2026 Women’s NCAA Division I Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

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
• Preview Index
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

  Top 10 Teams After Night 3

1. Virginia — 437.5
2. Texas — 272
3. Stanford — 242.5
4. Tennessee — 240.5
5. Michigan — 228
6. California — 199
7. Indiana — 176
8. Louisville — 144.5
9. NC State — 141.5
10. Florida — 113.5

SATURDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Here we are – the final day of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. It’s been a great week here in Atlanta, and we should be in for even more incredible races today. Of course, we’re working with the new schedule, so today’s lineup will start with the 200 IM, then move into the 100 free, 200 fly, and 200 back. The relay today is the usual: the 400 free relay.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• American Record: 1:48.37 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:48.37 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• Championship Record: 1:48.37 – Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: Torri Huske, Stanford – 1:49.67
• 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 1:53.72/1:55.50

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mia West (Cal) – 1:52.40
2. Campbell Chase (Texas) – 1:53.06
3. Teagan O’Dell (Cal) – 1:53.68
4. Lucy Bell (Stanford) – 1:53.75
5. Anastasia Gorbenko (Louisville) – 1:53.96
6. Leah Hayes (Virginia) – 1:54.01
7. Rosie Murphy (UCLA) – 1:54.19
8. Aimee Canny (Virginia) – 1:54.36

Cal sophomore Mia West led the field in the 200 IM this morning, clocking a 1:52.40. West was terrific on the front half of the race, splitting 23.94 on fly and 27.73 on back for a 51.67 on the opening 100, which was the fastest opening 100 in the field. She then held string on the back half, splitting 33.23 on breast and 27.50 on free to get home with the quickest time of the heats.

This was an excellent event for Cal, as the Golden Bears also saw freshman Teagan O’Dell finish 3rd with a 1:53.68.

Virginia got a pair of swimmers into the final, with Leah Hayes finishing 6th in 1:54.01 and Aimee Canny taking 8th in 1:54.36.

Stanford’s Lucy Bell, the champion in the 200 breast last night, was terrific on breaststroke this morning (to the surprise of no one). Bell ripped a blistering 31.72 on the breast leg of her race this morning, which lent itself greatly to her 4th place finish in the event.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 44.71 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• American Record: 44.71 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• U.S. Open Record: 44.71 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• Championship Record: 44.71 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: Gretchen Walsh, Virginia – 44.71
• 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 47.37/47.88

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Anna Moesch (Virginia) – 45.81
2. Sara Curtis (Virginia) – 46.00
3. Camille Spink (Tennessee) – 46.23
4. Torri Huske (Stanford) – 46.35
5. Liberty Clark (Indiana) – 46.54
6. Julia Dennis (Louisville) – 46.69
7. Mary-Ambre Moluh (Cal) – 46.85
8. Cadence Vincent (Alabama) – 46.90

This was the fastest prelims of the 100 free we’ve ever seen, with it taking a 46.90 just to qualify for the final. That was almost half a second faster than the 47.37 it took to make the top 8 last year.

Leading the way was the Virginia duo of Anna Moesch and Sara Curtis. Moesch was just a hair off her career best of 45.71, posting a 45.81 this morning. Meanwhile, Curtis clipped her career best by 0.03 seconds, coming in 2nd with a 46.00 this morning. Moesch was also the only swimmer in the field to be out under 22 seconds on the first 50, splitting 21.98.

Tennessee junior Camille Spink continues to have a great meet, finishing 3rd this morning with a 46.23.

Torri Huske was 4th this morning in 46.35, but she’s already been 45.79 this season. After winning the 50 free last night over many of the members of this field, Huske should be viewed as a very real threat.

Liberty Clark made another final, taking 5th with a 46.54. The IU freshman has been outstanding at this meet, and we’ll see what she has in the tank for tonight.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:49.11 – Emma Sticklen, Texas (2025)
• American Record: 1:48.33 – Regan Smith (2023)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:48.33 – Regan Smith (2023)
• Championship Record: 1:49.11 – Emma Sticklen, Texas (2025)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: Emma Sticklen, Texas – 1:49.11
• 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 1:52.91/1:54.16

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Alex Shackell (Indiana) – 1:51.68
2. Hannah Bellard (Michigan) – 1:52.12
3. Tess Howley (Virginia) – 1:52.16
4. Campbell Stoll (Texas) – 1:52.21
5. Caroline Bricker (Stanford) – 1:52.27
6. Ella Jansen (Tennessee) – 1:52.60
7. Emily Brown (Tennessee) – 1:53.08
8. Lilou Ressencourt (Cal) – 1:53.24

Indiana freshman Alex Shackell led the way in prelims of the 200 fly this morning, clocking a 1:51.68. Shackell was the only swimmer in the field to go under 1:52 this morning. She was out pretty quick this morning, splitting 52.50 on the opening 100, which was the only sub-53 split in the field.

Hannah Bellard, the top seed coming into the morning, came in 2nd with a 1:52.12. The Michigan junior has been as fast as 1:50.34 this season.

Texas’ Campbell Stoll took 4th this morning with a 1:52.21. Along with Bellard and Shackell, Stoll is the only other swimmer in the field to have been 1:50-point in the event this season.

The 200 fly was a strong event for Tennesse, with both Ella Jansen and Emily Brown making it through to finals. Those swims were important for the Vols, who are locked in a tight team battle.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 1:46.09 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2026)
• American Record: 1:46.09 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2026)
• U.S. Open Record: 1:46.09 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2026)
• Championship Record: 1:46.82 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2025)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:46.82
• 2025 8th/16th Prelims Times: 1:50.55/1:51.75

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 1:48.18
2. Maggie Wanezek (Wisconsin) – 1:48.85
3. Bella Sims (Michigan) – 1:49.15
4. Teagan O’Dell (Cal) – 1:49.51
5. Erika Pelaez (NC State) – 1:49.90
6. Leah Shackley (NC State) – 1:50.14
7. Miranda Grana (Indiana) – 1:50.18
8. Claire Jansen (Pitt) – 1:50.31

Claire Curzan led a very fast prelims field of the 200 back this morning, stopping the clock in 1:48.18. The NCAA record holder (1:46.09) was 2 seconds off her record mark, which was set in this very pool 1 month ago today.

Wisconsin sophomore Maggie Wanezek popped a 1:48.85 to come in 2nd this morning, which is just half a second off her season best of 1:48.31.

Michigan junior Bella Sims was 1:49.15 this morning, which marks a season best by over 2 seconds, as well as a new Michigan program record. Sims was the runner-up in this event last year behind Curzan.

NC State has a very strong showing here, with Erika Pelaez taking 5th in 1:49.90, while Leah Shackley clocked a 1:50.14 for 6th. The Wolfpack also had senior Kennedy Noble take 9th with a 1:50.58, making her the first swimmer out of finals.

Virginia junior Tess Howley nearly pulled off an improbable double. Howley was 3rd in the 200 fly, then had 5 heats between that race and her 200 back. in the 200 back, she clocked a 1:50.82, which was, remarkably, a season best. The swim put Howley 10th, a scoring swim, but 0.51 seconds off what it took to return for finals.

Indiana junior Miranda Grana bounced back from a disappointing swim in prelims of the 100 back yesterday. Grana was 1:50.18 this morning, taking 7th and qualifying for finals. She holds a season best of 1:49.06.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – EARLY HEATS

• NCAA Record: 3:05.30 – Virginia (Curzan, Moesch, Canny, Curtis) (2026)
• American Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (Douglass, A. Walsh, M. Parker, G. Walsh) (2023)
• U.S. Open Record: 3:05.30 – Virginia (Curzan, Moesch, Canny, Curtis) (2026)
• Championship Record: 3:05.84 – Virginia (Douglass, A. Walsh, M. Parker, G. Walsh) (2023)
• 2025 NCAA Champion: Virginia – 3:06.01

EARLY HEATS RESULTS:

1. NC State – 3:09.59
2. Alabama – 3:10.31
3. USC – 3:11.32
4. Ohio State – 3:11.98
5. Auburn – 3:13.00
6. Georgia – 3:13.19
7. LSU – 3:13.41
8. Pitt – 3:13.49
9. UCLA – 3:13.96
10. Virginia Tech – 3:14.12
11. Arizona – 3:14.25
12. Texas A&M – 3:15.33
13. Notre Dame – 3:15.38
14. Duke – 3:15.83
15. Wisconsin – 3:15.96
16. Arizona State – 3:16.38

In a very fast early heats of the 400 free relay, NC State came out on top with a 3:09.59. That time set a new season best for the Wolfpack, and put them in prime position to sneak onto the podium tonight. That being said, their time still would have been seeded 9th, but all it’s going to take is one of the teams in the fastest heat tonight slipping a little bit.

The Wolfpack relay saw Olivia Nel (47.89), Lily Christianson (47.51), Tyler Driscoll (47.84), and Erika Pelaez (46.35) team up to get the job done.

Alabama had a terrific relay as well, clocking a 3:10.31 for 2nd, which was a new season best. Cadence Vincent (47.23), Gaby Van Brunt (48.22), Tessa Giele (47.45), and Emily Jones (47.41) combined to post the top 10 finish for the Tide.