Cards win Gold and Bronze Day 1 at the ACC Championship

Wednesday, February 24

Greensboro, N.C.

All Day

University of Louisville

ACC Championships (Men)

Cards win Gold and Bronze Day 1 at the ACC Championship

February 24, 2021 | Swimming & Diving

2021 Men's ACC Championship Results 2021 Men's ACC Thursday Prelim heat sheets

Louisville 200 Medley Relay is fastest in the nation

By: Nancy Worley

The University of Louisville men won gold and bronze in the first day of racing at the 2021 ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Wednesday night at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

North Carolina takes an early lead in the team competition with a score of 304, which includes the diving which was completed last weekend. Virginia Tech is second with 249 just ahead of the Cardinals' 238. Miami (207), Florida State (205), Georgia Tech (191), North Carolina State (174), Duke (152), Pitt (120), Virginia (106), Notre Dame (82) and Boston College (66) round out the field.

In the first race of the night, the Cardinals became the first team in the country under 1:23 when UofL turned in a 1:22.71. Backstroke specialist Mitchell Whyte gave the Cards the lead after the first leg when he turned in a school record 20.79 in the 50 back. Next in the water was Evgenii Somov, who clocked in at 22.91 in a blazing breaststroke leg. Freshman Dalton Lowe, who went 20.25 in the butterfly leg, handed over the lead to Haridi Sameh, who put up an 18.76 anchor for the win. The time also gives Louisville an A-cut automatic NCAA qualifying time in that event.

In the 800 free relay, the Cardinals won bronze, coming out of the second heat in the timed finals. Nick Albiero led off with a leg of 1:32.31. Next in was Colton Paulson, who won individual gold in the 200 free in 2020, splitting 1:33.76. He handed the lead over to Michael Eastman who split 1:34.82 and Hayden Curley (1:35.72) anchored for a 6:16.61. The top three teams were all under the NCAA 'A' standard.

The Cardinals return to competition at 10 a.m. Thursday morning when they will begin the preliminaries in the 500 freestyle, the 200 IM, the 50-free and the 200 Free Relay.