2025 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2025 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships

• February 18-22, 2025
• Greensboro Aquatic Center — Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions: NC State
• Full Event Schedule (pre-scratch timeline)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streaming
• Day 1 Recap

All eyes in the swimming world turn to Greensboro this morning for what could be one of the most competitive conference meets ever. There is no shortage of star power in this first individual session.

In the first event, the 500 freestyle, we’ll see Katie Grimes in her first-ever college championship meet. Among others, she’ll contend with Stanford’s Aurora Roghair, who’s been on a tear this season,and teammate Aimee Canny for the middle lane tonight. On the men’s side, one of Cal’s second semester additions Lucas Henveaux holds the top spot.

With Alex Walsh out of the 200 IM, Torri Huske will be the top seed and look to hold that spot for tonight. Meanwhile, Huske dropped the 50 freestyle, and all eyes will be on Gretchen Walsh and Claire Curzan.

The men’s 200 IM field is a relatively open one, led by NC State’s Daniel Diehl coming in. The 50 freestyle should be an interesting one, as Cal’s Jack Alexy and Bjorn Seeliger will vie for the top spot.

Women’s 500 Freestyle

• NCAA Record: 4:24.07 — Katie Ledecky, 2017
• ACC Record: 4:28.90 — Leah Smith (UVA), 2017
• ACC Meet Record: 4:30.74 — Leah Smith (UVA), 2016
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:36.89
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 4:41.19

Top 8

1. Aurora Roghair (STAN) — 4:34.79
2. Cavan Gormsen (UVA) — 4:35.60
3. Katie Grimes (UVA) — 4:37.84
4. Aimee Canny (UVA) — 4:39.31
5. Maya Geringer (CAL) — 4:41.14
6. Amelia Bodenstab (LOU) — 4:41.63
7. Natalia Mannion (STAN) — 4:41.87
8. Kayla Wilson (STAN) — 4:42.06

Aurora Roghair will swim in the middle lane tonight in a UVA sandwich. Roghair put up a 4:34.79 to win her heat, which is notably nearly four seconds faster than she went in prelims at last year’s Pac 12 champs.

UVA Sophomore Cavan Gormsen put up the fastest time of the Wahoo pack this morning. She nearly hit her lifetime best of 4:35.37 from the 2024 NCAA Championships. Behind her was Katie Grimes, who had the fastest first 200 of the field, and Aimee Canny fresh off her new 800 free relay NCAA record.

Men’s 500 Freestyle

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31 — Leon Marchand, 2024
• ACC Record: 4:09.13 — Anton Ipsen (NC State), 2018
• ACC Meet Record: 4:10.00 — Matt McLean (UVA), 2009
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.64
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 4:14.90

Top 8

1. Lucas Henveaux (CAL) — 4:12.42
2. Owen Lloyd (NCSU) — 4:14.13
3. David King (UVA) — 4:14.18
4. Gabriel Jett (CAL) — 4:14.53
5. Lance Norris (NCSU) — 4:14.58
6. Tyler Kopp (CAL) — 4:14.60
7. Jack Forrest (SMU) — 4:15.46
8. Henry McFadden (STAN) — 4:15.47

Cal’s Lucas Henveaux retained his top seed going into the first individual men’s final of the meet, posting a 4:12.42 to earn the spot by two seconds. This is slower than his 4:10.82 in-season best. 

Owen Lloyd put up a new best time to get second behind Henveaux. The NC State grad student swam a 4:14.13, beating out his 4:14.87 best from last year’s ACC championships. UVA freshman David King started off his postseason campaign very strongly with a 4:14.18. He’s never been faster than 4:16.30, which he swam at the 2024 Tennessee Invite.

Less than two seconds separate places two through seven.

Notably out of the A-final for tonight is SMU’s Jack Hoagland. The post-grad, who transferred to SMU from Notre Dame, is the 2021 ACC Champion and 2023 runner-up in this event.

Women’s 200 IM

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37 — Kate Douglass, 2023
• ACC Record: 1:48.37 — Kate Douglass (UVA), 2023
• ACC Meet Record: 1:50.15 — Kate Douglass (UVA), 2022
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:57.03

Top 8

1. Leah Hayes (UVA) — 1:54.18
2. Tori Huske (STAN) — 1:54.35
3. Lea Polonsky (CAL) — 1:54.89
4. Lucy Bell (STAN) — 1:55.31
5. Lillie Nordmannn (STAN) — 1:55.49
6. Caroline Bricker (STAN) — 1:55.55
7. Emily Thompson (STAN) — 1:56.36
8. Fernanda Gomes Celidonio (LOU) — 1:56.51

The Stanford Cardinal had a spectacular showing in this event, putting five girls in the A final. It was UVA freshman Leah Hayes, however, who turned in the fastest time of the morning, going 1:54.18. This is the second fastest time Hayes has gone in college behind the 1:53.84 at the Tennessee Invite. 

Behind her was Torri Huske. An all-time top five performer in this event, Huske seemingly shut it down, splitting 23.44 on the butterfly and 29.31 on freestyle. 

Cal’s Leah Polonsky placed third, followed by four Stanford Cardinal. Two of the Cardinal established lifetime bests: Lillie Nordmann (1:55.75 to 1:55.49) and Emily Thompson (1:56.38 to 1:56.36). Both of their bests were set at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in 2024.

Men’s 200 IM

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34 — Leon Marchand, 2023
• ACC Record: 1:39.45 — Andreas Vazaios (NC State), 2019
• ACC Meet Record: 1:40.31 — Aresnio Bustos (NC State), 2023
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.75
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 1:43.05

Top 8

1. Carles Coll Marti (VT) — 1:41.35
2. Louis Dramm (UNC) — 1:42.41
3. Berke Saka (GT) — 1:42.45
4. Ron Polonsky (STAN) — 1:42.75
5. Spencer Nicholas (UVA) — 1:42.83
6. Mewen Tomac (CAL) — 1:42.96
7. Richard Mihm (STAN) — 1:43.02
8. Destin Lasco (CAL) — 1:43.21

An event where the top 7 were seeded within .5 of each other spread out a little bit this morning. Carles Coll Marti, the 2022 ACC Champion in this event, was the only swimmer to meet their 1:41.35 seed time.

Behind Coll Marti, UNC and Georgia Tech earned their first A-finalists of the meet.

Top seed, NC State sophomore Daniel Diehl went a 1:43.33 to place 9th. Reigning NCAA Champion Destin Lasco was also dangerously close to missing the final. The Cal 5th year clocked a 1:43.21 to make it in by less than .15.

Women’s 50 Freestyle

• NCAA Record: 20.37 — Gretchen Walsh, 2024
• ACC Record: 20.37 — Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 2024
• ACC Meet Record: 20.57 — Gretchen Walsh (UVA), 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.58
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 22.11

Top 8

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) — 20.87
2. Julia Dennis (LOU) — 21.44
3. Claire Curzan (UVA) — 21.67
4. Sophie Yendell (PITT) — 21.68
5. Caroline Larsen (LOU) — 21.76
6. Gabi Albiero (LOU) — 21.88
7. Tatum Wall (DUKE) — 21.89
8. Mary-Ambre Moluh (CAL) — 21.92

Gretchen Walsh registered a sub-21 50 freestyle for at least the seventh time this season, clocking a 20.87 to comfortably notch the first place spot. Claire Curzan also secured herself a middle lane with a 21.67.

The University of Louisville earned some confidence going into the 200 free relay tonight, earning three finals spots and two best times. Julia Dennis, a junior, notched the #2 spot and lowered her best from 21.60 at last year’s NCAAs to 21.44. Caroline Larsen also went a best time, going from 21.93 to 21.76 to come in fifth. Gabi Albiero rounded out the trio of Cardinal with a sixth place 21.88 finish. 

Sophie Yendell of Pittsburgh also shaved a couple tenths off her best time. She logged a 21.68 for fourth, better than her 21.83 at this meet last year.

Men’s 50 Freestyle

• NCAA Record: 17.63 — Caeleb Dressel
• ACC Record: 18.49 — Chris Giuliano (Notre Dame), 2024
• ACC Meet Record: 18.57 — Chris Giuliano (Notre Dame), 2024
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.72
• 2024 NCAA Invite Time: 19.13

Top 8

1. Jack Alexy (CAL) — 18.71
2. Quintin McCarty (NCSU) — 18.81
3. Brendan Whitfield (VT) — 18.89
4. Jerry Fox (NCSU) — 18.97
5. Bjorn Seeliger (CAL) — 19.09
6. Drew Salls (NCSU) — 19.12
7. Patrick Foy (UNC) — 19.21
8. Samuel Bork (FSU) — 19.22

Top seed Jack Alexy turned in 18.71, which is his fastest time ever outside of NCAAs, to secure the center lane. With Brooks Curry not swimming, he goes into tonight as even more of a favorite.

The sub-19 club welcomed two new members this morning in Greensboro: Virginia Tech’s Brendan Whitfield and NC State’s Jerry Fox. Placing third and fourth, the two sophomores placed new best times. Between Fox, a second place Quintin McCarty getting within .01 of his lifetime best, and Drew Salls earning a top 8 position, the Wolfpack closed the session out on a high note.

An incredible five-way tie happened for the final spot in the B-Final. Samuel Hoover (NCSU), Connor Boyle (UVA), Robin Hanson (California), Maximil Wilson (FSU), Martin Kartavi (UNC) all went 19.35s. Only one will make it on to the top 16 tonight.