IRVINE, Calif. – Former Virginia swimmer Leah Smith (class of 2017) recorded a silver medal in the 800-meter freestyle on Wednesday (July 25) at the Phillips 66 National Championships in Irvine, Calif.
Smith finished with a time of 8:22.79 to place second at the national championship. Her time ranks sixth in the world and second in the U.S. this season.
Morgan Hill (Olney, Md.) advanced to the finals of the 100-meter freestyle, finishing eighth in the C final with a time of 55.50. Her performance placed her 24th overall in the event.
Earlier in the day, Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) tied for 43rd place in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 55.98, while Kyla Valls (Miami, Fla.) tied for 87th place with a time of 57.35.
Ryan Baker (Arlington, Va.) competed in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, recording a time of 50.16. His performance placed him 39th at the championship meet.
In the 200-meter butterfly, Ted Schubert (Ashland, Va.) finished with a time of 1:59.78 for a 29th-place finish.
Brendan Casey (Santa Monica, Calif.) rounded out the day, swimming in the 1500-meter freestyle. He recorded a time of 15:45.69 to place 38th in the meet.
Day two of the Phillips 66 National Championships will begin tomorrow at noon ET. The Cavaliers will have swimmers compete in the men’s and women’s 200-meter freestyle, 200-meter breaststroke and 200-meter backstroke, in addition to a swimmer competing in the men’s 50-meter butterfly.
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IRVINE, Calif.– Seven Virginia swimmers advanced to the finals on the second day of competition at the Phillips 66 National Championships in Irvine, Calif., with two Cavaliers earning a spot in the A finals of the 200-meter freestyle.
Former Cavalier Leah Smith (class 2017) recorded a fourth-place finish in the 200-meter freestyle, earning a spot on the U.S.’s Pan Pacific Championships roster. She recorded a time of 1:56.93 in the finals. Smith’s preliminary time of 1:56.78 ranks 11th in the world this season.
Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala.) recorded a time of 1:59.16, finishing eighth in the 200-meter freestyle. She advanced to the A finals after swimming a time of 1:58.50 during the morning race. Madden’s preliminary time ranks 45th in the world this season and third in school history.
Robby Giller (Wilton, Conn.) and Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) captured record-setting swims in the 200-meter backstroke. Giller recorded a time of 1:58.01 in the B finals. He finished first in his heat and set a new school record with the swim. Moroney placed third in the B finals with a time of 2:10.99. She set a school record during her preliminary swim with a time of 2:10.53. Giller’s time ranks him 31st in the world, while Moroney ranks 42nd for her performance.
Bryce Keblish (Fairfield, Conn.) advanced to the B finals of the 50-meter butterfly. He placed fourth in his heat, recording a time of 24.11.
Matthew Otto (Newark, Del.) swam a time of 2:14.91 in the C finals of the 200-meter breaststroke. He finished fifth in his heat. Otto’s time of 2:13.47 in the preliminary race ranks third in school history.
Erin Earley concluded the night for the Cavaliers, finishing fifth in the C final of the 200-meter backstroke. She recorded a time of 2:13.92 in the event.
Earlier in the day, Moroney, Morgan Hill (Olney, Md.) and Kyla Valls (Miami, Fla.) competed in the 200-meter freestyle. Moroney finished 31st with a time of 2:00.77, while Hill placed 46th with a time of 2:01.89 and Valls placed 50th with a time of 2:02.11.
Ryan Baker (Arlington, Va.) finished 47th in the men’s 200-meter freestyle, recording a time of 1:50.72.
In the 200-meter breaststroke, Mary Claire Tansill (Bristow, Va.) recorded a time of 2:30.30, finishing 27th in the event, while Keefer Barnum (Louisville, Ky.) placed 41st with a time of 2:16.36.
Abby Richter (Henderson, Nev.) finished 73rd in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:18.8 as Marcie Maguire (Ridgefield, Conn.) finished 76th with a time of 2:19.70.
Day three of the Phillips 66 National Championships will begin on Friday at noon.
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IRVINE, Calif.- Current and former members of the Virginia swim team concluded the third day of the Phillips 66 National Championships on Friday (July 27) in Irvin, Calif.
Leah Smith (class of 2017) advanced to the A finals of the women’s 400-meter individual medley. She recorded a time of 4:35.68 to finish fourth in the top heat.
Robby Giller (Wilton, Conn.) placed sixth in the B finals of the men’s 400-meter individual medley. He captured a time of 4:22.93 in the event. His preliminary time of 4:19.06 ranks second in school history.
John Whiteside (Fairfield, Conn.) posted a time of 25.86 in the B finals of the 50-meter backstroke. He finished sixth in his consolation heat and 14th overall with the performance.
Swimming in the C finals of the 400-meter individual medley, Brendan Casey (Santa Monica, Calif.) captured the top time of the heat. He finished with a time of 4:20.51. Ted Schubert (Ashland, Va.) placed seventh in the C final, recording a time of 4:26.42.
Bryce Keblish (Fairfield, Conn.) advanced to the C finals of the 100-meter fly after setting a school record in the preliminary race with a time of 53.04. In the finals, he recorded a time of 53.22 and placed fifth in his heat.
In the women’s 50-meter backstroke, Erin Earley (Orange, Conn.) finished 43rd with a time of 29.49. Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) placed 48th with a time of 29.58, while Abby Richter (Henderson, Nev.) finished 50th with a time of 29.69. Emma Seiberlich (Audubon, Pa.) captured a time of 29.96, finishing 61st in the event as Marcella Maguire (Ridgefield, Conn.) placed 79th, swimming a time of 30.60.
Keefer Barnum (Louisville, Ky.) recorded a time of 28.39 in the 50-meter breaststroke. He finished 29th in the event.
The Phillips 66 National Championships will continue tomorrow with events beginning at noon.
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IRVINE, Calif.- Leah Smith (class of 2017) and Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala.) led Virginia on Saturday (July 28) at the Phillips 66 National Championships.
Smith concluded the night as the national runner-up in the 400-meter freestyle, Smith recorded a time of 4:02.21 for second place in the event.
Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala.) placed second in the C-finals of the 400-meter freestyle. She recorded a time of 4:11.88, finishing 18th overall in the event.
Robby Giller (Wilton, Conn.) recorded a time of 4:00.08 in the men’s 400-meter freestyle. He placed 68th in the event.
John Whiteside (Fairfield, Conn.) finished 36th in the 100-meter backstroke, recording a time of 56.23, while Keefer Barnum (Louisville, Ky.) placed 52nd in the 100-meter breaststroke, swimming a time of 1:03.29.
In the 100-meter backstroke, Erin Earley (Orange, Conn.) led the team with a 42nd-place finish and a time of 1:02.47. Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) tied for 43rd, recording a time of 1:02.53, while Abby Richter (Henderson, Nev.) finished 66th with a time of 1:03.29. Emma Seiberlich (Audubon, Pa.) captured a time of 1:03.75 as Marcella Maguire (Ridgefield, Conn.) recorded a time of 1:04.25. Seiberlich finished 73rd in the event, while Maguire placed 84th.
The Cavaliers will compete in the final day of competition at the Phillips 66 National Championships tomorrow. The meet will begin at noon ET.
