Gretchen Walsh
SCM World Records (current in bold)
• 50 SCM Butterfly (23.94), World Aquatics Championships (12/10/24)
• 50 SCM Butterfly (24.02), World Aquatics Championships (12/10/24)
• 100 SCM Butterfly (52.71), World Aquatics Championships (12/14/24)
• 100 SCM Butterfly (53.24), World Aquatics Championships (12/13/24)
• 100 SCM Butterfly (52.87), World Aquatics Championships (12/13/24)
• 50 SCM Freestyle (22.83), World Aquatics Championships (12/15/24)
• 50 SCM Freestyle (22.87), World Aquatics Championships (12/14/24)
• 100 SCM Individual Medley (55.11), World Aquatics Championships (12/13/24)
• 100 SCM Individual Medley (55.71), World Aquatics Championships (12/12/24)
• 100 SCM Individual Medley (55.98), Dual Meet vs Florida (10/18/24)
• 4×100 SCM Free Relay (3:25.01), World Aquatics Championships (12/10/24)
• 4×100 Medley Relay (3:40.41), World Aquatics Championships (12/15/24)
LCM World Records (current in bold)
• 100 Butterfly (55.18), 2024 US Olympic Trials (6/15/24)
• Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay (3:37.43), 2024 Paris Olympics
• 4×100 Medley Relay (3:49.63), 2024 Paris Olympics
2024 Olympic Games
• Gold: 4×100 relay, mixed 4×100 medley relay
• Silver: 100 fly, 4×100 free relay
• World Records:mixed 4×100 medley relay (3:37.43), 4×100 medley relay (3:49.63)
• Olympic Record: 100 fly (55.38)
• 4th Place: 50 free
World Champion (SCM)
• 50 Freestyle (22.83), 2024 Budapest
• 100 Freestyle (50.31), 2024 Budapest
• 50 Butterfly (24.01), 2024 Budapest
• 100 Butterfly (52.71), 2024 Budapest
• 100 Individual Medley (55.11), 2024 Budapest
• 4×100 Free Relay (3:25.01), 2024 Budapest
• 4×100 Medley Relay (3:40.41), 2024 Budapest
2024 U.S. Olympic Trials
• Qualified for Team USA in the 100 fly, 50 free and 4×100 relay
• Set the World Record (55.18) in the semifinals of the 50 free
• Second in the 50 free
NCAA Champion (25 total, 9 individual)
2025: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Medley Relay
2024: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2023: 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2022: 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
All-American (27)
2025: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2024: 50 Free, 100 Fly, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2023: 50 Free, 100 Back, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2022: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
ACC Champion (23 total, 7 individual)
2025: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2024: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Fly, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay
2023: 50 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2022: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
All-ACC (28)
2025: 50 Free, 100 Back, 100 Free, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2024: 50 Free, 100 Fly, 400 Free Relay, 100 Free, 400 Medley Relay, 800 Free Relay, 200 Free Relay
2023: 50 Free, 100 Fly, 100 Free, 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 400 Free Relay
2022: 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
2022 Phillips 66 US National Champion – 100 Fly
2024-25
• Honda Sport Award winner for Swimming & Diving, her second time winning the honor. She is the third Cavalier to twice win the Honda Sport Award across all sports
• CSCAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year, her second time winning the honor
• Set 11 world records (nine individual, two relay) and won seven world titles (five individual, two relay) at the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships en route to being named the Best Female Swimmer (MVP award)
• CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, the second-ever UVA swimmer to win the honor and just the fifth time a Cavalier has won the honor in any sport
• ACC Swimmer of the Year
• She won the title in all five of her Short Course Worlds individual events (50 SCM Freestyle, 100 SCM Freestyle, 50 SCM Buttery, 100 SCM Butterfly, and 100 SCM Individual Medley) and both of her relays (4×100 SCM Freestyle, 4×100 SCM Medley)
• Set a world record and four American SCM records in the dual meet against Florida: World & American record: 100 IM (55.98); American records: 50 Back (25.37), 100 Back (54.89), 50 Free (23.10)
• Set a world record in the prelims of the 50 Fly at the World Aquatics 25m Championships only to break it later that same day in the semifinals (23.94), becoming the first woman to swim a sub-24 in the event
• Set her third world record of the day as the anchor leg on the American 4×100 Free Relay (3:25.01), with former Cavalier teammate Kate Douglass swimming the lead leg
• Set the world record in the prelims of the 100 Fly in the prelims of the World Aquatics Championships (53.24), only to break it again later that same day in the semifinals (52.87), becoming the first woman to swim it in under 53 seconds. The prelim swim was the first time she had competed in the 100 Fly in short course meters. She then became the first swimmer to set a world record in heats, semis and finals when she broke her own record with a 52.71 to win her fourth world title of the meet
• Broke her own world record in the 100 IM (set in the Florida dual) in the semifinals at the World Aquatics Championships (55.71), and then broke it again in the final, posting a 55.11 in her World Champion swim. She swam this final 25 minutes after setting a world record in the semifinals of the 100 Fly. It was her third of three world record swims on the day
• Ended her career going 16-of-16 in NCAA relays, winning all 16 she competed in over her four year career, capped by a win in the 400 Free Relay on the final night of the NCAA Championship
• Won her fourth consecutive 100 Free NCAA title, breaking her own NCAA and American record in the event with a 44.71. She is the 13th swimmer to win an event four times
• Her 100 Free was the ninth individual title of her career. She is the seventh swimmer to win nine or more individual titles in her career
• Finishes her career with a combined 25 NCAA individual titles (9 individual, 16 relay) and four team championships
• Swam the fly (20.88 split) on the NCAA Champion 200 Medley Relay that set an American, NCAA and US Open record on the first night of the Championship
• Won the 50 Free for the second straight year (20.49) and then split a 20.37 in the lead leg of the NCAA Champion 200 Free Relay, tying her own American and NCAA Record
• Set an American & NCAA record in the 100 Fly in prelims (47.21) only to break it again in finals (46.97), becoming the first woman ever to break 47 seconds
• NCAA Champion in the 400 Medley, her 15th NCAA Relay championship in her career
• Named the ACC Championship Most Valuable Swimmer for the second straight year
• Finalist for the Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award for Swimming & Diving
• Member of the NCAA Record-setting 800 Free Relay on the opening day of the ACC Championships, setting an ACC and UVA record in the 200 Free in the leadoff leg (1:39.34)
• Part of the American record-setting 400 Medley Relay at the ACC Championships (3:19.58). Also won the 200 and 400 Free Relays
• Repeated as conference champion in the 100 Back (48.95) and 100 Free (45.20) and won the 50 Free (20.60)
• Named the ACC Swimmer of the Week after her record-breaking performance against Florida (10/22)
• Won the 50 Free with a time of 20.84 against North Carolina. Finished first in the 100 Fly with a time of 48.43 against North Carolina which was 4.45 seconds ahead of 2nd place
• Earned her second ACC Swimmer of the Week honor for her performance against UNC (11/5)
• Set an American, NCAA and US Open record in the 100 Fly (47.35) at the Tennessee Invite
• Set pool records in both the 50 Free (20.54) and 100 Free (46.12) in her Senior Day meet against Virginia Tech
• Swam the fastest 50 Fly split ever (20.87) in the 200 Medley Relay against Virginia Tech
• Won three events at the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown posting the top time in the NCAA this season in the 100 Fly (47.48) and the 100 Free (45.68) and the second fastest in the 50 Free (20.74)
• Earned her final ACC Swimmer of the Week award after her performance at the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown
• Set the pool record in the prelims of the 100 Breast (57.34) of the Cavalier invite only to have it broke in the finals by her sister Alex despite swimming the second fastest time in the NCAA to date in the event (56.86), which also ranks fourth on the UVA all-time list
• Led off the NCAA-record-setting 800 Free Relay at the ACC Championships, posting a 200 Free split of 1:39.34 was a UVA and ACC record
• Defended her ACC 50 Free title while also helping the UVA 200 Free Relay win the title on the second day of the ACC Championships
• 2024 Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Steve Guback Sportsperson of the Year
• Named to College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-District team
• Co-Captain
2023-24 – Virginia
• CSCAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year
• Honda Sport Award winner for Swimming & Diving
• ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Swimming and Diving
• Atlantic Coast Conference Mary Garber Award Winner which is presented to the ACC female student-athlete of the Year
• ACC Swimmer of the Year
• First-team Academic All-American
• Finalist (along with sister Alex) for Honda Award for swimming and diving
• Won seven NCAA titles to help UVA to fourth consecutive NCAA team title
• At NCAAs, set American, US Open & NCAA records in the 50 free (20.37), 100 fly (47.42) and 100 free (44.83)
• Won 100 free (44.83) with American, NCAA and US Open record time
• Helped 400 medley relay team set NCAA record (3:21.01) at NCAA Championships
• Also part of NCAA champ relays for 200 medley relay (1:31.58) and 400 free relay
• Her leadoff split in 200 medley relay was the fastest (22.10) 50 back split ever
• Named ACC Most Valuable Swimmer at the ACC Championships
• Won 400 free relay (3:07.34) at ACC Championships
• Set meet, pool, ACC, American, NCAA, and US Open record in 100 free (45.16) at ACC Championships
• Part of first-place 400 medley relay (3:22.49) at ACC Championships
• Set meet, pool, ACC, NCAA, American, and US Open records in 100 butterfly (48.25) at ACC Championships and won her fourth gold of the 2024 Championships
• Set meet, ACC, pool, NCAA, American, and US Open records in 50 free (20.57)
• Part of the first-place 200 relay (1:23.63) that set pool, meet, ACC, US Open, and NCAA records at ACC Championships
• Part of the first-place, ACC championship record, 800 free relay (6:46.28) at ACC Championships
• ACC swimmer of the week 1/23, 11/21, 10/31, and 10/17
• Swam 1:52.34 in 200 IM at Cavalier Invite to register event’s No. 3 all-time performance
• Turned in the fastest split in history for the 50 fly with a mark of 21.50 in her leg of the relay at UNC/NC State meet
• Set UVA record (20.19) with 50 Free time in the 200 Free relay vs. UNC and NC State and that ranked as fastest 50 Free split of all time
• Took first in the 100 free and set an AFC pool record with her time of 46.40 at UNC/NC State meet
• Took first in the 400 Free Relay with a time of 3:13.04 at UNC/NC State meet
• Finished second in the 100 free with a time of 53.64 at TYR Pro Swim Series
• Finished first in the 100 fly with a time of 56.78 at TYR Pro Swim Series
• Led Virginia’s sweep in the 100-yard breast placing first with a time of 59.75 against Virginia Tech
• Finished on the podium in third place earning bronze with a time of 56.85 for the 100 fly in the Toyota U.S. Open
• Fourth overall in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 24.42 at Toyota U.S. Open
• Set an unofficial American, NCAA & US Open record in the 100-yard butterfly (48.30) at Tennessee Invite
• Set Virginia swimming record in the 400-yard freestyle relay (45.18) at Tennessee
• Won the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:33.69 at Tennessee Invite
• Blasted a UVA and meet record time of 1:41.32 to win 200 free at Tennessee Invite
• Improved fastest time this season and in the NCAA with a 1:25.24 to win the 200-yard freestyle relay at Tennessee Invite
• Set a meet record in the 400-yard medley relay (3:26.15) at Tennessee Invite
• Won the 400-yard medley relay in 3:27.56 against Texas
• Won the 100 free (46.42) against Texas. Her time eclipses her own best time of the season so far in the NCAA
• Won the 400-yard free relay in 3:12.74 against Texas
• Won the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:34.32 against Texas
• Swam a pool record time of 20.95 to win the 50 free against Texas
• Crushed the UVA pool record and had the fastest time in the NCAA this season to win the 100-yard butterfly in 49.11 against Texas
• Won the 100-yard backstroke in 50.29 and the 100-yard freestyle in 47.19 against Florida. Both times are the fastest in each event so far this season.
• Named to College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-America First Team
• An ACC All-Academic selection
• Named a first-team 2024 CSCAA Scholar All-American
• Earned “Swimmer of the Year” Award at annual banquet
• Earned Women’s Performance of the Year: NCAA Championships 47.42 100 Butterfly win at annual banquet
• ACC Academic Honor Roll
2022-23
• Won gold for USA in the 100 medley relay at the World Championships
• Placed second in the 100 free relay at the World Championships
• Placed third in the 50 fly at the World Championships
• Placed eighth in the 100 fly at the World Championships
• Placed 11th in the 50 free at the World Championships
• Won the 50 fly at Nationals, qualifying her for the World Championships
• Placed third in the 100 free at Nationals, qualifying her for the World Championships
• Won the 100 back at NCAAs
• Won the 100 free at NCAAs
• Placed second in the 50 free at NCAAs
• Swam the second leg of the the first place 200 free relay team at NCAAs
• Swam the final leg of the first place 400 free relay team at NCAAs
• Swam the opening leg of the first place 200 medley relay team at NCAAs
• Swam the opening leg of the first place 400 medley relay team at NCAAs
• Won the 50 free setting meet, conference, American, NCAA, and pool records at ACC Championships
• Swam the opening leg of the 400 medley relay, placing first and setting meet, conference, American, NCAA, and pool records at ACC Championships
• Swam the second leg of the 200 free relay, placing first and setting meet, conference, American, NCAA, and pool records at ACC Championships
• Swam the first leg of the 200 medley relay, placing first and setting meet, conference, American, NCAA, and pool records at ACC Championships
• Won the 50 free, 100 back, and 100 free at the Tennessee Invitational
• Won the 100 free against Texas
• Won the 50 free and 100 fly against Florida
• All-ACC Academic Team
• ACC Academic Honor Roll
• SCAA Scholar All-America First Team
2021-2022
• Won the 100 free and placed second in the 50 free and 100 back at NCAA Championships
• Part of NCAA Champion 200 free relay
• Set NCAA, Meet, American, US Open and pool records in the 400 free relay and 400 medley relay at NCAA Championships
• Part of the ACC Champion 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay and 400 medley relay
• Runner-up in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 back at ACC Championships
• Won the 200 medley relay, 100 back and 100 free against NC State
• Won the 400 medley relay, 50 free and 100 fly against North Carolina
• Won the 400 medley relay, 100 free and 200 free relay against Texas
• Won the 200 free against Army
• Won four events in collegiate debut at California to earn ACC Swimmer of the Week
• ACC Freshman of the Year
• CSCAA Scholar All-American
• All-ACC Academic Team
• ACC Academic Honor Roll
BACKGROUND
• Competed at the 2021 US Olympic Trials
• National High School Record Holder in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle
• Eight-time individual Tennessee State Champion
• Two-time Tennessee Female Swimmer of the Year (2020-2021)
• Two-time Tennessee Athlete of the Year (2020-2021)
• Junior National Team Member (2018)
• National Team Member (2019-2021)
• Two-time Individual Gold Medalist at Junior World Championships (2019)
• Scholastic Writing Award (2020)
• Third Honors (2021)
PERSONAL
• Parents are Glynis and Robert Walsh
• Younger sister (1 year) of Alex Walsh
• Recipient of the 2022-23 Juliana Schulte O’Reilly and Brian T. O’Reilly Bicentennial Scholarship
• Commerce major