2024 ACC Championships, Day 5 Scratches: Berkoff Drops 200 BK, Goes in on #3 100 FR Seed

By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

2024 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24, 2023
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions: NC State men / Virginia women
• Full Event Schedule
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Live Streaming
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap

TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 4

Women:

1. Virginia — 1178.5
2. NC State — 869
3. Louisville — 841
4. UNC — 627.5
5. Duke — 621.5
6. Florida State — 435
7. Virgina Tech — 429.5
8. Georgia Tech — 392
9. Notre Dame — 366
10. Pitt — 332
11. Miami (FL) — 299

Men:

1. NC State — 1063.5
2. Notre Dame — 746.5
3. Virginia Tech — 666.5
4. Louisville — 664
5. Florida State — 538
6. Virgina — 534.5
7. UNC — 529
8. Pitt — 438
9. Georgia Tech — 392
10. Duke — 198
11. Miami — 94

This morning’s last ACC prelims session is set to feature the women’s and men’s 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and early 1650 free heats plus men’s platform diving prelims.

• Day 5 Prelims Heat Sheet
• Day 5 Mile Early Heats

After winning the 100 back yesterday, NC State’s Katharine Berkoff has opted out of the 200 back for day five prelims, where she was the top seed by a second-and-a-half. This now gives Virginia Tech’s Caroline Bentz the new top seed at 1:52.43.

Instead, Berkoff will swim the 100 free, where she is seeded third at 47.18. She’s setting herself up for a sprint freestyle re-match against UVA duo #1 Gretchen Walsh (46.40) and #2 Jasmine Nocentini (46.75). Previously in the 50 free final, Berkoff settled for third at 21.23 behind the UVA 1-2 finish from Walsh and Nocentini. Notably, Berkoff led off the 200 free relay in a PB of 21.14, but still would have placed third in the final.

During the 400 medley relay finals, Berkoff swam freestyle instead of backstroke for NC State, splitting an attention-grabbing 46.09. That’s a few tenths faster than Walsh and Nocentini’s entry times. Berkoff’s 2023 career flat-start best sits at 46.87, not far off Nocentini’s 46.75 PB. However, Walsh is the one swimmer of the three to break 46 seconds with a 45.61 PB.

On a different note, teammate Abby Arens is scratching her No.11 seed in the 100 free (48.89) in favor of her strong No. 4 seed in the 200 breast. Her entry time is 2:07.57, within striking distance of No. 2 Virginia’s Ella Nelson (2:06.10) and No. 3 Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley (2:06.92). Arens was the 100 breast runner-up earlier in the meet.

After winning the 200 IM, NC State’s Arsenio Bustos will be taking on the 200 breast. Bustos scratched his No.20 100 free seed (43.36). Instead, he his seeded 17th in the 200 breast at 1:57.65. Previously, Bustos placed 17th to win the 200 free C-final.

Though NC State saw scratches from No.4 Lance Norris and No. 7 Samuel Flack in the 1650 free, the Wolfpack still has four swimmers up, including top two seeds Kenneth Nelson and Ross Dant.

Collectively, NC State saw six notable scratches from day five prelims.

Day 5 TOP 16 SCRATCHES

Women’s 200 Back

• #1 Katharine Berkoff (NC State)

Men’s 200 Back

• #13 Mason Herbet (Florida State)

Women’s 100 Free

• #11 Abby Arens (NC State)

Men’s 200 Breast

• #8 Conall Monahan (NC State)

Men’s 1650 Free

• #4 Lance Norris (NC State )
• #7 Samuel Flack (NC State)
• #13 Jack Rowell (Florida State)

SwimSwam: 2024 ACC Championships, Day 5 Scratches: Berkoff Drops 200 BK, Goes in on #3 100 FR Seed