Wahoowa! UVA Wins First-Ever NCAA Swimming Relay Title

By Whitelaw Reid, wdr4d@virginia.edu

March 18, 2021

Womens Swimming team member swimming during a competition

UVA’s 800 freestyle relay team outdistanced the field by a whopping five seconds. (Photo by Matt Riley, UVA Athletics)

Hard work paid off for the University of Virginia women’s swimming and diving team on Wednesday – in a big way.

At the 2021 NCAA Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, UVA won the 800-yard freestyle relay by a whopping five seconds.

The victory marked the first NCAA Championship win in a relay in program history, and it was a great start to what could be a championship weekend as other races continue through Saturday.

What a way to start the meet - 2021 NCAA 800 free relay champions! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/qLzMeESDmH
— Virginia Swimming and Dive (@UVASwimDive) March 17, 2021

Kyla Valls (Miami.) led off the relay, followed by Paige Madden (Mobile, Alabama) and Ella Nelson (Nashville). Alex Walsh (Nashville) swam the anchor leg and brought home the title.

“I’m just thrilled and proud for our women,” head coach Todd DeSorbo said. “This meet has been a year in the making and our women have taken full advantage of that. I’m grateful for their commitment to excellence. Their perseverance shines bright tonight with a great start to the competition. To win UVA’s first-ever national title in a relay is special. I know these four women, as well as our entire team, will savor that moment. Looking forward to more excellence the rest of the week.”

The Cavaliers finished five seconds ahead of the field with a time of 6 minutes, 52.56 seconds to earn 40 points and the overall team lead after the first event. UVA is among the pre-meet favorites to capture the national title, which would be the University’s first in swimming and diving.

Let’s GOOOO Ladies!!! #GoHoos https://t.co/G8gP2IOO0j
— Carla G. Williams (@ADWilliamsUVA) March 17, 2021

The Virginia women’s swimming & diving team won the national title in the 800-yard freestyle relay on Wednesday to kick off the 2021 NCAA Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. https://t.co/1Xv6dV5Fnc
— The Daily Progress (@DailyProgress) March 18, 2021

The championships continued Thursday with preliminary heats for the 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 50-yard freestyle and one-meter diving beginning at 10 a.m. Finals are set for 6 p.m. Both sessions will be streamed live on ESPN3.