2026 W. NCAA Previews: Young International Crew Faces Off Against Experience In Women’s 100 Breast

2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• Wednesday, March 18 – Saturday, March 21, 2026
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Defending Champions: Virginia (5x)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

Women’s 100 Breaststroke 

• NCAA 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)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: 56.49 – Alex Walsh, Virginia

The women’s 100 breaststroke looks to be a decently wide open event next week in Atlanta. The event notably is absent of many juniors, as the top seeded junior is #16 Lucy Thomas of Stanford. There will be a new champion this year as Alex Walsh has graduated Virginia.

Can’t Call Them Bathtub Swimmers

The top three entries are all international swimmers, with NC State’s Eneli Jefimova leading the way with a 56.77 Jefimova is in her first season with the Wolfpack but has already adjusted to yards well. She notably won the SCM 100 breast at the 2025 European Championships in December so she is a strong short course swimmer. It will be key to seeing how her first NCAA taper goes.

Fellow international swimmer Anita Bottazzo enters as the #2 seed. The Florida sophomore represents Italy at the international level and just missed out on the ‘A’ final last year as a freshman as she was 9th in prelims with a 58.44. She went on to win the ‘B’ final with a 57.84, 0.35 seconds off her lifetime best at the time. She has already been faster this year with a 56.87 and already having an NCAA Championship experience could come in handy.

The final of the top three seeds is Anastasia Gorbenko who began competing for Louisville this spring and as of now looks to be the biggest midseason arrival. Gorbenko is entered with a 57.03 which she swam for 2nd behind Jefimova at the 2026 ACC Championships. Like Jefimova, tapering for one’s first NCAAs will be key but Gorbenko has been training at Louisville since January 2025 which should help with the fact that she has been able to adjust to yards for the most part.

Top 2025 Returner

Tennessee’s McKenzie Siroky had a huge summer as she made the US World Championship roster in the 50 breast. She comes into 2026 NCAAs as the #4 seed with a 57.62 but has been as fast as 57.27, a time that she swam for 2nd at the 2025 SEC Championships. She is the top returner from last year’s event when she finished 3rd in a 57.41 only behind Walsh and Mona McSharry who was 2nd in a 57.40.

Call The Unc But Definitely Not Washed

Seeds five through nine are all seniors and all five also bring plenty of NCAA final experience with them. Virginia’s Emma Weber is the #5 seed with a 57.77. Weber, who most notably represented the US at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was 11th in the event last year with a 58.35 and was 11th back in 2024 with a 58.39. Her 57.77 from last month’s ACC Championships was a lifetime best. She has been just off her best in the event at 2023 and 2025 NCAAs while her 58.39 at 2024 NCAAs was a personal best at the time. With only the ‘A’ final, it will be important to have a sub-58 second swim here.

Like Weber, Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley brings a wealth of experience in the event at NCAAs, but has also only posted a lifetime best 1 out of the 3 NCAA Championships in the event. Gridley has been as fast as 57.83 this season which makes her the 6-seed. She made the ‘A’ final last year and was 8th in a 58.72.

Big Ten Champion Letitia Sim of Michigan will look to make her first ever ‘A’ final as she has made the ‘B’ final her last three NCAA appearances in 2022, 2023, and 2025 (she redshirted the 2023-2024 season). The Michigan women as a team were on fire at Big Tens last month and that included Sim who swept the breaststroke events and swam to a lifetime best 57.90 in the 100 breast which earns her the #7 seed.

Another senior, Mackenzie Lung of Fresno State is in her first year with the program. Lung comes into Atlanta as the #8 seed with a 57.92 and was 7th last year in a personal best 58.39 while she was at BYU. Last year was a breakout season, and she had a strong performance at NCAAs going lifetime bests in all of her swims. If she is able to repeat that, she should be able to make the only final.

The final senior who brings solid experience is Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye who was 4th last year in a 58.11, 0.04 seconds off her lifetime best prior to this season. She has been as fast as 57.99 this year and swam a 58.03 to win the Big 12 title. Based on the field, it looks as if being sub-58 will be key to make the the final.

A Few More That Stand Out

Texas sophomore Piper Enge was 5th last year with a 58.19. Enge is the 11-seed this year with a 58.13. Their best time sits at a 57.69 from January 2025, and based on the field it seems like being close to that is what it will take to make the top eight.

The top junior in the field, Lucy Thomas of Stanford enters the meet as the #16 seed with a 58.59. Thomas swam to a 58.48 last year in the ‘B’ final for 12th, so she has a history of going lifetime bests at the big stage.

SwimSwam’s Picks:

Darkhorse Pick

Mia Cheatwood (Louisville): Cheatwood has had a huge year at Louisville and is notably the #7 seed in the 200 breast. She has NCAA experience swimming in prelims of both breaststroke events the last two years. With Gorbenko being a solid training partner, that could be the addition that helps boost Cheatwood up the ranks.