2025 NCAA Women’s Champs: Day 1 Relays Analysis – 20s for Walsh (Fly), Huske, Dennis, Paegle

2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• March 19-22, 2025
• Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center – Federal Way, Washington
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
• Meet Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Women’s 200 Medley Relay – Timed Final

• NCAA Record: 1:31.51 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Cuomo, Douglass) (2023)
• Championship Record: 1:31.51 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Cuomo, Douglass) (2023)
• American Record: 1:31.51 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Cuomo, Douglass) (2023)
• S. Open Record: 1:31.51 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Cuomo, Douglass) (2023)
• 2024 Champion: Virginia (G. Walsh, Nocentini, Novelline, Parker) – 1:31.58

Podium:

1. Virginia (Curzan, A Walsh, G Walsh, Parker) – 1:31.10
2. Stanford (Parkhe, Thomas, Johnson, Huske) – 1:33.00
3. Louisville (Karl, Larsen, Albiero, Dennis) – 1:33.41
4. California – 1:33.54
5. Florida – 1:33.92
6. (tie) NC State / Texas – 1:34.00
7. –
8. Arizona State – 1:34.54

Virginia came out swinging, winning their fifth consecutive NCAA title in the 200 medley relay and destroying all the records in the books. Claire Curzan, Alex Walsh, and Gretchen Walsh swam the fastest back, breast, and fly legs, respectively, while Maxine Parker was eighth among the anchors.

The team that played it closest to the edge was NC State, whose combined reaction times for the rolling starts totaled 0.15: Aubree Brouwer (r:0.07), Leah Shackley (r:0.00), and Olivia Nel (r:0.08).

Backstroke Leg

Florida’s Bella Sims and Emma Sticklen of Texas were the second- and third-fastest backstroke leadoffs, both going under 23.5. Indiana’s Kacey McKenna, NC State’s Erika Pelaez and Florida State’s Alice Velden were better than 23.6.

Breaststroke Leg

After Alex Walsh, only Lucy Thomas of Stanford cracked the 26-second barrier on the breaststroke. Cal’s Lea Polonsky and Tennessee’s McKenzie Siroky were 26.0s, and Anita Bottazzo of Florida went 26.1. Five more breaststrokers broke 26.5 seconds.

Butterfly Leg

Gretchen Walsh’s 20.88 put the Cavaliers out front by two body lengths, but she was .01 off her best-ever split of 20.87 from the dual meet against Virginia Tech earlier this year. Sophie Yendell of Pitt (22.20), Wisconsin’s Phoebe Bacon (22.28), and NC State’s Leah Shackley were the only other sub-22.5s. Fourteen swimmers were under 23 seconds on the fly.

Freestyle Leg

Three anchors broke 21 seconds: Torri Huske of Stanford (20.39), Julia Dennis of Louisville (20.48), and Kristina Paegle of Indiana (20.96). Mary-Ambre Moluh of Cal was 21.0, while five others broke 21.5 seconds.

Women’s 800 Freestyle Relay – Timed Final

• NCAA Record: 6:44.13 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Canny, Curzan) (2025)
• Championship Record: 6:45.91 – Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky) (2017)
• American Record: 6:45.91 – Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky) (2017)
• S. Open Record: 6:44.13 – Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Canny, Curzan) (2025)
• 2024 Champion: Florida (Sims, Ivey, Weyant, Cronk) – 6:48.59

Podium:

1. Stanford (Bricker, Roghair, Nordmann, Wilson) – 4:46.98
2. Virginia (A Walsh, Canny, Moesch, Grimes) – 6:51.29
3. Florida (Sims, Brousseau, Weyant, Kruger) – 6:53.41
4. Texas – 6:53.49
5. Michigan – 6:53.63
6. Tennessee – 6:53.87
7. USC – 6:54.45
8. Indiana – 6:55.14

Stanford dominated the last heat of 800 free relays, winning by over 5 seconds. It was Michigan’s Stephanie Balduccini, however, who torched the first leg, though, going 1:41.29 to put the Wolverines out front by half a body at the first exchange. Behind her, Caroline Bricker was in second place with 1:41.73, touching just ahead of USC’s Minna Abraham (1:41.92).

Stanford took over the lead on the second leg with Aurora Roghair’s 1:41.89. USC, swimming in lane 8, moved past Michigan on Claire Tuggle’s 1:43.18.

Stanford continued to extend their lead on leg 3, thanks to a 1:41.16 from Lillie Nordmann (5:04.78). The field tightened up behind her, with Anna Moesch going 1:42.80 to put Virginia into second place with 5:08.32. Michigan was now third (5:09.00), Texas (5:09.41) moved up to challenge USC (5:09.24), and Florida was just a tick behind (5:09.74).

Stanford finished with a 1:42.20 anchor from Kayla Wilson. Katie Grimes maintained Virginia’s position at #2 (1:42.97), while Florida’s Lainy Kruger touched out Texas (Ava Longi), and Michigan (Christey Liang).

The fastest rolling split of the night came from Indiana’s second leg, Anna Peplowski (1:40.97).

Leadoff Leg

Rolling Splits