Virginia Swim & Dive Wins Four Titles at Phillips 66 National Championships

The Cavaliers took gold in four events this week in Irvine, California

Matt Newton | Jul 31, 2022

The Virginia swimming & diving program had 20 swimmers compete in the 2022 Phillips 66 National Championships this week at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine, California. The Cavaliers brought home 10 total medals, including four gold medals, led by junior Matt King, who swept the men's sprint freestyle events to capture two national titles.

On the opening day of competition on Tuesday, Matt King and Zach Apple both finished the 100-meter freestyle in exactly 48.44 seconds, tying for first place and resulting in a shared national championship in the event. The 48.44 finish for King broke his own UVA long course record.

Matt King ties for 🥇 to become a National Champion in the 100m free!

Besting his own UVA record with a 48.44 #GoHoos #Phillips66Nats pic.twitter.com/RysBh0kFmt
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) July 27, 2022

Also on Tuesday, sophomore Gretchen Walsh took silver in the 100-meter freestyle in a UVA record time of 53.66.

Virginia added five more medals on Wednesday, with sophomore Jack Aikins leading the way with another national title for the Cavaliers. Aikin took gold in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:57.52. This is the first time that UVA has had multiple Cavaliers win men's titles in the same National Championships meet.

𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝘼𝙇 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉 🥇

Jack Aikins wins the 200 back in 1:57.52!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/0jSEzQ21UH
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) July 28, 2022

UVA swimmers went 2-3 in the 200-meter breaststroke, with Anna Keating taking silver in 2:25.82 and Ella Nelson grabbing bronze in 2:27.40.

🥈🥉 Two Hoos on the podium in the 200m breast!

Anna Keating wins silver 🥈 and Ella Nelson wins bronze 🥉 at #Phillips66Nats #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/V1F96aJXhX
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) July 28, 2022

Claire Tuggle, an incoming first year at UVA, won a bronze medal in the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 1:58.34, finishing behind only Erin Gemmell and Katie Ledecky. Reilly Tiltmann also won bronze in the 200-meter backstroke and set a UVA record in the process with a time of 2:09.61.

On Thursday, Gretchen Walsh won her first national title, finishing first in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 57.44.

Gretchen Walsh is a 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡 🥇

Walsh wins the 100m fly in 57.44 #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/OTT47PAFQh
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) July 29, 2022

Walsh and King added two more medals on the final day of competition on Saturday. Matt King captured his second US national title, placing first in the 50-meter freestyle with yet another UVA record time of 21.83.

2⃣x 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡 🥇

Matt King wins the 50 free in 21.83 😤 #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/cnt5oyxYvc
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) July 31, 2022

Gretchen Walsh picked up her third medal of the week, taking silver in the 50-meter freestyle. She broke a UVA record with a time of 24.47.

The Cavaliers' performances in Irvine this week showed once again that the Virginia swimming program is the class of collegiate swimming.

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