Florida vs. Virginia Dual Meet: Session 1 Live Recap

Florida vs. Virginia

• Friday, October 10th, 2025
• Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL
• Dual Meet Format
• SCY
• Streaming via UVA’s Instagram channel
• Results on Meet Mobile as “UF vs VIRGINIA 101025”

The Virginia Cavaliers traveled south to Gainesville to kick off their dual meet season, while Florida split with Indiana last week. Florida has pretty well owned this dual meet series, with the men having taken 11 of the 12 contexts and the women 10 of 13. Last time these two teams met, last October, the Florida men won 231-69 and the UVA women won 181-119.

Today’s dual meet will be split into three sessions. The first session at 10am, features swimming. Then there will be a 12:30pm diving session, followed by a second swimming session at 4pm.

Women’s 400 Medley Relay

1. UVA ‘A’ – 3:25.91
2. Florida ‘A’ – 3:28.67
3. UVA ‘B’ – 3:28.84

The Florida women held the lead through the first half the of the race, as Catie Choate led off with a 51.90, then Anita Bottazzo delivered a stunning 55.96 breaststroke split. That looks to be the 4th-fastest split ever. The UVA women were over two seconds behind at the halfway point after a 52.36 leadoff from Brynn Greenwaldt and a 57.94 breast leg from Aimme Canny.

UVA was down, but not out, as Claire Curzan threw down a 49.26 fly split, and Anna Moesch powered home with a 46.35 anchor leg to win by nearly three seconds, 3:25.91 to 3:28.67. Beatriz Bezerra split 52.52 for Florida on the fly leg, and Lainy Kruger anchored in 48.29.

The Cavaliers’ time would’ve put them 5th at last year’s NCAA championships, where the UVA women won in 3:20.20.

Men’s 400 Medley Relay

1. UVA ‘A’ – 3:05.19
2. Florida ‘A’ – 3:05.66
3. UVA ‘B’ – 3:10.75

It was a similar story on the men’s side, as Jonny Marshall (45.51) and Aleksas Savickas (52.72) put the Gators in the lead through the first half against the Cavalier duo of Spencer Nicholas (46.21) and Maximus Williamson (52.41).

But with Josh Liendo racing at the World Cup stop, UVA freshman Thomas Heilman moved past Florida with a 44.36 fly split, then David King hung on with a 42.21 anchor leg to touch in 3:05.19.

The Gators’ back half featured Scotty Buff (46.01) and junior Devin Dilger, who dropped a 41.42 anchor leg (against a 42.72 individual best time) to nearly close on King, as the Gators finished in 3:05.66.

Women’s 1000 Free

1. Julie Brousseau (Florida) – 9:25.50
2. Katie Grimes (Virginia) – 9:36.79
3. Cavan Gormsen (Virginia) – 9:39.13

Florida sophomore Julie Brosseau handily won the first individual event of the day, taking the 1000 free by over ten seconds. Her winning time of 9:25.50 puts her at the top of the NCAA leaderboard in this still-young season, moving her past Kennedi Dobson‘s 9:29.94. That’s a big lifetime best for Brosseau, who struggled with injury last year as as freshman, but still managed to earn a point in the 1650 at NCAAs.

UVA’s Katie Grimes (9:36.79) and Cavan Gormsen (9:39.13) times put them 3rd and 4th in the nation this season.

Men’s 1000 Free

1. Ahmed Jaouadi (Florida) – 8:44.85
2. Giovanni Linscheer (Florida) – 9:00.22
3. Eric Brown (Florida) – 9:05.41

Again, the season is still very young, but Florida’s Ahmed Jaouadi rocketed to the top of the standings with a 8:44.85 win today, moving way past the previous leader, Tomas Koski of Georgia (8:56.95). Today was the first time swimming this event for Jaouadi, the Tunisian distance star.

Florida swept this event, with Giovanni Linscheer (9:00.22) and Eric Brown (9:05.41) rounding out the top three.

Women’s 50 Fly

1. Lawson Ficken (Virginia) – 23.60
2. Carly Novelline (Virginia) – 23.67
3. Beatriz Bezerra (Florida) – 24.00

Lawson Ficken won in her first individual event for the Cavaliers, getting her hands on the wall just ahead of teammate Carly Novelline, 23.60 to 23.67. Ficken transferred to UVA this offseason after spending the previous two seasons at Auburn.

Florida’s Beatriz Bezerra rounded out the top three with a 24.00.

Men’s 50 Fly

1. Thomas Heilman (Virginia) – 20.52
2. Scotty Buff (Florida) – 21.02
3. Spencer Nicholas (Virginia) – 21.35

Cavalier freshman Thomas Heilman, the #1 recruit in the class of 2025, kicked off his college career with a strong win, taking the 50 fly in a time of 20.52, exactly half a second ahead of Florida’s Scotty Buff (21.02).

Spencer Nicholas of UVA finished 3rd in 21.35.

Women’s 50 Breast

1. Anita Bottazzo (Florida) – 26.58
2. Zoe Skirboll (Virginia) – 27.35
3. Emma Weber (Virginia) – 27.54

Anita Bottazzo followed up her jaw-dropping breaststroke split earlier in the session with a big win in the 50 breast. The Gator won in 26.58, finishing nearly eight-tenths ahead of UVA’s Zoe Skirboll and US Olympian Emma Weber (27.54).

Men’s 50 Breast

1. Jay Gerloff (Virginia) – 24.92
2. Nil Cadevall (Florida) – 25.22
3. Aleksas Savickas (Florida) – 25.30

Both UVA and Florida are looking to fill breaststroke gaps this year. UVA’s Jay Gerloff was the only man to go under 25 today, touching in 24.92. Florida’s Nil Cadevall (25.22) and Aleksas Savickas (25.30) took the next two spots.

Women’s 200 IM

1. Aimee Canny (Virginia) – 1:55.03
2. Grace Rabb (Florida) – 1:57.00
3. Leah Hayes (Virginia) – 1:57.75

UVA senior Aimee Canny hit a lifetime best to take the win today, improving from 1:55.63 to 1:55.03. Assuming results are accurate (and they seem to be), Canny closed in 26.15, which would’ve been the fastest freestyle leg at last year’s NCAA championships.

Florida freshman Grace Rabb finished 2nd in 1:57.00, followed by UVA’s Leah Hayes (1:57.75).

Men’s 200 IM

1. Maximus Williamson (Virginia) – 1:43.55
2. Thomas Mercer (Virginia) – 1:46.62
3. Charlie Hutchison (Florida) – 1:48.77

UVA freshman Maximus Williamson, the #2 recruit in the class of 2025, also won his individual college debut in this event in strong fashion, going 1:43.55 to finish three seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Thomas Mercer, another Cavalier freshman, took 2nd in 1:46.62, followed by Florida’s Charlie Hutchison at 1:48.77.

Women’s 50 Back

1. Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 23.58
2. Catie Choate (Florida) – 24.46
3. Charlotte Wilson (Virginia) – 24.80

With Gretchen Walsh’s college career complete, Claire Curzan is probably the best back/fly swimmer in the NCAA right now, and after a sub-50 fly split in the medley relay, she easily took the 50 back with a time of 23.58.

Florida’s Catie Choate took 2nd in 24.46, not far off her lifetime best of 24.31 from last fall, and UVA’s Charlotte Wilson rounded out the top three with a 24.80, three-tenths shy of her personal best.

Men’s 50 Back

1. Jonny Marshall (Florida) – 21.45
2. Spencer Nicholas (Virginia) – 21.90
3. Scotty Buff (Florida) – 22.12

Jonny Marshall was the 6th-fastest NCAA swimmer in this event last season, and he handily won today, clocking a 21.45 to put him nearly half a second across the rest of the field.

UVA sophomore Spencer Nicholas was the Cavaliers’ primary butterflier last year and set the team record in the 100 fly. But with Heilman’s arrival, it looks like Nicholas may shift to backstroke more. He took 2nd today in 21.90, with Florida’s Scott Buff taking 3rd in 22.12.

Women’s 50 Free

1. Bryn Greenwaldt (Virginia) – 22.05
2. Anna Moesch (Virginia) – 22.07
3. Sara Curtis (Virginia) – 22.09

This was the race of the morning, at least in terms of close finishes. UVA senior Bryn Greenwaldt touched in 22.05, not far off her personal best of 21.92 from last year’s D2 NCAA Championships, when she was swimming for Augustana.

Teammates Anna Moesch (22.07) and Sara Curtis (22.09) finished just behind Greenwaldt, with all three swimmers touching within 0.04s of each other.

Men’s 50 Free

1. Devin Dilger (Florida) – 19.68
2. Jack Aikins (Virginia) – 19.75
3. Alex Painter (Florida) – 19.77

Florida junior Devin Dilger is looking like he may be an early candidate for breakout swimmer of the year. After a great anchor leg in the medley relay, Dilger took the win in the 50 free. His time of 19.68 isn’t far off her personal best of 19.53 from last season’s NCAA championships.

UVA’s Jack Aikins is primarily a backstroker in long course, but he seems to be stronger in the 50 free than the 50 back in short course, and he took 2nd today in 19.75, just ahead of Florida’s Alex Painter (19.77).