@fullname - Swimming & Diving - University of Louisville Athletic

Ella Welch, Julia Dennis, Caroline Larsen pose in their Team USA suits

Ella Welch smiles after advancing to the championship final of the 100 fly

The 15 Cardinals posed at the Georgia Pool at NCAA practice

400 medley relay team shows off their medals on the podium

the 200 free relay team shows off their silver medals

Ella Welch celebrates her win in the 100 breast

Thursday evening at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, TN. (Photo: Mooreshots LLC)

Photo by: Karl L. Moore/Mooreshots LLC

2022 NCAA Women's Team pose at the venue

800 Free Relay Podium shot for the women

Photo by: Karl L. Moore

Ella Welch

Class:
Freshman
Position:
Sprint Freestyle
High School:
Assumption
Hometown:
Louisville, Ky.

2024-25: At NCAAs, Ella was a finalist in the 100 fly, placing seventh in the A-final with a time of 50.93 to earn All-American Honors. She anchored the Cards’ 200 free relay team that finished second with a tie of 1:25.04 after her 21.23 split. She also swam on the 400 medley relay team that finished eighth overall with a 3:27.76. At the ACC Championships, she placed fifth in the 100 fly with a time of 50.74 and was eighth in the 100 fly (50.74). She won a silver medal as part of the 200 free relay team and helped the Cards to a fifth place in the 400 medley relay (3:30.73). During the dual season, she was second in the 100 fly (52.32), and the 200 medley relay (1:37.85) and third in the 50 free at Missouri. At the SMU Classic, she was second in the 100 breast (1:00.85), eighth in the 200 breast (2:13.09) and helped the Cards touch second in both the 200 medley relay (1:38.12) and the 200 free relay (1:29.89). Against Tennessee, she won the 100 fly (51.89) and helped the Cards win the 400 free relay (3:12.26) as well as touching second in the 200 medley relay (1:36.56). Against Indiana, Welch won the 100 fly (51.67) and was second in the 100 breast. She helped the Cards place third in the 400 free relay (3:15.69). At the Ohio State Invitational, Ella finished third in the 100 fly (52.24) and was a part of the both the winning 200 free relay (1:36.18) and the 200 medley relay (1:35.89). Against rival Kentucky, Welch was second in the 100 fly (52.43) and helped the Cards win the 200 medley relay (1:37.34). At the USA National Championships, she finalled in the 50M breast (10^th) with a 31.48. In the 50 fly finals, she was 8^th (26.41) and was sixth in the 100M Fly finals (58.57). She was selected for the World University Games competed in July of 2025.

2023-24: At the NCAA Championships in Athens, Ga., Ella earned All-American honors. She was on the second place 200 free relay team (1:25.47). She earned second team All-America honors with an 11^th place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:35.45). She was 45^th in the 50 free (22.35) and 47th in the 100 breast (1:01.03) and posted a 49.15 in the 100 freestyle. At the ACC Championships in Athens, Ga., she scored 40 points and won a silver and bronze. She helped the Cards to a second place in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:25.39 and was on the third place 400 medley relay when the Cards went 3:30.28. She placed 12^th in the 50 free (22.38). She finished 16^th in the 100 breast (1:01.14) and was 13th in the 100 freestyle (48.82). During the dual meet season, she was on the 200 free relay (1:29.12) and was second in the 200 medley relay (1:37.29) and third in the 400 medley relay (3:34.70). Against Notre Dame, she was second in the 100 breast (1:02.60) and fifth in the 100 free (52.25). Against Missouri, she was fourth in both the 50 free (22:86) and the 100 fly (53.55). She helped the Cards win both the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay. Against Kentucky, she won the 100 breast (59.99) and was fourth in the 100 free. She also helped the Cards win both relays. In the double dual with Wisconsin and Indiana, she won the 100 breast (1:00.05) and was second in the 200 medley relay, 100 fly and the 400 free relay.

2022-23: Ella had a record-setting freshman year for the Cards. She swam at NCAAs as a freshman. She anchored the 800 free relay team that went 7:00.81, splitting 1:45.54. She finished 20^th in the 50 free with a time of 22.04. She helped the 200 free relay team finish third with a 1:25.73 and her anchor of 21.49, the second fastest time in school history. She was 17^th in the 100 free with a time of 48.00. In the 400 free relay, she once again anchored, this time with a 47.46 as the Cards went 3:09.57. The Cards went 3:08.92 in the prelims to set a new school record. At ACCs, Welch scored 52.5 points. To start off the meet, she helped the Cards win silver in the 800 Free relay with a time of 6:57.51, anchoring in 1:44.46. She won another silver when the Cards touched second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:25.29 to set a new school record helped by her anchor of 21.25. She made the A-final of the 50 free where she touched sixth in 21.89 and the B-final of the 100 breast, finishing 15^th in 1:00.44. She was second in the B-final of the 100 free with a time of 47.99. She won her last silver medal of the meet with an anchor of 46.99 as the Cards went 3:08.92 to set a school record. In the dual meet, she finished second in the 100 breast at Notre Dame. At the Purdue Invitational, she was sixth in the 50 free, ninth in the 200 free, fifth in the 100 breast and third in the 100 free. At Missouri, she was third in the 100 breast and second in the 100 free. At Kentucky, she was second in the 100 free and fifth in the 100 breast. During the Indiana meet, she was third in the 100 breast and second in the 100 freestyle. Against Cincinnati, she won the 50 free.

Prep: A hometown native and ranked 1^st in Kentucky Swimming USA Club (15-18) division, sprinter Ella Welch joins the Cardinals from Cardinal Aquatics. Welch qualified for US Nationals, Winter Junior Nationals, Olympic Trials, and the Mel Zajao Jr. International Swim Meet. Welch won two events at the 2021 USA Swimming Futures Championship in Huntsville: the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. She also placed 8^th in the 100 freestyle at the 2021 Toyota US Open. Welch is a four-time state champion. At the 2022 KHSAA State Championships, she won the 100 freestyle and the 50 freestyle. She won both events the previous year. A USA Swimming Scholastic All-America, Welch holds best times of 22.35 in the 50 freestyle and 48.81 in the 100 freestyle. Her club coach was Rick Stewart and her high school coach is Colin Faris.

Personal: Daughter of Tom and Amy Welch. Born January 8, 2004. Major is marketing.