Gretchen Walsh Swims #2 Fastest 100 Fly All-Time With 48.26 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 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 48.25, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• Meet Record:48.46, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• American Record: 48.25, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• US Open Record: 48.25, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• Pool Record: 49.85, Erika Brown (Tennessee) – 2019
• 2023 Champion:48.46, Kate Douglass (Virginia)

Top 3:

1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 48.26 ***New Meet and Pool Record***
2. Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 49.73
3. Olivia Bray (Texas) – 50.33

Gretchen Walsh swam the 2nd fastest 100 butterfly in history with a 48.26 in prelims at 2024 NCAAs. That was only a single one-hundredth off of her own NCAA and American Record of a 48.25 that she swam at ACCs.

Walsh led from the start, besides the reaction time of a 0.77, splitting a 10.30 on the first 25 before splitting a 22.34 on the first 50. That was faster than she was when she set her record last month and she came home just 0.08 slower. Walsh is the top seed in tonight’s final. She was the only swimmer under the 49 second mark and only Emma Sticklen of Texas was under the 50-second mark as she swam a 49.73.

Gretchen’s swim broke Kate Douglass‘s old NCAA meet record of a 48.46 that, at the time, was also the NCAA and American record.

Last night, Walsh swam a new NCAA and American record in the 50 free with a 20.37. On night 1, she swam the fastest 50 back split of all-time with a 22.10 leading off Virginia’s 200 medley relay to a win.

All-Time Top-10 Official Performances, SCY Women’s 100 Fly

1. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 48.25 (2024)
2. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 48.26 (2024)
3. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 48.46 (2023)
4. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.51 (2023)
5. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 48.84 (2023)
6. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.89 (2021)
7. Torri Huske, Stanford — 48.96 (2023)
8. Maggie MacNeil, LSU – 48.99 (2023)
9. Kate Douglass, Virginia — 49.04 (2022)
10. Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 49.11 (2023)

*Note: According to USA Swimming, Walsh’s 48.30 is an unofficial 100 fly time, however is plainly the No. 3 performance all-time

SwimSwam: Gretchen Walsh Swims #2 Fastest 100 Fly All-Time With 48.26 In Prelims