Catie DeLoof Swims New Personal Best in 50 LCM Free at UVa Intrasquad Day 2

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA 2020 SEASON-OPENING INTRASQUAD

• September 25-26, 2020
• University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
• SCY on Friday, LCM on Saturday
• Live Stream Details + Event Schedule
• Day 1 SCY Results + Recap
• Both Days’ Full Results (PDF)

On day 2 of their season-opening intrasquad meet, the Virginia Cavaliers flipped the pool and were just as impressive as they were on Friday in yards.

Among the highlights were new best times in the 50 free from both post-grad Catie DeLoof and freshman Matthew Brownstead.

Because of the lost summer of 2020 season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many of these swimmers haven’t raced in long course since the summer of 2019. That meant several best times falling during Saturday’s session.

DeLoof Clocks Best Time in 50 Free

Catie DeLoof, the newest pro in Virginia’s small post-grad group, popped a new lifetime best in the 50 meter free on Saturday, winning that event in 24.73.

That undercuts her previous best time of 24.99 swum in June of 2019 at the Pro Swim Series stop in Clovis, California.

That makes DeLoof now the 6th-fastest American in the event since the 2016 Olympic Games.

Fastest American 50 LCM Freestylers, Women, Since Rio 2016 Olympics

1. Simone Manuel – 23.97
2. Abbey Weitzeil – 24.47
3. Erika Brown – 24.57
4. Gretchen Walsh – 24.71
5. Margo Geer – 24.72
6. Catie DeLoof – 24.73
7. Maxine Parker – 24.75
8. Lia Neal – 24.77
9. Kelsi Dahlia – 24.79
10. Mallory Comerford – 24.80

Later in the day, she swam 54.63 in the 100 free. Her best time in that event is 54.28, done at last summer’s US National Championships.

On Friday, in yards, DeLoof got close to best times in both the 50 yard free (22.18) and 200 yard free (1:43.35).

Matthew Brownstead Breaks School Record in 50 Free

After winning the 50 yard free on Friday in 19.89, another new Cavalier sprinter Matthew Brownstead swam a best time and broke the Virginia school record in the 50 meter free on Saturday. He posted a 22.65 to win the event.

His previous best swim was a 22.79 done at the 2019 US Open in December.

The old school record was held by Ryan Baker.

Brownstead is the fastest 50 freestyler nationally in the freshman class with a best time of 19.24 from March that broke the National High School Record. The previous National High School record belonged to the current World Champion and fastest 50 yard freestyler ever Caeleb Dressel.

Virginia records long course school records from the fall of the swimmers’ freshman years through the summer after their senior years.

Sophomore August Lamb, a Charlottesville native, also swam a best time in the 50 free, finishing 2nd in 22.87. His previous best time was 23.17.

Sophomore Kate Douglass Ties School Record in 50 Free

Sophomore Kate Douglass has shown off a ton of versatility since coming to Virginia, but her roots are as a sprint freestyler.

She swam 25.18 on Saturday to tie her own school record that was swum as part of the team’s dual meet against Virginia last season.

Alex Walsh, the top freshman in the NCAA this season, was 3rd in that race in 25.36, which is her best time. Her previous best was a 25.51 done at the Pro Swim Series in Knoxville earlier this year.

Later in the session, Douglass swam a 59.01 in the 100 meter fly. Her best time in that event is 58.48.

Other Highlights:

• Senior Paige Madden swam a 1:58.97 in the 200 free. Her best time is 1:57.84, and that’s the 7th time that she’s been under 1:59 in the event in her career. She ranks 13th among American women since the 2016 Olympics in this event.
• Junior Justin Grender swam 56.40 in the 100 backstroke, which is a best time. His previous best swim was at the 2019 US Summer Nationals, where he swam 56.49.
• Virginia’s other post-grad Jack Conger swam 53.27 in the men’s 100 fly. His best time is 51.00.
• Caroline Gmelich swam a best time of 1:02.51 in the 100 back.