The women of University of Virginia are coming into the 2024-25 season with momentum of having just won their 4th consecutive NCAA division 1 Championship. They are currently eyeing their 5th National Championship which would make history in the sport and their program.

While they will be experiencing some loss, their incoming class offsets that astronomically. Their 5th year returners are also key factors in their projected success for the season.

Losses for the season include Jasmine Nocentini, Ella Nelson, and Abby Harter. Nocentini joined the Cavaliers for her 5th year after having swam for Florida International & Northwestern in the previous years of her college career. She made her mark as the 2024 NCAA Women’s Champion in the 100 Breaststroke and bronze medalist in the 50 Freestyle. She was also an integral member of relays. Nelson broke the top 8 in all of her events and earned a 3rd place finish in the 200 Breastroke. Harter also cracked the top 8 in the 100 Butterfly.

While these losses could definitely cause UVA to take a hit, they have an overwhelmingly talented team ready to fill in these gaps. Stanford Transfer & 2021 Olympian Claire Curzan will be an integral member of the team in butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle.In 2023, she won the 200 Backstroke and also boasted a 3rd palace finish in the 100 Backstroke. She just missed the top three finishing 4th in the 100 Butterfly that year. They also will be able to utilize IMer Leah Hayes who was the top female recruit for the Class of 2024 and finished 5th in both IM disciplines at the 2024 Olympic Trials. Another Olympian will boost the distance resume in Katie Grimes who earned a Silver Medal in the 400 IM at the Paris Games.

Joining Curzan and Hayes is Anna Mosech, Bailey Hartman, Katie Christopherson, Elise Clift, Kayleigh Duffy, Aspen Gersper, Emma Redman, & Charlotte Wilson as well as divers Alena Lotterer and Jessica Buntman. Hartman shared the top spot of Class of 2024 recruits with Hayes, but specializes in freestyle & butterfly.

Returning 5th years Alex Walsh, Maxine Parker & Anna Keating will be vital to the success of the Cavaliers. Walsh is a 2x Olympian and silver medalist from the 2021 Games in Tokyo. She is the reigning NCAA Champion in the 200 Breastroke, 200 IM, & 400 IM. Parker will continue as a key sprinter who finished in the top at 8 of the 50 Freestyle at last year's championships. Keating will also be a vital breaststroker as another top 8 finisher in last year’s 200 Breaststroke.

It’s safe to say that the incoming talent at UVA overwhelms their losses this season. SwimSwam ranked the Cavaliers at #1 in preseason rankings, setting them up very well to make history as 5x consecutive National Champions in 2025.