2025 ACC Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2025 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 18-22, 2025
• Greensboro Aquatic Center — Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions: NC State (results)
• Full Event Schedule (pre-scratch timeline)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results (also available on Meet Mobile as “2025 ACC Championship”
• Live Streaming

Wednesday Evening Heat Sheets

The 2025 ACC Championships get underway in earnest this evening with the first full finals session.

Fans shouldn’t have to wait long to see fast swimming; the first event on the docket is the 200 free relay relay. The Virginia women set the all-time record here last year, and heading into today, they have the fastest time in the NCAA this season by over a second. On the men’s side, the relay figures to be a battle between the current ACC record holders, NC State, and the Cal Bears, who return three of four legs from last year’s NCAA runner-up squad.

The first individual event will be the 500 free. Both Stanford and Virginia put three women each into the A-final, with Stanford’s Aurora Roghair leading the way this morning with a 4:34.79. The Cal men will also have three men in the A-final, with Lucas Henveaux (4:12.42) swimming in lane 4.

Virginia’s Leah Hayes led the 200 IM prelims with a 1:54.18 this morning, but Stanford stands to earn the most points after putting a whopping five women into the top eight. Somewhat surprisingly, Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti didn’t swim on either relay last night, but he seems to be fine, as he led the men with a 1:41.35 in prelims.

Last year, UVA’s Gretchen Walsh swam the fastest 50 free ever here at ACCs, before lowering her own mark by another two-tenths the next month at NCAAs. She has the chance to do the same this year after going 20.87 in prelims to claim the top seed by nearly six-tenths of a second. On the men’s side, four swimmers went under 19.0 in prelims, led by Cal’s Jack Alexy (18.71). Don’t ignore the B- and C-finals though; only 0.19s separated 8th from 24th (actually a tie for 23rd) this morning, meaning that we should see plenty of close races and fast times in all three men’s 50 free finals.

The evening will wind down with the A-final of the men’s 1m diving event. Stanford’s Jack Ryan qualified in the top spot in prelims with a score of 392.85, but he’ll face a strong field that includes 2023 champion Max Flory of Miami (FL), and Georgia Tech’s Max Fowler, who won the 3m event last night.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63, Virginia – 2024 ACC Championships
• ACC Record: 1:23.63, Virginia – 2024 ACC Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:23.63, Virginia – 2024
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:28.42
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:29.00

Top 8:

1. Virginia – 1:24.03 (A)
2. Louisville – 1:25.52 (A)
3. Stanford – 1:26.08 (A)
4. NC State – 1:26.52 (A)
5. Cal – 1:26.69 (A)
6. Pitt – 1:27.78 (A)
7. Virginia Tech – 1:28.18 (A)
8. Duke – 1:28.26 (A)

It wasn’t an all-time record, but it was still pretty darn fast. The Virginia women swam one of the fastest few 200 free relays in history, stopping the clock at 1:24.03 to win by nearly 1.5s.

Claire Curzan led off in 21.40, just off her lifetime best of 21.32 from the Eddie Reese Showdown a few weeks ago. Gretchen Walsh nearly broke the 20-second relay split barrier again, splitting 20.02 on the second leg. Her sister Alex Walsh split 21.23 on the third leg, and then Maxine Parker anchored in 21.38.

That’s the Cavaliers’ sixth-straight title in this event; that’s the longest ACC win streak in this event since the UNC women won seven straight from 1990 through 1996.

Louisville took 2nd in 1:25.52. Freshman Caroline Larsen led off in 21.71, then Julia Dennis joined G. Walsh in the sub-21 split club, going 20.78. Gabi Albiero split 21.60 on the third leg, and Ella Welch anchored in 21.43.

Torri Huske led off for Stanford in 21.04, improving on her lifetime best best of 21.30, and moving her to #6 all-time in the 50 free, pending other results from today. The Cardinal finished 3rd overall in 1:26.08.

The top nine schools all finished under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 1:28.42.

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:13.35, Florida – 2023 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:14.13, NC State – 2024 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:14.44, NC State – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:16.80
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:17.13

Top 8:

1. NC State – 1:14.29 (A)
2. Cal – 1:15.10 (A)
3. Virginia Tech – 1:15.53 (A)
4. Stanford – 1:15.79 (A)
5. FSU – 1:15.86 (A)
6. UNC – 1:15.88 (A)
7. Virginia – 1:16.61 (B)
8. SMU – 1:16.74 (B)

The NC State men earned their third consecutive title in this event, breaking the meet record with a 1:14.29 tonight. Quintin McCarty shaved 0.02s off his lifetime best with a 18.78 leadoff, then the Wolfpack got nearly identical splits from Jerry Fox (18.40) and Drew Salls (18.43), before fifth year Luke Miller anchored in 18.68. That’s NC State’s eighth title in the last 12 years in this event.

California bookended their relay with 19.1s from freshman Luca Battaglini on the leadoff (19.15) and fifth year Destin Lasco on the anchor (19.16). In between, Bjorn Seeliger split 18.49 and Jack Alexy split 18.30, as the Golden Bears took 2nd in 1:15.10.

Virginia Tech was just behind Cal at the halfway point, after Youssef Ramadan led off in 19.10 and Brendan Whitfield split 18.57 on the second leg. The gap widened a bit on the back half, with Mario Molla Yannes (18.92) and Will Hayon (18.94) nearly matching each other’s split, but the Hokies held on to take 3rd in 1:15.53.

Stanford (1:15.79), Florida State (1:15.86), and North Carolina (1:15.88) were also under the NCAA ‘A’ cut’ of 1:16.80, with the Tar Heels setting a new school record with that time.

WOMEN’S 500 FREE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 4:28.90, Leah Smith (Virginia) – 2017 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 4:30.74, Leah Smith (Virginia) – 2016
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:37.89
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 4:41.19

Top 8:

1. Katie Grimes (UVA) – 4:32.69
2. Aurora Roghair (Stanford) – 4:32.88
3. Cavan Gormsen (UVA) – 4:35.77
4. Aimee Canny (UVA) – 4:36.31
5. Maya Geringer (Cal) – 4:39.81
6. Kayla Wilson (Stanford) – 4:40.50
7. Amelia Bodenstab (Louisville) – 4:42.52
8. Natalie Mannion (Stanford) – 4:43.34

UVA freshman Katie Grimes took the lead early, and maintained a one second lead over Stanford’s Aurora Roghair for most of the race. Roghair closed the gap on the penultimate 50, and as the final lap bell rang, the two women flipped at exactly the same time. Coming down the home stretch, it looked like either woman could win, but ultimately Grimes got her hand on the wall first, 4:32.69 to 4:32.88.

That’s a season-best for Grimes, although a few seconds off of her lifetime best of 4:28.27 from a little over a year ago. She’ll maintain her #4 ranking in the NCAA this season, while Roghair remains #3 with her season-best of 4:31.63 from midseason.

The Cavaliers took three of the top four spots, with Cavan Gormsen (4:35.77) and Aimee Canny (4:36.31) taking 3rd and 4th. Gormsen won the title last year with a time of 4:38.43. Stanford also had three women in the A-final; Kayla Wilson (4:40.50) and Natalie Mannion (4:43.34) took 6th and 8th, respectively.

Cal’s Maya Geringer (4:39.91) took 5th, while Louisville’s Amelia Bodenstab (4:42.52) took 7th.

The B-final was fairly fast, with three women touching under 4:40, including freshmen Daria Golovaty of Louisville (4:39.25) and Bailey Hartman of UVA (4:39.36). NC State fifth year Chase Travis was just behind the youngsters at 4:39.47.

MEN’S 500 FREE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31, Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 2024 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 4:09.13, Anton Ipsen (NC State) – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 4:10.00, Matt McLean (Virginia) – 2009 ACC Championships
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.64
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 4:14.90

Top 8:

1. Lucas Henveaux (Cal) 4:08.83
2. Gabriel Jett (Cal) – 4:10.27
3. Henry McFadden (Stanford) – 4:12.33
4. Tyler Kopp (Cal) – 4:12.46
5. David King (UVA) – 4:13.43
6. Lance Norris (NC State) – 4:15.26
7. Jack Forrest (SMU) – 4:15.53
8. Owen Lloyd (NC State) – 4:18.35

It may still be the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the Pacific Coast swimmers swept the top four spots tonight. Cal’s Lucas Henveaux led the way the with a 4:08.83. That broke a 15 year-old meet record, and it also broke Anton Ipsen’s overall conference record of 4:09.13 that he set in 2018.

Teammate Gabriel Jett touched 2nd in 4:10.27, and fellow Golden Bear Tyler Kopp knocked over two seconds off his lifetime best with a 4:12.46 to take 4th. In between the Bears was Stanford’s Henry McFadden, who also set a lifetime best with his 3rd-place time of 4:12.33.

UVA freshman David King followed up his school record leading off the 800 free relay last night with a lifetime best of 4:13.43 tonight. NC State got 6th and 8th place points from Lance Norris (4:15.26) and Owen Lloyd (4:18.35), while SMU’s Jack Forrest took 7th in 4:15.53.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:50.15, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:57.03

Top 8:

1. Torri Huske (STAN) – 1:51.46
2. Caroline Bricker (STAN) – 1:52.96
3. Lea Polonsky (CAL) – 1:53.28
4. Leah Hayes (UVA) – 1:54.01
5. Lucy Bell (STAN) – 1:54.74
6. Lillie Nordmann (STAN) – 1:55.15
7. Emily Thompson (STAN) – 1:55.87
8. Fernanda Gomes Celidonio (LOU) – 1:56.75

Former Pac-12 teams showed up in the women’s 200 IM, earning six of the eight lanes in the women’s 200 IM ‘A’ final. Torri Huske dominated the race, leading from start to finish and earning her first individual ACC title by over a second. She split 23.59/27.75/33.08/27.04, stopping the clock at 1:51.46 and taking over as the fastest woman in the NCAA this season.

The Cardinal earned the top two steps on the podium as Caroline Bricker turned in a huge lifetime best of 1:52.96 to earn the silver medal. Bricker’s previous lifetime best was the 1:53.31 she swam at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships. Lea Polonsky swam a season-best 1:53.28 for third, confirming the former Pac-12 swimmers’ sweep of the top three spots.

Virginia freshman Leah Hayes was the Cavaliers’ lone representative in the ‘A’ final, as Alex Walsh scratched the event before prelims. She touched fourth in her first individual ACC final, clocking a 1:54.01, which is under the 2024 NCAA invited time.

In addition to earning the top two spots, Stanford earned 5th and 6th place with Lucy Bell clocking 1:54.74 and Lillie Nordmann swimming 1:55.15.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34, Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 2023 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:39.35, Andreas Vazaios (NC State) – 2019 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:40.31, Arsenio Bustos (NC State) – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.75
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:43.05

Top 8:

1. Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 1:40.95
2. Berke Saka (GT) – 1:41.77
3. Ron Polonsky (STAN) – 1:41.82
4. Louis Dramm (UNC) – 1:42.05
5. Spencer Nicholas (UVA) – 1:42.67
6. Destin Lasco (CAL) – 1:42.80
7. Richard Mihm (STAN) – 1:43.17
8. Mewen Tomac (CAL) – 1:43.29

A year after taking second in this event a year ago and first in 2022, Carles Coll Marti is once again the ACC men’s 200 IM champion. He led the race from wire-to-wire, swimming a season-best 1:40.95 to win the title, coming within .64 seconds of the meet record that Arsenio Bustos swam two years ago.

Georgia Tech’s Berke Saka turned on the jets on the breaststroke leg, splitting a field-best 28.98 to move into second. He held onto that positioning over the freestyle leg, splitting 25.37, even though Ron Polonsky, Louis Dramm, Spencer Nicholas, and Destin Lasco were all well under 25 seconds on their freestyle leg.

While Polonsky, Dramm, and Lasco have all been 1:41 already this season, Nicholas’ 1:42.67 was a new lifetime best for him, shaving a couple tenths off his prelims swim. Nicholas has had a strong freshman campaign and while it’s shown through most in his primary butterfly events, he came into this meet with a best of 1:44.99 from before arriving at Virginia.

WOMEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 20.37, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 20.37, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 20.57, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.58
• 2023 NCAA Invite Time: 22.11

Top 8:

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 20.60
2. Julia Dennis (LOU) – 21.08
3. Claire Curzan (UVA) – 21.26
4. Sophie Yendell (PITT) – 21.30
5. Caroline Larsen (LOU) – 21.63
6. Gabi Albiero (LOU) – 21.71
7. Mary-Ambre Moluh (CAL) – 21.88
8. Tatum Wall (DUKE) – 21.95

Unsurprisingly, Walsh dominated the 50 freestyle. The NCAA record holder didn’t approach her league-mark and just missed her meet record by three-tenths. But, Walsh has pushed this event so far that though she was off her lifetime (20.37) and season (20.54), she still won the event by .48 seconds.

The Virginia women picked up a 1-3 finish in this race, as Claire Curzan clocked 21.26 for bronze. The swim is a new lifetime best for her, improving on the 21.32 she swam leading off a relay at the Eddie Reese Showdown last month.

It was Louisville’s sprint star Julia Dennis that broke up the Cavalier 1-2 finish, touching in a 21.08. In prelims, Dennis swam 21.44, dropping from her previous lifetime best of 21.60. She torched both those marks in the final, swimming a blistering 21.08. In a day, she’s taken .52 seconds off her lifetime best in the event.

The Louisville sprint group had a strong outing in this event, placing 2nd, 5th, and 6th. Freshman Caroline Larsen took fifth in 21.63. Like Dennis, it was her second lifetime best of the day and well under the 2024 NCAA Invited time. Fifth-year Gabi Albiero placed sixth in 21.71.

MEN’S 50 FREE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 17.63, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 18.49 Chris Guiliano (Notre Dame) – 2024 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 18.57, Chris Guiliano – 2024
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.72
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 19.13

Top 8:

1. Quintin McCarty (NC State) – 18.63
2. Jack Alexy (CAL) – 18.74
3. Jerry Fox (NC State) – 18.83
4. Brendan Whitfield (VT) – 18.92
5. Larry Salls (NC State) – 19.00
6. Samuel Bork (NC State) – 19.06
7. PJ Foy (UNC) – 19.18
8. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) – 19.43

Heading into the meet, it looked like the Cal sprinters would take over this race. But Quintin McCarty had other ideas. The Wolfpack sophomore pulled off an upset in the men’s 50 freestyle over Olympian Jack Alexy, clocking 18.63 to win the ACC title.

McCarty set himself up for a big swim in the prelims, where he clocked 18.81, touching just a hundredth from the lifetime best he swam at the 2023 NC State Invite. He cut .17 seconds off his lifetime best with his swim tonight, beating Alexy by .11 seconds.

Alexy broke 19-seconds for the first time this season during prelims, swimming an 18.71. He was just off that swim in the final, swimming an 18.74. Meanwhile, NC State sophomore Jerry Fox broke 19-seconds for the first time in his career during prelims, clocking 18.97. He took even more time off his best tonight, placing third in 18.83. Drew Salls was the third Wolfpack swimmer in the final, and placed fifth with a 19.00, a hundredth from his best.

Brendan Whitfield took fourth, rounding out the swimmers sub-19 seconds in the ‘A’ final. He clocked 18.92, just off the lifetime best 18.89 he swam in prelims.

Only four freshmen scored in this event, and the fastest two tonight both came from UNC. This morning, PJ Foy broke a 13 year-old Tar Heel by going 19.21 to make the A-final.  He improved on that time tonight, placing 7th with a 19.18. However, he didn’t reset the school record, as fellow freshman Martin Kartavi broke Foy’s hours-old record when he won the B-final with a time of 19.12.

Men’s 1m Diving – Final

• ACC Record: 499.95, Nick McCrory (Duke) – 2010 ACC Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 499.95, Nick McCrory (Duke) – 2010

Top 8:

1. Jack Ryan (Stanford) – 411.95
2. Max Flory (Miami) – 400.50
3. Luke Sitz (SMU) – 375.30
4. Rodolfo Vazquez (UNC) – 352.15
5. Max Fowler (Georgia Tech) – 347.25
6. Raymond Winn (Louisville) – 339.55
7. Carter Loftin (UNC) – 339.40
8. Christopher Booler (UNC) – 300.50

Team Scores Thru Day 2

Women:

1. Virginia — 494.5
2. Stanford — 413
3. Louisville — 397
4. Cal — 308.5
5. UNC — 260
6. NC State — 228
7. Pitt — 201
8. Miami (FL) — 181
9. Florida State — 162
10. Duke — 138
11. Notre Dame — 132
12. Virginia Tech — 126
13. Boston College — 78
14. SMU — 76
15. Georgia Tech — 65

Men:

1. Cal – 457
2. Stanford – 402
3. UNC – 383
4. NC State – 379
5. Louisville – 282
6. Florida State – 256.5
7. Virginia – 242
8. Virginia Tech – 221
9. Georgia Tech – 215
10. SMU – 211
11. Pitt – 201.5
12. Duke – 105
13. Boston College – 52
14. Miami (FL) – 52
15. Notre Dame – 19