UVA vs. Virginia Tech 2025: Live Recap

Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

• Saturday, January 11, 2025
• AFC Pool, Charlottesville, VA
• SCY
• Dual meet format
• Live stream link (requires ACC+ access)
• Results on Meet Mobile “Virginia vs Virginia Tech”

The Virginia Tech Hokies head to Charlottesville today to take on the University of Virginia Cavaliers for the annual battle between the intrastate rivals. The Hokies, who we ranked 10th (men) and 25th (women) in our last round of power rankings, competed just last weekend. The men beat both Queens and South Carolina, while the women beat Queens and lost to South Carolina. Carles Coll Marti followed up his 200 breast title from Short Course Worlds with strong performances in yards in both breaststroke events.

Outside of the contingent that competed at Worlds, the Cavaliers haven’t raced since the Tennessee Invite. The women remained at #1 in our post-invite power rankings, and led by key performers like Gretchen Walsh, it’s never surprising to see them throw down fast times. This could also be the season debut for Alex Walsh, who took the fall semester off from college swimming after undergoing a procedure on her knee, but had a strong performance at Worlds. Katie Grimes, the #1 recruit in last year’s class, could also make her collegiate debut today.

We ranked the UVA men 11th in our last power rankings, but since then Noah Nichols and Tim Connery have dropped off the roster, meaning that the Wahoos have lost two of their top ACC and NCAA scorers.

The teams have split this meet each of the last three years, with the Cavalier women and the Hokie men winning each time. It’s the final home meet of the season for the Cavaliers, who will be recognizing their seniors before the swimming portion of the meet gets underway at 2pm eastern.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay

1. UVA ‘A’ – 1:31.53 **pool record*
2. UVA ‘B’ – 1:36.04
3. Virginia Tech “A’ – 1:38.94

Holy cow. It didn’t take long to see fireworks, as the UVA women came within 0.02s of the all-time record in the event. Claire Curzan led off in 23.25, Alex Walsh made her college season debut with a 26.08 split on the breaststroke, then Gretchen Walsh ripped a 20.87 fly leg. Assuming that’s accurate (and it appears to be), that’s the fastest split in history by roughly half a second. Anna Moesch anchored in 21.33, as the Cavaliers stopped the clock in 1:31.53.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Men’s 200 Medley Relay

1. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 1:22.93 **pool record*
2. UVA ‘A’ – 1:25.29
3. Virginia Tech ‘B’ – 1:25.60

The Hokie men got off to a strong start by beating the Cavaliers by over two seconds. Youssef Ramadan led off in 20.70, Carles Coll Marti continued his strong season with a 22.89 split on breast, Mario Mollay Yannes split 20.32 on fly, and Brenan Whitfield anchored in 19.02.

UVA had the faster splits on the back half, with freshman Spencer Nicholas going 19.87 on fly and Connor Boyle anchoring 18.83.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Women’s 1000 Free

1. Aimme Canny (UVA) – 9:41.62
2. Kate Anderson (Virginia Tech) – 9:47.22
3. Leah Hayes (UVA) – 9:47.33

Men’s 1000 Free

1. David King (UVA) – 9:03.43
2. Lee Naber (Virginia Tech) – 9:05.22
3. Dillon Wright (UVA) – 9:06.34

The Cavalier men got into the win column quickly with a 9:03.43 victory from freshman David King.

Women’s 200 Free

1. Claire Curzan (UVA) – 1:43.64
2. Kate Morris (UVA) – 1:45.90
3. Maxine Parker (UVA) – 1:46.87

The Cavalier women swept the top three spots, led by Claire Curzan at 1:43.64. Curzan’s been a bit faster this season with her 1:42.96 from the Tennessee Invite.

Score update: UVA 67, Virginia Tech 26

Men’s 200 Free

1. Luis Dominguez (Virginia Tech) – 1:33.61
2. Sebastien Sergile (UVA) – 1:34.98
3. Jakub Poliacik (Virginia Tech) – 1:35.56

Luis Dominguez went under 1:34 for the third time in just over a week, winning in 1:33.61 today after going 1:33.94 and 1:33.66 last weekend against Queens and South Carolina. That’a a season-best time for the Hokie veteran.

Score update: Virginia Tech 61, UVA 32

Women’s 100 Back

1. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 51.89
2. Reilly Tiltmann (UVA) – 52.13
3. Tess Howley (UVA) – 52.21

Spanish Olympian Carmen Weiler Sastre shaved 0.05s off her yards best, using a strong back half to touch ahead of UVA’s Reilly Tiltmann (52.13) and Tess Howley (52.21).

Men’s 100 Back

1. Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech) – 45.07 **pool record*
2. Spencer Nicholas (UVA) – 45.93
3. Mario Molla Yannes (Virginia Tech) – 46.51

A trio of swimmers who are generally better know for their butterfly rater than backstroke took the top three spots. Youssef Ramadan, the 2023 NCAA champion in the 100 fly, got his hand on the fall first here with a season-best 45.07. UVA’s Spencer Nicholas, who set the 100 fly school record a couple months ago, took 2nd in 45.93, knocking 0.06s off his best time. Mario Molla Yannes of Virginia Tech finished 3rd in 46.51.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Women’s 100 Breast

1. Zoe Skirboll (UVA) – 59.29
2. Katie Christopherson (UVA) – 1:01.16
3. Emily Santos (Virginia Tech) – 1:01.57

Zoe Skirboll put the Cavalier women back in the win column with a 59.29, the only time under a minute in the field. That’s just off her season-best of 59.23 and her lifetime best of 59.11.

Men’s 100 Breast

1. Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 50.78 **tied ACC Record** **pool record*
2. Ethan Maloney (Virginia Tech) – 53.36
3. Matthew Heilman (UVA) – 54.30

Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti not only set a pool record, but he tied the overall conference record with a lifetime best of 50.78. Coll Marti came into today with a lifetime best of 50.95 from last year’s ACC championships. Today’s mark appears to tie the ACC record belonging to Louisville’s Denis Petrashov.

Women’s 200 Fly

1. Katie Grimes (UVA) – 1:53.23 **pool record*
2. Alex Walsh (UVA) – 1:53.86
3. Bailey Hartman (UVA) – 1:57.57

Nothing quite like beating the NCAA record-holder in your very first college race. UVA freshman Katie Grimes led from start to finish, staying ahead of teammate Alex Walsh the whole race. Grimes, who has a lifetime best of 1:52.28 from over two years ago, touched in 1:53.23, followed by Walsh at 1:53.86.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Men’s 200 Fly

1. Hayden Bellotti (UVA) – 1:43.69
2. Landon Gentry (Virginia Tech) – 1:45.74
3. Matt Styczen (UVA) – 1:45.79

Hayden Bellotti brought an end to the Hokie men’s winning streak by winning the 200 fly by nearly two seconds. Virginia Tech’s Landon Gentry got his hands on the wall just ahead of UVA’s Matthew Styczen, 1:45.74 to 1:45.79.

Women’s 50 Free

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 20.74 **pool record*
2. Anna Moesch (UVA) – 22.00
3. Aimee Canny (UVA) – 22.77

Gretchen Walsh already had the fastest time in the nation this season with a 20.54 from midseason, and she came within two-tenths of that time here today. No other woman has been under 21 this season. Anna Moesch was just a bit off her season best of 21.87 with her time of 22.00.

Men’s 50 Free

1. Brendan Whitfield (Virginia Tech) – 19.29
2. Connor Boyle (UVA) – 19.76
3. Jack Madoch (UVA) – 19.87

Hokie sophomore Brendan Whitfield hit a season-best time of 19.29 en route to the win. That’s faster than his 19.43 from midseason, and less than two-tenths off his lifetime best of 19.10 from last year’s ACC championships. UVA

Women’s 100 Free

1. Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 46.12 **pool record*
2. Maxine Parker (UVA) – 48.81
3. Leah Hayes (UVA) – 49.10

Gretchen Walsh looked smooth here, cruising to the fastest time in the nation with a 46.12. That’s about half a second faster than Camille Spink’s 46.61 from the Tennesse Invite.

Score update: UVA 123, Virginia Tech 46

Men’s 100 Free

1. Brendan Whitfield (Virginia Tech) – 42.67 **pool record*
2. Will Hayon (Virginia Tech) – 43.42
3. Connor Boyle (UVA) – 43.60

Like Walsh, Brendan Whitfield swept the shortest freestyle events, taking the 100 free by the better part of a second not long after winning the 50 free.

Score update: Virginia Tech 105, UVA 64

Women’s 200 Back

1. Katie Grimes (UVA) – 1:51.56
2. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 1:53.75
3. Emma Atkinson (Virginia Tech) – 1:55.79

Katie Grimes is now 2-2 in college competition after winning the 200 back by over two seconds. Her time of 1:51.56 puts her 13th in Division I this season, just ahead of Carmen Weiler Sastre, who took 2nd here in 1:53.75 after going 1:52.02 at midseason. Grimes owns a best time of 1:50.56 from December 2023.

Men’s 200 Back

1. Mario Molla Yannes (Virginia Tech) – 1:40.78 **pool record*
2. Nico Garcia (Virginia Tech) – 1:42.77
3. Jack Aikins (UVA) – 1:43.51

Mario Molla Yannes doesn’t appear to have swum a 200 yard backstroke until this past October. Today he won this event in 1:40.78, finishing ahead of Spanish Olympian Nico Garcia (1:42.77) and USA national teamer Jack Aikins (1:43.51), both of whom would probably consider this their strongest event.

Women’s 200 Breast

1. Emma Weber (UVA) – 2:09.63
2. Ella Bathurst (UVA) – 2:12.25
3. Emily Santos (Virginia Tech) – 2:12.88

UVA’s Emma Weber hit a season-best time while winning with a 2:09.63. Weber, who represented the US at the Olympics and Short Course Worlds last year, beat teammate Ella Bathurst (2:12.25) and Virginia Tech’s Emily Santos (2:12.88) by over two seconds.

Men’s 200 Breast

1. Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 1:51.03 **pool record*
2. Joseph Hong (Virginia Tech) – 1:58.57
3. Ethan Maloney (Virginia Tech) – 1:59.10

Carles Coll Marti put on a clinic, winning by over 7 seconds as part of a Hokie sweep of the top four spots. Pool records have been falling left and right today, but this was one particularly notable, as it was set by US Olympic Ed Moses at 1:53.30 back in 2002.

Coll Marti demolished that mark, stopping the clock in 1:51.03. He’s the ACC record holder with his time of 1:49.69 from 2022, and he currently has the fastest time in the country with a 1:50.09 from the NC State Invite.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Women’s 500 Free

1. Tess Howley (UVA) – 4:43.58
2. Anna Moesch (UVA) – 4:47.19
3. Kate Anderson (Virginia Tech) – 4:47.89

Tess Howley swam this event for the first time since she swam it at this same meet last year, but she improved her time by nearly ten seconds, winning in 4:43.58 after going 4:53.48 last year. Howley, who generally focuses on fly and back, recorded her first personal best since 2020 in the event today.

Teammate Anna Moesch, more known as a sprinter, swam her first 500 in almost two years, and also hit a lifetime best with her 2nd-place time of 4:47.19.

Men’s 500 Free

1. Luis Dominguez (Virginia Tech) – 4:22.27
2. David King (UVA) – 4:24.33
3. Lee Naber (Virginia Tech) – 4:27.04

Luis Dominguez picked up his second win of the day with a 4:22.27 in the 500 free. That’s actually faster than the 4:22.84 he swam at last year’s NCAAs, although he owns a lifetime best of 4:15.80 from the 2023 ACC Championships. David King, who won the 1000 free earlier in the day, took 2nd with a 4:24.33.

Women’s 100 Fly

1. Alex Walsh (UVA) – 51.98
2. Maggie Schalow (UVA) – 53.03
3. Bailey Hartman (UVA) – 53.04

This isn’t a race we’ve seen Alex Walsh race too often, but she’s made it something of an annual tradition to swim it in January. She’s only recorded  five college 100 fly races, and four of them have come in this month, and three of those have come against Virginia Tech. She’s gone between 51.87 and 52.74 in all five swims, with today’s 51.98 sitting right in the middle.

Walsh won today by over a second, while teammates Maggie Schalow (53.03) and Bailey Hartman (53.04) took 2nd and 3rd respectively, in a close race.

Score update: UVA 195, Virginia Tech 69

Men’s 100 Fly

1. Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech) – 44.97 **pool record*
2. Spencer Nicholas (UVA) – 45.54
3. Hayden Bellotti (UVA) – 46.45

Youssef Ramadan and Spencer Nicholas went 1-2 for the second time today, with Ramadan winning in 44.97 and Nicholas taking 2nd in 45.54. That’s a season-best time for Ramadan, while Nicholas remains 4th in the nation with a 44.41 from midseason.

Score update: Virginia Tech 174, UVA 90

Women’s 200 IM

1. Katie Grimes (UVA) – 1:55.62
2. Aimme Canny (UVA) – 1:55.63
3. Sienna Karp (UVA) – 2:01.85

Katie Grimes built up a strong lead on the front half, but teammate Aimee Canny nearly ran her down on the back half. Grimes hung on to win by the narrowest of margins, 1:55.62 to 1:55.63. Those times put the two Cavaliers 15th and 16th in the nation this season.

Men’s 200 IM

1. Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 1:42.61 **pool record*
2. Sebastien Sergile (UVA) – 1:44.99
3. Matt Styczen (UVA) – 1:47.31

Carles Coll Marti earned his third individual title of the day, smashing yet another UVA pool record in the process. That’s just 0.01s off his season-best time from the SMU Invite, which ranks him 17th in the nation this season. UVA’s Sebastien Sergile, who ranks 18th with a 1:42.63, finished 2nd in 1:44.99.

Women’s 400 Free Relay

1. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 3:16.71
2. UVA ‘A’ – 3:20.05
3. Virginia Tech ‘B’ – 3:25.20

The UVA women left their top sprinters off of this relay, and Virginia Tech took advantage of that to win by nearly three seconds with a 3:16.71. Carmen Weiler Sastre led off in 48.44, followed by Emily Claesson (48.81), Anna Summers (49.72), and Athena Meneses Kovacs (49.74). That’s about three seconds off the Hokies’ season-best time of 3:13.75, which ranks 15th in the nation this season.

Men’s 400 Free Relay

1. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 2:50.61 **pool record*
2. UVA ‘A’ – 2:53.71
3. Virginia Tech ‘B’ – 2:55.35

The Hokie men closed out the day with yet another pool record. Youssef Ramadan led off in 42.68, then Brendan Whitfield (42.72), Mario Molla Yanes (42.23) and Luis Dominguez (42.98) all split sub-43 as Virginia Tech won in 2:50.61. All four UVA swimmers split between 43.1 and 43.6 as the Cavaliers took 2nd in 2:53.71.

Video courtesy of UVA Swimming

Final Scores

• Women: UVA 211, Virginia Tech 72
• Men: Virginia Tech 185, UVA 98