2025 Women’s Division I NCAA Championships: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• March 19-22, 2025
• Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center — Federal Way, Washington
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
• Meet Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

Day 3 Finals Heat Sheets

Order of Events

• 100 Fly
• 400 IM
• 200 Free
• 100 Breast
• 100 Back
• 3-Meter Diving
• 400 Medley Relay

Welcome to day 3 finals of the 2025 Women’s Division I NCAA Championships. Tonight’s finals session should be as action-packed as the first two days of the meet. This morning’s prelims session was phenomenal, seeing Gretchen Walsh break the NCAA, American, and US Open records, with her 100 fly performance of 47.21.

The 100 fly will be the first race of the night, and it should be no contest in terms of who wins it. Walsh led prelims this morning by 2.5 seconds, which is a truly astonishing margin for such a short race. Torri Huske was only 50.19 this morning, but she’s been incredible so far this week, so we can expect a significantly faster race out of her tonight.

The 200 free has an interesting dynamic going on tonight. The top 3 seeds tonight, Stephanie Balduccini, Anna Peplowski, and Minna Abraham, were the top 3 finishers from the Big Ten Championships last month. Balduccini led the field this morning with a 1:41.21, which was the fastest time by over a second.

The 100 back was very fast in prelims this morning, seeing 3 women go under 50 seconds. The field was led by Claire Curzan, who went 49.32, but Bella Sims was right behind her in 49.36. That sets up what should be an awesome race tonight in finals.

Women’s 100 Butterfly

• NCAA Record: 47.21 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• Championship Record: 47.21 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• American Record: 47.21 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• U.S. Open Record: 47.21 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• 2024 Champion: Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 47.42

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 46.97
2. Torri Huske (Stanford) – 48.90
3. Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 49.27
4. Miranda Grana (Indiana) – 50.01
5. Gabi Albiero (Louisville) – 50.69
6. Abby Arens (Texas) – 50.90
7. Ella Welch (Louisville) – 50.93
8. Olivia Peoples (Florida) – 51.09

She did it again, folks. After resetting her own NCAA, American, and US Open records this morning in prelims, Gretchen Walsh doubled down tonight in finals, ripping a 46.97 to become the first woman in history to go under 47 seconds in the 100 fly. It’s worth mentioning that Walsh is also the only woman who has ever gone under 48 seconds in the event.

Highlighting just how dominant Walsh is in this event, she won the race by nearly 2 full seconds tonight, and did so over the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the LCM 100 fly. Walsh was just incredible tonight, splitting 9.80 on the opening 25 of the race, which is simply hard to wrap your head around. She was 21.61 at the 50-year turn, and came home in 25.36.

Torri Huske, the aforementioned Olympic gold medalist, came in 2nd with a 48.90, which comes in just off her career best of 48.52 that she swam at the ACC Championships last month.

After finishing 4th in this event at last year’s NCAAs, Texas’ Emma Sticklen moved up a spot, taking 3rd this year. Sticklen popped a 49.27, clipping her career best of 49.40, which she set at the SEC Championships last month.

Indiana’s Miranda Grana ripped a new career best of 50.01 to finish 4th tonight. That time blows away her previous personal best of 50.79, which was set in prelims this morning. Grana will also be competing in the 100 back ‘A’ final later in the session, as well as the 400 medley relay, so it’s a very busy night for her, but one with the potential reward of 3 medals.

Women’s 400 IM

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• Championship Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• American Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• 2024 Champion: Alex Walsh, Virginia — 3:55.97

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Caroline Bricker (Stanford) – 3:57.36
2. Emma Weyant (Florida) – 3:59.05
3. Lucy Bell (Stanford) – 4:00.24
4. Katie Grimes (Virginia) – 4:01.10
5. Leah Hayes (Virginia) – 4:01.62
6. Mabel Zavaros (Florida) – 4:03.99
7. Callahan Dunn (Wisconsin) – 4:04.20
8. Sienna Angove (Ohio State) – 4:07.83

Olympic silver medalist Katie Grimes got out to a big lead in the 400 IM final tonight, flipping well ahead of the field at the 200 mark. Breaststroke, as it so often has, changed everything, however, and Grimes’ lead slipped on the 3rd leg of the race. At that point, it was Stanford’s Caroline Bricker who emerged as the leader, and she would not give her lead up.

Bricker tore home to get her hand on the wall 1st by nearly 2 seconds, swimming a 3:57.36. That swim marked a massive career best for Bricker, taking well over 2 seconds off her previous best of 3:59.88, which was swum at the Texas Hall of Fame Invite back in November.

Stanford scored some much needed points in this event, as Lucy Bell came in 3rd with a 4:00.24, a career best of her own.

Florida’s Emma Weyant moved into 2nd on the breaststroke leg and held that position through the finish. Weyant touched in 3:59.05, just a hair off her career mark of 3:59.00 from last year’s NCAAs.

Virginia’s duo of Katie Grimes and Leah Hayes came in 4th and 5th respectively. Grimes was about 4 seconds off her career best in the event, while Hayes’ time of 4:01.62 was just off her mark of 4:01.34.

Women’s 200 Freestyle

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• Championship Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• American Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• 2024 Champion: Bella Sims, Florida — 1:40.90

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Anna Peplowski (Indiana) – 1:40.50
2. Minna Abraham (USC) – 1:40.56
3. Stephanie Balduccini (Michigan) – 1:40.89
4. Lea Polonsky (California) – 1:41.85
5. Anna Moesch (Virginia) – 1:42.39
6. Kayla Wilson (Stanford) – 1:43.29
7. Erin Gemmell (Texas) – 1:43.52
8. Brooklyn Douthwright (Tennessee) – 1:44.03

In about as tight of a race as we could possibly imagine, Indiana senior Anna Peplowski got her hand on the wall first, earning her first NCAA title of her career. Peplowski, USC’s Minna Abraham, and Michigan’s Stephanie Balduccini separated themselves from the field out in the middle 3 lanes almost immediately, and they never looked back. As anticipated, this final turned into a rematch from the Big Ten Championships last month, where this trio, again in the middle 3 lanes, had an incredibly close race.

This time around, it was actually even closer, as Peplowski beat out Abraham at the touch by just 0.06 seconds. Balduccini was right there as well, touching just 0.33 seconds behind Abraham.

Peplowski’s time clipped her previous personal best of 1:40.69, which was tied for the Big Ten record in the event. That means she took sole ownership of the conference record tonight, while Abraham was also under the previous record. Abraham’s swim marks a USC program record in the event.

Balduccini’s 1:40.89 marks a new career best for her as well. She now sits just 0.20 seconds off the Michigan program record. Of note, both Abraham and Balduccini are sophomores, so we can look forward to those two racing in this event at both Big Tens and NCAAs for two more years.

Cal’s Lea Polonsky put up a strong swim for 4th tonight, clocking a 1:41.85. Polonsky had just set her career best with the 1:42.60 she swam in prelims this morning, marking another drop of nearly a second.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

• NCAA Record: 55.73 — Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• Championship Record: 55.73 — Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• American Record: 55.73 — Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• U.S. Open Record: 55.73 — Lilly King, Indiana (2019)
• 2024 Champion: Jasmine Nocentini, Virginia — 56.09

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Alex Walsh (Virginia) – 56.49
2. Mona McSharry (Tennessee) – 57.40
3. McKenzie Siroky (Tennessee) – 57.41
4. Joleigh Crye (Cincinnati) – 58.11
5. Piper Enge (Texas) – 58.19
6. Henrietta Fangli (Houston) – 58.29
7. Mackenzie Miller (Brigham Young) – 58.39
8. Kaelyn Gridley (Duke) – 58.72

Alex Walsh won an NCAA title in a 5th unique event tonight, taking the 100 breast in 56. . The only other swimmer in NCAA history to win NCAA titles in 5 events is Tracy Caulkins, who actually did so in 6 events back in the 1980s. Walsh’s swim of 56.49 marked a new career best for Walsh, also making her the 3rd-fastest performer all-time in the event, behind only Lilly King and former teammate Jasmine Nocentini, who won this event last year in 56.09.

Tennessee’s duo was excellent tonight as well, as Mona McSharry and McKenzie Siroky took 2nd and 3rd respectively. McSharry has been 56.64 in her career, which she swam at last year’s NCAAs, while Siroky has been 57.27.

Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye came in 4th tonight with a 58.11, which is just off her career best of 58.09.

Women’s 100 Backstroke

• NCAA Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Championship Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• American Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 48.10 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• 2024 Champion: Katharine Berkoff, NC State — 48.55

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 49.11
2. Bella Sims (Florida) – 49.12
3. Mirana Grana (Indiana) – 49.62
4. Celia Pulido (Southern Illinois) – 49.77
5. Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) – 50.00
6. Leah Shackley (NC State) – 50.06
7. Mary-Ambre Moluh (California) – 50.13
8. Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 50.75

In as close of a finish as possible, Claire Curzan got her hand on the wall 0.01 seconds ahead of Bella Sims, swimming a 49.11. Sims flipped at the 75 with a lead of 0.13 seconds, but Curzan put together a stellar last 10-or-so yards, and managed to get the job done. Her swim tonight marks a new career best, clipping her previous mark of 49.37. Curzan’s swim tonight is the 11th-fastest in history and she’s now the 4th-fastest performer in history in the event.

Sims was off her personal best of 48.97, which she swam at the SEC Championships last month. Her performance tonight does still tie for the 13th-fastest in history, however.

Indiana’s Miranda Grana, after taking 4th in the 100 fly with a career best earlier in the session, came in 3rd in the 100 back with a new personal record as well. Grana swam a 49.62, which marks her first time under 50 seconds in the event, as well as a new Indiana program record.

Southern Illinois’ Celia Pulido lowered her Southern Illinois and Missouri Valley Conference records tonight as well, taking 4th in 49.77. This morning, Pulido became the first swimmer from a mid major program to break 50 seconds in the event, and tonight, she lowered that “mid major record” by another 0.07 seconds.

After winning the ‘B’ final of the 100 fly earlier in the session, NC State’s Leah Shackley popped a 50.06 to finish 6th here tonight. That performance marks a new career best for the freshman.

Women’s 3-Meter Springboard

• 2024 Champion: Aranza Vazquez, UNC – 364.75

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Alejandro Estudillo (Texas) – 389.40
2. Chiara Pellacani (Miami) – 387.60
3. Skyler Liu (Indiana) – 382.35
4. Mia Vallee (Miami) – 371.95
5. Aranza Vazquez Montano (North Carolina) – 361.15
6. Shiyun Lai (Kansas) – 357.40
7. Bayleigh Cranford (Texas) – 337.65
8. Daryn Wright (Purdue) – 329.75

Texas freshman Alejandro Estudillo earned the first NCAA title of her career tonight, finishing 1.80 points ahead of Miami’s Chiara Pellacani. It was tight among the top 3 coming into the final round, with Estudillo entering the last round just 8 points ahead of Indiana’s Skyler Liu, who was in 3rd at the time.

Pellacani is having herself a phenomenal meet in Federal Way. After winning the 1-meter title last night, she came in 2nd tonight. Teammate Mia Valle, who was 2nd in 1-meter last night, took 4th in 3-meter tonight.

North Carolina’s Aranza Vazquez Montano, the two-time defending champion in this event, came in 5th tonight with a score of 361.15.

Women’s 400 Medley Relay

• NCAA Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, Walsh, Walsh, Moesch), 2025
• Championship Record: 3:21.01 – Virginia (Walsh, Nocentini, Walsh, Parker), 2024
• American Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, Walsh, Walsh, Moesch), 2025
• U.S. Open Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, Walsh, Walsh, Moesch), 2025
• 2024 Champion: Virginia (Walsh, Nocentini, Walsh, Parker) – 3:21.01

TOP 8 FINISHERS:

1. Virginia (Curzan, Walsh, Walsh, Moesch) – 3:20.20 (Meet Record)
2. Tennessee (Fuller, McSharry, Stotler, Spink) – 3:24.99
3. Florida (Sims, Bottazzo Peoples, Cronk) – 3:25.18
4. Indiana (DeWitt, Crawford, Grana, Paegle) – 3:25.83
5. Texas (Bray, Enge, Sticklen, Nesty) – 3:26.11
6. Stanford (Parkhe, Thomas, Huske, Nordmann) – 3:26.34
7. USC (Famous, Dobler, Sasseville, Abraham) – 3:26.82
8. Louisville (Murray, Cheatwood, Welch, Dennis) – 3:27.76

Virginia’s team of Claire Curzan, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh, and Anna Moesch took down the meet record that UVA set at last year’s meet, swimming a 3:20.20. The race was close through the first 200 yards, but that changed pretty much instantly when Gretchen Walsh dove in for fly. Walsh split 47.35 on the fly leg, which was slower than her NCAA record 46.97 from the individual event earlier tonight, but was more than enough to break the race wide open. Curzan split 49.63 on back, Alex Walsh was 56.37 on breast, and Moesch brought it home in 46.85. This same quartet set the NCAA record in the event last month at the ACC Championships with a 3:19.58.

Tennessee capped off a very successful night with a 2nd place finish here. Joesphine Fuller (50.21), Mona McSharry (57.32), Sara Stotler (51.01), and Camille Spink (46.45) combined for a 3:24.99.

Florida was hanging around Virginia through the first 200 yards of the race. Bella Sims got the Gators out to a slim lead with a 49.54 on the backstroke leg, then freshman Anita Bottazzo held strong with a 57.36 breast split. Olivia Peoples went 50.65 on fly, and Micayla Cronk anchored in 47.63, putting Florida into the wall in 3:25.18.

Other notable splits in the field included Torri Huske going 48.71 on the fly leg of Stanford’s relay. Julia Dennis anchored the Louisville relay in 46.39.

TEAM SCORES (THRU FRIDAY NIGHT)

1. Virginia – 383
2. Stanford – 292
3. Texas – 288
4. Indiana – 209
5. Tennessee – 195
6. Florida – 177
7. Louisville – 160.5
8. California – 139.5
9. Michigan – 121
10. NC State – 114
11. Wisconsin – 93
12. USC – 90
13. Miami (FL) – 75.5
14. North Carolina – 50
15. Arizona State – 41.5
16. Alabama – 41
17. Georgia – 38
18. Ohio State – 37
19. Kansas/Purdue – 25 (Tie)
20. –
21. Pitt – 21
22. Arizona – 20
23. Duke – 18
24. Virginia Tech – 17
25. South Carolina/Southern Illinois/LSU/Cincinnati – 15 (Tie)
26. –
27. –
28. –
29. Houston – 13
30. Brigham Young – 12
31. Texas A&M – 11
32. Auburn/Princeton – 6 (Tie)
33. –
34. Arkansas – 4
35. Minnesota/Florida State/Akron – 2 (Tie)
36. –
37. –
38. Washington State – 1