Virginia women win fifth straight swimming title
As Claire Curzan (Col class of ’26) talked about achieving Virginia’s fifth straight women’s swimming and diving national championship, she caught herself accidentally underselling the magnitude of the moment.
“Obviously, there’s been a precedent set,” Curzan said, before pausing and amending her remarks. “Four precedents set. So you are just working day in and day out for this moment.”
The Cavaliers had their moment yet again at this year’s NCAA Division I national meet, becoming the third program ever to claim five consecutive crowns, joining Stanford (1992-1996) and Texas (1984-1988).
Their four-day total of 544 points comfortably outpaced this year’s runner-up Stanford, which had 417.
This latest title felt inevitable, especially after the team opened the meet with a record-setting performance in the first event. The foursome of Curzan, Alex Walsh (Col class of ’24), Gretchen Walsh (Com class of ’25) and Maxine Parker (Col class of ’24) won the 200-yard medley relay, breaking the NCAA and American records UVA swimmers set in 2023.
Gretchen Walsh captured individual crowns in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. She also helped to buoy three other relay championships, helping the team take gold in the 200 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. She was named Division I women’s swimmer of the year by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America.
Alex Walsh became the first woman to claim an individual title in five different NCAA championship meets, as well as the first to help a team win five titles. Walsh, who got an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, won the 100 breaststroke and was a part of three championship relays. She joined her sister in swimming the 400 freestyle relay and the two medley relays.
Coach Todd DeSorbo, the architect of the greatest active dynasty in college swimming, praised the Walshes not just for their exceptional performances over their careers, but for the impact they’ve had on their teammates, especially younger athletes.
“They do elevate people around them,” said DeSorbo, who was named the CSCAA Division I coach of the year.
Anna Moesch (Col class of ’28) swam in three winning relays—the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 400 medley.
Curzan was a member of all four winning relays and won the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, becoming the first woman to take individual gold for two different schools. She was the NCAA champion in the 200 backstroke as a first-year in 2023 at Stanford, before transferring.
“It’s everything I could have hoped for,” Curzan said. “You go through the whole year with the girls, and you work towards this goal.
