Just four days after the Virginia women's swimming and diving team made history by winning its fourth consecutive ACC Championship, the men's squad heads to Atlanta, Ga. with hopes of seeing similar success. The women have set the highest possible bar for the men, which may give the latter an additional incentive to succeed during their own ACC Championships, which begin tonight and conclude Saturday.
"[The women's success] just makes us want to win more," senior Taylor Smith said. "It also gives us motivation because if we train with them, on the same level with them, and they're doing well then we are prepared to do well."
The Virginia men (8-1, 3-0 ACC) have a strong history at the conference championships, winning as many as eight titles in a row in past years. The 2010 Championships marked the men's third consecutive and 13th overall ACC title, as well as their 11th title in the last 12 years.
Last year, first-place finishes in eight events, including four of the five relays, earned 806 points to boost the Cavaliers above North Carolina and Florida State, which finished second with 656.5 points and third with 566.5 points, respectively.
Last year, then-junior Scot Robison won the 50, 100 and 200-meter freestyle and set ACC and meet records in both the 100 and 200-meter freestyle races, which he hopes to defend at this year's championship.
Robison's winning drive and work ethic have rubbed off on a class of freshman swimmers who will experience collegiate championships for this first time at this year's contest.
"[Our first year men] have been strong performers in the practice pool, they have been strong performers in dual meets [and] they have been outstanding in terms of how they've blended with the upper class," coach Mark Bernardino said.
The freshman members of the squad entered the Virginia swimming program aware of its winning reputation and eager to maintain the legacy built by the senior class
Read More
Virginia schools can pay players through NIL, but the University should proceed with caution
By Emory Huffman | 12 hours agoGiven the unique academic and athletic opportunities Virginia is able to offer its athletes, it is not shocking that Virginia has been resistant to extravagant, NIL-induced changes.
Record-setting weekend for Virginia track and field at Penn Relays and Virginia High Performance
By Tanmayi Patil | 23 hours agoThe Cavaliers took down records across two events over the weekend.
Virginia softball closes out regular season with series victory over Georgia Tech
By Eleanor Lynch | YesterdayThe team’s overall 65.3 percent win record this year is the highest it’s been since the 2003-04 season, and there is still time for it to continue to rise from there.
