2025 Women’s Division I NCAA Championships: Day 3 Prelims 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
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

Prelims Heat Sheet

Order of Events

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

Good morning swimming fans! It’s moving day at the NCAA Championships, and the team race is not shaping up how anybody thought it would be at this point.

We have five swimming events this morning and one diving event this afternoon before tonight’s finals and anything can happen in prelims.

We are starting off the morning with the women’s 100 butterfly, one of the big ticket matchups at this meet. Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske are both hot off day two event wins, in the 50 free and 200 IM respectively, and they are both looking for the win in this event tonight, but first they have to make it through prelims.

The 400 IM is the 2nd event of the morning, and UVA freshman Katie Grimes is the top seed.

The women’s 200 freestyle is looking to be a Big 10 rematch between Anna Peplowski and Stephanie Balduccini, but other swimmers could easily find themselves in the mix, including Cal’s Lea Polonsky, who had an excellent leg on the 800 freestyle relay on night one, splitting 1:41.42.

Alex Walsh is the top seed in the 100 breast, but a victory will not come easy in that event, especially with Olympic bronze medalist Mona McSharry of Tennessee in the event .

We are ending the morning swimming session with the prelims of the women’s 100 backstroke. Bella Sims is the top seed, and one of the favorites to win, but she has not had an exceptional meet so far. Yesterday, she missed the final in the 500 freestyle, where she was the reigning champion.

The final event of the morning will be the women’s 3-meter diving event, which can have a significant impact in team scores.

Don’t forget to watch athletes who maybe aren’t favored to win and where they place because ‘B’ finalists are huge in deciding NCAA Team Champions. Stanford and Texas will be battling to get more swimmers into finals in their events, and every swim matters. Currently Stanford is ahead by 26 points, but they need to have a stronger prelims session to account for the Texas divers.

Women’s 100 Butterfly

• NCAA Record: 47.35 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Championship Record: 47.42 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• American Record: 47.35 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• U.S. Open Record: 47.35 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• 2024 Champion: Gretchen Walsh, Virginia — 47.42

Top 16 Qualifiers:

1. Gretchen Walsh (Virginia)- 47.21 **New Everything Record**
2. Emma Sticklen (Texas)- 49.76
3. Torri Huske (Stanford)- 50.19
4. Ella Welch (Louisville)- 50.72
5. Miranda Grana (Indiana)- 50.79
6. Abby Arens (Texas)- 50.81
7. Gabi Albiero (Louisville)- 50.96
8. Olivia Peoples (Florida)- 51.02
9. Sophie Yendell (Pittsburgh)- 51.05
10. Erika Pelaez (NC State)- 51.07
11. Leah Shackley (NC State)- 51.08
12. Giulia Carvalho (Miami)- 51.15
13. Lilou Ressencourt (Cal)- 51.18
14. Abby Daniel (Akron)- 51.21
15. Lillie Nordmann (Stanford)- 51.29
16. Gigi Johnson (Stanford)- 51.35

Gretchen Walsh made a statement in this morning’s prelims breaking her own NCAA record in the 100 fly, coming in at 47.21 to earn the top seed by more than two seconds. Walsh was out fast in 9.93 on her first 25, which is more than a tenth faster than she went out in her 50 freestyle last night. She gradually got slower after that, splitting 11.93/12.53/12.82 on the rest of her 25s.

Emma Sticklen from Texas won the first circle seeded heat, swimming 49.76 to pick up lane five in tonight’s final. This was just a few tenths off her lifetime best of 49.40 from the SEC Championships last month.

Torri Huske picked up the final middle lane for Stanford, swimming 50.19 to win the 2nd to last heat, a little under two seconds off her lifetime best of 48.52 from ACCs.

Ella Welch from Louisville came in just behind Huske in the 2nd to last heat at 50.72 to be the first of two Louisville swimmers in the final. Gabi Albiero is the other at 50.96 which was good for the 7th seed in the event.

Texas also picked up another ‘A’ finalist in Abby Arens thanks to her 50.81, a two tenth drop.

Miranda Grana, from Indiana at 50.79, and Olivia Peoples, from Florida at 51.02, round out the ‘A’ final at 5th and 8th respectively.

While Texas put two swimmers into the ‘A’ final to Stanford’s one, Stanford does pick up two more finals swims in the ‘B’ final with Lillie Nordmann and Gigi Johnson who are 15th and 16th.

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 16 Qualifiers:

1. Emma Weyant (Florida)- 4:01.36
2. Caroline Bricker (Stanford)/Mabel Zavaros (Florida)- 4:01.68
3. —
4. Lucy Bell (Stanford)- 4:01.86
5. Katie Grimes (Virginia)- 4:02.80
6. Leah Hayes (Virginia)- 4:03.17
7. Sienna Angove (OSU)- 4:04.60
8. Callahan Dunn (Wisconsin)- 4:04.85
9. Campbell Stoll (Texas)- 4:05.22
10. Ella Jansen (Tennessee)- 4:05.45
11. Emily Brown (Tennessee)- 4:05.46
12. Emily Thompson (Stanford)- 4:05.90
13. Eleanor Sun (Princeton)- 4:06.01
14. Julie Brousseau (Florida)- 4:06.19
15. Dakota Tucker (Princeton)- 4:07.07
16. Lisa Nystrand (NC State)- 4:07.29

The first circle seeded heat was a tight battle in the middle lanes between Caroline Bricker and Lucy Bell of Stanford and Florida’s Mabel Zavaros, ultimately ending in a tie between Zavaros and Bricker at 4:01.68. Zavaros started off the heat with a lead after the first 200, but she dropped back to 3rd on the breaststroke leg. Her came back hard on the final 100 though splitting 55.80 to Bricker’s 56.59 to claw back into first place.

Lucy Bell had a very strong breaststroke leg, unsurprisingly, to put her into first overall after the 300, but her 100 free split of 56.71 had her finish 3rd in the heat at 4:01.86.

In heat five, Tennessee’s Ella Jansen opened a commanding lead on the first 200, turning more than a second ahead on the rest of the field. Emma Weyant quickly caught up on the breaststroke leg, however, touching in first at the 50 and sitting almost two seconds ahead of the rest of the heat after the 300, eventually winning the heat in 4:01.35.

Sienna Angove from Ohio State, Callahan Dunn from Wisconsin, and Jansen had a very tight race for 2nd, with Angove coming out on top, out touching Dunn by just a few tenths.

Katie Grimes wasted no time establishing her lead in the final heat, opening up a half-second lead on the butterfly that quickly became almost two seconds after the backstroke. Virginia teammate Leah Hayes closed the lead on the breaststroke, however, touching a little less than a tenth ahead of Grimes at the 300 mark. Campbell Stoll from Texas also made up some ground on the breaststroke to sit just behind them in 3rd.

Grimes took back the lead on the final leg, touching first in 4:02.80 to lock up her finals spot. Hayes was just behind at 4:03.17 to qualify 6th.

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 16 Qualifiers:

1. Stephanie Balduccini (Michigan)- 1:41.21
2. Anna Peplowski (Indiana)- 1:42.48
3. Minna Abraham (USC)- 1:42.51
4. Lea Polonksy (Cal)- 1:42.60
5. Anna Moesch (Virginia)- 1:42.97
6. Kayla Wilson (Stanford)- 1:43.09
7. Erin Gemmell (Texas)- 1:43.12
8. Brooklyn Douthwright (Tennessee)- 1:43.24
9. Aurora Roghair (Stanford)- 1:43.31
10. Lillian Nesty (Texas)- 1:43.52
11. Lainy Kruger (Florida)- 1:43.64
12. Amelia Bodenstab (Louisville)- 1:43.67
13. Aimee Canny (Virginia)- 1:43.86
14. Chloe Stepanek (TAMU)- 1:43.97
15. Daria Golovaty (Louisville)- 1:44.18

Minna Abraham was out fast in the first circle seeded heat, flipping in 49.73 at the 100 mark. She maintained that speed through the finish, touching in 1:42.51 to pick up the heat win. Anna Moesch from Virginia and Texas’ Erin Gemmell were not giving up easy, however, hanging tight on her tail, but finishing just behind her at 1:42.97 and 1:43.12 respectively.

Heat six played out in a similar way to heat five. Stephanie Balduccini was out fast in 48.96 and just kept extending her lead throughout the race, earning her spot in the final at 1:41.21. Cal’s Lea Polonsky came in almost a second behind her at 1:42.60.

Just like the tother two circle seeded heats, the final heat came down to the middle three lanes, with lane four sitting a head above the rest. Indiana’s Anna Peplowski was out in 49.52 to touch first in 1:42.58. Kayla Wilson came 2nd in the heat at 1:43.09, and Brooklyn Douthwright finished 3rd at 1:43.24 to just squeak into the ‘A’ final.

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 16 Qualifiers:

1. Alex Walsh (Virginia)- 57.54
2. Mona McSharry (Tennessee)- 57.56
3. McKenzie Siroky (Tennessee)- 57.83
4. Henrietta Fangli (Houston)- 58.06
5. Mackenzie Miller (BYU)- 58.14
6. Joleigh Crye (Cincinnati)- 58.15
7. Piper Enge (Texas)- 58.17
8. Kaelyn Gridley (Duke)- 58.30
9. Anita Bottazzo (Florida)- 58.44
10. Emma Weber (Virginia)- 58.46
11. Lucy Thomas (Stanford)- 58.50
12. Kaitlyn Dobler (USC)- 58.53
13. Skyler Smith (UNC)- 58.60
14. Letitia Sim (Michigan)- 58.80
15. Emily Lundgren (Washington State)- 58.83
16. Ava DeAngelis (OSU)- 58.93

The first circle seeded heat went to McKenzie Siroky of Tennessee in 57.83, a little more than three tenths ahead of Texas’ Piper Enge who went 58.17 for 2nd. Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley swam 58.30 for 3rd in the heat. All three swimmers have been faster this season.

Mona McSharry of Tennessee was out first in heat five, touching at 2 on the 50 mark. She finished in 57.56 to take the heat by exactly half a second of Henrietta Fangli of Houston. BYU’s Mackenzie Miller went 58.14 to drop almost half-a-second and finish 3rd, locking up her ‘A’ finals swim.

Alex Walsh, from Virginia, and Joleigh Crye, from Cincinnati, were locked in a battle for the first 75 of the final heat, but Walsh pulled ahead at the 75 mark, ultimately finishing first in 57.54, just two hundredths ahead of McSharry to earn the top seed in tonight’s final. Crye came in 2nd at 58.15 to be the only other swimmer in the heat to make the top eight.

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 16 Qualifiers:

1. Claire Curzan (Virginia)- 49.32
2. Bella Sims (Florida)- 49.36
3. Celia Pulido (SIU)- 49.84
4. Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin)- 50.07
5. Mary-Ambre Moluh (California)- 50.09
6. Leah Shackley (NC State)/ Miranda Grana (Indiana)- 50.23
7. —
8. Carmen Weiler Sastre (VT)- 50.29
9. Josephine Fuller (Tennessee)- 50.32
10. Isabelle Stadden (California)- 50.43
11. Erika Pelaez (NC State)- 50.47
12. Mya Dewitt (Indiana)- 50.78
13. Kennedy Noble (NC State0- 50.93
14. Kacey McKenna (Indiana)- 50.94
15. Claire Jansen (Pitt)- 51.17
16. Emily Jones (Alabama)- 51.20

The 100 back prelims were fast this year, taking a 50.29 to make the ‘A’ final. Tennessee’s Josephine Fuller went 50.32 and is on the outside looking in at 9th, so is Isabelle Stadden from Cal, who went 50.43. At last year’s meet, 50.32 would have been fourth in prelims.

Heat five was a photo finish for the top three, with Cal’s Mary Ambre-Moluh starting out the race in the lead before Indiana’s Miranda Grana, and NC State’s Leah Shackley tried to chase her down. Ambre-Moluh ended up winning the heat in 50.09, less than two tenths ahead of Shackley and Grana who came in tied at 50.23. Virginia Tech’s Carmen Weiler Sastre was just behind them at 50.29 in fourth.

Heat six was not as close, with Claire Curzan finishing first in 49.32 after leading the whole race.

Southern Illinois’ Celia Pulido had a huge swim to finish 2nd in the heat, dropping almost a second to break 50 for the first time, swimming 49.84. Pulido is the first Mid-major swimmer to ever go under 50 seconds. She held the previous record at 50.73 from last season.

Phoebe Bacon finished 3rd in the sixth heat for Wisconsin at 50.09.

Bella Sims redeemed her 500 freestyle finish, touching first in the final heat at 49.36 to be the only swimmer from the final heat to make the ‘A’ final.

Women’s 3-Meter Springboard

• 2024 Champion: Aranza Vazquez, UNC – 364.75

Round 1/6 Update:

Divers tend to start out relatively conservatively, so round 1 rarely has any major misses or major hits. The race for the A and B finals will really start to take shape in rounds three and four. Still, divers will want to start out steady as a miss in an early round can derail your entire day and mess with your mental game. Last night’s third place finisher and projected three meter runner up in the “psych sheets,” Lanie Gutch of UNC, missed her first dive for only 36.45. She’s not completely out of it yet, but has an uphill battle from here on out. In this event, the women will want to average in the 55-60 point range to contend for a spot in the championship final.

Round 2/6 Update: Hoffman from Rutgers had the top three meter zones score in the nation, but after missing her first two dives, she sits at just 65.85 total. Despite being the top projected diver for this event, she will likely not score. Miami and Texas currently sit with two divers in the top 8 at the conclusion of this round, but a lot can and will change in the rounds to come.

Round 3/6 Update:

Last night’s runner up, Mia Vallee from Miami, put up the highest score of the afternoon so far with a 69.75. This will keep her in the driver’s seat of this preliminary. 2024 All-American, Elizabeth Kaye from UVA had a bad miss this round, only scoring 9.80. This round will take her out of scoring contention on the three meter. The current Big Ten Champion (IU’s Skyler Liu) and SEC Champion (South Carolina’s Sophie Verzyl) currently sit outside the top 8 at the half way point and have ground to make up if they want a shot at the championship final tonight.

Round 4/6 Update:

The field is really starting to take shape here as we enter into the final two rounds. Texas has all three of their divers in contention for the A final. Estudillo sits in second, Hernandez in seventh and Cranford is currently in ninth. Both Miami girls are looking strong and will both make tonight’s final barring any disaster. Purdue is likely to score big today as they have three divers of their own in prime position to score.

Round 5/6 Update:

Heading into the final round, the top five of Pellacani, Vallee, Estudillo, Vazquez, and Wright all look to comfortably make the A final as long as they end with a solid dive. SEC Champion, Verzyl has come up with a few solid dives to bring her up to seventh with a great chance to make the final. Right now, Texas’ Cranford sits right on the eighth place cutoff, but Purdue’s McAfee and Arkansas’ Sanchez-Moreno are on her heels. Notably, Gator Camyla Monroy, the SEC diver of the year, will not score for the second day in a row. Stanford also looks unlikely to grab any diving points today.

Thank you to Noah Duperre for his diving coverage.