Alex Walsh Dropping 400 IM from Championship Lineup, Will Go Pro But Unsure About 2028

Alex Walsh is soaking in her season of lasts with her Virginia Cavaliers as the 5th-year nears the end of her legendary NCAA career. Walsh is a 19x NCAA Champion and 27x NCAA All-American, with heavy potential to add 5-7 honors to both of those lists come March. If/when that happens, Walsh will become the most decorated athlete in NCAA history.

One thing that has stood out about Walsh throughout her NCAA career is her versatility, contributing blazing 50 splits in breaststroke and freestyle in sprint relays while also being the 2x NCAA champion in the 400 IM. Walsh has swam 5 different individual events over her 4 NCAAs and looks to add a 6th. The reigning champ says she most likely won’t be competing in the 400 IM and signs in her training are pointing to her swimming the 100 breast on Day 3 of NCAAs.

Looking past NCAAs, Walsh says she will pursue a pro career and is excited for the opportunities that will bring. However, she looks to take that year-by-year and isn’t yet committed to swimming up until 2028. The 2x Olympian notes that it being a home Games is the only factor that would keep her in the competitive waters that long.

In This Story

87
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

87 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
swimfast
29 days ago

I think she has the best ahead of her. A Walsh has endured the BS in order to henceforth get best times and medals going forward. Honestly she is still in the hunt for the 200 IM WR

relay lover
29 days ago

She’s awesome!

Swimfan27
30 days ago

Darn, I wish she would gun for the 400 IM NCAA Record one last time.

Anonymous
Reply to  Swimfan27
29 days ago

Maybe at conference?

Aragon Son of Arathorne
Reply to  Anonymous
29 days ago

She can take down the AR if she swims it. Thats a good opportunity. But whatevs. Maybe she is just over the 4IM. That race was horrible to swim.

Go Bucky
Reply to  Aragon Son of Arathorne
29 days ago

She’s a couple seconds off that AR still. That record is insane. I think it’ll survive

Captain Bubbles
30 days ago

Her IM splits suggest she still has a great 200 back (once a main event for her). Or, maybe her backstroke just looks good swimming next to Douglass…

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Captain Bubbles
29 days ago

No, she’s a fantastic backstroker. It’s a strength on her IM, and I think if she trained the 2 back heavily, she would easily fight for that 2 spot at trials. She went a 2:08 I think at Pan Ams when she was still in high school?

swimfast
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
28 days ago

She went to Junior Worlds years ago in the 200 back as a youngster. I think she went 2:11

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
30 days ago

Good luck in the W 100 BR!

It could be a down year in the W 100 BR with K. Dobler and M. McSharry taking the fall semester off in addition to 5 of the top 7 from 2024 NCAA DI Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships not returning.

Bull Puoy
30 days ago

I knew it all along.
Event #3 for Alex at NCAAs 2025 = Platform Diving.
Tricky double with the 200 Breast on the same day, but Walshes are just built differently.

Last edited 30 days ago by Bull Puoy
Regan Smith 56 and 53 100 back
30 days ago

SwimSwam should do a poll “Will Gretchen break 20 in the 50 free on a flat start?” like the week before NCAAs

Pea brain
Reply to  Regan Smith 56 and 53 100 back
30 days ago

No

Aragon Son of Arathorne
Reply to  Regan Smith 56 and 53 100 back
29 days ago

stay on topic please

Gretchen Walsh 19.9 flat start
30 days ago

Curzan- 49.37 flat start
Walsh- 56.79 relay split
Walsh- 47.35 flat start
Moesch- 46.76 flat start

Total- 3:20.27
The record is going down

scall127
Reply to  Gretchen Walsh 19.9 flat start
30 days ago

and those are conservative splits

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

Read More »