Get ready for an epic swim meet recap! The highly anticipated NC State vs UVA dual meet, originally scheduled for two days, was condensed into one thrilling day due to a winter storm. And boy, did the swimmers deliver!
Virginia Women and NC State Men Dominate
The Virginia women's team and NC State men's team emerged victorious, showcasing their prowess in the pool. The UVA women broke an impressive ten pool records, while Max Carlsen, a freshman on the NC State men's team, shattered two records of his own.
Women's Meet Recap: A Record-Breaking Extravaganza
On Friday, the UVA women dominated, with three standout swimmers each breaking two pool records. They kicked off the meet with a bang, claiming the top two spots and setting a new pool record in the women's 200 medley relay. The 'A' relay, consisting of Sara Curtis, Emma Weber, Claire Curzan, and Anna Moesch, swam an incredible 1:32.67, leaving their 'B' relay in the dust with a time of 1:34.47.
Moesch's anchor leg split of 20.82 was her fastest ever, marking only her second time dipping below 21 seconds. NC State's Eneli Jefimova also impressed with the fastest breaststroke split in the field at 26.40 on the 'A' relay.
Virginia continued their winning streak, claiming the 400 free relay and another pool record. Curtis led off with a swift 47.13, followed by Curzan's 46.45 split on the second leg. Madi Mintenko contributed a solid 47.65 on the third leg, and Moesch anchored with a blazing 46.39, touching the wall in 3:07.62. This was a new season best for the team, just three hundredths behind Stanford's nation-leading time.
Claire Curzan had an extraordinary day, setting two new pool records in the butterfly events and adding two more on the relays. Her morning began with a massive 1:51.35 in the 200 fly, ranking her second in the country this season with her second-fastest time ever. She led a UVA top-three sweep, with Carly Novelline and Lana Pudar finishing second and third, respectively.
In the 100 fly, Curzan added another record to her collection, touching in 49.13, a new season best and just shy of her personal best of 49.02 from the 2025 ACC Championships. This impressive time places her second in the country this season, just two tenths behind Torri Huske's 48.90.
Katie Grimes Shines
Katie Grimes also had a standout performance, breaking two pool records. She started with a swift 9:28.49 in the 1000 freestyle, her fastest collegiate swim in the event, finishing nearly six seconds ahead of her teammate Cavan Gormsen. Grimes' swim ranks fourth in the country this season.
Grimes continued her dominance in the 500 freestyle, shattering the pool record with a new season best of 4:36.04, dropping from her previous best of 4:38.07. She led another UVA top-three sweep, with Gormsen and Bailey Hartman finishing second and third, respectively.
Aimee Canny's Triple Victory
Aimee Canny was a force to be reckoned with, winning three events for the Cavaliers. She started with a record-breaking performance in the 200 freestyle, leading a UVA sweep with Madi Mintenko and Bailey Hartman finishing second and third, respectively. Canny's time was also a new record.
Canny continued her winning streak in the 200 breast, setting a new season best of 2:06.54 and a new lifetime best, dropping from her previous best of 2:06.70. She finished more than a second ahead of NC State's Eneli Jefimova.
In the women's 200 IM, Canny led another UVA sweep, touching the wall in 1:54.77, more than a second ahead of her teammate Leah Hayes.
Sara Curtis and Anna Moesch Split the Sprint Events
Sara Curtis and Anna Moesch split the sprint freestyle events and pool records. Curtis broke the 50 free pool record, swimming an impressive 21.37, adding to her lifetime and season best of 21.18. Moesch finished a close second in 21.44.
In the 100 free, Moesch continued her dominance, swimming 46.40 and taking down yet another Willis R. Casey pool record, finishing two seconds ahead of Madi Mintenko.
NC State's Event Wins
While Virginia had an exceptional meet, NC State still managed to pick up event wins in three swimming events and both diving events.
Leah Shackley won both backstroke events for the Wolfpack, edging out UVA's Sara Curtis in the 100 back by eight hundredths of a second. In the 200 back, Shackley was the only swimmer to break the 1:50 barrier, touching in 1:49.95.
The women's 100 breast was won by NC State's Eneli Jefimova, just off her season best, with UVA's Emma Weber finishing second.
Grace Hurley dominated the diving events for the Wolfpack, as UVA does not have a diving program. She scored an impressive 287.40 on the 1-meter and 309.23 on the 3-meter.
Men's Recap: NC State's Max Carlsen Steals the Show
The UVA women weren't the only ones breaking records. NC State freshman Max Carlsen had a monster meet, setting two new pool records and a new ACC record.
In the men's 1000 freestyle, Carlsen swam an incredible 8:41.12, leading an NC State sweep. This swim was a new ACC record, taking the previous record time from his teammate Lance Norris. Carlsen's time ranks third in the country this season.
Carlsen continued his winning streak in the 500 freestyle, touching in 4:11.89, a new lifetime best by nearly three seconds. Again, he led an NC State sweep, with his teammates finishing second, third, and fourth.
The NC State men dominated the rest of the meet, starting with the top time in the 200 medley relay. The team of Hudson Williams, Arsen Kozhakhmetov, Aiden Hayes, and Quintin McCarty swam an impressive 1:23.22, more than a second ahead of Virginia.
The 400 freestyle relay also went to NC State, with Jerry Fox, Kaii Winkler, Quintin McCarty, and Hudson Williams swimming 2:46.90.
Besides Carlsen, the NC State men did not have any multi-event winners. However, they swept the men's 100 back and 50 free, with Hudson Williams and Quintin McCarty taking the top two spots, respectively.
Kaii Winkler won the 100 free, just ahead of his teammate Jerry Fox, with Hudson Williams finishing third.
In the 200 breaststroke, Ian Stutts earned the top time, leading a top-three sweep for NC State.
The 100 breast went to Arsen Kozhakhmetov, who finished half a second ahead of UVA's Matt Heilman.
The University of Virginia swimmers claimed the other five individual events. Maximus Williamson picked up two wins in the men's 200 freestyle and 200 IM, while Thomas Heilman won the 200 fly and 100 fly. David King took the top spot in the men's 200 backstroke.
Final Thoughts
Both the Virginia women and NC State men put on an incredible display of talent and determination. The meet was a testament to the hard work and dedication of these athletes, and we can't wait to see what they achieve next!
What did you think of this epic dual meet? Who impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments!
