Virginia Women Advance in Winners Bracket at CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge

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 the winner of Michigan and Tennessee at 12 pm. The men will swim against the loser of Michigan and Tennessee. If they win, they will swim again at 6 p.m. to try to advance to Sunday’s championship meet.

Saturday’s meets will stream either on the USA Swimming Network app or 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