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UVA Women Break Down Emotional First Relay Title in Program History

2021 NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Reported by Karl Ortegon.

800 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

  • NCAA Record: Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky), 2017 – 6:45.91
  • American Record: Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky), 2017 – 6:45.91
  • U.S. Open Record: Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky), 2017 – 6:45.91
  • Meet Record: Stanford (Manuel, Neal, Eastin, Ledecky), 2017 – 6:45.91
  • 2019 Champion: Stanford (Drabot, Eastin, Ruck, Forde) – 6:47.22
  • 2020 Top Performer: Tennessee (Small, Brown, Pintar, Cieplucha) – 6:53.27

Top 3 (final)

  1. Virginia – 6:52.56
  2. Kentucky – 6:57.02
  3. Cal – 6:57.06

There were no more than four teams in each heat to adhere to social distancing guidelines tonight, as will be the case in relays to come.

The final heat went to Virginia, helped by Isabel Ivey being kept off of this relay, as they were challenged by Cal and Texas. Texas led after the first leg, as sophomore Kelly Pash hit a 1:43.07 for the lead-off. Paige Madden went second for the ‘Hoo’s, pulling them into a big lead. Ella Nelson extended that lead on the third leg for UVA, with Alex Walsh bringing it home for them. Virginia clocked a 6:52.56, getting a 1:41.63 leg from Madden, 1:43-lows from Nelson and Walsh and a 1:44.6 lead-off from Valls. Cal and Texas were second and third in the heat, but Kentucky’s time from an earlier heat held up for second overall, a great performance from the SEC Champions.

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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Anon
3 years ago

It wouldn’t have mattered for cal if Ivey was on it or not, let’s stop saying she would have single handedly changed the result @ swimswam. UVA won by almost 5 seconds, they all did amazing and won it. Ivey would not have put cal up 5 seconds on her own.

Yup
3 years ago

How many pancakes you grading this one?

Joel Lin
3 years ago

Thank you SwimSwam for bringing to us such outstanding content & coverage in the sport we all love. This is so meaningful to us.

CardsFanAgain
3 years ago

They won by FIVE seconds. Get real. Cudos to Virgina. Ivey or not

Daniel Jablonski
3 years ago

First relay title down… 4 more to go?

BearlyBreathing
Reply to  Daniel Jablonski
3 years ago

I predict big things for the Bears in the 400 MR. It won’t be much of an upset since they’re seeded 2nd by only .45. Bookmark this post.

BearlyBreathing
3 years ago

I think we should acknowledge that Virginia would have won this no matter who Cal or Kentucky put on their relay. Kudos to them.

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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