2026 College Swimming Previews: Can Hungarian Talent & Transfers Help #11 USC Women Rebuild?

It’s that time of the year again. SwimSwam will be previewing the top 12 men’s and women’s teams (and then some) from the 2025 NCAA Championships. Follow along with the College Swimming Preview Channel. Want to read even more? Check out the latest edition of the SwimSwam magazine. 

#11 USC Trojans

Key Losses: Kaitlyn Dobler (7 NCAA Points, 2 NCAA Relays), Caroline Famous (4 NCAA Relays), Vasilissa Buinaia (3 NCAA Relays), Macky Hodges (2 NCAA Relays), Gigi Sasseville (1 NCAA Relay)

Key Additions: #15 Bella Brito (CA — breast/free/IM), Dora Molnar (Hungary — back/free), Daniela Karnaugh (Indiana transfer — breast), Nicole Maier (Miami (OH) transfer — free/IM), Camden Doane (Louisville transfer — fly/IM), BOTR Kaitlyn Nguyen (CA — breast)

Returning Fifth Years: None

GRADING CRITERIA

Over the years, we’ve gone back and forth on how to project points, ranging from largely subjective rankings to more data-based grading criteria based on ‘projected returning points.’ We like being as objective as possible, but we’re going to stick with the approach we’ve adopted post-Covid. The grades will rely heavily on what swimmers actually did last year, but we’ll also give credit to returning swimmers or freshmen who have posted times that would have scored last year.

Since we only profile the top 12 teams in this format, our grades are designed with that range in mind. In the grand scheme of college swimming and compared to all other college programs, top 12 NCAA programs would pretty much all grade well across the board. But in the interest of making these previews informative, our grading scale is tough – designed to show the tiers between the good stroke groups, the great ones, and the 2015 Texas fly group types.

• 5 star (★★★★★) – a rare, elite NCAA group projected to score 25+ points per event
• 4 star (★★★★) – a very, very good NCAA group projected to score 15-24 points per event
• 3 star (★★★) – a good NCAA group projected to score 5-14 points per event
• 2 star (★★) – a solid NCAA group projected to score 1-4 points per event
• 1 star (★) –  an NCAA group that is projected to score no points per event, though that doesn’t mean it’s without potential scorers – they’ll just need to leapfrog some swimmers ahead of them to do it

We’ll grade each event discipline: sprint free (which we define to include all the relay-distance freestyle events, so 50, 100 and 200), distance free, IM, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and diving. Use these grades as a jumping-off point for discussion, rather than a reason to be angry.

Also, keep in mind that we are publishing many of these previews before teams have posted finalized rosters. We’re making our assessments based on the best information we have available at the time of publication, but we reserve the right to make changes after publication based on any new information that may emerge regarding rosters. If that does happen, we’ll make certain to note the change.

2024-2025 LOOKBACK

After placing 8th at the 2024 NCAA Championships—their highest finish since 2016—USC took a slight step back in 2025, finishing in 11th with 130 points. Still, the 2025 NCAA Championships were a strong showing for the Trojans, who have shown consistent year-over-year progress despite that mild drop. For context, USC placed 22nd in 2021, 16th in 2022, and 12th in 2023.

Much of USC’s 2025 success came from its veteran core. Kaitlyn Dobler, Caroline Famous, and Vasilissa Buinaia were key contributors on relays, which accounted for 78 points—nearly 60% of the team’s total. This strength kept the Trojans competitive throughout the meet, with top-10 finishes in the 400 medley (7th), 800 free (7th), and 400 free (6th), as well as a scoring swim in the 200 medley (15th).

Dobler, the team’s breaststroke star and 9x First Team All-American, was a crucial relay piece and finished as USC’s third-highest individual scorer. She couldn’t quite replicate her past NCAA dominance however, missing the A-final in the 100 breast and falling short of a second swim in the 200.

USC’s true MVP was Hungarian Minna Abraham, whose performances helped the Trojans stay in the hunt for a top-10 finish. She scored 31 points despite only swimming two individual events then contributed top splits on all 5 relays:

• 200 free relay: 21.66
• 400 free relay: 46.07
• 800 free relay: 1:41.92 (leadoff)
• 200 medley relay: 23.06 (fly)
• 400 medley relay:46.54 (free)

On the boards, Canadian Olympian Kate Miller showed promise by scoring points in her debut, but the loss of Nike Agunbiade, a multi-time double-digit scorer, was evident.

This past season was also the Trojans’ Big Ten Championships debut. Though they placed 5th — a fall from their 2nd place showing at Pac-12s in 2024, they managed to finish ahead of two of the very Big Ten teams that beat them at NCAAs; namely, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Still, inconsistent swims from several of their stars combined with a developing diving group kept USC just outside the top 10. With a strong incoming class of freshmen and transfers, however, the Trojans will look to reestablish themselves as a top-10 force next season.

SPRINT FREE: ★★★★

Since arriving on campus in 2023, Abraham has been the undisputed star of USC’s sprint free group. After finishing 3rd in the 200 free at NCAAs as a freshman, the Hungarian was the Trojans’ lone scorer across all the sprint free events this past season—yet she singlehandedly earns USC 4 stars in this category. Abraham finished 2nd in the 200 free at NCAAs with a lifetime best of 1:40.56 and broke the 47-second barrier for the first time in the 100 free to place 5th in 46.95.

She carried this momentum beyond short course season, impressing on the international stage over the summer. At the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, she led off Hungary’s 8th-place 400 free relay in 53.97 and threw down a pair of 53.4 splits: once in prelims and the second time as part of Hungary’s mixed 400 free relay. Further, she clinched the 200 free title at the European U23 Championships in late June, setting a best time of 1:56.03. Her steady progression and proven ability to peak at NCAAs indicates that there is more to come this season.

However, the Trojans face notable losses in their sprint group. Although they did not score, Buinaia (21.88/47.40) and Famous (21.71/48.41) were two of USC’s top sprinters last season and both have graduated; meanwhile, Macky Hodges, who has been 1:44 in the 200 free, transferred to Indiana. That leaves Claire Tuggle as the only other returning scorer in a sprint event.

Tuggle placed 12th in the 200 free at NCAAs with a personal best of 1:43.81 and missed out on a second swim in the 100 by 2 tenths despite setting a PB of 48.07. Though Tuggle hasn’t competed since March, there is no indication that she will not return as a scoring threat in both the 100 and 200 free.

A promising freshman class could bolster USC’s sprint group, as Bella Brito and Dora Molnar arrive in Los Angeles with potential scoring times. Brito owns bests of 22.39/48.55 in the 50/100 frees, while Molnar, a Hungarian native, brings in a a 55.0 in the 100 and 1:58.9 (LCM) in the 200 from the 2024 Hungarian National Championships. Those swims translate roughly to 48.1/1:44 low in short course yards, suggesting that she could be a scoring threat in both sprint events.

Another newcomer to LA this fall is graduate transfer Nicole Maier, who boasts bests of 22.39/47.77/1:43.90, in the 50/100/200 frees. Although all of those times are more than a year old, her 100 and 200 would have scored at 2025 NCAAs. If she can recapture that form, Maier adds further depth to an already dangerous 200 group.

While the Trojans’ depth in the 200 free is undeniable and puts them firmly in the upper echelon nationwide, their lack of a pure sprinter with scoring potential in the 50 keeps them shy of a elite sprint free group. If Brito, Molnar, and Maier can adjust quickly to their training however, they may be able to push into 5-star territory.

DISTANCE FREE:★★★

With Tuggle leading the way, distance freestyle looks to be one of USC’s strong suits. Tuggle brokeout in the 500 last season, entering with a best of 4:37.77 and dropping over 2 seconds at Big Tens to secure silver in 4:35.43. Though she was unable to match that time at NCAAs, Tuggle still scored, placing 11th overall with a time of 4:37.23. If Tuggle continues her improvement trajectory during her senior season, she alone should earn 3 stars for USC in the 500 free.

Another threat is Maier, who has been 4:39.73. She swam that time at NCAAs in 2024 to just miss out on a finals bid, placing 18th in prelims. Although Maier didn’t compete in the NCAA last season, she has gotten quicker since her last NCs: she dropped down from a 4:12.01 in the 400 free SCM to 4:04.71 in November of 2024, a near 8 second drop that indicates that she can be even faster in yards.

Justina Kozan was USC’s second scorer in the 500 last season, and boasts a PB of 4:38.00, which she set in prelims of NCAAs to qualify in 12th. Though she was unable to replicate it in finals, swimming a 4:41.01 for 16th, Kozan recently swam a new personal best in the 400 free long course while competing at the TYR Pro Championships in early August: her time of 4:11.43 crushed her previous best of 4:14.85 set back in 2023. Notably, that 4:11 was a prelims swim, as despite as qualifying in 2nd, Kozan ended up withdrawing from the event in finals. Simply put, Kozan will head into her senior year campaign with momentum under belt, making her a scoring threat.

On the other hand, USC had no scorers in the mile in 2025, and doesn’t bring in anyone who specializes in the longest distance. Tuggle swam a 16:03.08 at Big Tens to finish 8th, but opted to swim the 100 free on day 4 of NCAAs instead of the mile, a choice she made in 2024 as well. Though it is possible Tuggle switches her schedule around this year, the Trojans are not projected to score any points in the 1650 this season.

BACKSTROKE: ★

Famous was the Trojans’ top 100 backstroker for the past few seasons, scoring in 2024 via a 14th place finish. No Trojans scored in any backstroke event in 2025, and they are not projected to have one this upcoming season either. While Ashley McMillan has been as fast as 53.16 in the 100, she specializes in the 400 IM. The two events falling on the same day at Nationals makes it unlikely McMillan swims the 100.

Hodges was 3rd on USC’s depth chart in the 100 with a 53.76 last year and also their top 200 backstroker, hitting a PB of 1:53.58 at NCAAs; however, she will not be returning this fall.

SC will welcome two backstrokers this fall in hopes of softening the blow that comes with Famous and Hodges’ departures. Addie Gish of California owns bests of 54.87 and 1:56.58, respectively, in the 100 and 200; meanwhile Molnar has been 1:00.88/2:08.53 in the backstrokes long course, which (conservatively) converts to 53.76/1:53.63 short course. If Molnar can adapt to yards quickly however, there is a strong chance she can score, as it took times of 51.18/1:51.75 in the backstrokes to earn a second swim.

All in all, Famous’ departure creates a hole in the Trojans’ backstroke group that leaves them with no projected points and thus 1 star.

BREASTSTROKE: ★½

This year, the Trojans face a significant loss with the graduation of Dobler, who has been the cornerstone of USC’s breaststroke group since her freshman season. Over her career, she delivered consistency at the national level in the 100 breast: runner-up in 2021, national champion in 2022, 4th in 2023, and 3rd in 2024, before missing the championship final last season to place 10th overall. Even with that dip, Dobler represented ‘guaranteed’ points in the breaststrokes that USC can no longer rely on this season.

The silver lining is the arrival of Bella Brito, who has already been as fast as 59.09 in the 100 and 2:08.7 in the 200. These times put her right on the cusp of ‘B’ final scoring range of 58.9/2:08.5, and while she’s not a sure scorer in the way Dobler was, she has the potential to step into that role with minimal time drops.

Beyond Brito, USC’s options are quite limited. McMillan swum the 200 breaststroke at Big Tens with a 2:10.31 to place 7th but added a bit at NCAAs, swimming a 2:10.80 for 34th. However, her time at Big Tens was a new personal best and marked a 4 second drop since just October 2024—the first time she swam the event in college. If McMillan can continue this progression in what appears to be a new event for her, she could fall into scoring range by the time NCAAs come around.

Daniela Karnaugh, a breaststroke specialist who is transferring in from Indiana, has been as quick as 2:10.5 in the 200; while promising, it is not quite in scoring range.

In short, USC’s breaststroke scoring potential hinges largely on Brito’s development. If she can rise to the occasion, she could help soften the impact of Dobler’s absence. Otherwise, the Trojans risk leaving a crucial points category empty this season.

BUTTERFLY: ★

Butterfly is projected to be the Trojans’ weakest discipline this season: Famous was their top 100 flyer last year with a season best of 51.84, and Genevieve (Gigi) Sasseville, who was second on their depth chart in both the 100 (52.0) and 200 (1:56.6), has used up her eligibility.

That leaves Kozan, who has bests of 52.42/1:54.28 as their top returning butterflyer. She was off those bests during championship season last year however, posting a 1:57.14 at Big Tens and a 1:57.46 at NCAAs. Further, there is no sure bet that Kozan will swim the 200 fly at NCs, as she opted for the 200 back in 2024 as her day 4 event.

Maier could step up into the 200 fly role, as she was the runner-up in the event at the 2023 Mid-American Championships. Her time of 1:56.56 marked an NCAA ‘B’ cut, though she didn’t end up swimming the event at NCAAs that year. Moreover, with the 100 free falling on the same day as the 200 fly, the odds that she swims the event appear rather low.

Another potential option for the Trojans is Camden Doane, a sophomore transfer from Louisville. She owns personal bests of 53.60/1:55.90 in the 100/200, but both come from her junior year of high school at 2023 Speedo Sectionals. Her season bests during her freshman year at Louisville—54.0 in the 100 and 1:57.0 in the 200—though not too far off her PBs, are not projected to earn a second swim either.

The Trojans also bring in two freshman that are butterfly specialists: Sage Miller, a Hawaiian native, and Jasmine Mojdeh, who hails from the Phillipines. Miller has been as quick as 53.54 in the 100 and 1:57.74, while Mojdeh owns bests of 1:02.02/2:15.86 long course—times that translate to roughly 54.61/1:59.87. Both are promising prospects, but will certainly have to drop time in order to be scoring threats, as the cut-off for a second swim last year was a 51.35 in the 100 and 1:54.16 in the 200.

IM: ★★★½

On paper, the Trojans have one of the best 400 IM groups in the nation. Ashley McMillan took 3rd at 2025 Big Ten Championships with a PB of 4:05.20, Claire Tuggle owns a best of 4:07.89, Justina Kozan has been as fast as 4:03.25, and Nicole Maier, an incoming graduate transfer, won the B-final at NCAAs in 2023 with a 4:05.84. While all of their bests are under what it took to score at NCAAs last year (4:07.29), USC as a group has historically had trouble replicating or improving upon their season best swims at NCAAs; McMillan and Tuggle’s best times came at conference championships, and Kozan swam that best at Texas’ 2023 mid-season invite and has been unable to get under 4:08 since.

It is important to note Kozan’s performances over the summer however, as she was a double champion at the TYR Pro Championships in August. Beyond the wins, she set personal bests in both the 200 (2:11.24) and 400 IM (4:40.44). Her 200 IM marked a drop of over half a second, and was the first time she dropped time in that event since 2021. The same goes for her 400, as despite only shaving a tenth off her PB, she was faster than she was in 2023, the year she hit her short course PB of 4:03.

While not many of their 400 IMers swim down to the 200, Brito does come in with a 1:56.80 from 2024 Winter Juniors. This makes it a potential day 1 event for the freshman, as the cut-off to qualify for a second swim at NCAAs last year was 1:55.50. Kozan has a PB of 1:56.31, though it was set all the way back in 2019. She last swam it in a championship setting at PAC-12s in 2023, finishing 4th with a 1:56.62. At NCAAs for the past three seasons however, Kozan has opted for the 500 free to kick start her individual events.

The Trojans have the talent to score 15+ points in the 400 IM alone and, depending on Brito’s improvement curve, some in the 200 IM—it just depends on whether they can show out at NCAAs and qualify for second swims when it matters.

DIVING: ★★

Despite bringing in a strong overall recruiting class, USC’s diving group remained thin in 2025 and they sent just one athlete to the NCAA Championships: Canadian Olympian Kate Miller.

Miller, who finished 4th in the synchronized platform event at the Paris Olympics alongside her partner Caeli McKay, delivered a modest but meaningful contribution for the Trojans at NCAAs. She earned two points with a 15th-place finish on the 3-meter, narrowly qualifying for the consolation final after placing 16th in prelims. Her Big Ten Championships results however, suggest untapped potential as she was a three-time championship finalist, placing 6th in the 1 meter, 8th on the 3 meter, and 7th on platform. Miller competed at the World Championships this summer in Singapore, finishing 27th individually on the platform and 8th in the synchronized platform.

The challenge for USC’s diving appears to be depth. There are no new divers this freshman class, leaving Miller as the primary point-scoring hope on the boards. However, if Gabby Filzen, a rising sophomore who was the runner-up in the synchro platform event at U.S. Olympic Trials and 12th individually on platform, can rediscover her form, the Trojans may be able to squeeze out a few more diving points.

RELAYS:★★★

Note that the grading system doesn’t align perfectly for relays as double points.

Relay grading system:

• 5 star (★★★★★) – 31+ points per relay event
• 4 star (★★★★) – 22-30 relay points per event
• 3 star (★★★) – 12-21 relay points per event
• 2 star (★★) – 5-11 relay points per event
• 1 star (★) – 0-4 relay points per event

As previously mentioned, the Trojans relied heavily on relays last season to vie for a top-10 finish. However, this year they lose nearly everyone who made that possible. With the graduation of Dobler, Famous, Buinaia, and Sasseville, USC loses the first three legs of their medley relay. Their sprint freestyle relays have taken a blow too, as with Hodges’ departure, their sole returner from a 200/400 relay is Abraham.

Perhaps what will be the hardest relays to rebuild for the Trojans this season are the medleys: replicating Dobler’s 26.45/57.67 splits are a tremendous ask for Brito, and they lack a consistent 51-point 100 backstroker, which they had in Famous. Though Molnar could certainly be an option, the fate of this medley relay could depend on a smooth transition to yards for the Hungarian. The Trojans may also need Abraham to step up for the fly leg, and though her freestyle split is incredibly valuable, Maier has been 47.77 off of a flat start and split as fast as 21.7/47.1, making her a potential slot in for that anchor leg.

Another relay that remains up in the air is the Trojans’ 200 free relay. This was the only relay they did not score at all in last season, coming in 21st with a time of 1:28.46. They look to face the same challenge this year, as they lose 3/4 legs of that relay. Although they return their fastest leg in Abraham (21.66), and Maier and Brito will likely step up, the Trojans don’t have a clear fourth leg, making it hard to project an improvement from their 21st place standing.

In contrast, the 400 free relay, despite some key departures, remains  one of USC’s strongest weapons. Abraham will once again be key—last season, she opted to forgo a third individual event to swim all five 5 relays, a gamble that paid off. Her split of 46.0 was amongst the fastest of the field, and USC will likely need her to deliver at that level again. Maier, as noted earlier, projects to be a sub-48 split, while Molnar has posted a 55.0 long course off a flat start (translating roughly to a 48-low). Brito has also been 48, and Tuggle split 47.99 in last year’s 400 free relay. Altogether, USC has the depth to field three sub-48 splits after factoring in flying starts—and with Abraham’s track record, a sub-47. That lineup adds up to around a 3:08/3:09, an improvement from their 3:10.36 last year that landed them in 6th place.

The 800 free relay may be the Trojans’ strongest overall, as they return 3/4 legs in Abraham, Tuggle, and Ella Ristic. Despite Hodges’ departure, Maier steps in with a best of 1:43.90. Other options include Brito at 1:46.4 and Molnar, who has been 1:58.9 long course. A relay of Tuggle, Abraham, Maier, and Molnar could place firmly in nation’s top 8 considering they were 7th last year with slower legs.

The Trojans’ medley relays remain a question mark, but 2/3 of their free relays have upward potential and project to be some of the strongest in the nation, a balance that gives them 3 stars.

Total Stars: 19/40

2025-2026 OUTLOOK

The Trojans lose much of their star power and depth with the graduation of several core relay contributors this spring. While they bring in a wave of transfers and a promising freshman class, few project as immediate NCAA scorers, and the gaps left by their graduates remain significant. It’s very much a rebuilding year—a changing of the guard—where USC will rely on newcomers to shoulder big roles, both individually and on relays.

Their steady anchor remains Abraham, a reliable point scorer with massive relay impact. Alongside her, Tuggle and Kozan’s performances could prove pivotal. If the Trojans can hit their taper at NCAAs, when it matters, a return to the top 10 appears within reach.

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