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
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We have made it to the penultimate finals session of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming Championships, and there are five events in tonight’s session.
Just like last night, there are no ‘B’ finals this evening, which means we will have just five swimming heats and six rounds of diving to watch. The meet will kick off with the 100 backstroke final where Claire Curzan and Bella Sims will both be looking for the title. Sims won the 400 IM yesterday while Curzan finished 2nd in the 200 fly.
In the 200 breaststroke, Louisville’s Anastasia Gorbenko was the top seed out of prelims while last year’s champion Lucy Bell will be seeded 3rd after coming in just four tenths back in prelims. Virginia’s Aimee Canny found herself in the middle of those two swimmers in 2:05.25.
The 500 freestyle saw the top three qualifiers all come from the SEC. 1650 freestyle champion Jillian Cox will be looking to repeat as the champion in the 500 tonight, earning the top seed from prelims, but the rest of the final is nipping at her heels and will be looking for an upset.
The 50 freestyle will wrap up the individual swimming events tonight, and Virginia’s Sara Curtis was the only swimmer under 21 seconds this morning, earning her lane four. Camille Spink was 2nd, just 0.11 seconds back in 21.04. Torri Huske will be in lane six tonight, and she is also a huge contender for the gold.
Finally, the meet will wrap up with the 400 medley relay finals, where Texas is once again the current leader in 3:24.64, but the Virginia Cavaliers will be shooting for their 4th relay title of the meet.
WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – Finals
- NCAA 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)
Championship Record: 48.26 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)- 2025 NCAA Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.11
- 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 50.29/51.20
Top 8 Finishers
- Claire Curzan (UVA) — 48.24 **New Meet Record
- Bella Sims (MICH) / Maggie Wanezek (WISC) — 49.62
- —
- Erika Pelaez (NCST) / Mary-Ambre Moluh (CAL) — 49.95
- —
- Leah Shackley (NCST) — 49.98
- Claire Jansen (PITT) — 50.67
- Emily Jones (BAMA) — 50.97
The women’s 100 backstroke was all about Virginia junior Claire Curzan. She grabbed the lead early and never relinquished it, touching in 48.24 to set a new meet record time, taking two hundredths off the 48.26 Gretchen Walsh swam at the 2023 and 2024 Championships.
Curzan split 23.41 on the opening 50, flipping three tenths ahead of Wisconsin’s Maggie Wanezek who turned 2nd in 23.77. Michigan’s Bella Sims turned 4th in 24.03.
On the 2nd 50, Curzan was 24.83 to be the only swimmer under 25 seconds, touching in a new personal best 48.24.
Bella Sims split 25.59 to make up three tenths on Wanezek’s 25.85. The two swimmers came in at exactly the same time of 49.62. Sims added a little more than half-a-second from the 48.97 she swam at the 2025 SEC Championships. Wanezek dropped about a tenth from her best of 49.71 that she swam at the 2026 Big Ten Championships.
There was also a tie for 4th between NC State’s Erika Pelaez and Cal’s Mary-Ambre Moluh, who bouth touched in 49.95. Peleaz was just off her best of 49.54, and Moluh was just off her best of 49.64.
WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – Finals
- NCAA Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- American Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- U.S. Open Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- Championship Record: 2:01.29 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
- 2025 NCAA Champion: Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.28
- 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 2:07.60/2:08.56
Top 8 Finishers
- Lucy Bell (STAN) — 2:02.38
- Aimee Canny (UVA) — 2:03.09
- Kaelyn Gridley (DUKE)/Anastasia Gorbenko (LOU) — 2:05.24
- —
- Letitia Sim (MICH) — 2:05.85
- Grace Rabb (FLOR) — 2:06.85
- Anita Bottazzo (FLOR) — 2:07.13
- Emma Weber (UVA) — 2:07.55
Stanford senior Lucy Bell defended her title in the women’s 200 breaststroke, touching in 2:02.38 to pass Aimee Canny in an electric final 50, swimming almost two seconds faster than the 2:04.28 she went to win last season.
Bell was in 5th at the 50, turning in 28.28. Virginia’s Aimee Canny, was in the lead, turning in 27.85 to sit a tenth ahead of Michigan’s Letitia Sim (27.96).
Canny maintained her lead through the 100, turning in 58.99 to be the only swimmer sub-59 seconds on the first 100 yards. Bell was 59.64 to turn in 3rd after splitting 31.36 on the 2nd 50.
On the final 100, Bell had the fastest splits on both 50s. On the 3rd 50, Bell split 31.39 to move into 2nd place, turning in 1:31.03 to sit just three tenths behind Canny’s 31.78 and 1:30.77 split.
The final 50 saw Bell split 31.35, faster than her 3rd 50 split, and the only swimmer under 32 seconds. She touched in a new personal best 2:02.38, taking three tenths off her previous best of 2:02.67 from the ACC Championships.
Canny finished 2nd in 3:03.09, splitting 32.32 on the final 50 to add about a tenth from her lifetime best 2:02.97 from the ACC Championships.
There was a tie for 3rd between Duke’s Kaelyn Gridley and Louisville’s Anastasia Gorbenko. Gridley was 59.98/1:05.26 and Gorbenko was 1:00.35/1:04.89 to touch in 2:05.24. Gorbenko added a smidge from the 2:05.02 she swam at ACCs and Gridley was just off her best of 2:04.94
Women’s 3-Meter Diving Final — Rounds 1-3
After 3 rounds
- Sophie Verzyl (SCAR) — 194.20
- Elna Widerstrom (MINN) — 188.70
- Desharne Bent-Ashmeil (TENN) — 182.10
- Shiyun Lai (KU) — 177.35
- Chiara Pellacani (MIA) — 174.30
- Bayleigh Cranford (TEX) — 173.30
- Lena Hentschel (OSU) — 168.90
- Maria Sanchez-Moreno (ARK) — 166.35
WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – Finals
- NCAA Record: 4:24.06 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- American Record: 4:24.06 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- U.S. Open Record: 4:24.06 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- Championship Record: 4:24.06 – Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- 2025 NCAA Champion: Jillian Cox, Texas – 4:31.58
- 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 4:37.01/4:38.76
Top 8 Finishers
- Claire Weinstein (CAL) — 4:30.09
- Jillian Cox (TEX) — 4:31.56
- Kennedi Dobson (UGA) — 4:32.24
- Ella Jansen (TENN) — 4:32.82
- Julie Brousseau (FLOR) — 4:34.63
- Cavan Gormsen (UVA) — 4:35.11
- Hannah Bellard (MICH) — 4:35.80
- Madi Mintenko (UVA) — 4:36.68
Claire Weinstein swam the top time in the women’s 500 freestyle of 4:30.09, winning her first NCAA title in her final individual event of the meet. She becomes Cal’s first individual NCAA title winner since Kathleen Baker won the 200 backstroke in 2018.
Weinstein turned in 1st after the 100, flipping in 51.66 to be the only swimmer under 52 seconds on the opening 100. Virginia’s Madi Mintenko was 2nd in 52.08 at the 100 mark.
By the 200, Weinstein had extended her lead, splitting 1:47.03 to turn half-a-second ahead of Ella Jansen from Tennessee, who split 1:47.50.
Weinstein held onto her lead, splitting 27-mids through the next 200 yards (55.31/54.70). Her final 100 was the fastest in the field at 53.05, giving her a second-and-a-half victory over Jillian Cox‘s 4:31.56. She was just off her lifetime best of 4:29.38 from December of 2023.
Cox began making up some ground on the final 300 yards. She opened with 100 splits of 52.58/55.14 to turn in 1:47.72 at the 200, about seven tenths behind Weinstein. She descended her 100s from there, splitting 55.02/54.76 to start catching the Cal freshman. She also had a strong final 100, splitting 54.06, which was the 2nd fastest 100 in the field, but wasn’t enough to catch the monster final 100 from Weinstein. She touched in 4:31.56 for 2nd, about a second off the 4:30.53 she swam at SECs.
Georgia’s Kennedi Dobson was right with Cox throughout the race, just like she was at SECs. She split 52.39/55.41/55.08/54.83 to sit just two tenths back of Cox at the 400 mark. Her final 100 was 54.53, which was good to finish 3rd overall in 4:32.24, a little under two seconds off the 4:30.70 she swam at SECs.
WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – Finals
- NCAA Record: 20.37 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
- American Record: 20.37 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
- U.S. Open Record: 20.37 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
- Championship Record: 20.37 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
- 2025 NCAA Champion: Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 20.49
- 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 21.63/21.89
Top 8 Finishers
- Torri Huske (STAN) — 20.66
- Sara Curtis (UVA) — 20.74
- Camille Spink (TENN) — 20.98
- Eva Okaro (TEX) — 21.05
- Julia Dennis (LOU) — 21.15
- Liberty Clark (IU) — 21.25
- Brady Kendall (MICH) — 21.33
- Anna Moesch (UVA)– 21.37
Torri Huske becomes the 2nd fastest performer in history in the women’s 50 freestyle, swimming 20.66 to pick up her 2nd individual title of the meet, overtaking Maggie MacNeil‘s former 2nd place position of 20.79.
Huske was out in 9.92, the only swimmer sub 10 seconds on the opening 25. She came home in 10.74, the 2nd fastest closing 25 in the field to touch in 20.66, dropping nearly three tenths from te 20.92 she swam at this meet last year leading off Stanford’s 200 freestyle relay.
UVA freshman Sara Curtis finished 2nd in 20.74, which will make her the new 3rd fastest performer in history, and she will also jump Maggie MacNeil‘s 20.79. Curtis was out in 10.06, but had the fastest closing 50 in the field of 10.68 to take the silver medal
Tennessee’s Camille Spink swam 20.98 to finish 3rd, splitting 10.02/10.96. She added about a tenth from the 20.87 she swam at the SEC Championships.
Indiana freshman Liberty Clark finished 6th in the event, touching in 21.25, which was a new 17-18 NAG Record in the event, breaking her own record of 21.27 from last night’s 200 freestyle relay.
Women’s 3-Meter Diving Final — Rounds 4-6
Top 8 Finishers
- Sophie Verzyl (SCAR) — 387.90
- Desharne Bent-Ashmeil (TENN) — 382.25
- Elna Widerstrom (MINN) — 374.35
- Chiara Pellacani (MIA) — 372.90
- Shiyun Lai (KANS) — 342.35
- Bayleigh Cranford (TEX) — 342.05
- Lena Hentschel (OSU) — 337.30
- Maria Sanchez-Moreno (ARK) — 320.85
South Carolina senior Sophie Verzyl won her first ever NCAA title in the women’s 3-meter diving event, scoring 387.90 with a very strong final dive that moved her back into the lead after she fell back to 3rd after her 4th round.
Tennessee freshman Desharne Bent-Ashmeil won the silver in 382.25, just over five points back of Verzyl after she led for a few rounds.
Minnesota’s Elna Widerstrom won the bronze in 374.35, under two points ahead of last night’s 1-meter champion Chiara Pellacani, who scored 372.90 for Miami.
WOMEN’S 400 MEDLEY RELAY – TIMED FINAL
- NCAA Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, A. Walsh, G Walsh, A Moesch) (2025)
- American Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, A. Walsh, G Walsh, A Moesch) (2025)
- U.S. Open Record: 3:19.58 – Virginia (Curzan, A. Walsh, G Walsh, A Moesch) (2025)
- Championship Record: 3:20.20 – Virginia (Curzan, A. Walsh, G Walsh, A Moesch) (2025)
- 2025 NCAA Champion: Virginia (Curzan, A. Walsh, G Walsh, A Moesch) – 3:20.20
- 2025 8th/16th Times: 3:27.76/3:30.93
- Current Leader: Texas — 3:24.64
Top 8 Finishers
- Virginia (Curtis, Canny, Curzan, Moesch) — 3:20.66
- Tennessee (Crooks, Siroky, Hirai, Spink) — 3:23.79
- Michigan (Sims, Sim, Kendall, Balduccini) — 3:24.44
- NC State — 3:24.49
- Texas — 3:24.64
- Cal — 3:25.09
- Indiana — 3:25.17
- Louisville — 3:25.58
Virginia makes it four-for-four with a dominant three second victory in the women’s 400 medley relay. They swam 3:20.66 to wrap up night three, beating Tennessee’s 3:23.79 by about three seconds.
Sara Curtis led off in 49.47, getting the Cavaliers out to a three tenth lead over Michigan, who had Bella Sims split 49.79 on the backstroke.
Curtis handed off to senior Aimee Canny, who split 56.63, which tied for the 3rd fastest breaststroke split in the field with Louisville’s Anastasia Gorbenko.
100 backstroke champion Claire Curzan swam 48.82 on the fly leg, extending the Virginia lead before Anna Moesch anchored the team in 45.74 for the victory.
Tennessee finished 2nd with Jillian Crooks (50.94), McKenzie Siroky (56.97), Mizuki Hirai (50.10), and Camille Spink (45.78) touching in 3:23.79.
Michigan was 3rd with Sims, Letitia Sim (57.58), Brady Kendall (50.32), and Stephanie Balduccini (46.84).
Indiana freshman Liberty Clark had the fastest freestyle split in the field on their 7th place relay, touching in 45.67 to secure a top-8 finish for the Hoosiers.
Top 10 Teams After Night 3
- Virginia — 437.5
- Texas — 272
- Stanford — 242.5
- Tennessee — 240.5
- Michigan — 228
- California — 199
- Indiana — 176
- Louisville — 144.5
- NC State — 141.5
- Florida — 113.5
Wow Grace Rabb. Very special freshman for the Gators. She dropped 1.63 seconds off her best and moved high up in the rankings. She’s had an amazing year.
Diving is a much bigger part of this than I realized. That’s my best summary after attending two evening sessions.
Nobody is walking out during diving. Nobody is bored. Quite the opposite. Almost everyone seated near me was fully engaged and rooting for their favorites. The diving pool was ringed with teammates from one diver after another and especially from Ohio State and South Carolina.
It certainly helped that most of the divers from Thursday returned on Friday. We already knew their tendencies and how they fared on Thursday.
Even though I’m a Canes fan it was appropriate that Sophie from South Carolina won tonight. She was the best diver over two days and could have won both events… Read more »
it is swimming and diving champ after all, so change seems like a good thing for diving. But rememeber here or anywhere else anything that chances is bad.
Alexy 47.73
Pan 47.94
Prelims
The battle for 2nd place should be close. Texas is 30 pts up and is seeded to score about the same as Stanford tomorrow. But the 2 projected Texas A finalists in 200 IM have not been swimming well so far this meet.
And Stanford has a platform diver who is literally undefeated this year
The problem is that the University of Texas women’s diving program is scoring points. Both the women’s swimming & diving programs for the University of Texas would need to suffer a monumental collapse on Day 4.
When will the scoring take B final (9-16 from prelims) into account?
Yes. This. Im pretty sure the only B final points included here is from the mile. Is there an accurate score somewhere that includes the points from B finals? Meet mobile is not counting them bc they are considered preliminary swims
All of you who think that D1 is the only swimming game in town, please look at the D3 meet going on on the NCAA feed. This is not my generation’s D3; many of the swimmers would do well on D1 mid majors, especially the men. The D2 meet was also exciting, especially the men’s 400 free relay, and the women’s 100 back. Plus, the feed is free, albeit simple, and there’s no Rowdy. And there are B finals.
I think I missed a lot guys 🫣
if claire gets any faster she is going to give regan a run in the big pool.