NCAA Record Holder Alex Walsh Announces Return To Virginia For COVID-19 Fifth Year

Alex Walsh has announced on Instagram that she will return to Virginia to use her COVID-19 fifth year.

Walsh helped the Virginia women to their 4th straight NCAA team title this past season. She went 3 for 3 in individual NCAA titles as she won the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 breast. She swam personal best times in all three events swimming a 2:02.07 in the 200 breast, a 1:49.20 in the 200 IM, and a 3:55.97 in the 400 IM.

Walsh also swam on four relays for the Cavaliers, swimming on the 200, 400, and 800 free relays as well as on the 400 medley relay. The 200 and 400 freestyle relays and the 400 medley relay won the 2024 NCAA title. The team’s 800 free relay finished 4th.

A month prior, Walsh helped the team to another ACC title. Despite not swimming the event at NCAAs, Walsh swam an NCAA record in the 200 fly at ACCs as she swam a 1:49.16. That also was the first time swimming the event since she was 2nd in the event at 2023 NCAAs.

Walsh has won a total of eight individual NCAA titles over the course of her career so far with the Cavaliers. As a junior, she won the 400 IM and was 2nd in the 200 fly and 3rd in the 200 IM. As a sophomore, she swept her individual events winning the 200 IM, 400 IM, and 200 fly. In her freshman season, she won the 200 IM and was 5th in both the 200 free and 200 breast.

The return of Walsh is key for the team as they look to make a run for five straight titles. Walsh was one of five seniors on the NCAA roster for the team this past season that also included fifth-year Ella Nelson. The five seniors plus Nelson scored a total of 176 individual points as the team scored a total of 527.5 points to finish ahead of Texas who had 441 points.

In addition to the seniors’ individual contributions were their relay contributions. The return of Walsh helps solidify that at least half of their relay legs return for next fall as Jasmine Nocentini and Maxine Parker have not yet announced their decisions. The team will also welcome the arrivals of names such as Claire Curzan, Leah Hayes, and Anna Moesch.