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DECEMBER 2022 33 cavalier profile MATT KING Third-Year • Swimming Virginia's Matt King emerged on to the national swimming stage this past July when he won national titles in both the 50- and 100-meter freestyle events at the 2022 Phillips 66 National Championships in Irvine, Calif. King set UVA long-course records in both events and be- came the fourth swimmer in Virginia history to win a U.S. national title. "This summer was fun and exciting from start to finish, and nation- als was the perfect finale," King said. "Being at big meets like that is always a little daunting, but I had trained so hard all summer that I knew I had what it took to compete. It was the first time in a long time where I had confidence in every race, which paid off." His wins at nationals came after a breakout season with the Cava- liers that included an American record in the 200-yard freestyle relay to win an ACC title in the event. King and his fellow relay members were so excited about the win they didn't even realize how fast of a time they swam. "We were so ecstatic about winning the event that it took us a mo- ment to even look up at the scoreboard and realize what we went," King said. "When I saw the time, I was stunned. It was an overwhelm- ing feeling of joy and relief. The rest of the team was absolutely los- ing it and going crazy from the side of the pool as the four of us tried to wrap our heads around what just happened. "It was a goal we had been talking about for so long, and at times it seemed unattainable. It's unreal walking into our pool every day and seeing a little American flag next to that time on the record board." King credits a lot of his success this past year to a different mind- set that Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo has instilled in him. "If I've learned anything over the past year, it's that just showing up and putting in the work isn't enough" King said. "When I came here, I only put in the time at practice. I have now realized that any- one who wants to be good cannot just 'leave swimming in the pool.' Our coach, Todd DeSorbo, always emphasizes this 'all day' mentality, which I have come to understand more and more. "As an athlete, I have come to see that every minute of each day is an opportunity to get better, which is not only applicable in sports but in every aspect of life as well." All of that translated to more confidence for King, and now he and his teammates turn their sights to the 2022-23 season, setting even more records and winning more ACC and NCAA titles. — Kristin Thurman • Photo courtesy UVA