Virginia Cavaliers Emma Weber
Emma Weber and her Virginia teammates will pursue the National Championship this week. ~ Photo by Kris Wright/TheSabre.com

As the 2024-2025 swimming season comes to an end, the Cavalier women stand poised to secure their fifth straight National Championship this weekend in Washington. The meet runs Wednesday through Saturday.

Predictions

Last year, the team dominantly took 1st place, winning 11 out of the 18 events. Gretchen and Alex Walsh put up an impressive front together, winning 2 and 3 individual events, respectively. Combining their previous championship record with their performances in the last few meets of this season, the Walsh sisters, along with teammates Leah Hayes, Claire Curzan, Katie Grimes, and more look to lead the Hoos to another title.

The internet hub for swimming news, SwimSwam.com, has predicted that UVA is likely to win 12 events (out of 14 predictions). This sets up the Cavaliers to potentially make swimming history as just the third team in NCAA women’s swimming and diving to win 5 consecutive National Championships. The last team to achieve that feat was Stanford from 1992-1996, well before any current team members were born. Prior to that, Texas won five in a row from 1984-1988.

Events

Virginia qualified 18 competitors for the championship meet and 11 of those Hoos helped the team win the 2024 title. The Cavaliers expect to participate in 44 events, with diving included, as scheduled. UVA has the top seed in six events and 15 seeds among the top eight overall. The team also owns the top seed in all five relay races. That’s a rarity for the team regarding the 800 free relay. Out of the 4 National Championships the Virginia women have only won the 800 free relay twice.

Prelims are scheduled for 1 p.m. ET with finals at 9 p.m. ET each day.

Event Schedule

  • Wednesday: 200 medley relay & 800 free relay.
  • Thursday: 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, & 200 free relay; 1m diving.
  • Friday: 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, & 400 medley relay; 3m diving.
  • Saturday: 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, & 400 free relay; platform diving.

Individuals

Here is a quick primer of the competitors and their expected events.

Gretchen Walsh

  • 50 free, 100 free, & 100 fly.
  • Top seed in all 3 of her events.
  • Has verbally confirmed her placement on the 800 free relay which might give the Cavaliers what they need to win the relay (placed 4th last year).
  • Olympian Torri Huske at Stanford is a close 2nd seed to Walsh in both the 100 free and 100 fly.

Alex Walsh
  • 100 breast, 200 IM, & 200 fly.
  • Top seed in 100 breast & 2nd seed in 200 fly.
  • 2nd seed in 200 IM, closely behind Stanford junior Torri Huske.
  • It will be a close competition in the 200 fly between Walsh and 2-time defending champion Emma Sticklen, who is seeded 1st out of Texas.
  • Walsh has 8 individual titles coming into the meet, tied for sixth most of all time.

Claire Curzan
  • 50 free, 100 back, & 200 back.
  • 4th seed in 50 free, 2nd seed in 100 back, & top seed in 200 back.
  • Curzan is looking to become the first ever swimmer to win an individual event for two schools. She previously won the 200 back for Stanford in 2023 and is looking to win this time for the Cavaliers.

Katie Grimes
  • 500 free, 1650 free, & 400 IM.
  • 4th seed in 500 free, 9th seed in 1650 free, & top seed for 400 IM.
  • Although she is not seeded in the top 5, SwimSwam has predicted that Grimes will win the 1650 free.

Leah Hayes
  • 200 IM, 400 IM, & 200 breast.
  • 9th seed in 200 IM, 4th seed in 400 IM, & 15th seed in 200 breast.

Aimee Canny
  • 200 free, 500 free, & 200 breast
  • 4th seed in 200 free, 12th seed in 500 free, & 7th seed in 200 breast.

Emma Weber
  • 100 breast & 200 breast.
  • 10th seed in 100 breast.
  • Closely behind Canny in the 200 breast as 8th seed.

Lizzy Kaye
  • 1m, 3m, & platform diving.
  • Won 1m diving at Zone A qualifying event. Qualified for all three diving events for the third straight year.
  • All-American in 3m diving last year with an 8th place finish and earned honorable mention All-American recognition in 3m by finishing 13th.

Other swimmers for the Cavaliers include: Katie Christopherson (200 IM), Cavan Gormsen (200 free, 500 free, & 1650 free), Bailey Hartman (500 free, 100 fly, & 200 fly), Tess Howley (200 fly), Anna Moesch (50 free, 100 free, & 200 free), Carly Novelline (100 fly, 200 fly, & 100 back), Maxine Parker (50 free, 100 free, & 200 free), Maggie Schalow (100 fly), Zoe Skirboll (100 breast), and Charlotte Wilson (200 back).

The meet will be available for streaming on ESPN+. The Virginia men will begin competition on March 26.

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