Virginia Women Kick Off Post-Walsh Era Pursuing Another Title

Virginia Women Kick Off Post-Walsh Era With Loaded Roster Pursuing Another Title

On the way in which to a fifth consecutive nationwide title final March, the University of Virginia ladies didn’t have to fret about maximizing each final level on the NCAA Championships. On the opposite, their win was a forgone conclusion all season as two of the game’s most completed performers on the collegiate stage, sisters Alex and Gretchen Walsh, have been wrapping up their NCAA eligibility with a bang.

At the nationwide meet, Gretchen ended up swimming the quickest time ever in all three of her particular person occasions whereas Alex picked up a title within the 100 breaststroke, the fifth completely different particular person race she received throughout her 5 years at UVA, together with two runnerup finishes. The sisters helped the Cavaliers dominate 4 relays, and the workforce’s margin of victory over Stanford was a whopping 127 factors.

Now, head coach Todd DeSorbo tries to steer the workforce again to that championship peak with out the help of both Walsh sister. The workforce has historical past to beat, as each earlier groups to win consecutive titles (Texas from 1984 by way of 1989 and Stanford from 1992 by way of 1996) fell simply in need of No. 6. But Virginia, even with out its longtime stars, enters the 2025-26 season in pole place to make historical past, with loads of gifted performers moving into bigger roles.

The function of high performer on the workforce now falls to Claire Curzan, in her third 12 months with the Cavaliers program and second representing the faculty workforce. Last season, Curzan was a part of all 4 national-title-winning relays whereas additionally scoring a pair of particular person wins within the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, each in exceedingly tight finishes over Bella Sims. Curzan went on to qualify for the World Championships and win bronze within the 200-meter again in Singapore. While backstroke has developed into her greatest stroke, she’s going to nonetheless deal with a big freestyle load within the faculty season for relay functions, and she or he might find yourself returning to butterfly as effectively.

Looking at Virginia’s relays from final season, Maxine Parker can be gone however Anna Moesch returns after making an instantaneous influence as a freshman a 12 months in the past. Individually, Moesch took fourth within the 100 free and fifth within the 200 free on the NCAA Championships, and she or he went on to succeed in the senior worldwide stage for the primary time together with her sixth-place end within the 100-meter free at U.S. Nationals. Moesch picked up a silver medal for her relay efforts at Worlds.

Joining Virginia’s dash efforts in Sara Curtis, an Italian sprinter who was a finalist within the 100 free and semifinalist within the 50 free on the World Championships. Relay groups combining Curzan, Moesch and Curtis will probably be clear favorites on the nationwide stage.

The workforce has sometimes not relied too closely on worldwide swimmers, however there will probably be three on the heart of the Cavaliers’ efforts this 12 months. In addition to Curtis, Aimee Canny (South Africa) returns following a semifinal look within the 200-meter free at Worlds whereas Lana Pudar (Bosnia and Herzegovina) joins the workforce having already received a European title and a number of international medals within the 200 fly.

Aside from Curzan, essentially the most established star on Virginia’s roster is Katie Grimes, a two-time Olympian and the Paris silver medalist within the 400-meter IM. Grimes had a tough preliminary adjustment to varsity swimming, with two fourth-place finishes her greatest efforts on the NCAA Championships, however her peak type would put her within the national-title hunt within the 500 free, 400 IM and 1650 free.

Virginia has 4 returning swimmers who received gold on the World University Games. Leah Hayes delivered the very best efficiency of her already-accomplished profession with a pair of particular person medley wins. Tess Howley broke out in her journey to Germany as one of many world’s greatest 200 butterflyers whereas Emma Weber, an Olympian in 2024, shined with double gold medals within the dash breaststroke occasions. Cavan Gormsen took steps ahead within the center distance races, utilizing a surprising negative-split to win gold within the 200 free whereas including silver over 400 meters.

Also again on the workforce this 12 months are breaststroker Katie Christopherson and multi-event relay contributor Carly Novelline whereas the freshman class contains Madi Mintenko, already one of many United States’ greatest 200 freestylers following a productive junior-level worldwide profession. Mintenko was the sixth-fastest American within the 200 free in 2025 together with her time of 1:56.95.

Yes, that’s nonetheless a completely loaded roster. No Walshes, no downside?

Looking at Virginia’s schedule over the following few months, we should always count on this system to get to the ACC Championships unscathed. Sure, there are stable twin meets towards Florida and NC State on the slate in addition to the midseason CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge that includes Tennessee, however there are solely two groups with the items to make a run at UVA. Stanford, led by Olympic champion Torri Huske, will await on the ACC Championships whereas Texas joins the occasion on the nationwide meet in March.

The subsequent few months will point out whether or not this group can discover sufficient factors from its immense expertise and depth to tug off one other nationwide win with no Walsh in sight. If the workforce’s returnees and new arrivals can swim to their potential, the Cavaliers’ dynasty may be the primary to realize the elusive six-peat.