Cardinals Take Sixth at NCAA Championships

Saturday, March 23

Athens, GA

10 a.m. Prelims | 6 p.m. Finals

University of Louisville

NCAA

else praasterink shows off her platform trophy

March 23, 2024 | Swimming & Diving

By: Nancy Worley

ATHENS, Ga. -- After three days of racing and highlighted by a school best finish in diving, the University of Louisville placed sixth at the 2024 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at Bauerle Pool inside the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.

The University of Virginia (527.5) repeated as national champions followed by Texas (441), Florida (364), Tennessee (277), Stanford (250), Louisville (212), Indiana (206), Southern California (200), Ohio State (162), NC State (162) rounding out the top 10.

In the 400 free relay, the Cardinal Sprintcesses were third when Christiana Regenauer (47.51), Gabi Albiero (47.16), Julia Dennis (47.24) and Lucy Mehraban (47.17) posted a 3:09.08, the second-fastest time in school history. The event was won by Virginia's pool-record time of 3:05.89.

In platform diving, Louisville's Else Praasterink qualified in fourth place going into the finals. In the finals, she posted a 290.30 to place fourth for the highest-ever finish in a diving final by a Cardinal in school history. The event was won by Minnesota's Viviana Del Angel's 327.90.

In the A-final of the 100 freestyle championship, Louisville's Christiana Regenauer was sixth with a time of 47.20. Gabi Albiero was eighth with a time of 47.37 with both Cardinals earning All-American honors. The event was won by Gretchen Walsh of Virginia 44. 83, a time that reset her own NCAA, American, Pool and US Open record.

In the 200 backstroke, Louisville's Paige Hetrick finished fourth in the consolation heat of the finals with a time of 1:52.10. The event was won by Wisconsin's Phoebe Bacon, who turned in the winning time of 1:48.23 in a tightly contested final 25 with just .24 of a second between first and third.