• Live Results
• Wednesday Morning Heat Sheet

After an exciting opening session on Tuesday night, the first set of individual events goes down this morning from the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta at the 2022 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships.

The session will feature heats in the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 free, along with men’s 1-meter diving.

Virginia junior Kate Douglass, the 2020 conference champion in the women’s 200 IM, has opted out of that event in favor of the 50 free today, leaving Cavalier teammates Alex Walsh and Ella Nelson to lead the way in the 200 IM.

Walsh, the reigning ACC and NCAA champ in the 200 IM, was notably dynamite on last night’s 800 free relay, anchoring in 1:41.63 as UVA broke the ACC Meet Record in a time of 6:53.37.

On the men’s side, the most noteworthy scratch came from NC State’s Luke Miller, who has dropped out of the 200 IM as the seventh seed. Miller was the top performer in the men’s 800 free relay on Tuesday, splitting 1:31.03 as NC State also broke the meet record in 6:08.35.

Along with Walsh, the swimmers who will be defending their 2021 titles on Day 2 are NC State’s Kylee Alons in the women’s 50 free, Georgia Tech’s Caio Pumputis in the men’s 200 IM and Virginia’s Matt Brownstead in the men’s 50 free.

Last year’s 500 free winner on the women’s side, former UVA star Paige Madden, has graduated, while the reigning men’s champ, Notre Dame’s Jack Hoagland, has redshirted the season.

Women’s 500 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 4:35.76
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 4:44.47
• Meet Record – 4:30.74, Leah Smith (UVA), 2016
• Conference Record – 4:28.90, Leah Smith (UVA), 2017

1. Liberty Williams (LOU), 4:40.53
2. Emma Weyant (UVA), 4:41.39
3. Madelyn Donohoe (UVA), 4:42.50
4. Chase Travis (VT), 4:42.73
5. Reka Gyorgy (VT), 4:43.93
6. Yara Hierath (NCS), 4:44.22
7. Kay Foley (NCS), 4:44.72
8. Brooke Travis (NCS), 4:45.06

Coming off of her breakout best time in January, Louisville sophomore Liberty Williams secured the top seed in the women’s 500 freestyle heading into tonight, cruising to victory in the final heat in a time of 4:40.53.

Williams, who was ninth in the event last season, came in as the top seed after cracking the 4:40 barrier for the first time last month in a dual against Kentucky (4:38.79).

The Virginia duo of Emma Weyant (4:41.39) and Madelyn Donohoe (4:42.50) touched first in the other two circle-seeded heats to qualify second and third overall, while a pair of Virginia Tech H20kies in Chase Travis (4:42.73) and Reka Gyorgy (4:43.93) claimed fourth and fifth.

The swims for both Travis and Gyorgy were season-bests, with Travis coming in with a SB of 4:43.71 and Gyorgy sitting at 4:45.43. Gyorgy, a fifth-year senior, notably took third last year in 4:40.10.

NC State managed to put three up in the event, taking 6-7-8 with Yara Hierath, Kay Foley and Brooke Travis. The swims for Foley and Travis were both lifetime bests, with Foley taking down her PB for the first time in two years after going 4:45.16 at the 2020 ACCs.

The top-seeded swimmer to miss the final was Duke freshman Yi Xuan Chang, who clocked 4:43.79 back in November but only mustered a 4:47.88 to take 11th.

Overall it took 4:45.06 to make the ‘A’ final, which is well over a second faster than last season (4:46.26).

Louisville freshman Polina Nevmovenko, who produced a strong 1:44.94 relay split on last night’s 4×200 free, added more than five seconds from her October best (4:47.71) and failed to earn a second swim in 30th at 4:53.00.

Men’s 500 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 4:11.62
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 4:23.34
• Meet Record – 4:10.00, Matt McLean (UVA), 2009
• Conference Record – 4:09.13, Anton Ipsen (NC State), 2018

1. Ross Dant (NCS), 4:12.03
2. Will Gallant (NCS), 4:13.15
3. James Plage (NCS), 4:14.32
4. Antani Ivanov (VT), 4:15.02
5. Eric Knowles (NCS), 4:15.48
6. Jack Wright (UVA), 4:15.65
7. Batur Unlu (GT), 4:15.66
8. Mert Kilavuz (GT), 4:16.14

The NC State men came to play in the 500 free prelims, putting up the three-fastest times (and four of the top five) of the morning, led by junior Ross Dant.

Dant, who was last season’s runner-up in the event, got out to a blistering start in the fifth and final heat, turning in a sizzling 1:37.97 at the 200 before comfortably touching first in a time of 4:12.03. That time improves upon his previous best of 4:12.21, set at the 2021 ACCs, and moves him into fifth in the country this season.

The heats were so fast this morning that it actually took a time faster than the conference-leading time coming into the meet to even make the ‘A’ final. Dant led the field coming in with his 4:16.28 from the NC State Invite in November, and Georgia Tech’s Mert Kilavuz was the last man into the top eight at 4:16.14.

Joining Dant in tonight’s final will be Wolfpack teammates Will Gallant (4:13.15), James Plage (4:14.32) and Eric Knowles (4:15.48), with both Gallant and Plage hitting monstrous best times.

Virginia Tech’s Antani Ivanov qualified fourth in 4:15.02, just a tenth off his PB, while UVA’s Jack Wright hit a best time of 4:15.65 for sixth.

GT’s Batur Unlu (4:15.66) and Kilavuz also established lifetime bests to slide into the top eight, with a sizeable gap (1.54 seconds) between the eighth and ninth-place finishers.

Similar to the women’s race, the time required to make the championship final (4:16.14) was significantly faster than last season (4:17.82).

Women’s 200 IM – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:53.66
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:59.94
• Meet Record – 1:51.36, Kate Douglass (UVA), 2020
• Conference Record – 1:50.92, Kate Douglass (UVA), 2020

1. Alex Walsh (UVA), 1:54.31
2. Ella Nelson (UVA), 1:55.18
3. Abby Hay (LOU), 1:55.19
4. Sarah Foley (DUKE), 1:55.41
5. Abby Arens (NCS), 1:55.76
6. Kate Moore (NCS), 1:56.07
7. Julia Poole (NCS), 1:56.51
8. Grace Sheble (NCS), 1:56.55

Defending champion Alex Walsh staked her claim as the one to beat in the women’s 200 IM, cruising to the top time of the preliminaries in 1:54.31.

The swim for Walsh, though well off her lifetime best, undercuts her fastest time of the season by over two seconds (1:56.35) and ranks her fifth in the nation in 2021-22. At the 2021 ACCs, Walsh clocked was one-tenth slower (1:54.41) in the heats before winning the final in 1:51.53.

The sophomore notably set a blistering pace early, splitting 24.39/28.48 on the way out for a 52.87 opening 100 before cruising home. She’ll have a lot left in the tank for the final.

Walsh’s junior teammate Ella Nelson, last season’s fourth-place finisher, picked up the #2 seed in 1:55.18, a new season-best and less than half a second shy of her PB (1:54.72).

Louisville junior Abby Hay dropped a new personal best to qualify third in 1:55.19, taking down her previous mark of 1:56.02 set at the 2021 NCAAs. Hay was notably seventh in the event at last season’s ACCs.

Duke sophomore Sarah Foley, who had a phenomenal lead-off leg on last night’s 800 free relay, also hit a major PB to advance in fourth, improving from 1:56.40 to 1:55.41.

The Wolfpack women followed up on the momentum generated by the men in the 500 free, putting four into the 200 IM ‘A’ final with Abby Arens, Kate Moore, Julia Poole and Grace Sheble taking fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

Sheble, a freshman, set a new lifetime best of 1:56.55 and crushes her season-best of 1:58.94 that ranked her 20th coming in.

A total of 13 women went a time that would’ve been fast enough to make the ‘A’ final last season (1:57.83), with FSU’s Nina Kucheran (1:56.68) and Notre Dame’s Coleen Gillilan (1:56.90) going sub-1:57 but still failing to advance to the top eight.

Men’s 200 IM – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:41.34
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:46.77
• Meet Record – 1:41.25, Andreas Vazaios (NC State), 2017
• Conference Record – 1:39.35, Andreas Vazaios (NC State), 2019

1. Carles Coll Marti (VT), 1:42.14
2. Sam Hoover (NCS), 1:43.37
3. Arsenio Bustos (NCS), 1:43.41
4. Daniel Sos (LOU) / Mikey Moore (NCS), 1:43.45
5. –
6. Giovanni Izzo (NCS), 1:43.83
7. Noah Bowers (NCS), 1:44.07
8. Caio Pumputis (GT), 1:44.49

The NC State men continue to roll through the session as they put five men into the 200 IM ‘A’ final, but it was Virginia Tech standout Carles Coll Marti who grabbed the top seed with a bullet in 1:42.14.

Coll Marti, who was the runner-up last season as a freshman, demolished his personal best time of 1:43.44 to qualify first by well over a second, moving into sixth in the nation this season (without factoring in any results from SECs this morning).

Then comes the Wolfpack charges, led by first-years Sam Hoover (1:43.37) and Arsenio Bustos (1:43.41), who both hit best times to qualify second and third. Hoover’s swim was notably a PB by two full seconds.

NC State sophomore Mikey Moore tied for fourth with Louisville’s Daniel Sos at 1:43.45, and then two more Wolfpack swimmers got in as Giovanni Izzo (1:43.83) and Noah Bowers (1:44.07) qualified sixth and seventh.

In fact, all five NC State swimmers established new personal best times.

Defending champion Caio Pumputis of Georgia Tech squeaked into the ‘A’ final by .02, clocking 1:44.49 to leave Louisville’s Evgenii Somov (1:44.51) on the outside looking in. Pumputis came into the meet ranked second among ACC swimmers this season at 1:43.80.

Women’s 50 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 21.66
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 22.76
• Meet Record – 21.50, Kate Douglass (UVA), 2021
• Conference Record – 21.09, Kate Douglass (UVA), 2021

1. Kate Douglass (UVA) / Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 21.25
2. –
3. Katharine Berkoff (NCS) / Grace Countie (UNC), 21.69
4. –
5. Gabi Albiero (LOU)/ Kylee Alons (NCS), 21.78
6. –
7. Alexa Cuomo (UVA), 21.86
8. Anna Landon (VT), 22.21

It was an explosive couple of heats to close out the women’s 50 free prelims, as Virginia teammates Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass put up matching 21.25s to break the ACC Meet Record of 21.50 set by Douglass last season.

The swim for Walsh marks a new best time, lowering the 21.41 she clocked in December 2020, and moves her into eighth in the all-time rankings. She also becomes the fastest freshman in history, surpassing Stanford’s Simone Manuel (21.32).

Douglass, who had already been 21.27 this season, owns a best time of 21.09, set when she won the national title last season.

The event wasn’t just fast at the top–it was fast everywhere. Last season only one swimmer broke 22 in the prelims, and today seven women did so.

In addition to the tie for first, we also saw swimmers produce matching times in third and fifth.

NC State’s Katharine Berkoff and UNC’s Grace Countie produced 21.69s to tie for third, while Louisville’s Gabi Albiero and defending champ Kylee Alons of NC State clocked matching 21.78s for fifth.

UVA junior Alexa Cuomo joined the sub-22 party in seventh, hitting a PB of 21.86.

Men’s 50 Free – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 18.96
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 19.96
• Meet Record – 18.68, Ryan Held (NC State), 2017
• Conference Record – 18.56, Ryan Held (NC State), 2017

1. David Curtiss (NCS), 18.77
2. Matt Brownstead (UVA), 19.02
3. Abdelrahman Elaraby (LOU), 19.04
4. Nyls Korstanje (NCS), 19.12
5. Youssef Ramadan (VT), 19.13
6. Connor Boyle (UVA), 19.19
7. Noah Henderson (NCS), 19.22
8. Jack Aikins (UVA) / Matt King (UVA), 19.23

Not to be outdone by the women’s event, the men’s 50 free was an absolute scorcher, led by NC State freshman David Curtiss who takes over the top time in the nation this season at 18.77.

Curtiss’ time crushes his previous best of 19.11, set in July 2021, and makes him the fourth-fastest freshman of all-time while also dipping well below the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 18.96.

Previously, the top time in the nation belonged to Texas fifth-year Cameron Auchinachie at 18.80. Joining Curtiss with a sub-19 swim as a freshman this morning was Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks, who paced the SEC prelims in 18.84.

Defending champ Matt Brownstead of UVA qualified second in 19.02, good for the second-fastest swim of his career, and Louisville’s Abdelrahman Elaraby hit a new best to qualify third in 19.04.

NC State’s Nyls Korstanje got in at fifth in 19.12, followed by VT’s Youssef Ramadan (19.13), UVA’s Connor Boyle (19.19) and Wolfpack swimmer Noah Henderson (19.22).

Boyle, a first-year, destroyed his previous best time of 19.78.

The Cavaliers had two swimmers tie for eighth, with freshman Jack Aikins and sophomore Matt King producing matching 19.23s, meaning they’ll likely partake in a swim-off (unless the coaches opt for an alternative way to decide who advances).

King is the more established 50 freestyler of the two, with Aikins having slaughtered his PB by over four-tenths (was previously 19.68) with his swim this morning. King hit a trio of sub-19 swims last season while racing for Alabama, with his lifetime best coming in at 18.96.

Men’s 1m Diving – Prelims

• Meet Record – 499.95, Nick McCrory (Duke), 2010
• Conference Record – 499.95, Nick McCrory (Duke), 2010