Neither Noah Nichols nor Tim Connery appear on the Virginia men’s swimming roster to start the second semester, and neither is expected to return to the team. SwimSwam has reached out to both for comment.
Nichols, the school record holder in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, most recently competed at the team’s midseason meet, the Tennessee Invitational. There, he swept the breaststroke events and finished fourth in the 200 IM, recording season-bests in all three events. He was also part of the 400 medley relay team that swam 3:02.01, breaking the program record and coming five-tenths from the American record set in 2017.
Connery last raced at the team’s season-opener against Florida, finishing eighth in the short-course meters 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly.
Nichols was the team’s top scorer at the 2024 NCAA Championships, earning 28 individual points with his fourth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke (50.93) and sixth-place in the 200 breaststroke (1:50.69). Connery scored four points individually at last season’s NCAAs, taking 13th in the 200 IM (1:42.60) after setting a program record of 1:41.70 in prelims. Nichols swam on the medley relays at NCAAs (23.05/50.43), helping the 400 medley relay place 10th. Connery joined Nichols on the medley relays, swimming butterfly (20.93/45.72) on both. He also anchored the 400 freestyle relay to another 10th-place finish (41.93).
Losing two NCAA scorers hurts the Cavaliers, who are looking for a rebound season after finishing 17th at 2024 NCAAs to pick up momentum before a high-powered recruiting class that includes Maximus Williamson and Thomas Heilman arrives on campus in fall 2025. There have been momentum-builders for Virginia, particularly from freshmen Spencer Nicholas and David King. Losing their top breaststroker is a setback for Virginia
However, losing their top breaststroker is a setback for the Cavaliers. Nichols owned the team’s fastest 100 and 200 breaststroke so far this season with his 51.32/1:52.96 from the Tennessee Invitational. Without him on the roster, Jay Gerloff takes over as the team’s fastest 100 breaststroker this season with a 53.40 and Matthew Heilman’s 1:55.98 is their fastest 200 breaststroke.
Nichols’ Personal Bests
- 100 breaststroke: 50.82 (UVA record)
- 200 breaststroke: 1:50.69 (UVA record)
- 200 IM: 1:43.45
Connery’s Personal Bests
- 200 freestyle: 1:34.01
- 100 backstroke: 46.14
- 100 butterfly: 45.21
- 200 IM: 1:41.70 (UVA record)
