Claire Curzan Wins 100 Back on Third Day of NCAA Swimming

ATLANTA  – Virginia gained two occasions on the third evening of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, being held March 18-21 on the McCauley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Ga.

The Cavaliers earned gold within the 400 Medley Relay and the 100 Backstroke.

The Cavaliers stay in first place within the workforce standings with 437.5 factors. Texas is in second place with 272 factors, and Stanford is third with 242.5.

Junior Claire Curzan defended her 100 Back title, profitable the race with the second-fastest time ever of 48.24, trailing solely Gretchen Walsh (48.10). She was 1.38 seconds sooner than the Michigan and Wisconsin swimmers (Bella Sims and Maggie Wanezek), who tied for second place.

Curzan then helped the Cavaliers to shut the session with a dominant victory within the 400 Medley Relay. Curzan, freshman Sara Curtis, senior Aimee Canny and sophomore Anna Moesch went 3:20.66, profitable the race by 3.13 seconds over Tennessee.

In addition to the 2 golds, the Cavaliers picked up a pair of silvers.

Canny earned silver within the 200 Breast, posting a 2:03.09 to complete simply behind Stanford’s Lucy Bell. Senior Emma Weber positioned eighth (2:07.55).

Curtis took silver within the 50 Free with a time of 20.74. Moesch was eighth with a time of 21.37.

Other A-finalists included junior Cavan Gormsen, who completed sixth (4:35.11) within the 500 Free. Freshman Madi Mintenko positioned eighth (4:36.68) in the identical occasion.

Fifteen of Virginia’s 18 swimmers competing on the championship scored factors for the workforce on Friday.

Both grad scholar Bryn Greenwaldt (50 Free) and freshman Sophia Umstead (200 Breast) simply missed making the A Finals of their respective occasions with a pair of ninth-place finishes. Junior Tess Howley positioned 10^th within the 100 Back. Five different Cavaliers logged 11^th by way of 14^th place finishes of their occasions.

The meet wraps up on Saturday with the 200 IM, 100 Free, 200 Fly, 200 Back and 400 Free Relay.

Prelims begin at 10 a.m. with finals at 6 p.m.

MEET NOTES

• Sara Curtis’s 50 Free time (20.74) is the quickest time ever for a freshman. It was additionally the eleventh quickest time in historical past and ranks her as No. 3 on the all-time performer record behind Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske
• Claire Curzan’s 100 Back time was an NCAA Championship Meet Record
• Aimee Canny’s time within the 200 Breast ranks her No. 5 on the all-time prime performer record. With Kate Douglass at No. 1 and Alex Walsh at No. 2, Virginia has three of the highest 5 all-time in 200 Breast
• Melissa Nwakalor (14^th Place, 50 Free), Katie Grimes (11^th Place, 500 Free), Bailey Hartman (13^th Place, 500 Free), Zoe Skirboll (11^th Place, 200 Breast), and Leah Hayes (12^th Place, 200 Breast) had been the opposite Cavaliers to contribute factors
• Virginia scored 188.5 factors right now, twice as many factors as the following greatest workforce (Michigan, 91)
• This was the fifth straight 12 months the Cavaliers gained the 400 Medley Relay

HOW TO FOLLOW

• All periods shall be streamed dwell on ESPN+ (subscription required)
• Live scoring shall be out there on the Meet Mobile app and thru a hyperlink posted on VirginiaSports activities

NCAA Champions By Event (6)
200 Free, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay

NCAA Champions (by Swimmer)
Aimee Canny – 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Sara Curtis – 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Claire Curzan – 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Bryn Greenwaldt – 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Bailey Hartman – 800 Free Relay
Madi Mintenko –  800 Free Relay
Anna Moesch – 200 Free, 200 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Emma Weber – 200 Medley Relay

First Team All-Americans
Aimee Canny – 200 Breast, 400 IM, 800 Free Relay
Sara Curtis – 50 Free, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Claire Curzan – 100 Fly, 100 Back, 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Cavan Gormsen – 500 Free
Bryn Greenwaldt – 200 Free Relay, 200 Medley Relay
Katie Grimes – 1650 Free, 400 IM
Bailey Hartman – 800 Free Relay
Madi Mintenko –  200 Free, 500 Free, 800 Free Relay
Anna Moesch – 50 Free, 200 Free, 200 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay
Emma Weber – 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 200 Medley Relay

Second Team All-Americans
Sara Curtis – 100 Fly
Cavan Gormsen – 1650 Free, 200 Free
Katie Grimes – 500 Free
Bryn Greenwaldt – 50 Free
Bailey Hartman – 50 Free
Leah Hayes – 200 Breast, 400 IM
Tess Howley – 100 Back
Carly Novelline – 100 Fly
Melissa Nwakalor – 50 Free
Zoe Skirboll – 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Sophia Umstead – 200 Breast

Team Scores (Through Day Two)

1. Virginia 437.5
2. Texas 272
3. Stanford 242.5
4. Tennessee 240.5
5. Michigan 228
6. California 199
7. Indiana 176
8. Louisville 144.5
9. NC State 141.5
10. Florida 113.5