2023 ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 18, 2023
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Defending Champions:
- Women: Virginia (3x)
- Men: NC State (1x)
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Surprise surprise, the UVA women just broke another relay record.
This time, the quartet of Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Lexi Cuomo, and Alex Walsh took down their own 200 free relay NCAA, US Open, and American record and combined for a time of 1:23.87. Their previous record was set last year at 2022 ACCs, where they went over half a second slower with a 1:24.47.
Douglass led things off with a 20.95, which is just 0.11 seconds off of her 20.84 America, US Open, and NCAA record. Her time from tonight ties as the fifth-fastest performance of all-time.
All Time Top Performances, Women’s 50-Yard Free:
- Kate Douglass, Virginia — 20.84 (2022)
- Kate Douglass, Virginia — 20.87 (2022)
- Abbey Weitzeil, Cal — 20.90 (2019)
- Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 20.94 (2022)
- Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)/Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2023) — 20.95
Then, Gretchen Walsh popped a 20.48 split, which ranks as the fourth-fastest relay split of all time. Going third was Cuomo, who dropped a massive 21.14 split. This split was considerably faster than the 21.41 she split on UVA’s previous 200 free relay record. Then, Alex Walsh closed things off with a 21.30 anchor.
UVA’s relay lineup deviated from what they typically put together, as previously they would always have Gretchen Walsh anchoring.
Split Comparison, 2022 vs. 2023
| UVA, 2023 ACCs (Current US Open Record) | UVA, 2022 ACCs (Former US Open Record) | |
| 50y | Kate Douglass — 20.95 | Kate Douglass — 21.10 |
| 100y | Gretchen Walsh — 20.48 | Alex Walsh — 21.38 |
| 150y | Lexi Cuomo — 21.14 | Lexi Cuomo — 21.48 |
| 200y | Alex Walsh — 21.30 | Gretchen Walsh — 20.58 |
| Total | 1:23.87 | 1:24.47 |
As you can tell from the splits, every single swimmer on this UVA relay got faster from last year, with Cuomo’s split accounting for a good portion of that time drop.
Yesterday, the same four swimmers that broke the 200 free record broke the NCAA, US Open, and American record in the 200 medley relay.
Race Video:
Virginia is so deep that another sprinter from their squad could literally slide seamlessly onto this relay at NCAAs without missing a beat, if DeSorbo so chose.
Gretchen Walsh, new NCAA mark at 20.83, and Kate Douglass at :20.84PB are obvious choices for this relay.
Tonight Todd used Lexi Cuomo (:21.14 split tonight) and Alex Walsh(:21.30 split tonight) for #3 & #4. But in the individual 50 Free later in the evening, Cuomo finished 11th at :21.93, just after Cavalier Maxine Parker at :21.90.
Alex Walsh: PB :22.08 from 2018; :21.30 Relay start (RS-’23)
Lexi Cuomo: PB :21.80 (’22 NCAAs); :21.93(’23 SECs); :21.14 (RS-’23)
Maxine Parker PB : 21.86 (11/22 Tenn invite); :21.90 (’23 SECs)
Is… Read more »
A relay of four women averaging under 21.00 is nothing short of incredible!
Wooooooo
Douglass and the Walshs’ splits were more or less expected (still crazy fast) but Cuomo putting out a 21.1 was not something I was really predicting
it seems like Cuomo on free and Douglass on fly might be the way to go on the 4×50 medley
Only if they were all under 21 that would be crazy