Duke's Swimming and Diving Team Makes Waves at ACC Championships
The Duke Blue Devils wrapped up an impressive week at the ACC Championships in Atlanta, showcasing a blend of individual brilliance and team effort that left fans buzzing. With standout performances, school records, and top-10 program marks, the team certainly made their presence felt.
Notable Highlights
Senior Josie Zillig delivered a stellar performance in the women's platform dive, securing a fourth-place finish with 252.65 points. Her efforts set the tone for a week of strong individual achievements.
Tatum Wall was a force in the pool, breaking her own program records not once, but twice. In the women's 50-yard freestyle, she clocked a blazing 21.47 in the finals, topping her prelim time and securing fifth place. Wall wasn't done there; she also shattered the school record in the women's 100-yard butterfly with a time of 51.05, finishing eighth.
In the relays, Duke's women’s 200-yard medley team, featuring Ali Pfaff, Kaelyn Gridley, Heather White, and Wall, put together a sixth-place finish with a time of 1:35.67. The women's 200 free relay team followed suit, capturing another sixth-place finish with a time of 1:28.14.
The men's and women's 800-yard freestyle relays also saw top-10 program marks. Heather White clocked 1:47.25 in her leg, while Justin Wong impressed with a 1:36.60, both securing eighth all-time at Duke.
Junior Milo Shue made waves in the men's 50 free, posting a personal best of 19.76 seconds, landing him fifth all-time in Duke history. Wong and senior Austin Simpson added to the excitement with top-10 finishes in the men's 100 fly and 500 free, respectively.
Gridley and Pfaff continued to shine, each setting Duke records. Pfaff's 100-yard backstroke time of 50.73 and Gridley's 57.83 in the 100 breast were both standout performances. The duo teamed up with White and Wall for a fifth-place finish in the women's 400 medley relay, setting a school record of 3:28.64.
Wong wasn't done yet, as he climbed to No. 2 all-time in the men's 200 fly with a collegiate best of 1:43.25. Meanwhile, Jack Smith made his mark in the 100 and 200 breast, securing top-5 all-time finishes at Duke.
Wall capped off her incredible week with another school record in the women's 100 free, finishing seventh overall with a time of 47.58. Pfaff added to her accolades with a personal best in the women's 200 back, clocking 1:51.45.
Gridley matched Duke's highest placement of the week with a fourth-place finish in the women's 200 breast, clocking 2:05.55. On the men's side, Smith continued his strong showing with a time of 1:56.92, moving him to eighth all-time at Duke.
Team Standings
The Duke women finished with 432.5 points, earning an eighth-place overall finish, while the men tallied 138 points, placing 14th. The week was a testament to the team's depth and talent, leaving fans eager to see what's next for the Blue Devils.