Swimming

2024 W. NCAAs: Watch Gretchen Walsh Crush a 47.42 100 Butterfly (Day 3 Race Videos)

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By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

2024 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

[intro]

400 Individual Medley — Final

Courtesy: ugaswimming

  • NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
  • Meet Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
  • American Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
  • US Open Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
  • Pool Record: 3:59.26, Elizabeth Beisel (Florida) – 2014
  • 2023 Champion: Alex Walsh (Virginia) – 3:57.24

Top 8:

  1. Alex Walsh (Virginia) — 3:55.97 *Pool Record* 
  2. Emma Weyant (Florida) — 3:59.00
  3. Lucy Bell (Stanford) — 4:01.23
  4. Caroline Bricker (Stanford) — 4:02.14
  5. Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) — 4:02.51
  6. Ella Nelson (Virginia) — 4:04.33
  7. Zoe Dixon (Florida) — 4:04.93
  8. Paige Maceachern (UCLA) — 4:08.95

In the 200 IM yesterday, Alex Walsh became the second-fastest swimmer in history. She replicated that here in the 400 IM, vaulting from 6th to be only behind Ella Eastin‘s NCAA record performance.

Walsh was ahead of Eastin’s pace through the middle of the race but fell off during the freestyle leg. Still, she split 54.12/58.91/1:06.67/56.27 en route to her title in a speedy 3:55.97.

Emma Weyant posted a personal best 4:00.98 in prelims. She smashed that time in the final by 1.98 seconds, breaking 4:00 for the first time in her career and taking 2nd place.

Stanford had a strong showing in the final, earning 3rd and 4th courtesy of sophomore Lucy Bell and freshman Caroline Bricker. Both swam personal bests.

100 Butterfly — Final

Courtesy: ugaswimming

Top 8:

  1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) — 47.42 *New Everything Record* 
  2. Emma Sticklen (Texas) — 49.70
  3. Olivia Bray (Texas) — 50.52
  4. Kelly Pash (Virginia) — 50.55
  5. Meghan Lee (Auburn) — 50.72
  6. Olivia Peoples (Florida) — 50.93
  7. Gigi Johnson (Stanford) — 50.99
  8. Mia Kragh (California) — 51.27

Even compiling these race videos, I’m still having a hard time believing that just happened. Gretchen Walsh obliterated all her records in the 100 butterfly, storming past her old NCAA record (48.25) and the 48-second barrier with an incredible 47.42.

Walsh popped up after her start half a body length ahead of the field. She turned at the 25-yard mark in 9.94, and hit the halfway point in a blistering 21.75. She split 25.67 on the way home to her history-making 47.42.

Walsh won the race by well over two seconds. Emma Sticklen led a 2-3-4 finish for the Texas Longhorns with a new personal best of 49.70, shaving a few hundredths off her prelims PB. Olivia Bray took 3rd, out-touching teammate Kelly Pash by three-hundredths. Last year, Pash raced the 200 freestyle on Day 3.

200 Freestyle — Final

Courtesy: ugaswimming

  • NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (California) – 2015
  • Meet Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (California) – 2015
  • American Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (California) – 2015
  • US Open Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (California) – 2015
  • Pool Record: 1:41.23, Missy Franklin (California) – 2014
  • 2023 Champion: Taylor Ruck (Stanford) – 1:42.36

Top 8:

  1. Bella Sims (Florida) — 1:40.90 *Pool Record*
  2. Anna Peplowski (Indiana) — 1:40.97
  3. Minna Abraham (USC) — 1:41.96
  4. Aimee Canny (Virginia) — 1:42.33
  5. Chloe Stepanek (Texas A&M) — 1:42.92
  6. Kayla Wilson (Stanford) — 1:43.23
  7. Isabel Ivey (Florida) — 1:43.79

DQ: Camille Spink (False Start)

It came down to the touch between Bella Sims and Anna Peplowski. They each attacked the race differently; Sims jumped out to the lead and turned in 48.90 at the 100-yard mark. She was the only person in the field out in under 49 seconds.

The field began to creep up on her during the third 50 with three swimmers outsplitting Sims. Peplowski has showcased her strong back half throughout these championships. She continued to eat into Sims’ lead over the final 50 yards. At the touch, Sims held on by seven-hundredths winning 1:40.90 to 1:40.97. Sims equalled her season-best while Peplowski’s time marked her first sub-1:41 outing.

USC’s Minna Abraham earned third. The Hungarian freshman 1:41.96, getting back under 1:42 for the first time since her 1:41.38 at the Texas Invitational.

100 Breaststroke — Final

Courtesy: ugaswimming

  • NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (Indiana) – 2019
  • Meet Record: 55.73, Lilly King (Indiana) – 2019
  • American Record: 55.73, Lilly King (Indiana) – 2019
  • US Open Record: 55.73, Lilly King (Indiana) – 2019
  • Pool Record: 56.76, Mona McSharry (Tennessee) – 2024
  • 2023 Champion: Lydia Jacoby (Texas) – 57.03

Top 8:

  1. Jasmine Nocentini (Virginia) — 56.09 *Pool Record*
  2. Mona McSharry (Tennesee) — 56.64
  3. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC) — 56.67
  4. Anna Elendt (Texas) — 57.01
  5. Lydia Jacoby (Texas) — 57.13
  6. Hannah Bach (Ohio State) — 57.40
  7. Josie Panitz (Ohio State) — 58.38
  8. Stasya Makarova (Auburn) — 58.94

Jasmine Nocentini was out first at the 50, turning in 26.24. However, was on the final 25 yards that she exploded. She split 15.03 on the last 25 yards, dropping the hammer to win her first individual NCAA title in 56.09. Nocentini broke 57 seconds for the first time in prelims with a 56.96, taking lane 5 for the final. She just blew past that time by .90 seconds, becoming the 2nd fastest performer in history.

Mona McSharry and Kaitlyn Dobler also climbed the all-time performers list with their personal bests en route to 2nd and 3rd place. McSharry dropped .12 seconds from her prelims personal best to move into a tie with Molly Hannis for 3rd all-time, while Dobler took over possession of the 5th spot in 56.67.

100 Backstroke — Final

Courtesy: ugaswimming

Top 8:

  1. Katharine Berkoff (NC State) — 48.55 *Pool Record*
  2. Isabelle Stadden (California) — 50.47
  3. Kennedy Noble (NC State) — 50.54
  4. Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) — 50.55
  5. Josephine Fuller (Tennessee) — 50.56
  6. Kacey McKenna (Indiana) — 50.65
  7. Celia Pulido (SIU) — 50.73
  8. Miranda Grana (Texas A&M) — 51.65

Katharine Berkoff dominated the 100 backstroke final, earning the win in a new personal best of 48.55. That surpasses the 48.70 personal best she swam to win her fifth ACC 100 backstroke title. This win here earns her her third NCAA 100 backstroke title at her final NCAAs.

Isabelle Stadden won a close race for 2nd place in 50.47. Right behind her, third through fifth were separated by just .02 seconds. Kennedy Noble made it a 1-3 finish for the Wolfpack, getting the better of Phoebe Bacon and Josephine Fuller.

400 Medley Relay — Final

Courtesy: uvaswimming

  • NCAA Record: 3:21.80, Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, K. Douglass, A. Canny) — 2023
  • Meet Record: 3:22.34, Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Wenger, A. Walsh, K. Douglass) — 2022
  • American Record: 3:22.34, Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Wenger, A. Walsh, K. Douglass) — 2022
  • U.S. Open Record: 3:21.80, Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, K. Douglass, A. Canny) — 2023
  • Pool Record: 3:27.84, Virginia (C. Bartholomew, L. Simon, E. Williamson, E. Thomas) — 2014
  • 2023 Champion: 3:22.39, Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, K. Douglass, A. Canny)

Top 8:

  1. Virginia (G. Walsh, J. Nocentini, A. Walsh, M. Parker) — 3:21.01 *NCAA, Meet, U.S. Open, Pool Records*
  2. Texas (B. Berglund, A. Elendt, E. Sticklen, K. Pash) — 3:24.92
  3. Tennessee (J. Fuller, M. McSharry, S. Stotler, C. Spink) — 3:25.39
  4. Florida — 3:25.64
  5. USC — 3:25.76
  6. NC State — 3:27.12
  7. Duke — 3:28.71
  8. California — 3:28.91

The Virginia women broke their own NCAA, Meet, U.S. Open, and Pool Records to close out an exceptional day of racing. Three of their four relay legs won individual NCAA titles during this session: G. Walsh, Nocentini, and A. Walsh.

G. Walsh clocked a 48.26 100 backstroke with a long finish, handing Nocentini the lead and clean water. Nocentini extended the lead with a 56.34 100 breast split that makes her the 3rd fastest performer in a rolling 100 breaststroke. She handed off to the 400 IM champion A. Walsh. She almost matched her split from 2024 ACCs with a 49.15, which just continued to extend UVA’s lead. Maxine Parker brought them home in 47.26, stopping the clock at 3:21.01 and obliterating the NCAA record by .79 seconds.

It was a battle for second place behind Virginia’s record-breaking effort. Texas moved into 2nd place during Sticklen’s butterfly leg where she split 49.67. Pash held on for the Longhorns on the anchor, giving them 2nd place in 3:24.92. Tennessee held of Florida in a repeat of the SEC 400 medley final, taking 3rd place in 3:25.39.

Scores Thru Day 3

  1. Virginia — 360.5
  2. Texas — 319
  3. Florida — 267
  4. Tennessee — 185
  5. Stanford — 177
  6. USC — 157
  7. Indiana — 138
  8. Louisville — 136
  9. NC State — 114
  10. California — 110
  11. Ohio State — 104
  12. Michigan — 102.5
  13. Georgia — 83
  14. Texas A&M — 79
  15. UNC — 76
  16. Wisconsin – 58
  17. Duke — 57
  18. Auburn — 49
  19. Minnesota — 27
  20. UCLA — 26
  21. LSU/Purdue/Utah/Alabama — 19
  22. (tie)
  23. (tie)
  24. (tie)
  25. SIU — 12
  26. Arizona State — 11
  27. Northwestern — 8
  28. Kansas — 6
  29. Notre Dame/Virginia Tech/Rutgers/Miami (OH) — 6
  30. (tie)
  31. (tie)
  32. (tie)
  33. Cincinatti/Florida State — 4
  34. (tie)
  35. Houston/Miami (FL) — 3
  36. (tie)
  37. Akron — 2
  38. Arkansas — 1

SwimSwam: 2024 W. NCAAs: Watch Gretchen Walsh Crush a 47.42 100 Butterfly (Day 3 Race Videos)

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