2024 Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 20-23, 2024
- Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Live Results
- Live Stream
- SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Finals Live Recap
Women’s 400 Yard Individual Medley – Final
- NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
- Meet Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
- American Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
- US Open Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (Stanford) – 2018
- Pool Record: 3:59.26, Elizabeth Beisel (Florida) – 2014
- 2023 Champion: Alex Walsh(Virginia) – 3:57.24
Podium:
- Alex Walsh (Virginia) — 3:55.97
- Emma Weyant (Florida) — 3:59.00
- Lucy Bell (Stanford) — 4:01.23
- Caroline Bricker (Stanford) — 4:02.14
- Megan Van Berkom (Minnesota) — 4:02.51
- Ella Nelson (Virginia) — 4:04.33
- Zoe Dixon (Florida) — 4:04.93
- Paige Maceachern (UCLA) — 4:08.95
Virginia senior Alex Walsh became the second-fastest performer all-time in the 400 IM with a 3:55.97, breaking the pool record and improving 1.3 seconds from her personal-best time. After qualifying 4th out of prelims with 4:02.85, Walsh was first off the blocks in lane 6, getting a half-body lead on the field at the 50 with 25.20. She continued to lead, building her advantage with each 50.
With a 54.12 butterfly, she was out a half-second easier than a year ago. She improved her backstroke by .61 to 58.89; her breast by .46 to 1:06.67; and her free by .66 to 56.27
Walsh came within 1.37 seconds of the American Record set by Ella Eastin in 2018. She was ahead of Eastin’s pace by .52 on the front half of the race, and still held a .42 advantage headed into the freestyle.
For comparison sake, below are Walsh’s splits from last year and this year, as well as from Eastin’s record-breaking performance:
| Alex Walsh, 2024 NCAAs | Alex Walsh, 2023 NCAAs | Ella Eastin, 2018 NCAAs |
| 25.20 | 25.11 | 25.78 |
| 54.12 (28.92) | 53.51 (28.40) | 54.80 (29.02) |
| 1:24.13 (30.01) | 1:23.80 (30.29) | 1:24.65 (29.85) |
| 1:53.03 (28.90) | 1:53.17 (29.37) | 1:53.55 (28.90) |
| 2:26.16 (33.13) | 2:26.35 (33.18) | 2:26.90 (33.35) |
| 2:59.70 (33.54) | 3:00.30 (33.95) | 3:00.12 (33.22) |
| 3:28.59 (28.89) | 3:29.34 (29.04) | 3:27.34 (27.22) |
| 3:55.97 (27.38) | 3:57.24 (27.90) | 3:54.60 (27.26) |
Walsh, already the 6th-fastest performer of all-time in the event, now moves to #2.
| Rank | Time | Performer | Meet | Date |
| 1 | 3:54.60 | Ella Eastin | 2018 NCAA DI – Women | 3/15/2018 |
| 2 | 3:55.97 | Alex Walsh | 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Championship | 3/22/2024 |
| 3 | 3:56.53 | Katie Ledecky | 2018 PAC 12 Champs women | 2/22/2018 |
| 4 | 3:56.54 | Katinka Hosszu | 2012 NCAA DI – Women | 3/14/2012 |
| 5 | 3:56.59 | Bella Sims | 2022 CA SCS/RMDA WZ Winter Sectionals | 12/16/2022 |
| 6 | 3:57.02 | Katie Grimes | 2022 Speedo Winter Juniors West | 12/8/2022 |
| 7 | 3:57.59 | Summer McIntosh | 2023 FL Sarasota Shark Halloween Meet | 10/13/2023 |
| 8 | 3:57.89 | Caitlin Smith | 2012 NCAA DI – Women | 3/15/2012 |
| 9 | 3:58.12 | Maya (Dirado) Andrews | 2014 NCAA DI – Women | 3/19/2014 |
| 10 | 3:58.23 | Julia Smit | 2010 PAC 10 Champs women | 2/23/2010 |
| 10 | 3:58.23 | Sydney Pickrem | 2019 NCAA DI – Women | 3/21/2019 |
Lol at Summer being on this list with only ever swimming the event once at some rinky-dink home age-group meet.
Wonder what she could go if she was in the NCAA and tapered.
Who is Maya Andrews? Is that Maya Dirado?
Yes, she married former Stanford swimmer Rob Andrews.
great work Alex!💪🏼