KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Virginia women’s swimming and diving team opened the inaugural CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge with a victory against Arizona State on the first day of the three-day meet being held Nov. 21-23 in Knoxville, Tenn.
The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association is putting on this first-of-its-kind event showcasing top collegiate swimming programs in an innovative, four-team, double-elimination tournament with a head-to-head format. Participating teams include one team representing each of the Power 4 conferences: Tennessee (SEC), Michigan (Big Ten), Arizona State (Big 12), Virginia (ACC).
UVA’s men’s and women’s teams both opened the Challenge with match-ups against Arizona State, with the top-seed UVA women winning 30-10 against the Sun Devils. The No. 4 seed UVA men lost 38-3 to top-seeded ASU.
The meet features six swimmers per race, each in two-swimmer head-to-head match-ups. Teams receive one point per head-to-head match-up won. The winner of each individual race earns a bonus point. Relays are two points per head-to-head match-up.
The Virginia women won all but one of the individual races and both relays. They swept all three head-to-heads in the 400 IM and 100 Back.
The Cavalier men earned two points in the 400 Medley Relay. Freshman Grant Murphy tallied their third point by winning his head-to-head match-up in the 400 IM (3:46.04).
The UVA women advance to tomorrow’s winners’ bracket meet, taking on Michigan at 12 pm. The men will swim against Michigan at 3 p.m.
Saturday’s meets will stream on SEC Network +.
OTHER NOTES
- Aimee Canny won the 200 Free (1:42.31)
- Melissa Nwakalor won the 50 Free (22.04)
- Katie Grimes won the 400 IM (4:03.34)
- Madi Mintenko won the 100 Free (47.94)
- Tess Howley won the 100 Back (51.44)
- Emma Weber won the 100 Breast (58.84)
- Claire Curzan, Emma Weber, Carly Novelline and Anna Moesch won the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:24.36
- Claire Curzan, Sara Curtis, Anna Moesch and Aimee Canny won the 400 Free Relay with a 3:07.70
SATURDAY’S EVENTS
- 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free, 50 Free, 200 IM, 200 Fly, 500 Free, 100 Free, 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Free Relay