University of Virginia sophomores David King and Spencer Nicholas had an exciting battle in the final of the men’s 100 backstroke during last weekend’s Cavalier Invite in Charlottesville.
The two swimmers had near-identical splits, with Nicholas holding a narrow lead through the halfway mark before King managed to ramp up the stroke rate in the closing yards and touch first in a time of 45.69, just ahead of Nicholas’ 45.78.
Split Comparison
| King | Nicholas |
| 22.38 | 22.35 |
| 23.31 | 23.43 |
| 45.69 | 45.78 |
RACE VIDEO
Courtesy of UVA Swimming on YouTube
The swim for both swimmers was just shy of their season-bests from the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge, with King having been 45.59 and Nicholas clocking 45.75—those swims rank them 26th and 31st in the NCAA this season, respectively.
Both also established their current best times at the 2025 ACC Championships, where King placed 3rd in 45.11 and Nicholas took 12th in 45.49. King’s swim put him just shy of the current Virginia school record, which stands at 45.05 from Matt Brownstead in 2024.
King, Nicholas and their University of Virginia teammates are preparing for the 2026 ACC Championships, which kick off next week in Atlanta.
Their ultimate goal will be to qualify for the NCAA Championships in March, which both managed to do last year, with King taking 26th in the 100 back and 33rd in the 500 free, while Nicholas was 21st in the 200 IM and 24th in the 100 fly.
ABOUT FLUIDRA
At Fluidra, our mission is to create the perfect pool experience for all aquatic enthusiasts, from recreational swimmers to competitive athletes. We believe the perfect race starts with the perfect pool, which is why we provide superior, high-performance equipment and accessories. Whether for racing or relaxation, our leading brands — including S.R. Smith, Jandy, and Polaris and more — ensure an optimal aquatic environment, enhancing every swim experience.
SOCIAL
LINKEDIN: @Fluidra North America
FACEBOOK: @Fluidra North America
YOUTUBE: @FluidraNorthAmerica
INSTAGRAM @jandypool
FACEBOOK: @srsmithpools
INSTAGRAM: @srsmithpools
YOUTUBE: @srsmith
Fluidra is a SwimSwam Partner.
