COLLEGE WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Virginia won four events Friday at the NCAA championships in Federal Way, Washington, and added to its team lead.
Senior Gretchen Walsh won the 100-yard butterfly, setting American records in both her preliminary and final swims. Graduate student Alex Walsh, her sister, won the 100 breaststroke, and sophomore Claire Curzan won the 100 backstroke. The Cavaliers closed the evening with a win in the 400 medley relay.
Virginia remains in first place in the team standings with 383 points, adding to its lead from the second day. Stanford was second with 292, and Texas was third with 288.
Gretchen Walsh opened the morning prelims by breaking her own American, NCAA and U.S. Open record in the 100 fly, posting a 47.21, topping her previous mark of 47.35 set earlier this season. She then became the first woman to ever swim under 47 seconds, going 46.97 in the final.
Alex Walsh had the fastest time in prelims of the 100 breaststroke (57.54), then posted a 56.49 to take the title. It was the ninth individual title of her career. She is just the second-ever swimmer to win an NCAA individual title in five different events.
Curzan was the top seed in the 100 backstroke and out-touched Bella Sims of Texas in the final by a hundredth of a second. Curzan went 49.11 to Sims’ 49.12.
In the final event of the night, Alex and Gretchen Walsh, Curzan and freshman Anna Moesch combined for an NCAA meet-record 3:20.20 in the medley relay, winning by 4.79 seconds over second-place Tennessee.
Virginia has won seven event titles through the first three days of the meet.
COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
Two Va. Tech assistants will not return
Virginia Tech announced that assistant coach Christian Webster and recruiting coordinator Blake Wetherington will not return for the 2025-26 season.
Webster was initially hired by former Tech coach Buzz Williams in 2016 and wrapped up his ninth season with the Hokies in 2024-25. Wetherington joined Young’s staff last July.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
JMU’s O’Regan gains extension through 2030-31
Fresh off his first Sun Belt Coach of the Year honor and the most regular-season victories in James Madison history (28), Dukes coach Sean O’Regan received a contract extension through the 2030-31 season, as announced Friday by athletic director Matt Roan.
JMU will go for its 30th victory of the season at 4 p.m. Sunday against Marquette in Harrisonburg in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament second round.
COLLEGE WRESTLING
Two Hokies advance to NCAA semifinals
Defending champion Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the second time in his career as his title defense continued Friday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Joining Henson in the semifinals for the first time was the Hokies’ Eddie Ventresca.
Henson, seeded No. 1 at 149 pounds, won 8-5 against No. 8 Jordan Williams of Little Rock to become Tech’s seventh three-time All-American. Facing 13th-seeded Dylan D’Emilio of Ohio State, Henson will look to become just the second two-time finalist for the Hokies, joining Mekhi Lewis (2019, 2022).
Ventresca gained his second All-America honor. Seeded third at 125 pounds in the NCAAs after beginning the season unranked, he beat West Virginia’s sixth-seeded Jett Strickenberger in a quarterfinal. Ventresca will face No. 7 Troy Spratley of Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Tech’s Connor McGonagle and Lennox Wolak both lost in the round of 12 (“blood round”), one victory short of reaching the podium.UVA 165-pounder Nick Hamilton also finished 3-2, one win short of All-American honors.
Friday, he took a 4-2 decision over No. 10 seed Andrew Sparks of Minnesota and 4-1 decision in overtime against No. 18 seed Maxx Mayfield of Northwestern. Then No. 4 seed Terrell Barraclough of Utah Valley beat Hamilton 5-0.
At 149, Jack Gioffre won 12-2 against No. 14 seed Chance Lamer of Cal Poly before losing 12-9 to No. 22 Gavin Drexler of North Dakota State.
At 141, Dylan Cedeno was pinned in the second period by No. 28 seed Danny Pucino of Illinois despite leading 10-4 at the time.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Drexel rallies past Hampton
Drexel edged Hampton 7-6 in a Coastal Athletic Association series opener in Philadelphia, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off victory.
Macie Bergmann doubled home Devyn Demchak to tie the game for the Dragons (8-17, 2-5), then scored the winning run on VioletMarta’s single up the middle.
The Pirates (2-20, 1-6) led 4-0 after a half-inning. Kylie Hill, who scored twice, Santrea Armstead and Camryn Hamilton each drove in two runs.
No. 23 UVA holds off Cal
MC Eaton’s grand slam sparked a seven-run fourth inning as No. 23 Virginia (23-7, 5-2 ACC) rallied, then held on for a 7-6 win over California (22-6, 5-2) on Friday night at Palmer Park in Charlottesville.
Eden Bigham earned her fifth save this season and tied UVA’s career record for saves (10).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Apprentice reveals 2025 schedule
The Apprentice School has announced its 2025 slate of games, including the first-ever New South Athletic Conference football schedule. It’s set to start on Sept. 20.
Coach Vincent Brown’s Builders will be in the North Division of the NSAC, joining South Carolina Central, Barber-Scotia and Clayton State. The South Division will include Lighthouse Christian, John Melvin, Westgate and Gordon State.
The season kicks off with a road trip to Southern Virginia before Apprentice opens a five-game home slate of games on Sept. 13 against North Carolina Wesleyan. The Builders will play back-to-back at home as they will host South Carolina Central in the first conference game of the year on Sept. 20 for homecoming.
After a trip to Methodist on Sept. 27, Apprentice will host its annual Hall of Fame Weekend that will culminate with a home game against Alfred State on Oct. 4. Then, the Builders will jump back into NSAC play with a neutral-site game against Lighthouse Christian on Oct. 11 in Dahlonega, Georgia.
The Builders will return home to meet Keystone on Oct. 18 before an NSAC game against Barber-Scotia on Oct. 25. The regular season concludes Nov. 1 at Clayton State.
