2022 ACC Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2022 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• When: Tuesday, February 15th to Saturday, February 19th Prelims 10:00am | Finals 6:00 pm (Tuesday 11:00am/4:30pm)
• Where: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta Georgia (Eastern Time Zone)
• Defending Champions
  • Women: University of Virginia (17x) (results)
  • Men: University of Louisville (1x) (results)
• Streaming: ACC Network
  • Tuesday (prelims/finals)
  • Wednesday (prelims/finals)
  • Thursday (prelims/finals)
  • Friday (prelims/finals)
  • Saturday (prelims/1650s/finals)
• Championship Central: Here
• Detailed Timeline: Here
• Psych Sheets: Here
• Live Results
• Friday Morning Heat Sheets

ACC action continues today with prelims of the men’s and women’s 200 fly, 100 back, and 100 breast.

After Alex Walsh scratched the 200 fly, her UVA teammate Abby Harter holds the top seed in the 200 fly. On the men’s side Georgia Tech’s Christian Ferraro tops the psych sheet, but watch for Virginia Tech’s Antani Ivanov and four-time defending champion Nick Albiero of Louisville, among others, to make some noise this morning.

The women’s 100 back promises to be an all-time great race between the top-seeded Katharine Berkoff of NC State and UVA’s Gretchen Walsh, although we probably won’t see the real fireworks until tonight. Meanwhile, Kacper Stokowski is the only man in the conference who’s been under 45 this season, and he’ll be swimming to defending his title.

After Walsh and Kate Douglass scratched out of the 100 breast today, watch for NC State to haul in some big points in that event, led by conference record holder Sophie Hansson, who’s won this event the last three years. Pitt’s Cooper Van Der Laan has the fastest time 100 breast time in the conference so far this season, but he’ll face stiff competition that includes Louisville’s Evgenii Somov, who like his teammate Albiero, has won this event the last four years.

Women’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:53.20
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 1:57.42
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:59.23
• Meet Record – 1:52.81, Grace Oglesby (Louisville), 2019
• Conference Record – 1:50.61, Kelsi Worrell (Louisville), 2016

Top 8:

1. Abby Hay (Louisville) – 1:54.43
2. Coleen Gillilan (Notre Dame) – 1:55.02
3. Abby Arens (NC State) – 1:55.23
4. Tristen Ulett (Louisville) – 1:55.32
5. Jessica Nava (Virginia) – 1:55.44
6. Abby Harter (Virginia) – 1;55.75
7. Grace Sheble (NC State) – 1:55.92
8. Edith Jernstedt (Florida State) – 1:56.42

The fastest two times the morning came from heat three, where Louisville’s Abby Hay posted a 1:54.43, the fastest time of the morning by over half a second. Touching behind her in that heat was Notre Dame’s Colleen Gillilan, who nearly got under 1:55 with a 1:55.02.

In the next heat, the last one, defending champion Jessica Nava of Virginia led for most of the race before ceding the lead to NC State’s Abby Arens on the final few strokes. Arens touched in 1:55.23, and Nava in 1:55.44. Each of those two women had a teammate in that heat join them in the top eight overall: Virginia’s Abby Harter (1:55.75) and NC State’s Grace Sheble (1:55.92).

Tristen Ulett of Louisville was the 4th-fastest performer this morning with a 1:55.32, and FSU’s Edith Jernstedt just made it into the top eight with a 1:56.42.

Men’s 200 Fly – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 1:40.44
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 1:43.47
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:46.69
• Meet Record – 1:38.65, Nick Albiero (Louisville), 2020
• Conference Record – 1:38.57, Andreas Vazaios, 2018

Top 8:

1. Nick Albiero (Louisville) – 1:39.53
2. Noah Henderson (NC State) – 1:42.18
3. Christian Ferraro (Georgia Tech) – 1:42.37
4. Noah Bowers (NC State) – 1:42.42
5. Josh Fong (Virginia) – 1:42.57
6. Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 1:42.61
7. Antani Ivanov (Virginia Tech) – 1:42.79
8. Zachary Smith (Notre Dame) – 1:42.99

Nick Albiero wasn’t messing around this morning in his quest for an unprecedented fifth ACC title in this event. The fifth-year Cardinal stormed from start to finish, posting the fastest time of the morning by the better part of three seconds, and registering what appear to be the fastest time in the NCAA this season with a 1:39.53.

But it wasn’t just Albiero swimming fast this morning. This event took a huge leap forward in terms of what it took to make the A-final. Last year it took a 1:44.24 to make the top eight; this morning you needed a 1:42.99.

Three NC State swimmers made the A-final: Noah Henderson (1:42.18) and Noah Bowers (1:42.42) return from last year’s A-final, and freshman Aiden Hayes (1:42.61) joins the group as well.

Georgia Tech’s Christian Ferraro (1:42.37) and Virginia’s Josh Fong (1:42.57) will also return from last year’s A-final, with Fong possibly having earned his first NCAA invite with that swim. That’s a lifetime best by over a second for Fong, whose older brother Zach was a fixture in this event for UVA. Likewise, Notre Dame’s Zachary Smith, who moved up from the B-final last year to the A-final today, was about half a second under last year’s invite time with his 1:42.99.

Looking further down the results, Blake Manoff, the 2020 runner-up in this event with a 1:40.48, ended up in the C-final after going 1:45.95 this morning. Last year, the Hokie skipped this event in favor of the 100 free, where he finished 8th.

Women’s 100 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 50.93
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 53.01
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 53.94
• Meet Record – 50.45, Katharine Berkoff (NC State), 2021
• Conference Record – 49.74, Katharine Berkoff (NC State), 2021

Top 8:

1. Katharine Berkoff (NC State) – 50.54
2. Reilly Tiltmann (Virginia) –  51.41
3. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 51.53
4. Grace Countie (UNC) – 51.54
5. Kylee Alons (NC State) – 51.83
6. Greer Pattison (UNC)- 52.05
7. Emma Atkinson (Virginia Tech) / Sophie Lindner (UNC) – 52.36
8. (tie)

NC State’s Katharine Berkoff, the fastest ACC swimmer ever in this event, holds the top seed after posting the fastest time of the morning by nearly a second, with a 50.54. She’ll be joined in the A-final by teammate Kylee Alons, who had the 5th-fastest Wim with a 51.83.

UVA also put two women into the A-final: Reilly Tiltmann (51.41) and Gretchen Walsh (51.53). Walsh swam the fastest 50 back ever yesterday, and appeared to be taking it fairly easy this morning, although she may have slipped on the start.

The UNC Tar Heels actually had most women in the top eight, with Grace Countie (51.54), Greer Pattison (52.05) and Sophie Lindner (52.36) all qualifying. Virginia Tech’s Emma Atkinson (52.36) tied with Lindner to round out the top eight.

Men’s 100 Back – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 44.94
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 46.37
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 47.77
• Meet Record – 44.04, Coleman Stewart (NC State), 2020
• Conference Record – 43.98, Coleman Stewart (NC State), 2019

Top 8:

1. Mitchell Whyte (Louisville) – 45.41
2. Kacper Stokowski (NC State) – 45.74
3. Matt Brownstead (Virginia) – 45.83
4. Samuel Tornqvist (Virginia Tech) – 45.88
5. Mason Herbert (Florida State) – 45.90
6. Hunter Tapp (NC State) – 45.97
7. Forest Webb (Virginia Tech) – 46.02
8. Nikolaos Sofianidis (Louisville) – 46.05

Louisville’s Mitchell Whyte lead the prelims with a 45.41. He finished 3rd in this event last year. Last year’s champion, NC State’s Kacper Stokowski, qualified 2nd in 45.74, and he appeared to really shut it down the final few strokes, so look for him to go well under 45 tonight.

Each of those men will be joined by one teammate in tonight’s A-final. Hunter Tapp qualified for the Wolfpack with a 45.97, and Louisville’s Nikolaos Sofianidis will return to the A-final after just making it in with a 46.05.

UVA’s Matt Brownstead qualified 3rd with a 45.83, setting a a new personal best.

Virginia Tech got two men into the top eight: Samuel Tornqvist (45.88), who finished 11th last year, and Forest Webb (46.02), who took 8th last year.

Florida State’s Mason Herbert also returns to the A-final after qualifying in 46.02.

After knocking about half a second off of his lifetime best in the 50 free Wednesday, it was a little surprising to see UVA freshman Jack Aikins, one of the best high school backstrokers ever, miss the A-final. His time of 46.63 this morning is his 2nd-fastest time ever and got him into the B-fial, so it’ll be interested to see if he can near or surpass his lifetime best of 46.05 tonight.

Similarly, NC State freshman sprint free phenom David Curtiss was off of his lifetime best by 0.05s, going 48.06 and finishing 29th overall.

Women’s 100 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 58.46
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 1:00.12
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 1:01.84
• Meet Record – 57.45, Sophie Hansson (NC State), 2021
• Conference Record – 57.23, Sophie Hansson (NC State), 2021

Top 8:

1. Alexis Wenger (Virginia) – 57.22
2. Sophie Hansson (NC State) – 57.60
3. Andrea Podmanikova (NC State) – 58.98
4. Heather McCausland (NC State) – 59.15
5. Nina Kucheran (Florida State) – 59.34
6. Mariia Astashkina (Louisville) – 59.77
7. Anna Keating (Virginia) – 59.89
8. Adeline Farrington (Louisville) 1:00.02

We see the top-end swimmers at conference meets save their best for finals, but UVA’s Alexis Wenger didn’t mess around this morning, throwing down a meet and overall conference record with a time of 57.22. Her teammate Anna Keating will join her in tonight’s A-final after going 59.89 in prelims.

NC State one-upped Virginia, taking three of the top eight spots out of prelims. The Wolfpack will be led by the now-former conference record holder, Sophie Hansson. The senior has won this event the last three years, and don’t be surprised if it takes another conference record to win tonight, whether that comes from Wenger or Hansson.

Hansson’s teammates Andrea Podmanikova (58.98) and Heather McCausland (59.15) posted the 3rd and 4th-fastest times of the morning, as the Wolfpack continues to pile up A-final swims as they try to narrow the gap agains the first-place Cavaliers. Podmanikova took 3rd behind Hansson and Wenger last year, while McCausland won the B-final.

Louisville also got multiple swimmers into the top eight, thanks to Mariia Astashkina (59.77) and Adeline Farrington (1:00.02).

Florida State’s Nina Kucheran rounds out the top eight after qualifying 5th with a 59.34.

Men’s 100 Breast – Prelims

• NCAA ‘A’ Cut – 51.59
• 2021 NCAA Invite Time – 52.40
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut – 54.27
• Meet Record – 51.03, Evgenii Somov (Louisville), 2021
• Conference Record – 51.03, Evgenii Somov (Louisville), 2021

Top 8:

1. Evgenii Somov (Louisville) – 51.39
2. Cooper Van Der Laan (Pitt) – 51.88
3. Caio Pumputis (Georgia Tech) – 51.94
4. Josh Bottelberghe (Notre Dame)- 52.10
5. Noah Nichols (Virginia) – 52.29
6. Denis Petrashov (Louisville) – 52.30
7. Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) – 52.48
8. Flynn Crisci (Pitt) – 52.68

Like his teammate Albiero, Louisville’s Evgenii Somov apparently didn’t want to take any chances making sure he secured a spot in tonight’s A-final as he shoots for a 5th title in this event. Instead, he blasted a 51.39 that’s not to far off of his conference record in the event.

Four other men from last year’s A-final will return, including Pitt’s Cooper Van Der Laan (51.88), Georgia Tech’s Caio Pumputis (51.94), Notre Dame’s Josh Bottelberghe (52.10), and UVA’s Noah Nichols (52.29).

Louisville freshman Denis Petrashov will join his teammate Somov in the A-final after going 52.30. Virginia Tech’s Carles Coll Marti, who’s been on fire this week, moves up from the B-final last year to the A-final with a prelims time of 52.48. Pitt’s Flynn Crisci just made the top eight with a 52.68.

Men’s Platform Diving – Prelims

• Meet Record – 523.95, Nick McCrory (Duke), 2010
• Conference Record – 548.90, Nick McCrory (Duke), 2011