Since Todd DeSorbo came to Charlottesville, the Virginia women’s swimming and diving team has risen to become a powerhouse. In 2021, the team became the first ACC program to win an NCAA Championship, and the Hoos made it two this past season. With another national title under their belts, the Cavaliers are looking to make it back to back to back.

Similar to the men’s squad, the women’s team returns a large part of its core that should keep the Hoos at the top.

Virginia Returners

To sum up how much talent UVA has retained, every first-place individual finisher from the 2022 championship returns, along with most of the relay national winners. It does not get much better than Kate Douglass, who won three individual and four relay races in the NCAA Championships. Douglass set American, NCAA, US Open, meet and pool records in the 50-yard freestyle and 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. A bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Douglass leads the way for an experienced Virginia group.

Alex and Gretchen Walsh have both dominated their freestyle and relay events. Alex won the 200 IM, 200 butterfly, and 400 IM events at the national level. A silver medalist in the 200 IM in Tokyo, she rewrote the record books in the college event with a 1:50.08 time. Gretchen placed first in the 100 free, while also finishing second in 50 free and 100 backstroke. Along with Douglass, they broke NCAA, American, Meet, US Open, and Pool record times in the 400 free relay (with Reilly Tiltmann, who also returns) and the 400 free medley (with Alexis Wenger).

...