2023 ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 18, 2023
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Defending Champions:
- Women: Virginia (3x)
- Men: NC State (1x)
- Full Event Schedule
- Championship Central
- Pre-Scratch Psych Sheets
- Women’s Fan Guide
- Men’s Fan Guide
- Live Results
- Live Streaming
After an excellent start to the meet, headlined by the UVA women lowering their American and NCAA records in the 200 medley relay, we’re back in Greensboro for day 2.
Day 2 is the first full prelims/finals day, which also means we’ll get our first look at swimmers in individual events. On tap for the session is the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, and 50 freestyle.
The team title race will also begin to take shape a bit more. So far, each side of the meet has completed two relays and one diving event, which explains why it’s UNC Chapel Hill that leads the way on the women’s side of the meet, with UVA running second. Expect that to change today. On the men’s side, it’s the NC State Wolfpack that are currently out in front.
The big news from the heat sheets is that Alex Walsh will not swim an individual event on day 2 of the meet, as she scratched out of the 500 free and 200 IM. She was the #1 seed in both events.
Women’s 500 Freestyle — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky (STAN) – 2017 NCAA Championships
- ACC Record: 4:28.90, Leah Smith (UVA) — 2017 NCAA Championships
- ACC Championship Record: 4:30.74, Leah Smith (UVA) — 2016 ACC Championships
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:35.76
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 4:43.08
Top 8:
- Deniz Ertan (GTECH) – 4:40.03
- Ella Nelson (UVA) – 4:40.55
- Maddie Donohoe (UVA) – 4:41.80
- Emma Atkinson (VT) – 4:42.53
- Emma Hastings (NCS) – 4:43.04
- Liberty Williams (LOU) – 4:43.35
- Claire Tuggle (UVA) – 4:43.45
- Chase Travis (VT) – 4:43.76
In heat 6, Georgia Tech’s Deniz Ertan and Virginia Tech’s Emma Atkinson were locked in a tight battle through much of the race. The freshman Ertan powered away from Atkinson in the last few laps, touching in 4:40.03. That’s the new fastest time of the session and lowers Ertan’s own school record. Atkinson touched second in 4:42.53.
Ella Nelson opted for the 500 free over the 200 IM this morning. She swam away from the field in heat 5, easily qualifying second with a time of 4:40.55. That’s about a second and a half off of the lifetime best 4:39.03 that she swam at the 2021 Tennessee Invite.
NC State’s Kay Foley led the way for much of the final heat. With about 125-yards to go, Liberty Williams, Chase Travis, and Emma Hastings all caught and passed Foley. It was a tight race between the three, with Hastings taking the heat win at the touch in 4:43.04. Williams and Travis were just behind in 4:43.35 and 4:43.76, respectively.
UVA put three swimmers into the ‘A’ final, with Nelson leading the way as the second seed. Senior Maddie Donohoe (4:41.80) and freshman Claire Tuggle (4:43.45) are the other two representatives for the Cavaliers, seeded third and seventh.
The only other school with two swimmers in the ‘A’ is Virginia Tech, who got both Atkinson (#4) and Travis (#8) into the top heat.
Men’s 500 Freestyle — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 4:06.32, Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2020 SEC Championships
- ACC Record: 4:09.13, Anton Ipsen (NC State) — 2018 NCAA Championships
- ACC Championship Record: 4:10.00, Matt Mclean (UVA) — 2009 ACC Championships
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:11.40
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 4:14.96
Top 8:
- James Plage (NCS) – 4:14.45
- Jack Hoagland (ND) – 4:14.67
- Will Gallant (NCS) – 4:15.41
- Baturalp Unlu (GTECH) – 4:15.97
- Yordan Yanchev (FSU) – 4:16.79
- Ross Dant (NCS) – 4:17.01
- Ilia Sibirtsev (LOU) – 4:17.12
- Owen Lloyd (NCS) – 4:17.57
The final heat saw a close race between Baturalp Unlu, Will Gallant, and Yordan Yanchev. Unlu held a slight edge through the first half of the race, but then Gallant began to assert himself. His lead on Unlu was never more than about half a body length, but it was enough for him to get the job done and touch first in 4:15.41, making it three Wolfpack heat wins in a row. Unlu finished second in 4:15.97, with Yanchev further back at 4:16.79.
However, the top two times of the morning came from heat 6. It was another member of the Wolfpack, James Plage, who led the way there. He used his strong walls to keep ahead of a charging Jack Hoagland, who looked strong here in his return to the ACC Championships. They were stroke for stroke heading into the touch, but Plage got the job done, touching in 4:14.45, a season-best. Hoagland was just behind in 4:14.67, about four-tenths off his season-best from the Ohio State Invitational.
NC State’s Ross Dant established a lead early in heat 5 and kept it the entire way, swimming a relaxed looking 4:17.01. In the closing laps, Georgia Tech sophomore Mert Kilavuz turned on the gas, charging home in 51.62 on the final 100. He ran out of room to chase down Dant and settled for second in the heat at 4:17.73.
Unsurprisingly, NC State was out in force in the 500 free; they put four men into the ‘A’ final: Plage, Gallant, Dant, and Owen Lloyd. Lloyd swam a huge lifetime best to grab the final spot in the ‘A’ final, cutting 7.82 seconds off his previous best of 4:25.39 from 2019 Winter Juniors. A junior, Lloyd has swum this event at NC State before–until today, his best collegiate time was 4:25.87.
Women’s 200 IM — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 1:50.08, Alex Walsh (UVA) – 2022 NCAA Championships
- ACC Record: 1:50.08, Alex Walsh (UVA) – 2022 NCAA Championships
ACC Championship Record: 1:51.36, Kate Douglass (UVA) — 2020 ACC Championships- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:56.85
Top 8:
- Kate Douglass (UVA) – 1:50.70 (MEET RECORD)
- Abby Hay (LOU) – 1:55.07
- Kennedy Noble (NCS) – 1:55.77
- Abby Arens (NCS) – 1:55.80
- Sarah Foley (DUKE) – 1:55.91
- Abby Harter (UVA) – 1:56.70
- Grace Sheble (NCS) – 1:56.72
- Catherine Belyakov (DUKE) – 1:57.08
The final heat saw Kate Douglass do her thing, putting on an absolutely dominant performance. Douglass shattered her own meet record and lifetime best with a 1:50.70, which appears to be the #3 performance all-time. On her way to the meet record, Douglass split 23.95/27.86/32.17/26.72. She’s set herself up well to take on the NCAA and American records in finals, which are owned by her teammate Alex Walsh in 1:50.08.
Douglass is the clear favorite here; she’s over four seconds clear of second seed Abby Hay. Hay grabbed an early lead in heat 7, along with teammate Tristen Ulett, and held on for the win in 1:55.07. NC State’s Abby Arens earned second in 1:55.80, out-touching Sarah Foley by .11 seconds.
NC State freshman Kennedy Noble jumped out to a huge lead in heat 6. At the halfway point, she was almost two seconds clear of the rest of the heat. The field began to catch up with her a bit on breaststroke, with her teammate Grace Sheble leading the change. Noble’s front half proved to be too much to overcome though, as she took the heat win in a lifetime best 1:55.77. Sheble took second in 1:56.72, with UVA freshman Aimee Canny touching third in 1:57.32.
NC State had a strong team showing here, snagging three lanes in the ‘A’ final thanks to Noble, Arens, and Sheble.
Duke also put two swimmers into the ‘A’ final with Foley and Catherine Belyakov.
Men’s 200 IM — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 1:37.69, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2022 NCAA Championships
- ACC Record: 1:39.35, Andreas Vazaios (NC State) — 2018 NCAA Championships
- ACC Championship Record: 1:40.67, Carlos Coll Marti (VTECH) — 2022 ACC Championships
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:41.22
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:43.36
Top 8:
- Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 1:42.51
- Tim Connery (UVA) – 1:42.64
- Giovanni Izzo (NCS) – 1:43.56
- Arsenio Bustos (NCS) – 1:43.58
- Noah Nichols (UVA) – 1:43.88
- Peter Varjasi (FSU) – 1:43.97
- Mikey Moore (NCS) – 1:44.05
- Noah Bowers (NCS) – 1:44.31
The NC State men continue to showcase their depth during this session. They put another four swimmers into the ‘A’ final, making it so that both the ‘A’ final of the 500 free and 200 IM will be half Wolfpack. Giovanni Izzo leads the way for them as #3 seed (1:43.56), with Arsenio Bustos fourth (1:43.58), Mikey Moore seventh (1:44.05) and Noah Bowers eighth (1:44.31).
In heat 6, UVA’s Tim Connery took over the top time of the morning in decisive fashion, posting a big lifetime best of 1:42.64. Connery, who transferred from Texas to Virginia this season, hadn’t broken 1:43 before this swim.
Carles Coll Marti beat Connery’s time in the final heat with a 1:42.51. The Virginia Tech junior will head into finals with the fastest time of the morning, defending his top seed.
There were a massive three disqualifications in heat 5. Florida State’s Mason Herbet appeared to have won the heat in a lfietime best 1:43.79, but was disqualified for “swimming out of sequence”. Thus, Berke Saka who took the win in 1:44.92, about two-tenths off his season best.
In addition to Connery, the Cavaliers’ also put Noah Nichols into the ‘A’ final with a season best 1:43.88.
Women’s 50 Freestyle — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 20.84, Kate Douglass (UVA) – 2022 NCAA Championships
- ACC Record: 20.84, Kate Douglass (UVA) – 2022 NCAA Championships
- ACC Championship Record: 21.00, Kate Douglass (UVA) — 2022 ACC Championships
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.66
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 22.16
Top 8:
- Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 21.01
- Gabi Albiero (LOU) – 21.59
- Katharine Berkoff (NCS) – 21.68
- Grace Countie (UNC) – 21.84
- Christina Regenauer (LOU) – 21.88
- Kylee Alons (NCS) – 21.93
- Ella Welch (LOU) – 21.98
- Sophie Yendell (PITT) – 22.00
Gretchen Walsh just missed Kate Douglass‘ meet record by one-hundredth, torching 21.01 to lead the women’s 50 freestyle prelims. Walsh set a lifetime best of 20.94 at midseason, so we should all be on record watch for this event tonight in finals. She won her heat by over half a second, as Louisville’s Gabi Albiero swam a lifetime best 21.59 for second in the heat and overall.
Katharine Berkoff took control heat 6, winning in a season best of 21.68. She was the only one in her heat to break the 22 second barrier, as Louisville freshman Julia Dennis was second in 22.04 (9th overall).
It took hitting 22.00 to make it back in the ‘A’ final, as heat 7 saw a flurry of action. UNC’s Grace Countie won that heat in 21.84, getting her hand on the wall four-hundredths ahead of Christina Regenauer. Countie has been faster this season with a 21.64 from midseason, so watch for her to make some noise in finals as well.
Pitt’s Sophie Yendell grabbed the last spot in the ‘A’ final, cutting .34 seconds off her lifetime best from December 2022 to hit 22.00.
Men’s 50 Freestyle — Prelims
- NCAA Record: 17.63, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018 NCAA Championships
- ACC Record: 18.56, Ryan Held (NC State) — 2018 NCAA Championships
- ACC Championship Record: 18.68, Ryan Held (NC State) — 2017 ACC Championships
- NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.88
- 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 19.28
Top 8:
- Youssef Ramadan (VT) – 18.86
- Chris Guiliano (ND) – 19.07
- Matt Brownstead (UVA) – 19.14
- David Curtiss (NCS) – 19.15
- Nyls Kostanje (NCS) – 19.16
- Abdelrahman Elaraby (LOU) – 19.22
- August Lamb (UVA) – 19.29
- Noah Henderson (NCS) – 19.38
Youssef Ramadan threw down the gauntlet in heat 6 of the men’s 50 free, torching an 18.86. That vaults him up from a tie for eighth in the NCAA this season to third (as of now), just ahead of Bjorn Seeliger. It’s also just of his lifetime best of 18.79. Ramadan had yet to break 19 seconds this season, which had put him on the outside looking into contention in the event at an NCAA level. However, he’s fully announced himself as an ‘A’ final threat with this swim.
No one could match Ramadan’s speed in the final two heats, and he remained the only swimmer to get under 19 seconds. Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano clocked 19.07 for second seed heading into tonight, which is a lifetime best for him by a tenth. Seeds three-five are separated by just two-hundredths of a second as Matt Brownstead posted 19.14 to win the last heat, quickly followed by NC State’s David Curtiss and Nyls Korstanje.
There was also an unofficial 50 breaststroke race of sorts going on in the men’s 50 freestyle between Cooper Van Der Laan, Denis Petrashov, and Cobi Lopez Miro. Pitt’s Van Der Laan “won” that race in 24.03, with Petrashov clocking 24.28 and Lopez Miro in 24.49.
Such a mid conference. Used to compete with the SEC but not anymore. Kinda of a joke
Men up/mid/down:
NCST: 11/3/0
Louisville: 2/5/4
Virginia: 4/3/4
VATech: 2/4/1
Notre Dame: 2/2/3
NC State solidified their win already. Virginia likely to close their 26.5 pt gap with Louisville to around 5-15. VATech will lose their 6.5 pt lead over Louisville, as well as their 33 point lead over Virginia. Notre Dame has enough swims to stay even with VATech after the individuals tonight.
Prediction going into relay:
How did Desorbo make this line-up? Will it be same for NCs?
UNC… what’s goin on
I mean, have you seen their last 6-8 years…
Yeah, but seems like the tide should be shifting more with Gangloff under the reigns for 4 years now. I get Rome wasn’t built in a day… but come on…
Yea but you have to remember this is the university of North Carolina – a university built on a facade of prestige and elitism. The way they recruit and act is toxic and is shown in the way the team performs every year. Also their football and basketball kids don’t even take classes so
That’s a pretty broad generalization and (in my opinion as an alum of the team) mischaracterization about an entire university and team that recruits fairly well and has a good retention rate for swimmers/divers. Results are a little disappointing from this morning’s session, but there’s no reason to personally attack swimmers at one of their biggest meets of the season.
Agreed… they have some good talent, only one morning session but left a lot to be desired.
up/mid/down women
UVA – 6-6-1
NCSU – 6-3-2
LVille – 5-3-2
Should be 5/5/2 for Louisville? 2 each in the B in 50FR and 200IM and 1 in the 500FR B.
Diving notwithstanding, Virginia should be up ~50 on Louisville and 75 on NC State after tonight’s finals.
Let’s go Tar Heels!!!!!
up/mid/down for NCSU
11/3/0
Thank you K Chilly!
Just had a look at the SEC prelims results.
W 500 Fr
ACC to make Top 8 – 4:43.76
SEC to make Top 8 – 4:41.32
Only the top 2 from ACCs would have made it to A Final at SECs, their mid-distance depth is crazy. deepest conference? Then once Texas joins, will be no question.
similar for the M 500 Fr
ACC to make Top 8 – 4:17.57
SEC to make Top 8 – 4:15:04
Only the top 2 from ACCs would have made it to A Final at SECs, as well
an on the opposite end of the freestyle spectrum.
W 50 Fr
ACC to make Top 8 – 22.00
SEC to make Top 8 – 22:25
When combined, only the top 2 of the SEC would have made it to A Finals at ACCs.
this is where it maybe gets interesting…
M 50 Fr
ACC to make Top 8 – 19.38
SEC to make Top 8 – 19.09
When combined, only Youssef from ACCs would have made it to A Finals at SECs. With Brooks Curry tying for 7th (no swim off required)
No.. Ramadan would been 3rd.. that would push Caribe/Brooks to 7/8 with their 19.08, then Giuliano time would be 7th requiring a swim off between Caribe and Brooks
The two sentences might have been confusing for some. I was not suggesting they would have both been tied for 7th.
If ACC swimmers were on SEC, Ramadan would been 3rd, Giuliano 7th and Caribe and Brooks would then be tied as 8th… swim off needed
you said this:
When combined, only Youssef from ACCs would have made it to A Finals at SECs. With Brooks Curry tying for 7th (no swim off required)
But Giuliano time would made A Cut at SEC
I feel like this isn’t too surprising as the top ACC women’s teams (UVA, NC State, Louisville, UNC) have always been more sprint oriented whereas the top SEC women’s teams have always been more distance oriented (Florida, TAMU, UGA, Kentucky – Tennessee bucks this trend a little)