Virginia Cavaliers secure fourth successive title at NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships

The Virginia Cavaliers Women's Swimming and Diving team recently secured their fourth NCAA title. The Hoos achieved this feat at the 2024 Women's Swimming and Diving Championships held at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Georgia from March 20 to 24.

The Virginia Cavaliers Women's Swimming and Diving team earned a decisive lead to stand at the top of the table after collecting 527.5 points. The Hoos defeated the Texas and the Florida women's swimming team who posted 441 and 364 points, respectively.

The Virginia women's swimming team secured their fourth consecutive NCAA title, a feat that commenced in 2021 when they surpassed North California State's team after recording a total of 491 points. The NC State team bagged 354 points. In 2022 and 2023, the Virginia women's team clinched the NCAA titles after defeating the Texas team by scoring 551.5 - 406 and 542 - 415 points, respectively.

By clinching their fourth NCAA title, the Virginia Cavaliers team became the third team after Texas and Stanford to have secured the title four consecutive times. The team secured 11 gold, and two bronze medals this year.

The Walsh sisters secured 10 out of 11 gold medals combined for the Virginia Cavaliers

Alex Walsh secured three individual medals while Gretchen broke multiple records.

Gretchen Walsh and Alex Walsh displayed remarkable performances at the 2024 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships after collecting 10 out of 11 gold medals in Athens, Georgia.

The Walsh sisters led the Virginia women's swimming team to the top position after collecting three gold medals together in the relay events, including the 200-y freestyle, 400-y freestyle, and 400-y medley relay.

Further, Gretchen secured another gold medal with the team in the 200m medley relay, clocking 1:31.58. Alex bagged a gold medal in the 200y breaststroke by clocking 3:55.97. She further posted two second fastest scores, including the 200 and 400 Individual Medley.

In the 200 IM, she achieved the sub-1.50 mark after recording 1:49.20, just behind Kate Douglass' 1:48.37 NCAA record. In the 400 IM, Alex clocked a spectacular time of 3:55.97 to follow Ella Easting, who recorded 3:54.60 in 2018.

Gretchen Walsh delivered three record-breaking performances, breaking the 100-y freestyle NCAA and American record after becoming the first woman to finish the race under the 45s mark, clocking 44.83 seconds.

She also shattered the NCAA and the American records in the 100y butterfly and 50y freestyle after clocking 47.42 and 20.37 seconds, respectively. With their recent notable feats for the Virginia Cavaliers, the Walsh sisters are proving their mettle ahead of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials in June.