KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time defending champion Virginia swept both relay titles on 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.
Virginia set an NCAA record in the 200-yard relay to become the first repeat champion in the event since California in 2012. Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Lexi Cuomo and Kate Douglass finished in 1:31:51. Douglass anchored in 20.34 for the second fastest 50-relay split ever.
Aimee Canny, Alex Walsh, Reilly Tiltmann and Ella Nelson won the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:49.82, setting a Virginia and pool record. It was the second time in three years Virginia won the event.
The four-day championship is at the University of Tennessee’s Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. Thursday’s events will be the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard IM, 50-yard freestyle, 1-meter diving and 200-yard freestyle relay.
Last season, Virginia won the third-most events at the NCAA championships by a team with 11. The Cavaliers returned all three individual champions from last season in Douglass and sisters Alex and Gretchen Walsh.
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