Walsh’s World: Graduating Swimming Star Has ‘Opportunity To Transcend the Sport’

May 15, 2025
Gretchen Walsh at the UVA pool with her four NCAA Championship trophies and four Olympic medals

When it comes to the most decorated University of Virginia student-athletes of all time, swimmer Gretchen Walsh stands alone. “If there’s a Mount Rushmore of Virginia athletics, she should definitely be on it,” UVA coach Todd DeSorbo said of the multiple-time Olympic and NCAA champion. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

Though he claims he shouldn’t be confused with Nostradamus, University of Virginia swimming coach Todd DeSorbo nailed it when it came to predicting Gretchen Walsh’s college career.

“During my recruiting process, when I was in high school,” Walsh said, “Todd was telling me a lot of things. ‘I’m going to break the national record in this. I’m going to break the American record in that.’ It was kind of hard to believe all of his really high aspirations.

“But I feel like over the course of my career at UVA, all of that has come true.”

Earlier this week, Walsh posed on a 5-foot platform in the shallow end of the pool at the Aquatic & Fitness Center. Around her neck hung four Olympic medals. A total of four NCAA team championship trophies were aligned in front of her. She’s graduating from the University this weekend, but her legacy will endure.

Walsh, said longtime swimming broadcaster Rowdy Gaines, has “an opportunity to transcend the sport.”

Gaines is the iconic voice associated with NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, where he’s been on the call for nine Summer Games. The three-time Olympic gold medalist has also covered NCAA championship meets for more than three decades.

He’s witnessed firsthand the brilliance of Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, among other swimming superstars. And since 2022, Gaines has been privy to the excellence of Walsh.

At 22, she’s already won four Olympic medals and has set 17 world records, in addition to numerous American, NCAA and ACC records. The 25-time NCAA champion is synonymous with UVA’s swimming dynasty as she helped the Cavaliers win four consecutive team national titles. At her final NCAA championship meet in March, Walsh claimed seven gold medals.

“In my opinion,” Gaines said, “she’s had the greatest two years in history. And certainly, the greatest single NCAA championship (meet) in history. You could argue about some others, but just based on the domination in the types of events she swam, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Walsh, also an Academic All-American, will receive her degree from the McIntire School of Commerce on Sunday. She’s been an active businesswoman throughout college in conjunction with various sponsorship deals, particularly the Sporti swimsuit lines she shares with her sister, Alex, a fellow Wahoo swimming star, and plans to increase her presence in this space as she transitions to professional swimming.

“So that’s definitely where the business side of my life is going to keep up,” Walsh said, “and that just requires a lot of social media appearances and then obviously performing well in the pool.”

Tuition Covered For Virginia Households Making <$100K
Tuition Covered For Virginia Households Making <$100K

That shouldn’t be an issue, Gaines said. If the 2028 Summer Olympics were held tomorrow in Los Angeles, he believes she could win seven medals – tying Australian swimmer Emma McKeon for the most won by a female athlete in a single Games.

“When you look at her next three-year trajectory, it is mind-boggling what she might be capable of,” he said.

DeSorbo did, indeed, paint an ambitious picture for Walsh on the recruiting trail. The fact the Nashville native has gone on to either meet or exceed those expectations confirms the special talent DeSorbo first identified more than five years ago.

Gretchen Walsh and Todd DeSorbo holding trophies after a competition

Walsh and DeSorbo smile while holding a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference awards. Championship trophies, banners and rings help define the Walsh era at UVA. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

“I don’t say things if I really don’t believe it,” DeSorbo said. “I’m not going to tell everybody that they can break a world record or be a national champion. … But it’s easy to get excited and try to motivate people like (Walsh). They inspire me every day to want to be a good coach.”

DeSorbo has experienced the effect of being associated with Walsh in the most remote locations. Upon meeting new friends recently while on vacation in the Caribbean, the company learned of DeSorbo’s occupation and quickly put two and two together.

“They’re like, ‘The Walshes!’” DeSorbo recalled. “This is in the middle of nowhere. That’s the impact they’ve had.”

While Alex is still deciding on pursuing another Olympic appearance, Gretchen Walsh is trending toward more greatness. On May 3, at a professional swimming meet in Florida, she twice set the world record in the 100-meter butterfly.

A UVA logo graced the side of her cap in both races.

“She is UVA’s daughter, and this daughter is going to represent her university forever,” Gaines said. “UVA should feel so proud of this young woman for the way she’s represented them, in and out of the water.”

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Melissa Dudek

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May 15, 2025

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