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Virginia Women Win Their 2nd-Straight NCAA Swimming & Diving Title

2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Virginia women have done it again, defending their 2021 title by winning the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming And Diving Championships by 145.5 points, and scoring a total of 551.5 points. This was an improvement from their finish last year, where they scored 491 points and beat runner-up NC State by 137 points. The win marked the largest margin of victory for a women’s meet since 2018, when Stanford beat Cal by 220 points.

The Cavaliers were led by Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass, who scored a combined total of 120 points individually and contributed to the 194 relay points scored by the Cavaliers. The two of them were also the top scorers individually out of all the swimmers at the meet, sweeping all of their individual events. Alex Walsh earned wins in the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 fly, and Douglass won the 50 free, 100 fly, and 200 breast. The Walsh-Douglass duo also took down a total of six American records. Douglass broke the NCAA, US Open, and American record in the 50 free and 200 breast, and the American record in the 100 fly. Alex Walsh, on the other hand, broke the NCAA, US Open, and American record in the 200 IM. They were both on the 400 medley relay, which tied the NCAA, US Open, and American record that they set earlier at the 2022 ACC Championships, and the 400 free relay, which broke the NCAA, US Open, and American Record. In addition, freshman Gretchen Walsh scored 54 points, the third most on the team, and took an individual title in the 100 free. She was also on all of Virginia’s relays aside from the 800 free relay.

Virginia had a total of 7 individual titles, 19 individual A-final finishes, and 9 individual B-final finishes. In fact, the team had at least one A-finalist in every single event except for the 200 free, and had 11 different swimmers score points. In addition, they won four out of the five contested relays, winning the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay, and placing second in the 800 free relay. This was an improvement from last year, when they only won the 800 free relay.

In total, the Cavaliers won 11 out of 18 total races contested and broke 6 out of 7 American records set at the meet.

Virginia’s Full 2022 NCAA Championship Roster

Swimmer Year Points Event Place Time Event Place Time Event Place Time
Douglass, Kate JR 60 50 Free 1 20.84 100 Fly 1 49.04 200 Breast 1 2:02.19
Walsh, Alex SO 60 200 IM 1 1:50.08 400 IM 1 3:57.25 200 Fly 1 1:50.79
Walsh, Gretchen FR 54 50 Free 2 20.95 100 Back 2 49 100 Free 1 46.05
Nelson, Ella JR 42 200 IM 8 1:55.01 400 IM 3 4:02.25 200 Breast 4 2:05.51
Tiltmann, Reilly FR 37 200 Free 9 1:43.55 100 Back 5 50.67 200 Back 5 1:49.63
Weyant, Emma FR 32 500 Free 2 4:34.99 400 IM 4 4:03.46 1650 Free 20 16:08.25
Wenger, Alexis SR 23 50 Free 43 22.43 100 Breast 2 56.97 200 Breast 11 2:06.53
Donohoe, Maddie JR 15 500 Free 15 4:40.49 200 Free 29 1:45.95 1650 Free 6 15:55.14
Keating, Anna SO 14.5 100 Breast 13 59.05 200 Breast 8 2:07.10
Harter, Abby SO 11 200 IM 11 1:55.08 100 Fly 26 52.17 200 Fly 11 1:53.38
Cuomo, Lexi JR 5 50 Free 14 22.03 100 Fly 15 51.97 100 Free 27 48.44
Nava, Jessica SR 3 50 Free 55 22.69 100 Fly 14 51.88 200 Fly 21 1:55.16
Wilson, Sophia SO 400 IM 27 4:11.10 200 Back 50 1:57.19 200 Breast 50 2:13.71
Bathurst, Ella FR 200 IM 26 1:56.82 200 Free 37 1:46.27 200 Back 17 1:53.32
Bell, Jeniffer JR 1 Mtr Diving 45 226.65 3 Mtr Diving 40 273
Bowen, Charlotte JR 3 Mtr Diving 46 242.55
Kaye, Elizabeth FR 3 Mtr Diving 44 252.85 Platform Diving 46 191.75

 

Relay Swimmers Place Time
200 Medley Relay Gretchen Walsh, Alexis Wenger, Lexi Cuomo, Kate Douglass 1 1:32.16
800 Free Relay Reilly Tiltmann, Alex Walsh, Ella Nelson, Emma Weyant 2 6:53.47
200 Free Relay Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Lexi Cuomo, Gretchen Walsh 1 1:24.96
400 Medley Relay Gretchen Walsh, Alexis Wenger, Alex Walsh, Kate Douglass 1 3:22.34
400 Free Relay Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Reilly Tiltmann, Gretchen Walsh 1 3:06.91

American Records Denoted in Bold.

Virginia’s title makes them the seventh women’s team to win multiple NCAA titles, and they are now tied with Florida as the team with the sixth-most titles in NCAA history.

TEAM TITLES
Stanford 11
Texas 7
Georgia 7
Auburn 5
Cal 4
Florida 2
Virginia 2
Arizona 1
USC 1
SMU 1

The race for second was tight between Texas and Stanford up until the last event. Entering the last day, Stanford led Texas 276 to 257. However, the standings changed multiple times throughout the final night. Erica Sullivan and Evie Pfeifer‘s top 8 finishes in the 1650 free helped Texas regain the lead, but Regan Smith‘s win and the Cardinals’ other two A-finalists put Stanford back on top following the 200 back. Stanford retained that lead throughout the 200 breast, 200 fly and 200 free, but Texas having three divers in the platform finals finish third, fourth, and eighth while Stanford had zero finalists helped the Longhorns tremendously. Next, a ninth place finish for Texas in the 400 free relay was enough to seal the deal, as Stanford needed to win the 400 free relay to pull ahead but they finished in second instead.

Box Score, Stanford vs. Texas On Day Four

1650 Free 200 Back 100 Free 200 Breast 200 Fly Platform Diving 400 Free Relay
Texas 289 (+32) 292 (+3) 292 (+0) 309 (+17) 346 (+37) 388 (+42) 406 (+18)
Stanford 278 (+0) 318 (+40) 327 (+9) 340 (+13) 365.5 (+25.5) 365.5 (+0) 399.5 (+34)

Alabama, being under head coach Margo Geer for the first time, took fourth to improve upon their finish from last year with a score of 288. Finally, NC State, the runners-up from last year, rounded out the top five with a score of 279.

ALL 2022 NCAA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS

TEAM SCORES (FINAL)

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Swamparent
2 years ago

I want to congratulate all the student athletes who made this meet happen. Whether your efforts landed you on a podium, in the stands, or in the library it was great to be able to be a part of the NCAA swim meet. Whether your contribution gets recognized or overlooked, the support of all involved from siblings in the stands, to parents making the 4 AM breakfast, the long gone donating alum, the team record keeper,I am amazed at the swim community and it’s collective good. I personally enjoyed participating with parents and student athletes of many of the teams there to make it a special event. I hope those that find themselves questioning whether it was all worth it… Read more »

hooshoos
2 years ago

I think Abby Harter should have 12pts, not 6, for her two 11th-place finishes

I_Said_It
2 years ago

Tennessee… Rough

SakiBomb25
2 years ago

Congrats to Virginia from a Stanford fan. The Cavaliers performed really well, so tipping my hat to the team. Disappointed as a Stanford fan by the end result, but also have to acknowledge greatness when it’s happening. Douglass is unreal and the 1-2 punch of the Walsh sisters makes Virginia the team to beat for the next two to three years. Just unreal performances by the whole team.

CavaDore
2 years ago

Still not correct. Lol

551.5 not 555.5

9 B finals, not 10

Yanyan Li
Reply to  CavaDore
2 years ago

its been a long week 😭

CavaDore
Reply to  Yanyan Li
2 years ago

I get it! Thanks for all the extensive coverage!

Footman
Reply to  Yanyan Li
2 years ago

Time to do it all over again!

GO HOOOOOS
2 years ago

Who won swimmer of the meet? Rookie of the meet? Etc.

Tomek
Reply to  GO HOOOOOS
2 years ago

There is only one candidate for the swimmer of the meet…Three swims three american records…

Last edited 2 years ago by Tomek
Midmajor swimmer
2 years ago

What is the highest score ever?

CavaDore
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

I remember it was Stanford/Texas/Florida in the top 3 for many many years in the 80s and 90s. Glad to see things got shaken up in the 2000s and beyond.

ACC
2 years ago

Wow, and only losing 26 individual points.

Tomek
Reply to  ACC
2 years ago

I thought Wenger is eligible for 5th year if she so chooses.

swimmm
Reply to  Tomek
2 years ago

she’s already said that she’s not gonna come back

Go red
Reply to  Tomek
2 years ago

She is, but she’s said she’s done after this year.

ACC
Reply to  Tomek
2 years ago

UVA as a school is pretty strict about graduating in 4 years.

OH swammer
Reply to  ACC
2 years ago

It’s not that UVA is strict about that, it’s more that these student-athletes pride themselves in being exceptional in the classroom and rarely need a 5th year to complete academic requirements. The student-athlete swimmers that do stay around for a 5th year are more often than not working on a masters degree

ACC
Reply to  OH swammer
2 years ago

I mean, it’s both. I’m an alumnus, undergrads are only allowed 8 full-time semesters. You can get permission to take more but you have to apply to the dean to continue after your fourth year, and they normally only give it for medical reasons.

Mr. Pancake
Reply to  OH swammer
2 years ago

Its both

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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