CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Current and former Virginia swimmers competing on opposite sides of the globe last week put up several peerless times across their respective meets, including three world records. 

At the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Paris, UVA second year Sara Curtis, representing Team Italy, broke the world record mark set by Australian Kaylee McKeown in the 50m backstroke during the semifinals of the event, swimming a 26.63.  Just a day later, Curtis broke her own record in the finals of the 50m backstroke, finishing on the top step of the podium with a 26.56. 

She totaled six medals throughout the competition, three bronze, two silver, and one gold. Curtis also added five Italian records to her world record marks. 

At the Pan-Pacific games in Irvine, Calif., UVA alumna Kate Douglass set a new world record time in the 50m freestyle in the preliminary heats on Saturday, but her mark of 23.49 did not last long.  Nine hours later, in the final of one of the marquis events of the competition, the New York native became the second UVA swimmer that week to set a new world record time and then break it the very same week, when she finished the final in 23.19 seconds. 

Douglass and fellow alumna Gretchen Walsh, who’s 50 free record she broke, helped Team USA win gold in the 4×100 freestyle relay on Friday.  Walsh was coming off a gold medal in the 100m butterfly earlier in the day, but it was Douglass who’s mark raised eyebrows. Her leadoff leg was finished in 51.69 seconds, an American record for the race.   

Soccer 

Women’s soccer got their season started last week with two contests at Klöckner Stadium and earned two wins from two matches.

The Cavaliers started their season with three goals against Northwestern, including an early goal from second year forward Addison Halpern and a pair of debut goals from Giovana Canali and Aniyah Collier.  Northwestern beat Virginia’s defense in the 89th minute to bring the final score to 3-1. 

Despite a clean sheet eluding Virginia in Wednesday’s contest, Victoria Safradin and the Cavaliers’ back line kept Liberty quiet with a 2-0 victory on Saturday.  Halpern notched her second goal of the season in the 17th minute, before Olivia Rademaker put the ball into the feet of Allie Ross to double the Virginia advantage.  

Virginia will face La Salle Thursday at 4 p.m. at Klöckner before the men’s team gets their season started against UCLA at 7 p.m.   

 Tennis 

Two UVA alumni took each other on at the ATP Masters Omnium Banque National Tournament Tuesday in Montreal.  2019 graduate Brandon Nakashima and 2025 graduate Rafael Jodar faced each other in the semifinals of the event, with Nakashima seeing off Jodar in two sets, 7-6, 6-4. Both players turned pro after winning ACC Freshman of the Year during their respective first years on Grounds.   

Meanwhile in Michigan, incoming first year Jack Kennedy took the top prize at the 2026 USTA Boys’ 18s National Championships.  He was seeded no.1 overall out of the 192 entrants and won all seven matches to reach the top of the heap. 

His prize was not also a cash award, but a wild card entry into the main draw of the 2026 US Open.    

Volleyball 

Ahead of the program’s first exhibition contest Friday night at 7 p.m., head coach Shannon Wells announced the addition of Rhamat Alhassan to the coaching staff.  The former Florida star spent eight years as a professional in Japan, Italy, and most recently in the U.S. with the Grand Rapids Rise of Major League Volleyball.   

Field Hockey 

Field hockey takes on Liberty on Monday at 3 p.m. in Lynchburg for an exhibition contest.  Later in the week, Virginia will host Old Dominion on Thursday at 2 p.m. in their second exhibition contest to prepare for the upcoming season.

Football

Football received a single vote in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, which was released on Monday. The Cavaliers, who finished last season 11-3 with a win in the Gator Bowl, finished the year ranked No. 16 in the final AP Top 25 Poll last year, capping off a run of 12 consecutive weeks ranked in the poll, their longest since 2004.

Women’s basketball

UVA and JMU announced Monday that the schools have agreed to a 3-game women’s basketball series. The Dukes will visit JPJ on Nov. 19, 2026. UVA will go to Harrisonburg in 2027-28, and the teams will meet again in Charlottesville in 2028-29.