Cera, Vallée Lead the Way on Day 2 in Greensboro

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A lifetime-best finish in the 500-yard freestyle and a gold medal on the 1-meter springboard were among the standout performances from the Hurricanes on Thursday at the 2021 ACC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.

A day after capturing a silver medal in the first podium trip of her college career, second year diver Mia Vallée took home the first gold medal of her career as the top performer in the 1-meter springboard. Vallée posted a final round score of 340.95 to take home her second medal in as many days.

Second-year swimmer Adrianna Cera posted a time of 4:47.60 in the 500 free – the fourth-fastest mark in program history – in her first ever appearance at the ACC Championships to lead the Hurricanes swimmers Thursday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

Cera, who qualified for the ‘B’ final in the event, came within 0.4 seconds of an NCAA ‘B’ in the morning’s preliminary round; it would have marked the second of the postseason for the Hurricanes, with freshman Savannah Barr managing the feat on Wednesday night.

In addition, second-year diver Max Flory captured a silver medal in the 3-meter on the men’s side. Flory – who is battling through an injury that nearly kept him out of the meet – rallied to post a final round score of 421.30.

The Hurricanes men’s diving contingent had three divers in the finals Thursday; Flory was joined by fellow second-year diver Brodie Scapens (370.90), who finished seventh, and freshman Jack Matthews (389.55), who took sixth.

Second-year diver Jessie Creed, also battling a shoulder injury, qualified for finals and took seventh (264.10) in the 1-meter alongside Vallée.

Miami’s 200-yard freestyle relay entry – comprised of senior Sydney Knapp, Barr, freshman Emma Sundstrand and senior Carmen San Nicolas – finished the event with a time of 1:32.82.

The ACC Championships continue Friday on Day 3 of the four-day meet.