2024 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 20-23, 2024
- Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Live Results
- SwimSwam Pick ’em Contest
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
WOMEN’S 200 YARD BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- Meet Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- American Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- US Open Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- Pool Record: 2:04.80 – Anna Belousova, Texas A&M (2019)
- 2023 Champion: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia
Top 8:
- Alex Walsh, Virginia – 2:02.07
- Mona McSharry, Tennessee – 2:04.07
- Ella Nelson, Virginia – 2:04.80
- Kaelyn Gridley, Duke – 2:04.94
- Anna Elendt, Texas – 2:05.16
- Kaitlyn Dobler, USC – 2:05.77
- Emilie Fast, Tennessee – 2:06.79
- Anna Keating, Virginia – 2:07.32
Virginia senior Alex Walsh won the 200 breaststroke, her third individual event of the meet, in a 2:02.07. That is the #4 performance of all-time, sitting only behind Kate Douglass who has been under the 2:02 mark three times.
Top 6 200 Breast Performances All-Time
- Kate Douglass, Virginia 2:01.29 (2023 NCAAs)
- Kate Douglass, Virginia 2:01.43 (2023 Cavalier Invite)
- Kate Douglass, Virginia 2:01.87 (2022 Tennessee Invite)
- Alex Walsh, Virginia 2:02.07 (2024 NCAAs)
- Kate Douglass, Virginia 2:02.19 (2022 NCAAs)
- Alex Walsh, Virginia 2:02.24 (2024 ACCs)
Walsh had a previous best time of a 2:02.24 that she swam last month at ACCs. Last year, Walsh swam the 200 butterfly on the final day of competition at NCAAs. This year, she switched her event lineup to do the 200 breast, despite setting the NCAA Record in the 200 butterfly at ACCs in a 1:49.16.
Split Comparison:
| Alex Walsh-2024 NCAAs | ALEX WALSH- Old PB | ||
| 50 | 28.04 | 27.87 | 27.6 |
| 100 | 30.88 | 31.05 | 30.69 |
| 150 | 31.19 | 31.4 | 31.3 |
| 200 | 31.96 | 31.92 | 31.7 |
| Final Time | 2:02.07 | 2:02.24 | 2:01.29 |
The biggest difference today for Walsh compared to her old best time was her third 50 as she was 0.21 seconds faster. Her middle 100 was also faster.
Top 3 200 Breast Performers All-Time
- Kate Douglass, Virginia 2:01.29 (2023 NCAAs)
- Alex Walsh, Virginia 2:02.07 (2024 NCAAs)
- Lilly King, Indiana 2:02.60 (2018 NCAAs)
Walsh is one of only three women to ever be under the 2:03 mark in the event.
It’s weird to think of an Olympic silver medalist and former world champion as a dark horse, but it feels like she is going to sneak in with a big, big summer this year. She’s been a little under the radar compared to her teammates the last two years, but she seems like she’s setting herself up to pop off again.
She’s the dark horse because she’s going against the most exciting teenage swimmer, the backstroke queen, and the defending world champion who has a unicorn event lineup. It’ll be the race of the Olympics
Agreed. The way she stuck with Summer McIntosh in the 200 IM in Nashville was so noble. It was a glimpse at how unaffected she is by crazy good competition, and she just seemed to swim her own race- almost beating the young Canadian phenom
Alex has now set PBs in 10 out of 12 of her individual NCAA finals swims – the 200 breast in 2021 and then all 3 events the past 3 years. The only 2 events she missed were in 2021: the 200 free, where she swam her PB in prelims and then her #2 time in finals, and the 200 IM, where she PBed at ACCs but very comfortably won at NCAAs anyway.
I have to think that many PBs at NCAAs is super rare. Eastin for example was 6/12 and Dressel was 9/12. KD was 9/9 at her three NCAAs but was 11/12 if you count freshman ACCs, only marred that year by her non-PB swim in the 100… Read more »
Alex should consider swimming the 200 Breast at Olympic trials if it doesn’t conflict with other events. She could join Kate Douglas in this at the olympics.
Lilly King is slowing down in the W 200 BR while Lydia Jacoby has not made strides in the W 200 BR. The door is open.
I seem to recall, reading a post about who would be the greatest 800 IMer, If you look at Alex Walsh’s 200s times for each stroke, I don’t think anybody could touch her….
1:49.1 fly, 1:50.1back, 2:02.0 breast and 141 free… amazing diversity! I think her 200 free could be even faster I think her 200 free could be even faster if she was ever given a shot to lead off as she rarely swims it except with flying relay starts… thoughts?
I feel like she swims the individual 200 a decent amount, didn’t she win ACC champs in it last year?
Ella Eastin would be close to her if she had ever swum the 200 breast in college. Her other 200s were – 1:49.5 fly, 1:48.5 back, 1:41.1 free (relay). Her best 200 breast is only a 2:12.6 from when she was in high school. However, in her record setting 400 IM, she split 1:06.5 on the breast leg, which is faster than A Walsh has ever split so I’d have to guess Eastin could at least be in the 2:06 range, but likely faster.