BRAGGING RIGHTS: Which NCAA Team Won the Most Medals at 2019 Worlds?

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – SWIMMING

• All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
• The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
• Meet site
• Results

The 2019 FINA World Championships have now concluded, and with Nationals coming,  social media is aflutter with collegiate programs boasting of the successes of their current, former, and future members.

But which programs have the biggest bragging rights?

We counted alumni for the school they competed for collegiately most recently, regardless of where they train now. So, for example, Indiana gets credit for Zach Apple, not Auburn.

Note that there’s a bit of an anomaly in this table in that relay medals get double counted. In a traditional “by country” medal table, they only count once, but in this table, each of the 4+ swimmers on a relay that wins a medal gets a medal allocated to their college, in some cases multiple medals to the same college for the same relay finish. We’ve included medals from pool and open water swimming.

Sorted by Total Medals:

Editor’s note: we’ve gone through as a staff and tried to put many eyeballs on this. If we’ve missed someone – it’s definitely not because we hate your school. Let us know in the comments and we’ll update.

#1 – STANFORD

Stanford led the way with 18 medals, however, we did count Regan Smith‘s 2 gold medals, since she has committed to Stanford for 2020. The argument could be made that Smith doesn’t belong in Stanford’s column, since she hasn’t actually attended the university yet, but even without Smith, Stanford would lead the medal count with 16 total medals. Simone Manuel earned 7 medals, the most of any female swimmer in a single edition of the FINA World Champs in history. Taylor Ruck, who competes for Canada internationally, racked up 3 bronze medals, all of which came in relays. Though she scratched 2 races due to illness, Katie Ledecky managed to bring home 3 medals: 1 gold and 2 silvers. Katie Drabot Brought home a bronze medal in the 200 fly, while Lia Neal and Jack LeVant earned medals on relays, silver and bronze respectively.

Simone Manuel:

• Gold – women’s 50 free
• Gold – women’s 100 free
• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – women’s 4×100 free relay
• Silver – women’s 4×200 free relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

Katie Ledecky:

• Gold – women’s 800 free
• Silver – women’s 4×200 free relay
• Silver – women’s 400 free

Taylor Ruck:

• Bronze – women’s 4×100 free relay
• Bronze – women’s 4×200 free relay
• Bronze – women’s 4×100 medley relay

Katie Drabot:

• Bronze – women’s 200 fly

Lia Neal:

• Silver – women’s 4×100 free relay (prelims)

Jack LeVant:

• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free relay (Prelims)

Regan Smith*:

• Gold – women’s 200 back
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay

(Regan is a member of the Stanford class of 2020. We understand that Stanford gets no credit for developing her – that goes to Mike Parrato at the Riptide Swim Team. But, this is about collegiate bragging rights, and Stanford gets those, even though she hasn’t attended a class yet).

#2 – CALIFORNIA

Cal racked up the 2nd most medals of any NCAA program, with most (11) of their 13 medals coming from relays. Nathan Adrian and Katie McLaughlin each earned 3 relay medals apiece, while Abbey Weitzeil and Ryan Murhpy each won 2 relay medals. Murphy also took silver in the 200 back, while Farida Osman (competes for Egypt) won bronze in the women’s 50 fly. Andrew Seiliskar took home a bronze medal for the men’s 4×200 free relay.

Ryan Murphy:

• Silver – Men’s 200 back
• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

Nathan Adrian:

• Gold – men’s 4×100 medley relay
• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay

Katie McLaughlin:

• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay (prelims)
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Silver – women’s 4×200 free relay

Abbey Weitzeil:

• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay (prelims)
• Silver – women’s 4×100 free relay

Farida Osman:

• Bronze – women’s 50 fly

Andrew Seliskar:

• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free relay

#3 – INDIANA

The Hoosiers racked up 12 medals among their 4 medalists. Lilly King, to no one’s surprise, hauled home gold medals in the 50 and 100 breast. She also helped the American women’s 4×100 medley relay to a gold medal (and a World Record), and swam breast on the silver medal mixed 4×00 medley relay. After stellar performances at the World University Games, Zach Apple continued to provide crucial relay splits for the US in Gwangju. He swam on 4 relays, medalling in all 4. The highlight of Apple’s meet came on the opening night, when he split 46.8 on the men’s 4×100 free relay, which went on to win gold. Blake Pieroni also won 3 relay medals, while Michael Brinegar brought home an Open Water medal.

Lilly King:

• Gold – women’s 50 breast
• Gold – women’s 100 breast
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

Zach Apple:

• Gold – men’s 4×100 free relay
• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free relay

Blake Pieroni:

• Gold – men’s 4×100 free relay
• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free relay

Michael Brinegar:

• Bronze – mixed 5k relay

#4 – UGA

Georgia tied with Cal for the 2nd most medalists at Worlds with 6. Unlike Cal, however, none of UGA’s medalists this year were on the UGA roster in 2018-2019. Olivia Smoliga led the way for UGA medals, racking up 2 individual and 1 relay medal. UGA also had 4 swimmers medal in individual events, which stands as the most individual medalists from any college team (or ties Stanford, if you include Regan Smith on Stanford’s count).

Olivia Smoliga:

• Gold – women’s 50 back
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Bronze – women’s 100 back

Allison Schmitt:

• Silver – 4×200 free relay (prelims)
• Silver – 4×100 free relay (prelims)

Melanie Margalis:

• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Silver – women’s 4×200 free relay

Jay Litherland:

• Silver – men’s 400 IM

Hali Flickinger:

• Bronze – women’s 200 fly

Chase Kalisz:

• Bronze – men’s 200 IM

#5 – FLORIDA

Caeleb Dressel was the only medalist from Florida, racking up 8 medals on his own. Dressel broke his own record for the most medals in a single edition of Worlds.

Caeleb Dressel

• Gold – men’s 50 free
• Gold – men’s 100 free
• Gold – men’s 50 fly
• Gold – men’s 100 fly
• Gold – men’s 4×100 free relay
• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

#6 – LOUISVILLE

Louisville had two medalists: Mallory Comerford and Kelsi Dahlia. All 7 of Louisville’s medals came in relays.

Mallory Comerford:

• Gold – mixed 4×100 free relay
• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Silver – women’s 4×100 free relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay (prelims)

Kelsi Dahlia:

• Gold – women’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – women’s 4×100 free relay (prelims)
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

#7 – USC

Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), the Iron Lady, led the way by sweeping the women’s IMs. Vlad Morozov (Russia) picked up 2 medals in relays, while Haley Anderson won 2 open water medals.

Katinka Hosszu:

• Gold – women’s 200 IM
• Gold – women’s 400 IM

Vlad Morozov:

• Silver – men’s 4×100 free relay
• Bronze – men’s 4×100 medley relay

Haley Anderson:

• Silver – women’s 10K
• Bronze – mixed 5K relay

#T-8 – MICHIGAN

With a breakout meet from Maggie MacNeil of Canada, the Michigan Wolverines totalled 4 medals at this year’s Worlds. MacNeil had arguably the biggest upset of the meet, dethroning sprint fly powerhouse Sarah Sjostrom in the 100 fly. MacNeil also picked up bronze medals on the women’s 4×100 free and medley relays. Alumna Gabby DeLoof also picked up a silver medal on the American women’s 4×200 free relay.

Maggie MacNeil:

• Gold – women’s 100 fly
• Bronze – women’s 4×100 free relay
• Bronze – women’s 4×100 medley relay

Gabby DeLoof:

• 4×200 free relay (prelims)

#T-8 – TEXAS A&M

Sydney Pickrem came up big for Canada last week, earning two individual medals and a relay medal. Beryl Gastaldello also picked up a medal by swimming on the French prelims mixed 4×100 free relay. The Franch went on to win bronze in finals.

Sydney Pickrem:

• Bronze – women’s 200 IM
• Bronze – women’s 200 breast
• Bronze – women’s 4×100 medley relay

Beryl Gastaldello:

• Bronze – mixed 4×100 free relay (prelims)

#T-8 – TEXAS

The Longhorns picked up 4 medals, all of which came in relays. Jack Conger swam prelims on the American 4×200 free relay and mixed 4×100 medley relay. Townley Haas swam on prelims of men’s 4×100 free relay, and helped the Americans to bronze in finals of the men’s 4×200 free relay.

Townley Haas:

• Gold – men’s 4×100 free relay (prelims)
• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free

Jack Conger:

• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay (prelims)
• Bronze – men’s 4×200 free relay (prelims)

#11 – NORTHWESTERN

Northwestern alums Matt Grevers and Jordan Wilimovsky each medalled at Worlds this year, tallying up 3 medals for the Wildcats. Grevers swam prelims of both the men’s 4×100 medley relay and mixed 4×100 medley relay, both of which went on to win silver. Wilimovsky won an open water relay.

Matt Grevers:

• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay

Jordan Wilimovsky:

• Bronze – mixed 5K relay

#T-12 – UVA

Alumna Leah Smith earned two medals of her own this year, one individual and one relay.

Leah Smith:

• Silver – women’s 4×200 free relay (prelims)
• Bronze – women’s 4oo free

#T-12 – Alabama 

Alabama picked up 2 individual medals from two different swimmers. Zane Waddell, a member of the 2018-2019 Alabama roster, won gold in the men’s 50 back, also winning Africa’s first gold medal of the 2019 World Champs. Kristian Gkolomeev tied for silver in the men’s 50 free, in a podium that featured 3 SEC swimmers.

Zane Waddell:

• Gold – men’s 50 back

Kristian Gkolomeev:

• Silver – men’s 50 free

#T-12 – Emory

The only NCAA Division III school to earn a medal this year, Emory tallied up 2 medals. Andrew Wilson, made the final of both the 100 and 200 breast, and earned medals by swimming in the mixed 4×100 medley relay and men’s 4×100 medley relay.

Andrew Wilson:

• Silver – men’s 4×100 medley relay
• Silver – mixed 4×100 medley relay (prelims)

#T-15 – Minnesota

Alumna Kierra Smith earned the first Minnesota medal when she swam the breast leg of Canada’s women’s 4×100 medley relay, which won bronze.

Kierra Smith:

• Bronze – women’s 4×100 medley relay

#T-15 – Mizzou

Michael Chadwick swam prelims of the US men’s 4×100 free relay, which went on to win gold in finals.

Michael Chadwick:

• Gold – men’s 4×100 free relay (prelims)

#T-15 – NC State

Hannah Moore, a recent graduate from NC State, won bronze in thewomen’s 5k in the open water competition.

Hannah Moore:

• Bronze – women’ 5K

#T-15 – Duke:

Ashley Twichell earned a bronze medal in the mixed 5K relay.

Ashley Twichell:

• Bronze – mixed 5K relay

For a more immediate reactionary table, when you take just swimmers who were on their school’s varsity roster for the 2018-2019 season, the medal table looks like this:

This is a very different list than the one that included alumni, with Stanford falling to 3rd, and Indiana leading the way. Additionally, there were 19 NCAA teams represented by medalists at this World Championships, but just 8 of those teams had medalists that were on their roster this past season.

Update: we got Zane Waddell at the top, but missed rolling him down to the “current” table. He’s now been added there.