2026 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2026 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships

• March 10-14, 2026
• Deaconess Aquatic Center — Evansville, Indiana
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Defending Champions
  • Women: Nova Southeastern (3x)
  • Men: vacant
• Psych Sheets
  • Men
  • Women
• Live Video: NCAA.com
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims:
  • Finals: Day 1

It’s the 2nd day of the NCAA Division II Championships from Evansville, and this morning we will get our first bit of individual event action, as the 200 IM, 50 freestyle, and 1000 freestyle will all get underway in the water, while on the boards, the men’s 1-meter diving will take center stage.

Last night, we were treated to a near-NCAA DII record in the women’s 800 free relay from Nova Southeastern, which took the win in 7:08.52, just missing their own national record by two hundredths. On the men’s side, Tampa retained its relay crown in record-setting fashion, touching just ahead of a charging Drury squad in 6:16.64, lowering its own national and meet record of 6:17.93. McKendree’s leadoff leg, Vova Gavrysh, swam the fastest DII 200 free in history with his blistering 1:32.40.

We will see if that momentum carries over into more major swims and dives today.

Women’s 200 IM

• NCAA Division II Record: 1:55.63 – Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (2016)
• Championship Record: 1:55.63 – Patri Castro Ortega, Queens (2016)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Emilia Ronningdal (NSU)- 2:00.15
2. Gwen Bergun (DRUR)- 2:00.56
3. Celina Schmidt (INDY)- 2:01.64
4. Emily Mears-Bentley (UFIN)- 2:01.77
5. Livia Rodrigues (UWF)- 2:01.80
6. Nikol Maniko (DRUR)- 2:02.51
7. Sidni Meister (TAMP)- 2:02.65
8. Maria Fe Munoz (DRUR)- 2:02.82

Overall top seed Livia Rodrigues of West Florida looked smooth throughout her heat to claim the final heat win, though she was a bout two seconds slower than her seed time of 1:59.85, she still sits 5th for this evening’s final in 2:01.80.

Nova Southeastern’s Emilia Ronningdal was untouchable in heat 5, blasting a near sub 2:00 time in 2:00.15, largely in part to her 56.29 opening 100. She entered today at the #5 seed in 2:01.97, the senior will be the top seed tonight for the championship final.

Drury’s Gwen Bergum used a key breaststroke leg (34.25) to will herself ahead of Tampa’s Sidni Meister (2:02.65) and claim the top tpot for the time being in 2:00.56.

Heat 3 was a battle at the bottom of the pool, with Delta State’s Chloe Skelt (2:03.71) and Indianapolis’ Valentina Masella (2:04.07) touching 1-2 out of lanes 3 and 2, respectively.

Findlay’s Emily Mears-Bentley used a very strong middle 100 to take a commanding 2nd heat victory in 2:01.77, over two and a half seconds better than her seed time of 2:04.53.

Men’s 200 IM

• NCAA Division II Record: 1:41.61 – Marius Kusch, Queens (2018)
• Championship Record: 1:41.61 – Marius Kusch, Queens (2018)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Jeremias Pock (INDY)- 1:43.09
2. Alvaro Zornoza Quiros (DRUR)- 1:43.94
3. Vova Gavrysh (MKU)- 1:44.90
4. Belhassen Ben Miled (DRUR)- 1:44.97
5. Ivan Adamchuk (DRUR)- 1:45.22
6. Ben Vester (MESA)- 1:45.34
7. William Beckstead-Holman (TAMP)- 1:45.41
8. Nicholas Cavic (TAMP)- 1:45.58

Maintaining his top seed, Indianapolis sophomore Jeremias Pock looked to be on a nother level in this prelims, controlling the middle 100 of this race, especially on the breaststroke leg, splitting 29.44 to distance himself from William Beckstead-Holman of Tampa (1:45.41) in an event leading 1:43.09.

Heat four would be won by Drury’s Alvaro Zornoza Quiros, who separated himself from the field in the breaststroke and freestyle legs in 30.38 and 25.86, respectively. He would finish with the 2nd fastest time of the morning in 1:43.94.

Drury’s Ivan Adamchuk claimed the heat 3 win in 1:45.22, opening up in a blistering 47.93; splitting a 21.86 fly and 26.07 backstroke leg to catapult him into the lead early and holding strong to the final wall.

Gavrysh stormed to an early heat win in the 200 IM, carrying the 200 free record momentum from last night, swimming more than three seconds faster than his seed tim in 1:44.90.

Women’s 50 Freestyle

• NCAA Division II Record: 21.92 – Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana (2025)
• Championship Record: 21.92 – Bryn Greenwaldt, Augustana (2025)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Troie Grubbs (UFIN)- 22.55
2. Kristina Orban (NSU)- 22.59
3. Kirabo Namutebi (INDY)- 22.66
4. Zsophia Kurdi (NSU)- 22.68
5. Zinna Zimander (DSU)- 22.83
6. Tilde Morin (TAMP)- 22.87
7. Agata Naskret (UWF)- 22.91
8. Vanessa Weatherford (OCU)- 22.93

The women’s 50 free championship final will feature eight different schools, with Findlay’s Troie Grubbs narrowly claiming the top time from the prelims in 22.55, despite entering with the slowest entered time of all championship finalists in 22.97.

Nova Southeastern’s Kristina Orban made her presence felt, maintaining her #2 seed with a 22.59 prelims performance, securing her a middle lane for tonight’s final.

Top entered seed Kirabo Namutebi added a little over half a second from her entry time of 22.14, finishing 3rd this morning in 22.66.

11 total swimmers swam under 23 this morning, with the top 8 needing to be faster than 22.95.

Men’s 50 Freestyle

• NCAA Division II Record: 18.88 – Matej Dusa, Queens (2022)
• Championship Record: 18.88 – Matej Dusa, Queens (2022)

Top 8 Qualifiers: UPDATED

1. Maurice Grabowski (LYNN)- 19.19
2. Camilo Marrugo Montano (UFIN)- 19.43
3. Tibor Tristan (TAMP)- 19.52
4. Guillaume Guth (MESA)- 19.54
5. Richard Schmiedefeld (MESA)- 19.57
6. Evan Scotto Divetta (GVSU)/Lucas Minuer (DRUR)- 19.65
7. –
8. Yuri Cabral (DRUR)- 19.67

Lynn’s Maurice Grabowski led a speedy men’s 50 free prelims in a solid 19.19, he looked especially strong off of the turn, charging home in 19.19 for top seed honors for this evening’s final.

Findlay’s Camilo Marrugo Montano led nabbed the 2nd fastest time of the morning in 19.43, this time is a tenth faster than his seed time of 19.53. He was followed by three 19.5 swimmers in Tibor Tristan of Tampa (19.52), Guillaume Guth (19.54), and Richard Schmiedefeld of Colorado Mesa (19.57).

We saw two ties in the top 8, as Grand Valley’s Evan Scotto Divetta and Drury’s Lucas Minuer tied for 6th at 19.65, while Catawba’s Maksymilian Minichowski and Drury’s Yuri Cabral will race in a swim off for 8th, tied at 19.67.

In the swim off it was Cabral who took the win in a come from behind effort in 19.66.

Women’s 1000 Free

• NCAA Division II Record: 9:38.98 – Emily Trieschmann, Nova Southeastern (2024)
• Championship Record: 9:38.98 – Emily Trieschmann, Nova Southeastern (2024)

Top 8 (pre-finals):

1. Fiona Byrne (CATC)- 10:03.05
2. Delrae Vetter (SFU)- 10:07.86
3. Brielle Buchanan (NSU)- 10:09.77
4. Danielle Mienema (CATC)- 10:10.36
5. Hanna Sasivarevic (MESA)- 10:12.12
6. Maggie Clemoens (CSEB)- 10:12.87
7. Mckenna Patrick (TAMP)- 10:14.06
8. Rianne Rose (DRUR)- 10:14.41

Catawba’s Fiona Byrne took over six seconds off of her seed time to claim a heat one win and the top time through the prelims in 10:03.05. Nova Southeastern’s Brielle Buchanan finished as the only other sub-10:10 swimmer in heat 1 in 10:09.77.

The only other swimmer under 10:10 in the prelims was Delrae Vetter of Simon Fraser in 10:07.86, this swim took over four seconds off of her seed time of 10:11.93, moving her up into 3rd with a finals heat still to swim this evening.

Freshman Rian Rose of Drury took over six seconds off of her seed time to finish 8th in prelims and secure individual points in 10:14.41.

Men’s 1000 Free

• NCAA Division II Record: 8:47.23 – Jacob Hamlin, Tampa (2025)
• Championship Record: 8:47.23 – Jacob Hamlin, Tampa (2025)

Top 8 (pre-finals):

1. Paul Demesy (WCU)- 8:58.08
2. Nazar Herashchenko (CATC)- 9:00.78
3. Fernando Dehaudt (WIN)- 9:01.75
4. Matteo Vissotto (DRUR)- 9:05.47
5. Marti Risell Diez (WCU)- 9:06.75
6. Emil Heigre (WIN)- 9:06.85
7. Mohamed Khalil Ben Ajmia (WAYN)- 9:07.83
8. Teo Puig (BARY)- 9:08.28

The first men’s heat only saw one swimmer under 9:00, as Westchester’s Paul Demesy swam nearly 15 seconds faster than his seed time in 8:58.08.

Nazar Herashchenko finished with thee 2nd fastest time of the prelims session in 9:00.78, a five second improvement on his seed time of 9:05.89. Wingate’s Fernando Dehaudt saw an even bigger improvement, slicing over 12 seconds off of his seed time od 9:14.04, finishing 3rd in prelims ain 9:01.75.

Behind them were five swimmers within less than three seconds of each other, among them was Drury’s Matteo Vissotto, who was more than seven seconds faster than his seed time of 9:13.24 in 9:05.47.

Men’s 1-meter Diving

• NCAA Division II Record: 618.70 – Dario Di Fazio, Oakland (1994)
• Championship Record: 618.70 – Dario Di Fazio, Oakland (1994)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Max Wasiniak (WAYN)- 495.50
2. Ethan Coronado (CLAR)- 492.25
3. Zakary Kennedy (CLAR)- 479.50
4. Santiago Santodomingo (DSU)- 478.20
5. Zachary Schering (CLAR)- 465.45
6. Jax Juarros (MESA)- 448.85
7. Michael Flamm (CLAR)- 447.55
8. Ryan Campbell (MESA)- 446.45

Wayne State’s Max Wasiniak led all prelim divers with his top score of 495.50, behind him were a pair of Caliron men in Ethan Coronado (492.25) and Zakary Kennedy (479.50). Coronado and Kennedy are just two of the four divers that will represent Clairon in the event’s championship final, alongside Zachary Schering (5th, 465.45) and Michael Flamm (7th, 447.55).

Colorado Mesa also managed to get two divers into the championship final this evening with Jax Juarros and Ryan Campbell in 6th and 8th place after prelims, respectively.