2025 Wolfpack Elite Invite: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2025 WOLFPACK ELITE INVITE

• November 20-22, 2025
• Where: Greensboro Aquatic Center — Greensboro, NC
• When: 9:30 am ET prelims/5:30 pm ET finals
• Participating Teams: NC State, Virginia Tech, Army, Duke, Arizona, Auburn, George Washington, BYU
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2025 NCSU Invite”
• Live Stream
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

The final day of the 2025 Wolfpack Elite Invite is set to feature some of the marquee events on the NCAA schedule under the new format for the National Championships. This includes the 200 IM, 100 freestyle, 200 butterfly, and 200 backstroke. Tonight’s session will also feature the fastest heats of the miles for both men and women, differing from the NCAA schedule where the event will be contested on day 1.

WOMEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 15:03.31, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 16:25.29
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 16:09.37

Top 8 (including morning heat results): 

1. Ava Topolewski (GW) – 16:18.61
2. Bengisu Caymaz (Virginia Tech) – 16:22.78
3. Katherine Helms (NC State) – 16:26.72
4. Emma Hastings (NC State) – 16:28.47
5. Kate Anderson (Virginia Tech) – 16:30.27
6. Ava Sutphin (Arizona) – 16:37.03
7. Sammie Hamilton (Auburn) – 16:38.24
8. Kathleen Turano (NC State) – 16:40.80

George Washington senior Ava Topolewski took down a field full of Power 4 swimmers en route to claiming victory in the 1650 freestyle. Topolewski pulled away from the field early in the race, maintaining that lead down the stretch to touch first in a time of 16:18.61. While that time falls about 10 seconds shy of Topolewski’s best of 16:08.48 from 2024, it sets her up nicely for a potential NCAA invite later in the season, assuming she can win the Atlantic 10 Championship in February. While VT’s Bengisu Caymaz made a late push towards Topolewski, she couldn’t surpass her, touching 2nd in a time of 16:22.78.

Host team NC State saw 3 different swimmers finish in the top 8, led by the 3-4 finish by Katherine Helms (16:26.72) and Emma Hastings (16:28.47). For Helms, her time marked a huge personal best, as she last contested the event back in 2020 (17:22.44), dropping nearly a minute from that performance.

MEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 14:12.08, Bobby Finke (Florida) – 2020
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 15:06.60
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 14:48.80

Top 8 (including morning heat results): 

1. Max Carlsen (NC State) – 14:44.52
2. Lance Norris (NC State) – 14:52.16
3. Matt Marsteiner (NC State) – 14:58.36
4. Easton Mousser (Brigham Young) – 15:06.65
5. Tanner Nelson (Brigham Young) – 15:09.27
6. Lee Naber (Virginia Tech) – 15:11.06
7. Mack Schumann (Auburn) – 15:15.88
8. Aaron Davidson (NC State) – 15:18.15

The NC State distance squad dominated the men’s mile in their home pool, following-up the success of their women’s program in the same event. Freshman Max Carlsen led the field for the Wolfpack men, posting a time of 14:44.52 which falls well below the 14:48.80 required for NCAA qualification last season. The performance also marks a huge personal best for Carlsen, who’s previous best of 14:59.44 was set back in 2023. His teammate Lance Norris touched 2nd, nearly 8 seconds back in 14:52.16. Norris, who finished 4th in this event at the 2025 ACC Championships, was almost even with Carlsen through the first 1200 yards of the race before falling off of the pace by a few seconds. Matt Marsteiner rounded out the podium for the Wolfpack, solidifying a sweep with a 14:58.36 performance as the only other swimmer to break 15 minutes.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:57.88
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:56.69

Top 8:

1. Teia Salvino (NC State) – 1:58.15
2. Zoey Zeller (Auburn) – 1:58.70
3. Lucy Warnick (Brigham Young) – 2:00.52
4. Audrey Crawford (Auburn) – 2:01.38
5. Aubree Brouwer (NC State) – 2:01.54
6. Olivia Dinehart (Auburn) – 2:02.27
7. Julie Rose (NC State) – 2:03.20
8. Audrey Portello (Duke) – 2:04.84

After taking the top seed in this morning’s prelims, NC State’s Teia Salvino was even faster tonight en route to claiming first place. Salvino bested the field by about a half second, posting a personal best of 1:58.15 to erase her previous mark from 2023 (1:58.50). Auburn’s Zoey Zeller also sliced time off of her personal best (1:59.48) to post a 2nd place finish with a 1:58.70. BYU’s Lucy Warnick had a strong showing with a 2:00.52 to finish 3rd on the event, rounding out the podium.

In the B-Final, Arizona’s Kelsey Wasikowski managed to get to the wall in a tiime of 2:00.44, which would’ve placed 3rd in the A-final. That swim marked a strong performance for Wasikowski after narrowly missing the A-final during prelims.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:44.13
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:42.65

Top 8:

1. Daniel Diehl (NC State) – 1:42.49
2. Ian Stutts (NC State) – 1:44.33
3. Simon Bermudez (NC State) – 1:45.11
4. Maston Ballew (Auburn) – 1:45.50
5. Raphael Wang (Duke) – 1:46.24
6. Tyler Edlefsen (Brigham Young) – 1:46.57
7. Eli Martin (Virginia Tech) – 1:46.67
8. Arsenio Bustos (NC State) – 1:49.20

Following up on his teammate’s victory in the women’s event, NC State’s Daniel Diehl easily won the men’s 200 IM with a time of 1:42.49, just shy of his best time of 1:41.39 from last year’s meet. Pending the results of this week’s mid-season meets, that time currently ranks 9th in the country so far this season. NC State saw a podium sweep in the event with Ian Stutts and Simon Bermudez coming in 2nd and 3rd in the event, respectively. With his time of 1:44.33, Stutts improved upon his personal best of 1:45.09 from last March, marking a decent drop for the freshman. Bermudez also came in just off of his best time from last year (1:44.85) with his final time of 1:45.11.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 44.71, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 48.60
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 48.11

Top 8:

1. Cassie Moses (NC State) – 47.81
2. Lisa Klevanovich (Auburn) – 47.82
3. Tatum Wall (Duke) – 47.98
4. Lily King (NC State) – 48.37
5. Lily Christianson (NC State) – 48.42
6. Heather White (Duke) – 48.56
7. Emily Claesson (Virginia Tech) – 48.65
8. Riley Botton (Arizona) – 48.72

Another event, another event win for NC State: Cassie Moses got her hand to the wall .01 ahead of Auburn’s Lisa Klevanovich for the victory in the women’s 100 freestyle hiting the wall in a time of 47.81. While Moses came in just off of her seed time of 47.72, she managed to keep the NC State win streak alive and posted a time worthy of an NCAA Invite based on 2025 standards. Klevanovich, in her near spoiler effort, sliced another tenth off of her best time set in prelims (47.96) to break for 48-second barrier for only the 2nd time in her career. Duke’s Tatum Wall made it a full podium of swimmers under 48 seconds, touching in 47.98.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 39.83, Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 42.55
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 41.95

Top 8:

1. Jerry Fox (NC State) – 41.31
2. Tomas Lukminas (Arizona) – 41.33
3. Kaii Winkler (NC State) – 41.36
4. Brendan Whitfield (Virginia Tech) – 41.62
5. Hudson Williams (NC State) – 41.64
6. Daniel Krichevsky (Auburn) – 42.30
7. Warner Russ (Auburn) – 42.63
8. Kalle Makinen (Auburn) – 42.64

A very fast men’s 100 freestyle final saw 5 of the top 8 swimmers dip under the 42 second mark, led by a winning time of 41.31 from NC State’s Jerry Fox. Fox managed to get his hand to the wall first in a race which the top 3 finishers were separated by .05 seconds for the victory, also besting his lifetime best of 41.65 from last year’s meet. Despite finishing behind Fox by .02 seconds, Arizona’s Tomas Lukminas managed to post a best time as well, swimming a 41.33 to better his mark of 41.56 from last season’s Big 12 Championships. Another NC State swimmer made it onto the podium with Kaii Winkler throwing down a 41.36 for 3rd.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:49.11, Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:57.11
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:55.82

Top 8:

1. Taylor Bacher (Auburn) – 1:56.13
2. Carissa Rinard (Auburn) – 1:57.91
3. Martina Peroni (Duke) – 1:57.95
4. Casey Cullen (Auburn) – 1:58.28
5. Coco Croxford (Auburn) – 1:58.31
6. Keelan Cotter (NC State) – 1:59.79
7. Morgan Carteaux (Auburn) – 2:01.30
8. Julia Murphy (Virginia Tech) – 2:01.84

Auburn’s swimmers managed to disrupt the NC State winning streak, going 1-2 in the women’s 200 butterfly. The squad was led by  freshman Taylor Bacher who sliced over a second off of her best time of 1:57.32 to touch the wall in 1:56.13, nearly 2 seconds ahead of the field. Carissa Rinard solidified the 1-2 victory for Auburn with a 1:57.91 performance, coming in only .04 ahead of Duke’s Martina Peroni (1:57.95).

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:36.43, Luca Urlando (Georgia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:43.79
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:41.45

Top 8:

1. Youssef Nasr (Auburn) – 1:41.66
2. Haakon Naughton (Arizona) – 1:41.78
3. Joel Nace (Arizona) – 1:42.41
4. Aiden Hayes (NC State) – 1:44.31
5. Jacob Ballard (Brigham Young) – 1:45.44
6. Landon D’Ariano (NC State) – 1:45.88
7. Luke Bedsole (Auburn) – 1:46.15
8. Danny Schmidt (Auburn) – 1:47.02

Auburn’s swimmers made it a sweep of the 200 butterfly events, with Youssef Nasr winning the men’s race in a time of 1:41.66, narrowly holding-off Arizona’s Haakon Naughton (1:41.78). A native of Egypt, Nasr had only previously contested the 200 butterfly in one duel meet prior to this competition, with his best time of 1:43.35 coming in prelims. He demolished that mark tonight, setting a new best by almost 2 seconds. Arizona’s Joel Nace also hit a personal best en route to a 3rd place finish with a 1:42.41, narrowly undercutting his pervious best of 1:42.61.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:46.82, Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:54.80
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.31

Top 8:

1. Erika Pelaez (NC State) – 1:49.18
2. Leah Shackley (NC State) – 1:49.67
3. Ali Pfaff (Duke) – 1:51.99
4. Kennedy Noble (NC State) – 1:53.00
5. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 1:53.05
6. Kayman Neal (Arizona) – 1:53.05
7. Molly Donlan (Duke) – 1:55.77
8. Meghan Donald (NC State) – 1:57.31

The 200 backstroke featured a battle between two NC State teammates as Erika Pelaez and Leah Shackley threw down in a fantastic race. While both Shackley and Paelez were almost even through the first 50, it was Shackley who built up a lead through the next 100 yards, eventually leading Pelaez by nearly a half second at the 150 mark. However, Pelaez reeled her in, making up nearly a full second over the final 50 yards to touch in 1:49.18 to Shackley’s 1:49.67. For Pelaez, her swim marks a huge personal best, slicing over a half second off of her time from last season’s NCAA Championships (1:49.81). 

Duke’s Ali Pfaff held a solid 3rd place position throughout the race, eventually hitting the wall in 1:51.99, just a half second shy of her best time.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:34.21, Hubert Kos (Texas) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:42.14
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:40.13

Top 8:

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63, Virginia (2024)
• 2026 NCAA “A” Cut: 3:13.62

Top 8:

1. NC State ‘A’ – 3:10.70 *NCAA Qualifying*
2. Duke University ‘A’ – 3:13.22 *NCAA Qualifying*
3. Auburn University ‘A’ – 3:13.29 *NCAA Qualifying*
4. Arizona ‘A’ – 3:15.62
5. NC State ‘B’ – 3:15.85
6. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 3:16.95
7. Virginia Tech ‘B’ – 3:20.11
8. Arizona ‘B’ – 3:20.55

The top 3 teams here all dipped under the 2026 NCAA qualifying time of 3:13.62, with the NC State quartet of Cassie Moses, Lily Christianson, Lily King, and Erika Pelaez combining for the victory with a 3:10.70 to win by nearly 2.5 seconds. All 4 swimmers were consistent with Moses, Christianson, and Pelaez all splitting in the 47-second range, with Pelaez closing in 47.37. Duke’s squad finished 2nd with a time of 3:13.22, just .07 ahead of Auburn’s 3:13.29.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINAL

• NCAA Record: 2:42.30, Tennessee (2025)
• 2026 NCAA “A” Cut: 2:49.36

Top 8:

1. NC State ‘A’ – 2:45.16 *NCAA Qualifying*
2. Auburn ‘A’ – 2:49.24 *NCAA Qualifying*
3. NC State ‘B’ – 2:49.33 *NCAA Qualifying*
4. Arizona ‘A’ – 2:49.37 *NCAA Qualifying*
5. Virginia Tech ‘A’ – 2:51.58
6. Auburn ‘B’ – 2:52.36
7. Arizona ‘B’ – 2:53.31
8. Brigham Young ‘A’ – 2:53.95

NC State closed out the meet on home turf with a bang, swimming to an NCAA qualifying time of 2:45.16 to take over the top time in the country this season, pending the results of this weekend’s mid-season invitationals. The team of Hudson Williams, Jerry Fox, Daniel Diehl, and Kaii Winkler led the race from start to finish, a testament to NC State’s sprint poweress displayed earlier in the session during the 100 freestyle. Winkler notably led the field with an impressive 40.62 split on the anchor leg to bring it home for the Wolfpack. Aside from NC State’s “A” relay, their ‘B’ relay also hit the NCAA qualifying time of 2:49.36, alongwise Arizona’s squad and Auburn’s squad. All three teams were separated by .13 seconds at the finish, with Auburn finishing first within the pack with a 2:49.24.

Final Team Scores – Women

1. NC State – 1781.5
2. Auburn – 1579.5
3. Duke – 1038
4. Arizona – 884.5
5. Virginia Tech -883.5
6. BYU – 582
7. George Washington – 489
8. Army – 417

Final Team Scores – Men

1. NC State – 1765
2. Auburn – 1367
3. Arizona – 1037
4. Virginia Tech – 999
5. BYU – 948
6. Duke – 673
7. George Washington – 481
8. Army – 333