Virginia women swim team wins fifth consecutive championship

Virginia's women's swimming and diving team has achieved a historic milestone by winning their fifth consecutive championship. The victory took place during the NCAA championships, where the Cavaliers scored a total of 544 points. Gretchen Walsh and Claire Curzan were standout performers. Walsh broke her own record in the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 44.71 seconds. Curzan set a new NCAA record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1 minute, 46.82 seconds. This marks Curzan's second individual NCAA title, having won previously at Stanford in 2023. Virginia now joins Texas and Stanford as the only programs to win five titles in a row. Virginia coach Todd DeSorbo praised the team, calling it “the best dynasty in college sports, period.” The team had several gold medal winners, with Walsh leading with six and Curzan following with four. Other notable performances included Jillian Cox from Texas, who won the 1,650-yard freestyle, and Stanford’s Lucy Bell, who clinched the 200 breaststroke. Virginia also excelled in the 400 freestyle relay, taking the win with a time of 3:06.01. Emma Sticklen of Texas set an NCAA record in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:49.11. The championships took place over four days at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center.