Nichols, Alex Walsh and Nocentini Earn Individual Golds at ACC Championships

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A trio of individual titles and another relay crown highlighted the fourth day of competition at the ACC Championships for Virginia at the Greensboro Aquatics Center. Noah Nichols picked up the first gold for the men by winning the 100 breaststroke, Jasmine Nocentini placed first in the women’s 100 breaststroke and Alex Walsh opened the evening’s swims with an NCAA record in the 200 butterfly.

The Cavalier women also added to their impressive haul in the relay events, as UVA cruised to a win in the 400 medley relay. Gretchen Walsh, Jasmine Nocentini, Alex Walsh and Maxine Parker combined for a time of 3:22.49 to give Virginia its 23rd relay title in the last 24 contested at the ACC Championships.

Nichols’ strong finish allowed him to win his second consecutive title in the 100 breast, posting a time of 50.89. In the 100 backstroke, UVA’s Matt Brownstead picked up his second medal of the competition with a second-place finish after swimming 45.26.

Nocentini set a personal best (57.01) and a pool record in picking up her first ACC individual title. Walsh’s time or 1:49.16 set the NCAA record in the 200 butterfly, and event that was a late addition to her swim schedule. The ACCs marked the first time this season she swam the event. During the morning’s prelim swims, she set a pool record (1:52.05) in the race.

UVA’s women now have 12 first-place finishes at the championship.

The Hoos also had podium performances by Abby Harter in the 200 fly with a third-place showing, Reilly Tiltmann in the 100 backstroke and Emma Weber in the 100 breast.

The Cavalier women lead the meet with 1178.5 points entering Saturday’s final day of competition. NC State is well back in second place with 869 points. On the men’s side, the Cavaliers are in sixth position with 534.5 points. NC State leads the men’s standings with 1063.5 points.

Saturday’s prelims start at 9:30 a.m. with finals scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Men’s Highlights

• Sergile Sebastien was seventh in the 200 fly at 1:43.66
• The UVA men’s 400 MR team was fourth (3:03.78) – Matt Brownstead, Noah Nichols, Tim Connery, Connor Boyle
• August Lamb swam a personal best of 52.73 during the prelims in the 100 breaststroke
• Tim Connery posted a PB (46.14) in the 100 back in the prelims
• Hayden Bellotti had a PB (1:44.60) in the prelims of the 200 butterfly

Women’s Highlights

• Zoe Skirboll placed seventh in the 100 breast (59.86)
  • In the morning prelims, Alex Walsh set the Greensboro Aquatics Center record with a time of 1:52.05 in the 200 butterfly
• Jasmine Nocentini swam a personal best in the prelims in the 100 breaststroke (57.73)

Team Scores
Women
1. Virginia – 1178.5
2. NC State – 869
3. Louisville – 841
4. North Carolina – 627.5
5. Duke – 621.5
6. Florida State – 435
7. Virginia Tech – 429.5
8. Georgia Tech – 392
9. Notre Dame – 366
10. Pittsburgh – 332
11. Miami – 299

Men
1. NC State – 1063.5
2. Notre Dame – 746.5
3. Virginia Tech – 666.5
4. Louisville – 664
5. Florida State – 538
6. Virginia – 534.5
7. North Carolina – 529
8. Pittsburgh – 438
9. Georgia Tech – 392
10. Duke – 198
11. Miami – 94

HOW TO FOLLOW
Prelims and finals will be streamed live on ACCNX. Links for the live streams and live results each day will be available on VirginiaSports.com. The evening sessions will air on the ACC Network the next morning. Craig Minervini, Amy Van Dyker and Jason Baumann will call the action.

ORDER OF REMAINING EVENTS
Saturday: 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breaststroke, men’s platform, 400 free relay

SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH
The ACC Championships serves as the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash matchup for Virginia and Virginia Tech. The rivalry between Virginia Athletics and Virginia Tech Athletics has a long and storied history dating back more than 125 years within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Cavaliers and Hokies first faced off on the gridiron in Charlottesville in 1895. First coined the Commonwealth Clash during the 2014-2015 season, the rivalry has expanded and intensified across the 22 sports the two institutions face off in head-to-head competition. The final ACC standings was worth a point in the Clash on the men’s and women’s sides. UVA’s women won a point and the Virginia Tech men’s team won a point. Heading into Monday’s night men’s basketball game between the Cavaliers and the Hokies, Virginia leads this year’s Clash 5.5 to 1.5. UVA captured the Clash in 2015, 2016 and 2019 and 2023 while Virginia Tech has won the Clash in 2017, 2018 and 2022. The 2020 and 2021 clashes were canceled due to the pandemic.