Virginia’s men’s and women’s swim team returned to action Friday evening in its debut in the College Swimming League, a new addition to the collegiate swim world attempting to bring a more dynamic feel to NCAA swimming. Competing together, the men’s and women’s team combined to win the contest in Westmont, Ill. against Georgia, Alabama and NC State.
The CSL’s inaugural season brings together 12 of the NCAA’s most elite dual gender swim programs in a 12-team, eight-match “season” that culminates in a championship Nov. 6. In the league’s second meet, the Cavaliers combined to defeat all four teams by a margin of at least 111.5 points, the difference between their score and the second place finisher Wolfpack. Separated by gender, the Virginia women took first place, while the men finished second behind NC State.
The Cavaliers also swept the awards podium — fourth-year Claire Curzan and second-year Thomas Heilman were awarded female and male swimmers of the meet, respectively.
Curzan, the current NCAA record holder in the 200 backstroke, swam the event in 1:46.85, just .76 seconds off of the record and the fourth-fastest performance all-time. The Olympic silver medalist also won the 100 butterfly, her other individual race, nearly two seconds faster than fourth-year Tess Howley, the event’s second-place finisher.
On the women’s front, second-year Teagan O’Dell and third-year Anna Moesch also won multiple individual races for Virginia. Additionally, Moesch and Curzan contributed to victories in the skins and super skins, relay-style individual and medley events specific to the CSL where winners of each gender’s 4x50 freestyle relay select the stroke used.
Curzan was also victorious in the skins competition, winning the elimination-style race that the Cavaliers selected to be a backstroke race. Second-year Sara Curtis also finished in second place. The two contributed to the women’s victory in the super skins relay, raced in a 4x50 medley style and won in 1:35.34 by Curzan, Curtis, Moesch and first-year Smilte Plytnykaite.
Heilman, third-year David King and second-year Maximus Williamson led the charge for Virginia’s men as their only three individual race winners. King claimed a “jackpot” win in one of his three victories, gaining additional points for the Cavaliers in a 1:39.11 200 backstroke win. The jackpot is part of the CSL’s point system that allows certain victorious swimmers to claim extra points from lower finishing swimmers in the event.
Heilman won the 100 butterfly in 45.19 — around two seconds off his personal best, but nearly half a second quicker than the Wolfpack’s second-place finisher. He was also victorious in the 200 butterfly, also claiming a “jackpot.” Heilman, Williamson, third-year Spencer Nicholas and first-year Davide Passafaro also claimed the men’s super skins relay.
Altogether, Virginia won 15 individual races, a standard 4x50 women’s free relay, one skins competition and both super skins relays. As six-time reigning national champions, it was nothing surprising from the women’s side — but a strong start to the long-winded journey Coach Todd DeSorbo and the Cavalier women will in their effort to win a legacy-cementing seventh national title.
On the No. 10 men’s side, a second-place finish to the No. 7 Wolfpack is nothing but another strong start for the program that has steadily built its way up, too, albeit often overshadowed by the unprecedented dominance of the women. Both teams have a long way to go until March’s NCAA Championships — but the CSL schedule will provide them with top-tier competition from the start of the season. Taking it one meet at a time, the Cavaliers will return next to regular-style, dual-meet competition against Navy in the Aquatic and Fitness Center Oct. 3.
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