2024 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24, 2023
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Defending Champions: NC State men / Virginia women
- Full Event Schedule
- Championship Central
- Live Results
- Live Streaming
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Recap | Day 5 Finals Recap
The Walsh sisters are rolling into the NCAA Championship on a hot streak.
Just a few minutes after her younger sister Gretchen broke the NCAA Record in the 100 free, Alex Walsh became the #2 performer in history in the 200 yard breaststroke, touching in 2:02.24.
That surpasses World Record holder and Olympic silver medalist Lilly King as the second-best ever in the event, and trails only four swims by her Charlottesville training partner Kate Douglass as the fifth-best performance in history. It also breaks her own ACC Championship Meet Record of 2:03.02, swum in 2022.
Splits Comparison:
| Alex Walsh | Alex Walsh | Kate Douglass | |
| Previous PB | New PB |
US Open Record
|
|
| 50y | 27.84 | 27.87 | 27.6 |
| 100y | 31.25 | 31.05 | 30.69 |
| 150y | 31.64 | 31.40 | 31.30 |
| 200y | 32.29 | 31.92 | 31.70 |
| Final Time | 2:03.02 | 2:02.24 | 2:01.29 |
Fastest All-Time Performers, 200 Yard Breaststroke:
- Kate Douglass, Virginia, 2:01.29 (2023 NCAAs)
- Alex Walsh, Virginia, 2:02.24 (2024 ACCs)
- Lilly King, Indiana, 2:02.60 (2018 NCAAs)
- TIE Anna Elendt, Texas, 2:03.26 (2023 NCAAs)/Bethany Galant, Texas A&M, 2:03.26 (2018 NCAAs)
Walsh opened with the same pace as her previous best time, but she held on to that pace much better this time.
Walsh’s previous best time was 2:03.02 done at the 2022 ACC Championships. She is now a three-time ACC Champion in this event, though she hasn’t swum it at NCAAs since 2021.
Todd DeSorbo and staff continue to push the boundaries of versatility; on Friday, Walsh became the #2 performer in history, and NCAA Record holder, in the 200 fly as well. Breaststroke and butterfly have historically not been a common combination, but Virginia, where everyone seems to swim breaststroke, is now home to the two best 200 yard breaststrokers in history: and both are world-class butterfliers as well.
With her three individual wins and so far three relay wins at this meet, that lifts Walsh to 25 career ACC titles, with a heavily-expected 400 free relay yet to come on Saturday. 25 titles ties Kate Douglass‘ career total, and a win to close the session would surpass it.
She doesn’t have a weak stroke at all
If they are both well prepped for trials and one makes the team, they are both making that team. They will feed off each others energy. No guarantees but I feel like gretchen is making alex swim fast and vice versa.
I’d love to see her do it LCM. Crazy to go that fast and not set the team record!
25th acc title sounds insane lmao
averaging 6 a year… even swimming all 4 relays, 2+ individual titles a year is madness
Jeez…what is she going to pick for NCAAs?
2 breast, 2 and 4 IM? She’ll win 2 breast handily whereas there is a some closer competition for the fly. Though I’d love to see a Sticklin/Walsh rematch!
Yeah, that’s probably true. She definitely has more of a chance in the 200 breast
I agree but … hear me out .. I think UVA may want to stunt Texas anywhere they can, right? Isn’t it expected to be close-ish?
Texas has a stranglehold on the 200 fly. Maybe Walsh swims that and Nelson takes on the field in the 2BR?
Maybe?
Could be! Or Elendt wins it!
Yes! Was not trying to discount her she is a force.