KNOXVILLE, Tennessee. The two-time reigning Virginia state champion won both relay titles Wednesday night at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships.
Virginia leads the standings after the first night of competition with 80 points, followed by Texas with 64 and California with 56 points.
Virginia set an NCAA record in the 200-yard relay, becoming the first repeat champion in that event since California in 2012. Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Lexi Cuomo and Keith Douglas finished in 1:31:51. Douglas recorded a time of 20.34, the second fastest 50 relay split ever.
Aimee Canney, Alex Walsh, Reilly Tiltmann and Ella Nelson won the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:49.82, setting a Virginia and pool record. This was the second time in three years that Virginia had won the tournament.
The four-day championship is held at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center of the University of Tennessee. Thursday’s competition will include the 500 yard freestyle, 200 yard IM, 50 yard freestyle, 1m diving and 200 yard freestyle relay.
Last season, Virginia finished third in the NCAA championship with a team that scored 11 points. The Cavaliers brought back all three individual champions from last season in Douglas and sisters Alex and Gretchen Walsh.
Source: www.espn.com
