Gretchen Walsh Breaks Own NCAA Record With 20.41 50 Freestyle In PRELIMS

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 20-23, 2024
• Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

DAY 2 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET 

50 YARD FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 20.57, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) — 2024
• Meet Record: 20.79, Maggie MacNeil (LSU) — 2023
• American Record: 20.57, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) — 2024
• US Open Record: 20.57, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) — 2024
• Pool Record: 21.15, Erika Brown (Tennessee) – 2019
• 2023 Champion: 20.79, Maggie MacNeil (LSU) — 2023

Top 8:

1.  Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 20.41 *** New Everything Record***
2.  Katharine Berkoff (NC State) – 21.23
3.  Jasmine Nocentini (Virginia) – 21.29
4.  Christiana Regenauer (Louisville) – 21.37
5.  Gabi Albiero (Louisville) – 21.54
6.  Brady Kendall (Michigan) – 21.69
7.  Julia Dennis (Louisville)/ Maxine Parker (Virginia)/Grace Cooper (Texas) – 21.71

Gretchen Walsh has done it again breaking her own NCAA and American record in the 50 freestyle swimming a 20.41 in the final heat of the morning.

Walsh broke her own record of a 20.57 that she swam just last month at the ACC Championships. There she swam a 20.77 in prelims setting a new record before swimming a 20.57.

TOP 5 50 FREE PERFORMANCES ALL-TIME

1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.41 (2024)
2. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.57 (2024)
3. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.77 (2024)
4. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.79 (2023)/Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 20.79 (2023)
5. –
6. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.83 (2023)

If Walsh swims faster than a 20.79 tonight, she will hold the top five swims in the event in history (while sharing #5 with Maggie MacNeil).

Walsh was the last one off of the blocks within her reaction time of a 0.76, the slowest of all the swimmers in the 50 freestyle this morning, but flipped first at the 25 mark in a 9.99. At ACCs, she flipped in a 10.05.

Walsh will be the top seed in tonight’s A final. Last night, Walsh swam the fastest 50 backstroke ever with a 22.10.

SwimSwam: Gretchen Walsh Breaks Own NCAA Record With 20.41 50 Freestyle In PRELIMS