2024 W. NCAAs: Watch Gretchen Walsh’s 44.83 100 FR And More Day 4 Race Videos

2024 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 20-23, 2024
• Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Finals Live Recap

Didn’t catch last night’s action on the closing night of the 2024 Women’s NCAA Championships? No worries, we found all day four race videos, featuring champions UGA’s Abby McCulloh (1650 free), Wisconson’s Phoebe Bacon (200 back), UVA sisters Gretchen Walsh (100 free) and Alex Walsh (200 breast), Texas’ Emma Sticklen (200 fly), and the winning UVA 400 free relay (Jasmine Nocentini, A.Walsh, G.Walsh, Maxine Parker).

Here’s links to the other three days’ race videos to catch up on:

• Day 1 Race Videos
• Day 2 Race Videos
• Day 3 Race Videos

Originally reported by Anne Lepesant.

All YouTube Race Video Courtesy: UGA Swim & Dive

WOMEN’S 1650 YARD FREESTYLE – FASTEST HEAT

*videomark 15:15 begins the last 50*

• NCAA Record: 15:03.31 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
• Meet Record: 15:07.70 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
• American Record: 15:01.41 – Katie Ledecky, Gator Swim Club (2023)
• US Open Record: 15:01.41 – Katie Ledecky, Gator Swim Club (2023)
• Pool Record: 15:39.56 – Leah Smith, Virginia (2015)
• 2023 Champion: 15:43.84 – Kensey McMahon, Alabama

Top 8:

1. Abby McCulloh, Georgia – 15:37.74
2. Aurora Roghair, Stanford – 15:41.11
3. Ching Hwee Gan, Indiana – 15:46.90
4. Anna Kalandadze, Penn – 15:47.86
5. Emma Weyant, Florida – 15:49.51
6. Erica Sullivan, Texas – 15:54.82
7. Mariah Denigan, Indiana – 15:55.41
8. Gena Jorgenson, Nebraska – 15:55.71

Georgia’s Abby McCulloh established the early lead from lane 4. She was 54.15 at the 100, followed by Erica Sullivan (54.26). McCulloh and Sullivan were still 1-2 at the 200 but Indiana’s Ching Hwee Gan moved into 2nd place by the 250. She swam just a tick behind McCulloh through the 600 when the latter took off. McCulloh went a body length up at the 700. At the 850, Emma Weyant moved into 2nd place from lane 1.

At the 1000, it was McCulloh (9:30.13), Weyant (9:32.20), and Gan (9:32.94).

While McCulloh extended her lead, Gan moved back ahead of Weyant at the 1100, 10:29.84 to 10:29.90.

By the 1250, McCulloh led by 2.5 seconds. Stanford’s Aurora Roghair moved from 4th to 2nd at the 1300. Roghair began splitting 28.3s to McCulloh’s 28-mids, and cut the lead down to 2.8 seconds at the 1450.

With 100 yards to go, McCulloh split 28.0, putting Roghair on notice. She put her legs into the final 50 yards and touched with 15:37.74. Roghair was 2nd with 15:41.11. Gan went 15:46.90 for 3rd.

Penn’s Anna Kalandadze passed Weyant for 4th place (15:47.86).

Both Mariah Denigan of Indiana and Gena Jorgenson of Nebraska, the two fastest performances from the afternoon heats, made the podium.

WOMEN’S 200 YARD BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:47.24 – Beata Nelson, Wisconsin (2019)
• Meet Record: 1:47.24 – Beata Nelson, Wisconsin (2019)
• American Record: 1:47.16 – Regan Smith, Riptide (2019)
• US Open Record: 1:47.16 – Regan Smith, Riptide (2019)
• Pool Record: 1:48.55 – Rhyan White, Alabama (2021)
• 2023 Champion: 1:47.64 – Claire Curzan, Stanford

Top 8:

1. Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin – 1:48.23
2. Kennedy Noble, NC State – 1:48?43
3. Bella Sims, Florida – 1:48.47
4. Isabelle Stadden, Cal – 1:49.19
5. Josephine Fuller, Tennessee – 1:50.49
6. Miranda Grana, Texas A&M – 1:51.96
7. Caroline Bentz, Virginia Tech – 1:52.39
8. Catie Choate, Florida – 1:53.54

Florida’s Bella Sims got out to her signature fast start, flipping first at the 25 and 50 walls. She led Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller, 25.04 to 25.21, at the 50.

Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon moved to second place at the 100, with Sims leading, 51.85 to 51.91.

Bacon continued to outsplit Sims on the 3rd 50, going 27.6 to turn in 1:19.59 at the 150. Sims was .6 back, holding Cal’s Isabelle Stadden and NC State’s Kennedy Noble at bay.

Noble had the fastest 4th 50 of the field, going 27.7 to touch out Sims by .04.

Fuller finished in 5th place with 1:50.49.

Texas A&M’s Miranda Grana (1:51.96), Virginia Tech’s Caroline Bentz (1:52.39), and Catie Choate of Florida (1:53.54) rounded out the final.

Northwestern’s Ayla Spitz won the B final with 1:51.72, edging Virginia’s Reilly Tiltmann by .08.

WOMEN’S 100 YARD FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 45.16 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Meet Record: 45.56 – Simone Manuel, Stanford (2017)
• American Record: 45.16 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• US Open Record: 45.16 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Pool Record: 45.78 – Gretchen Walsh (2024)
• 2023 Champion: 45.61 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia

Top 8:

1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 44.83 *ALL RECORDS*
2. Katharine Berkoff, NC State – 46.23
3. Isabel Ivey, Florida – 46.67
4. Jasmine Nocentini, Virginia – 47.00
5. Amy Fulmer, Ohio State – 47.18
6. Christiana Regenauer, Louisville – 47.20
7. Anna Peplowski, Indiana – 47.31
8. Gabi Albiero, Louisville – 47.37

One Start. Three turns. And a finish. With about 40 underwaters in the middle.

In roughly the time it takes to say that, Gretchen Walsh had won the 100 free with 44.83, the fastest-ever performance by a woman. She broke every record known to swimdom, including the NCAA, meet, American, and U.S. Open marks.

Walsh was 10.12 at the 25 wall, .3 ahead of teammate Jasmine Nocentini (10.43) and NC State’s Katharine Berkoff (10.50).

Walsh went 11.28 on the second 25, the fastest by over .3. She turned at 21.40, with Berkoff in second place (22.11). Florida’s Isabel Ivey turned in third (22.31), just ahead of Nocentini (22.35).

Walsh came home in 11.76-11.67 to win by 1.4 seconds with the first sub-45 ever swum by a woman.

Berkoff came home in 11-96-12.16 to finish with 46.23, her best time by .42, and a new NC State program record.

Ivey clocked 46.67 for third place, while Nocentini was just off her prelims PB with 47.00 for fourth.

Amy Fulmer of Ohio State went 47.18 to eke out 5th place ahead of Louisville’s Christiana Regenauer (47.20).

Anna Peplowski of Indiana (47.31) and Gabi Albiero (47.37) finished 7th and 8th.

Michigan freshman Stephanie Balduccini touched out Tennessee freshman Camille Spint, 47.04 to 47.05, to win the B final.

WOMEN’S 200 YARD BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• Meet Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• American Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• US Open Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• Pool Record: 2:04.80 – Anna Belousova, Texas A&M (2019)
• 2023 Champion: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia

Top 8:

1. Alex Walsh, Virginia – 2:02.07
2. Mona McSharry, Tennessee – 2:04.07
3. Ella Nelson, Virginia – 2:04.80
4. Kaelyn Gridley, Duke – 2:04.94
5. Anna Elendt, Texas – 2:05.16
6. Kaitlyn Dobler, USC – 2:05.77
7. Emilie Fast, Tennessee – 2:06.79
8. Anna Keating, Virginia – 2:07.32

Alex Walsh won her third individual event of the meet in dominant fashion. Splitting 28.04-30.8-31.1-31.9, she clocked a 2:02.07 to beat Tennessee’s Mona McSharry by 2 full seconds.

Anna Elendt of Texas was out with Walsh at the 50 and the 100. Walsh (58.92), Elendt (59.42), McSharry (59.64), and Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley (59.80) were all under 1 minute at the halfway.

McSharry went past Elendt on the 3rd 50 to take second place with 50 yards left.

Virginia’s Ella Nelson made her move on the 4th 50 and passed Elendt and Gridley, touching third with 2:04.80. Gridley (2:04.94) touched out Elendt (2:05.16) for fourth.

Kaitlyn Dobler from USC had a strong back half, as well. In her third 200 breast of the day (she had a swim-off at the end of prelims for 8th place), she found the energy to go from 9th at the 100 to 6th at the finish, coming home with a pair of 32.4s.

Tennessee’s Emelie Fast (2:06.79) finished half a body ahead of UVA’s Anna Keating (2:07.32) for 7th.

Texas sophomore Lydia Jacoby won the B final with 2:06.82.

WOMEN’S 200 YARD BUTTERFLY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:49.16 – Alex Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Meet Record: 1:49.95 – Emma Sticklen, Texas (2023)
• American Record: 1:48.33 – Regan Smith, Sun Devils (2023)
• US Open Record: 1:48.33 – Regan Smith, Sun Devils (2023)
• Pool Record: 1:52.04 – Olivia Bray, Texas (2024)
• 2023 Champion: 1:49.95 – Emma Sticklen, Texas

Top 8:

1. Emma Sticklen, Texas – 1:50.99
2. Kelly Pash, Texas – 1:51.57
3. Rachel Klinker, Cal – 1:51.62
4. Tess Howley, Virginia – 1:52.41
5. Olivia Bray, Texas – 1:52.45
6. Abby Harter, Virginia – 1:52.49
7. Lindsay Looney, Arizona State – 1:52.80
8. Lillie Nordmann, Stanford – 1:52.83

The 200 fly was as thrilling as we’d hoped, but it surpassed expectations for intrigue by a long shot. Texas senior Olivia Bray took it out in 24.43 to lead teammate Emma Sticklen at the 50 by .29. Stanford’s Lillie Nordmann went out quickly too, the only other swimmer to turn in under 25 seconds at the 50.

Rachel Klinker of Cal had a monster second 50, splitting 27.7 to everyone else’s 28s. She moved into second place behind Bray (52.74 at the 100) with 53.02. Kelly Pash of Texas had the next-fastest second 50, which put her in 4rd place (53.22), .04 behind Sticklen and .13 ahead of Nordmann.

More musical chairs over the next 100 yards, and Sticklen came out of seemingly nowhere to win in 1:50.99. Pash was just ahead of Klinker, 1:51.57 to 1:51.62. Howley moved up to 4th, and Bray faded to 5th.

WOMEN’S 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (K Douglass, A Walsh, M Parker, G Walsh, 2023)
• Meet Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (K Douglass, A Walsh, M Parker, G Walsh, 2023)
• American Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (K Douglass, A Walsh, M Parker, G Walsh, 2023)
• US Open Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (K Douglass, A Walsh, M Parker, G Walsh, 2023)
• Pool Record: 3:10.28 Alabama (Antoniou, Scott, Molnar, Dupre, 2021)
• 2023 Champion: 3:05.84 – Virginia (K Douglass, A Walsh, M Parker, G Walsh, 2023)

Top 8:

1. Virginia – 3:05.89
2. Florida – 3:08.60
3. Louisville – 3:09.08
4. Michigan – 3:09.47
5. Tennessee – 3:09.70
6. USC – 1:10.55
7. Stanford – 3:10.57
8. Indiana – 3:10.68

Virginia (Jasmine Nocentini, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh, and Maxine Parker) won the 400 free relay for the third year in a row, this time with 3:05.89.

Nocentini led off in 47.06, but it was Florida’s Bella Sims who beat her to the wall with 47.01. Alex Walsh went 46.54 on the second leg, while Florida’s Isabel Ivey kept the Gators out front with 46.26.

Gretchen Walsh split 45.17 on the third leg, the fastest rolling split in history. That put the Cavaliers out front by 2.95 seconds over Florida.

Maxine Parker anchored in 47.12, holding off Micayla Cronk of Florida (46.88). Virginia, Florida (3:08.60), Louisville (3:09.08), Michigan (3:09.47), and Tennessee (3:09.70) all beat the pool record.

Final Team Scores

1. Virginia 527.5
2. Texas 441
3. Florida 364
4. Tennessee 277
5. Stanford 250
6. Louisville 212
7. Indiana 206
8. Southern California 200
9. Ohio St 162
9. NC State 162
11. California 153
12. Michigan 147.5
13. Georgia 116
14. Texas A&M 104
15. Wisconsin 95
16. Duke 80
17. UNC 77
18. Purdue 57
19. Auburn 54
20. Minnesota 47
21. LSU 44
22. UCLA 36
23. Alabama 25
24. Arizona St 23
25. Utah 22
26. Virginia Tech 18
27. Northwestern 17
28. SIU 16
29. Penn 15
30. Nebraska 11
31. South Carolina 9
32. Notre Dame 6
32. Kansas 6
32. Miami (Ohio) 6
32. Rutgers 6
36. Akron 5
36. Arkansas 5
38. Florida St 4
38. Cincinnati 4
40. Houston 3
40. Washington St. 3
40. Miami (Fl) 3