No. 5 Virginia Wins Two Events on Second Day of ACCs

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Feb. 18, 2016

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GREENSBORO, N.C.-The No. 5 Virginia women’s swimming and diving team won two events and took the lead on the second day of the ACC Championships Thursday (Feb. 18) at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

After two days, the Cavaliers lead with 486.5 points, ahead of NC State (441.5), Louisville (395.5) and North Carolina (334).

“We had a strong session tonight,” UVA head coach Augie Busch said. “The majority of our swims were faster in finals than in prelims, which is always the goal, and it was capped off by a very solid relay performance at the end. The women are battling and are fully engaged in the overall team effort, which is a pleasure to watch. Tomorrow can be a great day for us and we are looking forward to more opportunities to swim fast.”

Junior Leah Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa.) captured her third-consecutive 500-yard free ACC title in an ACC Championship-record time of 4:30.74. It is Smith’s sixth individual conference title and her ninth overall.

“I felt pretty good in my 500 and I was always like to start things off for the team in the first individual event of the meet,” Smith said. “I was right around my best time (4:30.37), so I’m excited to see what I can do at NCAA’s and what the rest of our girls can do.”

Senior Hanne Borgersen (Frederick, Md.) placed fifth in 4:39.80, while sophomore Cece Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.) was eighth in 4:44.17. Borgersen’s prelim time of 4:38.72 ranks fourth on UVA’s all-time list.

In the next event, senior Courtney Bartholomew (Holland, Mich.) won the 200 IM in a time of 1:55.63. It is Bartholomew’s 11th ACC title overall and her seventh individual conference championship, which ties her with Karen Burgess (’93), Brielle White (’06) and Lauren Perdue (’13) for the second-most individual ACC titles in Virginia women’s swimming and diving history. Cara Lane (’03) has the most with eight.

Junior Kaitlyn Jones (Newark, Del.) finished third in 1:56.46, while sophomore Jennifer Marrkand (Westport, Mass.) placed fifth in 1:57.89 and senior Haley Durmer (Decatur, Ga.) was seventh in 1:58.88.

The 200 free relay of freshman Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), junior Ellen Thomas (Guildford, United Kingdom), sophomore Caitlin Cooper (Atlanta, Ga.) and Bartholomew finished second in a time of 1:28.45, the second-fastest time in school history. Moroney’s lead-off 50 free of 22.59 ranks 10th on UVA’s all-time list.

In the 50 free, Thomas placed fourth in 22.28, while Cooper was tied for seventh in 22.46.

In men’s 1-meter diving, senior Colby Shinholser (Burtonsville, Md.) placed fifth with a score of 343.00, while fellow senior Carl Buergler (Arlington, Va.) finished seventh with 298.95 points.

“Carl and Colby put together some solid lists today,” UVA head diving coach Jason Glorius said. “I’m happy we were able to get two men in the top eight.”

The action continues Friday (Feb. 19) with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, women’s 3-meter diving and the 400 medley relay. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. with finals starting at 6 p.m.