Gretchen Walsh reveals relationship with UVA senior pitcher while throwing out first pitch at baseball game

Gretchen Walsh threw the first pitch in Charlottesville before the University of Virginia's baseball game against Miami. After throwing the ceremonial pitch, Walsh revealed her relationship with the University of Virginia's senior pitcher Dean Kampschror.

Walsh emerged as one of the most successful NCAA swimmers in the 2024 season with seven gold medals under her belt in the NCAA Division 1 swimming Championships along with four National records. She continued her momentum leading to the Paris Olympics and concluded her campaign with two gold and two silver medals.

After enjoying her off season post the Olympics, she stormed the 2025 season with a new American record in the Pro Swim Series in the 50m butterfly with a performance of 24.93s on May 2, 2025. This was followed by a world record the next day in the 100m butterfly. A week later she made an appearance at Virginia’s baseball game against Miami.

Gretchen Walsh threw the first ceremonial pitch which was caught by Dean Kampschror. The UVA's senior pitcher came up to Walsh and embraced her in a hug along with a kiss. This moment led the whole stadium to break into cheers. Kampschror's teammates cheered them on from the dugout and the moment went viral on social media with some fans calling their relationship a 'hard launch'.

"Ohhhh this hard launch diva AF" wrote the fan.

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You can watch the moment here:

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Gretchen Walsh opens up about her mindset after world record at the TYR Pro Swim Series

Gretchen Walsh after winning at the TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale - Day 4 - Source: Getty

Gretchen Walsh spoke about her racing mindset in a post race interview after the TYR Pro Swim Series 2025. The American athlete shared that there were moments when she felt demotivated however, Walsh revealed that she focused more on enjoying the sport rather than focusing on the results.

Moreover, Walsh considered every race to be a new opportunity to enjoy herself as well as learn and improve from the takeaways.

"The sport is so hard, and sometimes you feel like it's not worth it or whatever, but I feel like when I'm having fun, everything seems to be going my way, and so if I can just carry that throughout the rest of the summer with me, learn that sometimes it's okay to not take it too serious, and look at every race as an opportunity to go out there and actually race." she said.(2:08)

Gretchen Walsh hope to continue her incredible momentum for the rest of the 2025 season.

About the author

Adityan is a journalist and Content Manager for US Olympics Sports at Sportskeeda. He is a professional track & field athlete who competes in the 400m and 800m. This decade-long experience has taught him a lot about sports psychology, mindset, and passion, which he incorporates through his work to get the best outcome.

To make sure the content he delivers is genuine, Adityan keeps a tab on the official websites and the official social media channels of athletes and organizations. Before putting any information out in the public domain, he looks at the content from a fan’s perspective to connect with the readers as much as possible.

With a knack for crafting compelling narratives and insightful analysis, Adityan seamlessly blends his expertise in sports with his talent for storytelling, captivating readers and enthusiasts alike.

He has followed Usain Bolt's career very closely, and for him, the Jamaican defending his 100m gold in Rio is the greatest Olympic achievement of all time. Adityan indulges in traveling, trekking, off-roading, and hiking when not occupied with work.

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Edited by Adityan Pillai