Gretchen Walsh Sets One World and Four American Records Against Florida

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 1 Virginia women’s swimming and diving team opened the 2024-25 dual meet season with an 181-119 victory against No. 3 Florida on Friday (Oct. 18) at the Aquatic and Fitness Center in Charlottesville, Va. The No. 14 Virginia men’s team suffered a 231-69 loss against the No. 3 Gators.

Senior Gretchen Walsh swam in four events, setting one world and four American records.

This was a short course meter meet with the events contested in a 25m pool.

The Cavalier women won all but two races. Noah Nichols had the lone win for the Cavalier men, taking the 200 Breaststroke (2:07.78).

Walsh set the tone with the first swim of the meet, breaking the American record in the 50m backstroke with her leadoff leg of the 200m Medley Relay. Walsh posted a 25.37, bettering the previous mark of 25.54 set by her fellow Cavalier Claire Curzan at Short Course Worlds in 2022.

Walsh won the 100m Backstroke (54.89) and the 50m Free (23.10) in American record times to add to her tally.

Walsh’s world record came in a time trial for the 100m Individual Medley. With just her and teammate Zoe Skirboll swimming, Walsh posted a 55.98. The time broke the American record set that morning by UVA alumna Kate Douglass (56.99) at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai and the world mark of 56.51 set in 2017.

This is Walsh’s second individual world record as she also holds the record for the 100 Fly set at the 2024 US Olympic trials. She helped set two world records in relays at the Paris Olympics: the mixed 4×100 medley relay (3:37.43) and the 4×100 medley relay (3:49.63).

Women’s Results

• Sophomore Claire Curzan won two individual events, the 100m Butterfly (55.68) and the 200m Backstroke (2:01.02) in her first dual meet with the Cavaliers. She spent her freshman year at Stanford before sitting out last season to focus on international competition
• Freshman Anna Moesch won the 100m Freestyle (53.04) in her collegiate dual match debut.
• Junior Aimee Canny won the 200m free (1:54.13), setting both the African continental record and the South African national record. She also won the 200 Breast (2:22.38)
• Freshman Leah Hayes was second in the 200m IM (2:06.85) and third in the 200m Breast (2:25.48)
• The Cavaliers swept the top three places in the 200m Breast with Canny winning, Emma Weber second (2:24.47) followed by Hayes
• Weber won the 100 Breast (1:05.07) with Zoe Skirboll second (1:05.59)
• Sophomore Cavan Gormsen won the 800 Free (8:21.55)
• Sophomore Tess Howley won the 200 Fly (2:04.65)

Men’s Results

• Noah Nichols was third in the 200m IM (1:58.03) in addition to his win in the 200 Breast
• Freshman David King was third in the 200m Free (1:44.75)  in his collegiate dual meet debut
• Junior Jack Aikins was second in the 100m Backstroke (the 51.01) and third in the 200 (1:52.49)
• Nicholas Sanders was third in both the 1m and 3m diving

UP NEXT

• The Cavaliers have their first conference meet, swimming at North Carolina on Friday, Nov. 1