North Carolina State University Athletics
Berkoff and Stokowski Defend Titles; Wolfpack Surge to the Podium on Day four of ACC Championships.
2/23/2024 11:09:00 PM | Swimming
GREENSBORO, NC – It was a dominant night on both sides of the pool for the men and women of NC State Swim and Dive. The Wolfpack claimed five ACC titles from the Greensboro Aquatic Center to give the men an over 300-point lead, and the women moved into second place heading into the final day.
NC State won the men's 200-yard butterfly as they claimed gold and silver in the event led by Noah Bowers and Aiden Hayes. Hayes, who won the event last season at both the ACC and NCAAs, finished in second with a time of 1:39.65 for his second individual medal of the competition. Bowers won his first ACC title as the grad student secured a personal best, going below the 1:40 mark for the first time with a time of 1:39.65.
For the past five ACC Championships, the women's 100 backstroke has only known one winner, and her name is Katherine Berkoff. Berkoff became the first woman to win five-straight ACC titles in the same event, as she went on to set a meet record and personal best of 48.70, becoming the second fastest swim ever in the event.
Teammate Kennedy Noble followed Berkoff in second at 50.92, Meghan Donald came in sixth, and Miriam Sheehan finished in eighth.
It was the men's turn immediately after the women's 100 backstroke. Kacper Stokowski entered the night winning the last three ACC titles, and it was no different tonight as he claimed his fourth consecutive 100 backstroke title, clocking a time of 44.36, the second-fastest in the nation.
Freshman Hudson Williams also found the podium in the event, taking home the bronze with a personal best of 45.28. Quintin McCarty came in eighth.
After finishing the women's platform preliminaries in first place, freshman Bayleigh Cranford took home the gold and is the first ACC Champion in women's platform since Madeline Kline, who won the event in 2019 and 2018.
As the last diver of the finals heading into her last dive, Cranford scored a huge 79.90 to move into first place and win gold with a final score of 313.80, beating out second by .60.
Abby Arens continued the successful night with a second-place finish in the women's 100 breaststroke, going 58.74 for her career best.
Though no one swam for the Wolfpack in the men's 100 breaststroke, Sam Hoover did win the consolation final, hitting a lifetime best of 52.22.
The night ended like it had started, with two more podium finishes, seeing the men's 400 medley relay earn gold and the women's 400 medley relay take home second. In the men's relay, Stokowski put the Pack into the lead with a 44.99 leadoff, and Hoover followed at 51.61. Luke Miller gave the Wolfpack the lead back with a 44.08 fly split, the fastest in the field, and McCarty anchored in 41.52. for a total time of 3:02.20. The women turned in a time of 3:28.23, with Noble leading off (51.23), followed by Arens (57.86) and Sheehan (53.05) as Berkoff closed it out 46.05 for a total time of 3:28.23.
The Wolfpack closes out the ACC Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, for the final day of competition. 9:30 a.m. and finals starting at 6 p.m. Mile heats are slated to begin at 2:45 p.m. The ACC Network Extra has the full day of competition covered.
NC State won the men's 200-yard butterfly as they claimed gold and silver in the event led by Noah Bowers and Aiden Hayes. Hayes, who won the event last season at both the ACC and NCAAs, finished in second with a time of 1:39.65 for his second individual medal of the competition. Bowers won his first ACC title as the grad student secured a personal best, going below the 1:40 mark for the first time with a time of 1:39.65.
For the past five ACC Championships, the women's 100 backstroke has only known one winner, and her name is Katherine Berkoff. Berkoff became the first woman to win five-straight ACC titles in the same event, as she went on to set a meet record and personal best of 48.70, becoming the second fastest swim ever in the event.
Teammate Kennedy Noble followed Berkoff in second at 50.92, Meghan Donald came in sixth, and Miriam Sheehan finished in eighth.
It was the men's turn immediately after the women's 100 backstroke. Kacper Stokowski entered the night winning the last three ACC titles, and it was no different tonight as he claimed his fourth consecutive 100 backstroke title, clocking a time of 44.36, the second-fastest in the nation.
Freshman Hudson Williams also found the podium in the event, taking home the bronze with a personal best of 45.28. Quintin McCarty came in eighth.
After finishing the women's platform preliminaries in first place, freshman Bayleigh Cranford took home the gold and is the first ACC Champion in women's platform since Madeline Kline, who won the event in 2019 and 2018.
As the last diver of the finals heading into her last dive, Cranford scored a huge 79.90 to move into first place and win gold with a final score of 313.80, beating out second by .60.
Abby Arens continued the successful night with a second-place finish in the women's 100 breaststroke, going 58.74 for her career best.
Though no one swam for the Wolfpack in the men's 100 breaststroke, Sam Hoover did win the consolation final, hitting a lifetime best of 52.22.
The night ended like it had started, with two more podium finishes, seeing the men's 400 medley relay earn gold and the women's 400 medley relay take home second. In the men's relay, Stokowski put the Pack into the lead with a 44.99 leadoff, and Hoover followed at 51.61. Luke Miller gave the Wolfpack the lead back with a 44.08 fly split, the fastest in the field, and McCarty anchored in 41.52. for a total time of 3:02.20. The women turned in a time of 3:28.23, with Noble leading off (51.23), followed by Arens (57.86) and Sheehan (53.05) as Berkoff closed it out 46.05 for a total time of 3:28.23.
The Wolfpack closes out the ACC Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, for the final day of competition. 9:30 a.m. and finals starting at 6 p.m. Mile heats are slated to begin at 2:45 p.m. The ACC Network Extra has the full day of competition covered.
Players Mentioned
BR/FR/IM/FLY
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FR/FLY
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DIVER
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FR/BK
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FLY/BK/SPRINT FREE
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FR/IM/BR
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FREE
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FREE/IM/FLY
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BK/FR/IM/FLY
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SPRINT FREE/BK/FLY
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BK/FLY/FREE
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SPRINT FREE
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