2022 Women’s NCAAs: Day 4 Relay Analysis

2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 16-19, 2022
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia (Eastern Daylight Time)
• Prelims 10AM /Finals 6PM
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Championship Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video (ESPN3)
• Saturday evening heat sheets

WOMEN 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:06.96 – California/ I Ivey, K McLaughlin, A Bilquist, A Weitzeil (2019)
• Meet Record: 3:06.96 – California/ I Ivey, K McLaughlin, A Bilquist, A Weitzeil (2019)
• American Record: 3:07.61 – Stanford/ S Manuel, K Ledecky, J Hu, L Neal (2017)
• US Open Record: 3:07.41 – California/ R Nuemann, K McLaughlin, A Bilquist, A Weitzeil (2019)
• Pool Record: 3:08.22 – Virginia/ K Douglass, A Walsh, R Tiltmann, G Walsh (2022)

Podium:

1. Virginia – 3:06.91
2. Stanford – 3:08.97
3. Alabama – 3:09.07
4. Michigan / NC State – 3:09.95
5. –
6. Louisville – 3:10.69
7. Florida – 3:11.07
8. Ohio State – 3:11.44

Virginia capped the meet with another American, U.S. Open and NCAA record, this time in the 400 free relay. Kate Douglass led off with 46.62, followed by Alex Walsh (46.49), Reilly Tiltmann (47.79), and Gretchen Walsh (46.01). The Cavs led wire-to-wire. Stanford was in second place over the first 100 yards after a 46.82 leadoff from Torri Huske. NC State took over second place at the 150 wall and held on through the 200, thanks to a 47.93 from Kylee Alons. Stanford moved back ahead of the Wolfpack at the 250, but Michigan’s 46.80 from Maggie MacNeil put them into second place at the 300. Alabama overtook Michigan on the next 50, but Stanford passed the Tide over the last 50 yards to finish second in 3:08.97. Alabama got third with 3:09.07. Michigan and NC State tied for fourth with 3:09.95.

In the previous heat, Florida edged Texas, 3:11.07 to 3:11.71, in a very spirited race. Texas was racing for a second-place overall team finish, and all they had to do was place no lower than third place in the heat to assure their runner-up status in the standings. The Longhorns managed that feat, and passed Stanford by 6.5 points.

Above reported by Anne LePeasant.

In the women’s 400 free relay, Virginia’s Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Reilly Tiltmann, and Gretchen Walsh broke the American, U.S. Open, and NCAA record in a time of 3:06.91.

Douglass led off with the fastest flat start of the field (46.62), and Stanford’s Torri Huske (46.82) and NC State’s Katharine Berkoff (46.96) were close behind her in the first leg. However, the gap widened when Alex Walsh (46.49) got in the water, and three tenths faster than Alabama’s Cora Dupree (46.73), who was the second-fastest second leg. Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil was the fastest third leg (46.80) and the only third leg under 47 seconds, and Gretchen Walsh (46.02) had the fastest anchor and the fastest overall split of the field.

Leadoff Splits, Ranked

Flying Start Splits, Ranked