Wolfpack Men Secure Third, Women Take Fifth at ACC Championships
2/23/2025 7:00:00 AM | Swimming
GREENSBORO, NC – The NC State men's and women's swimming and diving teams wrapped up their week at the 2025 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships, held from February 18-22 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. The men placed third with 1,021 points, while the women secured fifth with a score of 787.75.
Throughout the week, the Wolfpack brought home a total of three gold medals, six silver, and five bronze. In addition, the team set two school records, one meet record and achieved 48 personal bests.
Individually, 28 members of the Wolfpack made it to the A-final, 22 advanced to the B-final, and 19 competed in the C-final, with 34 athletes finishing in the top 10.
On the final day of competition, all four women's 200 backstroke participants advanced to the finals. Leah Shackley, Kennedy Noble, and Erika Pelaez earned spots in the A-final, while Smallegange secured a spot in the C-final.
The Wolfpack came out strong in the finals, looking to capitalize on every opportunity to move up. After a heartbreaking finish at last year's ACC Championships, fifth-year senior Owen Lloyd was determined to redeem himself in the men's 1650 freestyle. Lloyd surged ahead early, finishing with a five-second lead over the second-place finisher. His victory not only earned him the ACC title but also positioned him as the third-fastest miler in NCAA history. Lloyd's win marked the fourth consecutive year that a Wolfpack swimmer claimed the 1650 freestyle ACC title.
Freshman Leah Shackley made an unforgettable impact, earning the silver medal in the 200 backstroke. Shackley, who had already earned her first individual ACC medal just 24 hours prior in the 100 backstroke, clocked in at 1:48.73, just shy of the school record set by Katharine Berkoff (1:48.43).
Sophomore Quintin McCarty added to his performance, earning his fifth medal of the week with a silver in the 200 freestyle. McCarty set two personal bests and clocked the fifth-fastest time in school history at 1:41.45.
The Wolfpack women's 400 freestyle relay team also earned a bronze medal, finishing with a time of 3:10.00. The relay team, which included Leah Shackley, Olivia Nel, Lily Christianson, and Erika Pelaez, notched the second-fastest time in school history.
To cap off the championships, the men's 400 freestyle relay team put up a fierce fight against Cal in the final, earning silver with a time of 2:45.43. The relay team, consisting of Kaii Winkler, Luke Miller, Jerry Fox, and Quintin McCarty, finished strong to secure another podium finish for the Pack.
All ACC Honorees
- Quintin McCarty | 200 freestyle relay, 50 freestyle, 100 back, 400 Medley relay, 100 free
- Luke Miller | 200 freestyle relay, 400 Medley relay
- Jerry Fox | 200 freestyle relay, 50 freestyle, 400 medley relay
- Drew Salls | 200 freestyle relay
- Kyle Ponsler | 400 IM
- Leah Shackley |100 Back
- Sam Hoover | 400 medley relay
- Owen Llyod | 1650 Free
- Leah Shackley | 200 Back, 100 back
Podium Finishers: 13 medals | 3 Gold | 5 Silver | 5 Bronze
- BRONZE: Men's 200 medley relay | Sam Hoover, Hudson Williams, Quintin McCarty, Luke Miller
- BRONZE: Men's 800 freestyle relay | Kaii Winkler, Sam Hoover, Jerry Fox, Daniel Diehl
- GOLD: Men's 200 freestyle relay | Quintin McCarty, Drew Salls, Jerry Fox, Luke Miller
- SILVER: 400 IM | Kyle Ponsler
- SILVER: 100 Back | Quintin McCarty
- BRONZE: 100 Back | Leah Shackley
- BRONZE: 400 Medley Relay | Aubree Brouwer, Kennedy Noble, Erika Pelaez, Leah Shackley
- GOLD: 400 Medley Relay | Quintin McCarty, Sam Hoover, Jerry Fox, Luke Miller
- GOLD: 1650 Free | Owen Llyod
- SILVER: 200 Back | Leah Shackley
- SILVER: 100 Free | Quintin McCarty
- BRONZE: 400 Freestyle relay | Olivia Nel, Lily Christianson, Erika Pelaez, Leah Shackley
- SILVER: 400 Freestyle relay | Kaii Winkler, Quintin McCarty, Luke Miller, Jerry Fox
School Records:
- Women's 800 freestyle relay | Annabel Crush, Katherine Helms, Olivia Nel, Erika Pelaez (6:56.32)
- 100 Fly | Leah Shackley (50.33)
#GoPack | @packswimdive
Players Mentioned
