2023 ACC Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2023 ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 18, 2023
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Virginia (3x)
  • Men: NC State (results)
• Full Event Schedule
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streaming

Thursday Evening Finals Heat Sheets

Sadly, there won’t be any relays during the third finals sessions of the 2023 ACC Championships, but there should still be plenty of excitement, with finals of 400 IM, 100 fly and 200 free, and the men’s 3-meter diving.

Defending champions did well this morning, as all six swimming races will feature at least former ACC winner in the A-final. Two-time defending champion Ella Nelson of UVA will swim in lane 4 of the women’s 400 IM A-final. The same goes for Notre Dame’s Jack Hoagland, who won the event in 2021 but missed last season due to injury.

In perhaps a bit of a surprise, Louisville’s Gabi Albiero posted the top time of the morning in the women’s 100 fly, and she’ll swim in lane 4. But right next to her will be American Record holder Kate Douglass, who will be swimming for her fourth ACC title. Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan swam what was at that moment the fastest time in the nation with a 44.15 (although Jordan Crooks just dipped below that time in the SEC’s prelims). The Hokie will be swimming tonight for his third-straight title.

In the 200 free, defending champion Alex Walsh opted for this event over the 400 IM, and she’ll be in lane 4 tonight.  On the men’s side, all four previous ACC 200 free champions swam this morning, but none of them came up with the top time of the morning. Instead, that honor went to Lousville’s Michael Eastman, who had a big personal best and will swim in lane 4 tonight. He’s swimming for his first individual ACC title, and he’ll racing alongside three other ACC champions in this event: Luke Miller, Bartosz Piszczorowicz, and Baturalp Ünlü.

The night will close with finals of the men’s 3m diving event. 2021 champion Anton Down-Jenkins of UNC had the top score in this morning’s prelims. However, 2022 champion Max Flory (Miami), who won the 1m Tuesday, will also be vying for a title.

Women’s 400 IM – Finals

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 3:57.25, Alex Walsh (UVA) – 2022 ACC Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 4:02.11, Ella Nelson (UVA) – 2022
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 4:11.60

Top 8:

1. Ella Nelson (Virginia) – 3:59.33
2. Grace Sheble (NC State) – 4:04.98
3. Abby Hay (Louisville) – 4:05.23
4. Sally Foley (Duke) – 4:06.25
5. Ella Bathurst (Virginia) – 4:11.00
6. Sophia Wilson (Virginia) – 4:11.89
7. Catherine Purnell (Duke) – 4:12.08
8. Deniz Ertan (Georgia Tech) – 4:13.14

UVA senior Ella Nelson broke her own meet record, won her third-straight title in this event, and moved up to #11 all-time with a 3:59.33 victory here tonight.

NC State’s Grace Sheble took 2nd in 4:04.98; last year as a freshman she finished 3rd in 4:05.61. Louisville’s Abby Hay knocked over two seconds off of her prelims time to finish 3rd in 4:05.23. Hay went out fast, leading Nelson by over a second at the halfway point. Duke’s Sally Foley finished 4th in 4:06.25, over three seconds faster than this morning. Foley set a new school record in the event.

The Cavaliers also got 5th and 6th place points, thanks to Ella Bathurst (4:11.00) and Sophia Wilson (4:11.89). Duke’s Catherine Purnell took 7th in 4:12.08, while Georgia Tech’s Deniz Ertan, who tied for the win in the 500 free last night, finished 8th in 4:13.14.

Men’s 400 IM – Finals

• NCAA Record: 3:31.84, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023 ASU vs Cal
• ACC Record: 3:38.00, Gal Nevo (GT) – 2009 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 3:38.43, Robert Owen (VT) – 2017
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:39.16
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 3:43.50

Top 8:

1. Jack Hoagland (Notre Dame) – 3:41.15
2. Nico Garcia (Virginia Tech) – 3:41.63
3. Owen Lloyd (NC State) – 3:42.16
4. Keith Myburgh (Virginia Tech) – 3:42.46
5. Kyle Ponsler (NC State) – 3:42.72
6. Tommy Bried (Louisville) – 3:44.84
7. Patrick Hussey (North Carolina) – 3:45.05
8. Sean Faikish (Notre Dame) – 3:46.19

Notre Dame’s Jack Hoagland reclaimed his ACC title in this event, winning with a 3:41.15. That’s quite close to his 2021 winning time of of 3:40.99. Hoagland missed all of last season due to injury.

Nico Garcia of Virginia Tech is known primarily for his backstroke — he was a Tokyo Olympic finalist in the 200 back — but he had a huge swim in this event, knocking almost three seconds off of his seed time to take 2nd in 3:41.63. Teammate Keith Myburgh was also under last year’s NCAA invite time, taking 4th in 3:42.46.

NC State junior Owen Lloyd continued a strong meet with a 3rd place effort in 3:42.16, most likely punching his NCAA ticket. Freshman teammate Kyle Ponsler was also under last year’s invite time, touching in 3:42.72 for 5th.

Tommy Bried of Louisville (3:44.84), UNC’s Patrick Hussey (3:45.05), and Notre Dame’s Sean Faikish (3:46.19) rounded out the top eight. Notably, the entire A-final dropped time from prelims.

Women’s 100 Butterfly – Finals

• NCAA Record: 48.89, Maggie MacNeil (MICH) – 2021 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 49.04, Kate Douglass (UVA) – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 49.86, Kate Douglass (UVA) – 2022
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.92
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 52.35

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 48.84
2. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 49.34
3. Gabi Albiero (Louisville) – 50.04
4. Abby Arens (NC State) – 50.84
5. Kylee Alons (NC State) – 50.93
6. Christiana Regenauer (Louisville) – 51.03
7. Lexi Cuomo (Virginia) – 51.51
8. Tristen Ulett (Louisville) – 51.59

In the post-race interview, Kate Douglass said she wasn’t expecting to swim the fastest time ever in this event, but expected or not, that’s what happened. Douglass, who already owned the American Record, got past Maggie MacNeil’s 48.89 by 0.05s, taking down all the relevant records. We’ll see what MacNeil does with the gauntlet Douglass has thrown down; the LSU swimmer will be racing this event shortly at SECs.

Douglass’ teammate Gretchen Walsh pushed her, especially early in the race. She also got under the 50-point barrier, taking 2nd in 49.34. That moves her to #6 all-time. Teammate Lexi Cuomo took 7th in 51.51.

Louisville’s Gabi Albiero was the top seed after this morning’s prelims, and she nearly broke through the 50-point barrier as well, taking 3rd in 50.04. Teammates Christiana Regenauer (51.03) and Tristen Ulett (51.59), finished 6th and 8th.

NC State went 4-5, thanks to Abby Arens (50.84) and Kylee Alons (50.93).

Men’s 100 Butterfly – Finals

• NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 43.90, Youssef Ramadan (VT) – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 44.08, Youssef Ramadan (VT) – 2022
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.82
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 45.57

Top 8:

1. Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech) – 43.93
2. Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 44.66
3. Nyls Korstanje (NC State) – 44.70
4. Kacper Stokowski (NC State) – 45.12
5. Tim Connery (Virginia) – 45.12
6. Mario Molla Yanes (Virgina Tech) – 45.47
7. Dalton Lowe (Lousiville) – 45.61
8. Noah Henderson (NC State) – 45.78

Youssef Ramadan broke his own meet record, and posted the fastest time in the country this season, with a 43.93 tonight. That’s the third-straight ACC title in this event for the Virginia Tech junior.

NC State swept the next three spots: Aiden Hayes hit a new lifetime best with a 44.66, Nyls Korstanje clocked a 44.70 for 3rd, and Kacper Stokowski moved from 8th this morning to 4th tonight with a 45.12. Teammate Noah Henderson finished 8th tonight with a time of 45.78.

Not only that, but NC State sophomore Arsenio Bustos followed up a win the 200 IM last night with a 44.97 to win the B-final here tonight.

UVA’s Tim Connery reset his own school record with a 45.12 effort for 5th. Ramadan’s teammate Mario Molla Yanes took 6th in 45.47, while Louisville’s Dalton Lowe finished 6th in 45.61.

Women’s 200 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:39.80, Mallory Comerford (UL) – 2018 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:41.60, Mallory Comerford (UL) – 2019
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.84
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:45.42

Top 8:

1. Alex Walsh (Virginia) – 1:41.63
2. Aimee Canny (Virginia) – 1:42.62
3. Emma Atkinson (Virginia Tech) – 1:43.31
4. Abbey Webb (NC State) – 1:43.84
5. Paige Hetrick (Louisville) – 1:44.83
6. Reilly Tiltmann (Virginia) – 1:45.55
7. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 1:46.16
8. Annabel Crush (NC State) – 1:46.30

Alex Walsh flipped at 49.28, over a second faster than her time at the 100 mark in this morning’s prelims, and while she said in the post-race interview that the last 25 really hurt, it was apparently worth — Walsh touched in 1:41.63, setting a new UVA record, nearly breaking Mallory Comerford’s meet record, and clocking the top time in the nation this season.

Teammate Aimee Canny is only a couple months into her yards career, but she continues to improve, setting a new personal best in 1:42.62 to take 2nd overall.

Virginia Tech’s Emma Atkinson took 3rd in 1:43.31. That’s a personal best for the Hokie by nearly a second, and her swim also appears to have set a new Virginia Tech school record. Likewise, NC State’s Abbey Webb set a school record with a 1:43.84 for 4th.

Lousville’s Paige Hetrick was also under the 2022 NCAA invite time, taking 5th in 1:44.83.

UVA’s Reilly Tiltmann (1:45.55), VT’s Carmen Weiler Sastre (1:46.16), and NC State’s Annabel Crush (1:46.30), took the final three spots.

Men’s 200 Freestyle – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:29.15, Dean Farris (HARV) – 2019 NCAA Championships
• ACC Record: 1:31.16, Luke Miller (NCST) – 2022 NCAA Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 1:32.23, Blake Manoff (Virginia Tech) – 2021
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.98
• 2022 NCAA Invite Time: 1:33.08

Top 8:

1. Chris Guiliano (Notre Dame) – 1:32.43
2. Baturalp Unlu (Georgia Tech ) / Bartosz Piszczorowicz (NC State) – 1:32.47
3. (tie)
4. Luke Miller (NC State) – 1:32.89
5. Murilo Sartori (Louisville) – 1:32.89
6. Luis Dominguez (Virginia Tech) – 1:33.13
7. Noah Bowers (NC State) – 1:33.67
8. Michael Eastman (Louisville) – 1:33.93

There were three former ACC champions in this event in tonight’s A-final, but none of them claimed the victory.

Instead, the win went to Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano, who’s showing he’s not just a drop-dead sprinter, even though he’s been throwing down some great 50 free splits. The sophomore went out fast, but managed to hang on, getting his hand on the wall just 0.04s ahead of the next two finishers.

With Guiliano’s win, the ACC hasn’t had a man repeat in this event since NC State’s Simonas Bilis went back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.

Georgia Tech’s Baturalp Unlu and NC State’s Bartosz Piszczorowicz, who won this event in 2021 and 2019, respectively, tied for 2nd at 1:32.47. Unlu led for the middle 100 of the race, but Guliano ran him down with a 23.66 split on the final 50. Piszczorowicz had the fattest final 50 Iinthe field, coming home in 23.30.

Luke Miller of NC State won this event last year with a 1:32.46; tonight he took 4th in 1:32.47. Teammate Noah Bowers finished 7th in 1:33.67.

Louisville’s Murilo Sartori, like Miller a 2022 NCAA A-finalist in this event, touched 5th in 1:32.89, just under last year’s invite time. HIs teammate Michael Eastman, who posted the fastest time of the morning, finished 8th tonight in 1:33.93.

Luis Dominguez of Virginia Tech took 6th in 1:33.13.

Men’s 3-Meter Diving – Finals

• ACC Record: 531.00, Nick McCrory (DUKE) – 2014 ACC Championships
• ACC Championship Record: 531.00, Nick McCrory (DUKE) – 2014 ACC Championships

Top 3:

1. Max Flory (Miami) – 456.20
2. Anton Down-Jenkins (UNC) – 447.30
3. Dylan Reed (Pitt) – 405.10

Miam’s Max Flory won his second event of the meet, and his second-straight title in this event, with a score of 456.20 in tonight’s final.UNC’s Anton Down-Jenkins, who won this event in 2021, took 2nd in 447.30. The Tar Heel also finished 2nd behind Flory in the 1m event on Tuesday. Pitt’s Dylan Reed finished in 3rd with a score of 405.10 after finishing 12th in the 1m.

Scores Through Day 3

Women

1. Virginia – 879
2. Louisville – 665.5
3. NC State – 611
4. UNC – 431
5. Virginia Tech – 360
6. Duke – 347
7. Florida State – 293
8. Notre Dame – 248
9. Miami – 215
10. Georgia Tech – 197
11. Pitt – 169.5
12. Boston College – 100

With four sessions to go, the UVA women are 90 points ahead of last year’s pace, albeit with a slightly different schedule. The Cavaliers should easily cruise to the overall win; the question is whether or not the they can top last year’s record-setting point total of 1418.5. Louisville holds a 54.5 point lead over NC State, who finished over 200 points ahead of Louisville last year.

Men

1. NC State – 898.5
2. Louisville – 522.5
3. Virginia Tech – 504.5
4. Notre Dame – 448.5
5. Virginia – 428
6. UNC – 360
7. Florida State – 353
8. Pitt – 271
9. Georgia Tech – 241.5
10. Duke – 166
11. Miami – 150
12. Boston College – 80

The Wolfpack are way ahead of the rest of the conference, but there seems to be some great races shaping up behind them. Louisville and Virginia Tech are within 18 points of each in the battle for 2nd, while Notre Dame’s strong meet currently has them ahead of UVA. UNC and Florida State are only separated