Virginia’s Kate Douglass Drops 100 Free for 200 Breast at NCAA Championships

by Chris Oleksiak 8

March 02nd, 2022 ACC, College, News

2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships

  • March 16-19, 2022
  • Mcauley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA
  • Short Course Yards (SCY), Prelims/Finals
  • Pre-Selection Psych Sheets

Defending NCAA champion Kate Douglass will swim the 50 free, 100 fly, and 200 breast at the 2022 NCAA Swimming & Diving championships. This changes her schedule from the 2021 NCAA Championships and the ACC Championships this year, where she swam the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 free. 

Douglass was the ACC Champion this year in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly and was the NCAA Champion in the 50 in 2021. She was also the runner-up in the 100 free and 100 fly at the 2021 NCAA Championships. 

According to the pre-selection psych sheet, Douglass goes into the NCAA Championships ranked 1st in the 50 free, 3rd in the 100 fly, and 1st in the 200 breast. Her seed time of 2:03.14 in the 200 breast, which she swam in a time trial at the Cavalier Invite in February, would have won the NCAA title in 2021. Her time at ACCs in the 100 free was a 46.81, which would also rank 1st according to the pre-selection psych sheet. 

Douglass’ Potential Schedule 

Day 1

  • 200 Medley Relay Final

Day 2

  • 50 Free Prelims/Finals
  • 200 Free Relay Finals

Day 3

  • 100 Fly Prelims/Finals
  • 400 Medley Relay Finals

Day 4

  • 200 Breast Prelims/Finals
  • 400 Free Relay Finals 

Douglass faces teammate Gretchen Walsh and Michigan’s Maggie Macneil in the 50 free. Douglass is the second-fastest woman of all time in the event, behind American-record holder Abbey Weitzeil. Macneil finished 2nd in 2021 behind Douglass by just .04. Douglass’ seed time of 21.00 is faster than what she swam to win the event last year (21.13). 

In the 100 fly, Douglass goes up against Macneil once again. Macneil is the NCAA record-holder in the event, swimming a 48.89 last year, and won Olympic gold in the 100m fly at the Tokyo Olympics. Stanford freshman and Olympian Torri Huske is the top seed in the event this year with a time of 49.43, which would have finished 2nd at the NCAA Championship last year. Huske is the American record holder in the 100m fly and finished just .01 off the podium at Tokyo. 

Douglass is also the top seed in the 200 breast, coming in just ahead of defending NCAA champion Sophie Hansson from NC State. The fastest swimmer in the NCAA this season, Virginia teammate Alex Walsh, is not swimming the race. 

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Team Lydia
2 years ago

Douglass will win the 200 Breast (2:02.47), her teammate Ella Nelson will be there with her (2:03.45), and Sophie Hansson will be 2:04.56.

jeff
2 years ago

crazy that she’s not even swimming 2 of the events where she’s #1 seed

Last edited 2 years ago by jeff
jeff
2 years ago

it just makes sense, she’s the clear favorite in the 200BR but has to compete with MacNeil and GWalsh in the 100 free (and she and Walsh will be taking points away from each other)

Joel Lin
2 years ago

She will be in the 2:01 handle & let’s see if anyone can get there with her.

The American & US Open record is gone gone gone after this event NCAA final is done.

2 years ago

Orrrr maybe she dropped the race because she could very well break the American Record in the event she chose over it?

Free Thinker
2 years ago

This is her best event, she’s just put it on the back burner for many years. She’s going to murder this race.

Hswolo
2 years ago

Wow, what a versatile athlete!

2Fat4Speed
2 years ago

That is a rare choice to have to make for NCAAs!