Gretchen Walsh Sets 100 Fly Record Twice on Day Three of NCAA Championships

FEDERAL WAY, Wash.  – Virginia won four events on Friday (March 21) at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way, Washington.

Senior Gretchen Walsh won the 100 Fly, setting American records in both her prelim and final swims. Grad student Alex Walsh won the 100 Breast and sophomore Claire Curzan won the 100 Back. The Cavaliers closed the evening with a win in the 400 Medley Relay.

Virginia remains in first place in the team standings with 383 points. Stanford is second with 292, and Texas is third with 288.

Gretchen Walsh opened morning prelims by breaking her own American, NCAA and US Open record in the 100 Fly, posting a 47.21, topping her previous mark of 47.35 set earlier this season. She then became the first woman to ever swim under 47 seconds, going 46.97 in the final.

Alex Walsh had the fastest time in prelims of the 100 Breast (57.54), then dropped a full second off the time in the final, posting a 56.49 to take the title. It was the ninth individual title of her career. She is just the second-ever swimmer to win an NCAA individual title in five different events.

Curzan was the top seed in the 100 Back and out-touched Bella Sims of Texas in the final by 0.01. Curzan went 49.11 to Sims’ 49.12.

In the final event of the night, Alex and Gretchen Walsh, Curzan and freshman Anna Moesch combined for the victory in the 400 Medley Relay, posting a 3:20.20, winning by 4.79 seconds over second-place Tennessee.

Virginia has won seven event titles through the first three days of the meet.

The championship wraps up on Saturday (March 22) with the 1650 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, Platform Diving and 400 Free Relay.

Virginia is looking to become the third team ever to win five consecutive NCAA team titles in women’s swimming and diving.

Prelims start at 1 p.m. ET with the finals session starting at 9 p.m. ET.

MEET NOTES

• Gretchen Walsh has the American record in the 100 Fly in short course yards, short course meters and long course meters. She holds the world record in the latter two
• Alex Walsh’s nine individual titles is tied for the fourth most all-time. She is one of six swimmers ever to win nine or more individual titles
• Alex Walsh has won individual titles in the 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM (3x) and 400 IM (3x)
• Tracy Caulkins of Florida (192-84) is the only other swimmer to win individual titles in five events
• Alex Walsh is the first swimmer to win an individual event at five different championships
• The 100 Fly was the 8th NCAA individual title won by Gretchen Walsh in her career
• Gretchen Walsh is the first female to swim the 100 Fly in under 47 seconds. No other woman has posted a time under 48 seconds. Former Cavalier Kate Douglass has the next closest time at 48.46
• Claire Curzan is the first swimmer to win an individual NCAA event title for two different schools. She was the NCAA Champion in the 200 Back at Stanford in 2023
• Freshmen Katie Grimes (4:01.10) and Leah Hayes (4:01.62) finished fourth and fifth in the 400 IM
• Freshman Anna Moesch finished fifth in the 200 Free (1:42.39)
• Junior Aimee Canny won the B Final of the 200 Free (1:42.57)
• Junior Emma Weber was 11^th in the 100 Breast (58.35)
• The 400 Medley Free Relay is Walsh’s 15^th career relay title, giving her 23 total NCAA event titles
• Alex Walsh has 13 career NCAA relay titles and 22 overall titles
• Swimmers in the A-Finals earn First Team All-America honors. Swimmers in the B-Finals are honorable mention All-Americans

HOW TO FOLLOW

• All sessions will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required)
• Live scoring will be available on the Meet Mobile app and through a link posted on VirginiaSports

Team Scores Through Day Three (Top 10)

1. Virginia, 383
2. Stanford, 292
3. Texas, 288
4. Indiana, 209
5. Tennessee, 195
6. Florida, 177
7. Louisville, 160.5
8. California, 139.5
9. Michigan, 121
10. NC State, 114

American Records by Cavaliers at the 2025 NCAA Championships (4)
200 Medley Relay (1:31.10)
50 Freestyle – Gretchen Walsh 20.37 (ties previous mark)
100 Butterfly – Gretchen Walsh 47.21
100 Butterfly – Gretchen Walsh 46.97

NCAA Records by Cavaliers at the 2025 NCAA Championships (4)
200 Medley Relay (1:31.10)
50 Freestyle – Gretchen Walsh 20.37 (ties previous mark)
100 Butterfly – Gretchen Walsh 47.21
100 Butterfly – Gretchen Walsh 46.97

Event Titles at the 2025 NCAA Championships (7)
50 Free, 100 Fly, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay

2025 NCAA Championships by Individual
Gretchen Walsh – 50 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medlay Relay
Claire Curzan – 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Alex Walsh – 100 Breast, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Maxine Parker – 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay
Anna Moesch – 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay

2025 All-America – First Team
Gretchen Walsh – 50 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Maxine Parker – 50 Free, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Alex Walsh – 100 Breast, 200 IM, 800 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Claire Curzan – 50 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Katie Grimes – 400 IM, 500 Free, 800 Free Relay
Anna Moesch – 200 Free, 200 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Aimee Canny – 800 Free Relay
Leah Hayes – 400 IM
Cavan Gormsen – 500 Free

2025 All-America – Honorable Mention
Leah Hayes – 200 IM
Lizzy Kaye – 1M Diving
Aimee Canny – 200 Free
Emma Weber – 100 Breast