Swimming and Diving Hosts 2021 Cavalier Invitational
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will host the 2021 Cavalier Invitational, which will include JMU, George Washington and Pitt at the Aquatic and Fitness Center Friday, Feb. 5 through Sunday, Feb. 7.
Admission to Virginia home swimming and diving meets is not open to the public.
How to Follow
Live results will be available on VirginiaSports.com. Updates throughout the weekend will be provided on the team’s official Twitter account (@UVASwimDive).
About the Meet
Prelims will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, with finals starting at 6 p.m. both days. On Sunday, prelims begin at 10 a.m., with finals at 4 p.m. Finals will consist of two finals heats, a consolation final and a championship final.
In the Rankings
• The Cavalier women enter the weekend as the top ranked team in the ACC and second-ranked team in the NCAA, according to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America.
• On the men’s side, Virginia ranks No. 10 in the NCAA and Pitt moved up to No. 22 after previously being unranked.
Last Time Out
• The Cavaliers swept North Carolina, while splitting the dual meet with NC State.
• Virginia’s women won 10 events versus the Tar Heels with sophomore Maddie Donohoe (Annandale, Va.), sophomore Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y.) and freshman Abby Harter (Broadlands, Va.) each winning a pair of individual races.
• For the men, junior Justin Grender (Cincinnati, Ohio), sophomore Jack Walker (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Matt Brownstead (Port Matilda, Pa.) aided in the Cavaliers’ win over North Carolina as all three swimmers recorded wins in more than one event.
• The No. 2 Virginia women’s team recorded a come-from-behind win against No. 6 NC State, defeating the Wolfpack 153-144. The No. 10 Cavalier men fell 190.5-107.5 in the meet to the No. 6 Wolfpack.
• The women’s team battled to the last event in a closely contested meet against the Wolfpack. Senior Paige Madden (Mobile, Ala.), sophomore Jennifer Bell (Pelham, N.Y.) and freshman Alex Walsh (Nashville, Tenn.) led the team with wins in more than one event.
A Look at JMU
• JMU’s women’s swimming and diving team opened the 2020-21 season with a win over Marshall on Jan. 30.
• The Dukes picked up 11 first place finishes in the meet.
• Julianna Jones swept the distance events with wins in the 1,650-yard free (17:29.88) and 500-yard free (5:08.75).
• Cameron Gring also won two events, placing first in the 200-yard backstroke (2:03.78) and 200-yard IM (2:06.78).
A Look at George Washington
• George Washington opens its 2020-21 season at the Cavalier Invitational this weekend.
• GW’s women’s swimming and diving team returns to action as the reigning A-10 champions.
• Andrea Moussier returns after winning the A-10 title in the 1,650-yard free the last two years.
• Last season, the George Washington men’s swimming and diving team finished second in the Atlantic-10 Championship.
• The Colonials return George Aspougalis, who won A-10 titles in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events last season.
A Look at Pitt
• Pitt is coming off a dual meet win over Army on Jan. 30.
• The men’s swimming and diving team is ranked No. 22.
• Cooper Van Der Laan ranks No. 11 in the NCAA in the 100-yard breast (52.41) and No. 28 in the 200-yard breast (1:55.98).
• Blaise Vera ranks No. 13 in the 50-yard free with a time of 19.46, No. 37 in the 100-yard butterfly (47.03) and No. 45 in the 100-yard free (43.56).
• Warren Briggs has the No. 23 time in the 1,650-free (15:13.79) and No. 33 time in the country in the 1000-yard free (9:08.74).
• On the women’s side, Abby Grottle ranks No. 38 in the 1,650-yard free (16:40.16) and No. 43 in the 1000-yard free (9:57.07).
UP NEXT
Virginia will prepare for the ACC Championships held in Greensboro, N.C. The women’s meet will run Feb. 17-20 and the men’s meet will be held Feb. 24-27.