Katharine Berkoff Moves to #4 All-Time in 100 Back, Sets ACC Record

2021 NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Wednesday, March 17 – Saturday, March 20, 2021
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center / Greensboro, NC (Eastern Time Zone)
• Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6 PM (Local Time)
• Short course yards (SCY) format
• Defending champion: Stanford (3x) – 2019 results
• Streaming: ESPN3
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results – Swimming
• Live Results – Diving
• Day 3 Prelims Recap

NC State sophomore Katharine Berkoff earned her first individual NCAA title tonight, as she went under 50.0 for the first time to touch in 49.74 en route to winning the 100 back. Berkoff came into this meet with a lifetime best of 50.40, which she set back in December at UNC’s invite. Yesterday, she led off NC State’s 400 medley relay in 50.07, helping the Wolfpack to the fastest time ever in the event.

This morning, she nearly marched that time with a 50.16, then ripped past the 50.0 barrier tonight en route to a 49.74 victory. That time broke the ACC record of 50.01. which UVA’s Courtney Bartholomew set back in 2014.

Berkoff’s time tonight also moves her into to #4 all-time, just ahead of the 49.76 that Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil hit last night leadoff off Michigan’s medley relay.

All-Time Top Performers, 100 Yard Back

1. Regan Smith – 49.16
2. Beata Nelson – 49.18
3. Ally Howe – 49.69
4. Katharine Berkoff – 49.70
5. Maggie MacNeil – 49.76

With Regan Smith having just set the all-time record in this event five days ago, three of the five fastest performers in history have set their marks in the last week. Smith has committed to Stanford, and while MacNeil didn’t swim the 100 back this week individually, opting instead to focus on the 100 fly, we should get to see some great battles between these three women at next year’s NCAAs.

Berkoff’s record was the third ACC record of night, joining UVA’s Ella Nelson (400 IM) and NC State teammate Sophie Hansson (100 breast).

Notably, Katharine’s father, David Berkoff, won this event at the 1987 and 1989 Men’s NCAA Championships, in addition to four medals at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.