2026 CAVALIER INVITE
- February 5th-7th, 2026
- Aquatic and Fitness Center, Charlottesville, VA
- Invite Format
- Results on Meet Mobile as “2026 Cavalier Invite”
- Day 1 Prelims Results
- Day 1 Finals Results
- Day 2 Prelims Results
- Day 2 Finals Results
The annual Cavalier Invite continued today in Charlottesville with events corresponding to day two of the legacy three-day championship schedule — the 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back.
For the second time today, Virginia’s Sara Curtis put up a headline swim in the 100 fly. This morning, she went under 52 for the first time. Tonight, she took another 0.35 seconds off her personal best, clocking a 50.68 to move up to #5 in the nation this season. Fellow Cavalier Carly Novelline followed in 51.09, taking almost half a second off her personal best.
Heading into championship season, it looked like Curtis, who represents Italy internationally and is in her first season of competing in yards, may have had a bit of a conundrum regarding the third individual event for her championship lineup. However, after today, it seems fairly clear that she’ll add the 100 fly alongside the 50 and 100 free, as well as likely most of the Cavaliers’ relays. So far this season, only Torri Huske (48.90), Claire Curzan (49.13), Miranda Grana (49.98), and Gigi Johnson (50.51) have been faster than Curtis. Curtis’ time should also hold up well at the NCAA Championships, where a 50.68 would’ve finished 5th last year.
Curzan swam tonight, but she contested the 200 free instead of the 100 fly. She won in a season-best time of 1:43.00, which moves her from 23rd to 17th in the nation this season. Cavan Gormsen took 2nd in 1:43.91, about half a second off her lifetime best, while yards newcomer Nina Jazy took 3rd in 1:45.93 to set a new personal best.
Freshman Sophia Umstead added another Cavalier victory in the 400 IM, pulling away for a 4:07.49 win after closing in under 59 seconds on the freestyle leg. That’s a big personal best for Umstead, moving her up from 36th to 19th nationally this season.
Zoe Skirboll picked up the win in the 100 breaststroke at 58.89 to shave 0.20 seconds off her season best. Virginia closed the women’s program with another win in the 100 backstroke, as freshman Sylvia Roy touched 1st in 52.92, about four-tenths shy of her lifetime best.
Campbell opened the session by placing its A and B relays 1st and 2nd in the 200 medley relay, with the A squad touching in 1:45.72 behind Natalie Kingsbury, Bella Butera, Julia Garcia, and Nicole Rubino. William & Mary’s A relay was disqualified.
On the men’s side, UVA freshman Thomas Heilman opted to race the 200 free over the 100 fly and won in 1:34.24. Heilman owns a personal best of 1:32.26 from December 2024, but hadn’t raced the event yet collegiately.
UVA’s Jay Gerloff claimed the 100 breaststroke in 53.03 to set a new personal best. David King closed the session by winning the 100 backstroke in 45.69, just off his midseason time of 45.61. King narrowly held off teammate Spencer Nicholas (45.78), who was just 0.03 seconds shy of his season-best time. Virginia went 1-2 in the 400 IM, with Dillon Wright winning in 3:50.02 and Thomas Mercer close behind in 3:52.53.
The only race that the Cavalier men didn’t win was the 100 butterfly, where William & Mary’s Blaise VanSlyke touched out Towson’s Julian Najarro Sedar, 49.88 to 50.14. Towson placed three swimmers in the top four. No men’s teams competed in the 200 medley relay this evening.
The Cavalier Invite continues tomorrow morning with prelims of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly, and we should see several of the top UVA swimmers who haven’t competed yet this meet, at least individually, including Katie Grimes, Aimee Canny, Maximus Williamson, and Jack Aikins.
There’s new competition for the fourth spot on the W 4 x 100 FR-R:
S. Curtis-C. Curzan-A. Moesch-?
It looks like K. Grimes is trying her hardest to opt out of the 1650 FR. On Day 4, it’s either the 200 BK or the 200 FL.
Is she trying to break away from distance swimming in general? Don’t think she has done the 1500 or any open water since joining UVA. Those are probably her best shots, along with the 400 IM, to get on an international team.
I am very curious about it as well, even 10-15 seconds off her PB still puts her ahead of the pbs of Weinstein & cox.
Based on her times and the schedule, Grimes will almost certainly be in the 1650 FR on the first day of the championships, especially since she is unlikely to have any relay duties. Then I would expect the 400 IM on day 2 and either the 500 FR on day 3 or 200 BK on day 4. The 200 BK may be more likely especially since Tess Howley likely won’t do it since the 200 FL and 200 BK are consecutive events on day 4. Additionally, multiple UVA swimmers are seeded higher than Grimes in the 500 FR.
Imagine going 50.6 in the 100 fly and being almost four seconds off the team record.
Right? She has changed the paradigm. A 48-point is still an otherworldly swim, and yet somehow not even that close.
Damn so close to Gretchens Record
4 second?
Pudar 51.9 in a time trial, but 53 in prelims and finals?
Ugh!
Another year having to wait for the W 4 x 200 FR-R until the ACC Championships.
I don’t really expect this to last (and neither one seems too caught up in the rivalry) but as a UVA fan, I’m obsessed with Curtis experimenting with the 100 fly and posting a time faster than Okaro’s season high in one of Okaro’s primary events. And the 5th-fastest time so far this year. Iconic.
Sara Curtis is extremely talented, as was clearly evident last year.
I can see her giving Huske a closest competition in 100 free at Nationals.
Anna moesch literally has the fastest PB
like Curtis, I would like to see Moesch try some other events.
two years ago at Y Nationals she swam 52s for 100 fly and 100 back
also has a 1:02 100 breast PB
after NCAA champs experiment?
Well she just went 1:56.3 in the 200 IM for you
and im assuming ur talking about NCAA “nationals” cuz why would Curtis be at American nationals
Huh? Giving Huske close comp in 100free at Nationals? 👀
puff, puff, pass. don’t hog it
👀👀
She was 1:02 in LCM this May and looks to be just getting the hang of this event. Makes me think of Caeleb really finding his fly speed late in college, and blowing past the rest of the world seemingly overnight.
My guess was a lot of it was UW.
She has a lot of pure speed. Not a ton are able to go out in 22.
I’m sure you’re right. Not a lot of people who have swum the event 5 times over all formats are able to go 50-point. It’ll be interesting to see how much or little that time progresses in March. I still stand by my comment above even if 100 swammers downvote it.
There aren’t a lot of females that can go 50
A fantastic pickup by Todd DeSorbo.
I can’t recall her swimming fly once in 2025. Where was this?
Barcelona meeting (Mare Nostrum Circuit) Swimrankings – Mare Nostrum, Barcelona (ESP), 21 – 22 Mag 2025
Dressel was 44mid (when that was still an all time great time) as a sophomore and 2nd to schooling