Key Takeaways and Race Videos from Florida-Virginia Dual Meet

Florida vs. Virginia

• Friday, Oct. 13, 2023
• Stephen C. O’Connell Center
  • Gainesville, Florida
• SCY (25 yards)
• All races uploaded to SwimSwam’s YouTube Channel
• Results on MeetMobile: “UF vs. VIRGINIA”
• Editor’s note: everyone is wearing practice suits, including pros.
• Team Scores
  • Women: Virginia 164-Florida 136
  • Men: Florida 202-Virginia 93 (Exhibition aided)

You mean you don’t want to read all 4,000 words of the live recap we did about this meet earlier today?

• Final Team Scores:
  • Men:
    • Florida – 202
    • Virginia – 93
  • Women:
    • Virginia – 164
    • Florida – 136

Here are the highlights and some race videos:

1. Gretchen Walsh staked a claim. She had one of the best NCAA meets in history last year, overshadowed by her teammate Kate Douglass, but with Douglass graduated, all eyes are on Gretchen (and her older sister Alex). The 46.90 to end the meet was the best dual meet time in history that we could find, and she did it unsuited. She had a big day overall, winning both the 100 back (50.29) and 100 free (47.19) individually, and splitting 23.50 on the leadoff of Virginia’s 200 medley relay.

2. Emma Weyant is settling into her second season with Florida. Weyant, who started with Virginia in 2021-2022 before transferring to Florida last season, might have had her best meet (in context) as a Gator. She dropped a nation-leading 4:39.22 in the 500 free. That swim is faster than she swam in prelims at last year’s SEC Championships (where she finished 3rd) and almost as fast as she swam at NCAAs (and would have earned an A-Final at nationals). Then she went 4:07.51 in the 400 IM, an event that she only swam at one dual meet last year (a January matchup with Florida Atlantic). This felt like a turnaround meet for her – and I’m sure racing against her old teammates was good motivation.

3. Olivia Peoples and Micayla Cronk leveled up for the Gators. While the Virginia women won, depth from swimmers like Peoples and Cronk kept it closer than expected. Peoples split 23.18 on the 200 medley relay, faster than she was at NCAAs, and battles with Alex Walsh and Bella Sims in the 100 fly to a 3rd place finish in 52.48. Cronk, meanwhile, was 2nd in the 100 free (behind the defending NCAA Champion Gretchen Walsh of Virginia), in 48.90 – 1.2 seconds faster than she was a this meet last year. With Isabel Ivey on board, Florida has a shot at a top 5 finish at NCAAs – and this depth will help.

4. It could have been even closer, if Bella Sims had swum the 1000 free, for example, that would have closed the gap by a couple of points. As it was, 28 points is a good result for Florida. And Sims had a good meet overall, placing 2nd in the 100 back (51.79), winning the 200 back (1:52.49), and placing 2nd in the 100 fly (52.09), including big showdowns in the two 100-yard races. It seems so far like Florida is working to develop her backstroke and butterfly races versus her freestyle races.

5. The Florida Men are super deep, and this year’s freshman class is one that could build toward an NCAA title run. I don’t think the Gators have the top end this year to contend with Cal and Arizona State, but this class showed that it’s the type of group that has that potential before they graduate.

6. Virginia’s men got beat handily, but they were without some key pieces. Namely, NCAA title contenders Noah Nichols (breaststroke) and Jack Aikins (backstroke). Both were preparing for the Pan Am Games in Chile that start next week (as was Anna Keating of the women’s team, though Abby Harter did race on Friday). Those guys wouldn’t have been enough to make the men’s meet competitive, but we do have to adjust for them. Virginia transfer Anthony Grimm, who swam one season at Texas before sitting out last year, didn’t make the travel squad for Virginia. A generational-type talent out of high school, whether he gets back to that level or not will determine a lot about Virginia’s finish this season.

Race Videos

WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY

WOMEN’S 200 FREE

DRESSEL, LEDECKY, AND HINDS 200 FREE

MEN’S 200 FREE

WOMEN’S 100 BACK

MEN’S 100 BACK

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST

MEN’S 100 BREAST

WOMEN’S 200 FLY

MEN’S 200 FLY

WOMEN’S 50 FREE

MEN’S 50 FREE

WOMEN’S 100 FREE

MEN’S 100 FREE

WOMEN’S 200 BACK

MEN’S 200 BACK

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST

MEN’S 200 BREAST

WOMEN’S 100 FLY

MEN’S 100 FLY

PRO 100 FLY (DRESSEL)