2025 CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge: Meet 5 Live Recap (Michigan vs Tennessee)

2025 CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge

• November 21-23, 2025
• Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatics Center, Knoxville, TN
• Dual Meet Bracket Format
• Teams:
  • Arizona State (Big 12)
  • Michigan (Big Ten)
  • Tennessee (SEC)
  • Virginia (ACC)
• Live Results
• Live stream available on the USA Swimming Network app and ESPN+
• Results on Meet Mobile as “CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge Meet 5 6PM”

Welcome to the fifth dual meet in the 2025 CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge. This matchup is an exact rematch of the 2nd meet yesterday between Michigan and Tennessee.

The winner of this meet will go on to the Championship Meet tomorrow where they will race the UVA women and the ASU men. The loser will have a rematch against the teams they raced today with the ASU women and the UVA men.

Yesterday, both meets were close with the results ultimately coming down to the final relay. The Michigan women and the Tennessee men came out on top, but the order of events is different today, which means we could see a different outcome based on who swims what.

Day 2 Order of Events

• 200 Medley Relay
• 200 Free
• 50 Free
• 200 IM
• 200 Fly
• 500 Free
• 100 Free
• 200 Back
• 200 Breast
• 200 Free Relay

Scoring Note:

The scoring system is markedly different than normal dual meet scoring. Each individual race consists of three head-to-head matchups, and the winner of each earns one point, and the overall winners gains one more point. We’ll list the results 1st-6th in order of time, but we’ll also include an asterisk next to the three swimmers who won their head-to-head matchups.

Women’s 200 Medley Relay

• NCAA Record: 1:31.10 —Virginia (2023)
• 2026 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:36.09
• 2026 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:36.57

1. Michigan ‘A’- 1:33.65*
2. Tennessee ‘A’- 1:35.27*
3. Michigan ‘B’- 1:36.36
4. Tennessee ‘B’- 1:37.79

A little gamesmanship from the coaches saw the ‘A’ relays competing in different matchups with the Michigan ‘A’ relay team of Bella Sims (23.34), Letitia Sim (26.55), Brady Kendall (22.18), and Leila Fack (21.58) swimming 1:33.65 to grab the overall event win and the two extra points over the Tennessee ‘A’ relay.

Mich 4, Tenn 2

Men’s 200 Medley Relay

• NCAA Record: 1:20.15 — Florida (2024)
• 2026 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.61
• 2026 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:23.85

1. Tennessee ‘A’- 1:23.77*
2. Michigan ‘A’- 1:24.67
3. Tennessee ‘B’- 1:26.16*
4. Michigan ‘B’- 1:29.25

The ‘A’ relays went head-to-head in the men’s meets, which led to Tennessee leading the meet 6 – 0 going in to the 200 freestyle. Ulises Saravia led off in 21.03. Gabe Nunziata split 23.92 on the breast. Gui Caribe was 19.74 on the fly, and Pedro Sansone split 19.08 on the freestyle. Michigan’s Tyler Ray anchored in 18.44.

Tenn 6, Mich 0

And we have our first timeout

Women’s 200 Free

• NCAA Record: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, Cal (2015)
• NCAA Standard: 1:45.53
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:44.74

1. Stephanie Balduccini (MICH)- 1:41.85*
2. Christey Liang (MICH)- 1:45.14*
3. Malia Amuan (MICH)- 1:45.16*
4. Emily Armen (TENN)- 1:45.35
5. Lilly Daley (TENN)- 1:46.80
6. Mere Whelehan (TENN)- 1:49.94

Stephanie Balduccini led a Michigan sweep of the 200 freestyle, touching in 1:41.85 for the overall win and the additional point. Her swim was just a tenth off the 1:41.40 she swam against Tennessee yesterday. Christey Liang and Malia Amuan finished 2nd and 34d.

Mich 8, Tenn 2

Men’s 200 Free

• NCAA Record: 1:28.33 — Luke Hobson, Texas (2025)
• NCAA Standard: 1:33.93
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:32.27

1. Nikoli Blackman (TENN)- 1:31.80*
2. Koby Bujak-Upton (TENN)- 1:32.47*
3. Joshua Brown (MICH)- 1:37.18
4. William Siegel (MICH)- 1:39.23*
5. Jaden Ficklen (MICH)- 1:40.69

Tennessee’s Nikoli Blackman and Koby Bujak-Upton were out fast in the me’s 200 freestyle, flipping in 20.84 and 21.02 respectively. They went on to win two of the three matchups, with the Volunteers electing not to swim a 3rd athlete in the event. Michigan’s William Siegel won the 3rd matchup to put the Wolverines on the leaderboard.

Tenn 9, Mich 1

We have made it to the 2nd of 4 possible timeouts, and we are only four events into the meet.

Women’s 50 Free

• NCAA Record: 20.37, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 22.28
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 22.01

1. Camille Spink (TENN)- 21.30*
2. Brady Kendall (MICH)- 21.44*
3. Lexi Greenhawt (MICH)- 21.71
4. Jillian Crooks (TENN)- 22.33*
5. Julianna Bocska (TENN)_ 22.57
6. Lila Higgo (MICH)- 22.88

Camille Spink and Brady Kendall were neck-and-neck through the race, and while they were in different matchups, they were battling for the extra ovrall winner point. Spink came out on top , swimming 21.30 to come just five hundredths over the 21.25 she swam against Michigan in their meet yesterday.

Mich 9, Tenn 5

Men’s 50 Free

• NCAA Record: 17.63, Caeleb Dressel (Florida) – 2018
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 19.43
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 19.02

1. Gui Caribe (TENN)- 18.70*
2. Pedro Sansone (TENN)- 19.01*
3. Tyler Ray (MICH)- 19.17
4. Kamal Muhammad (TENN)- 19.61*
5. Antoine Sauve (MICH)- 19.77
6. Luka Mladenovic (MICH)- 20.10

Tennessee continues to expand their lead over Michigan in meet five as they seek a rematch against ASU tomorrow. They swept all four points in the event with Gui Caribe swimming 18.70 to lock up the win as the only swimmer under 19 seconds this evening.

Tenn 13, Mich 1

Women’s 200 IM

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:57.88
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:56.69

1. Bella Sims (Mich)- 1:54.59*
2. Ella Jansen (TENN)- 1:56.05
3. Letitia Sim (Mich)- 1:56.34*
4. Nicole Zettel (TENN)- 1:59.30*
5. Lexi Stephens (TENN)- 2:01.67
6. Natalie Walklett (MICH)- 2:01.74

Michigan’s Bella Sims won the women’s 200 IM in a dominant victory, swimming 1:54.59 to lock up two points for Michigan and the overall event win with her 24.37/27.49/35.39/27.34 splits putting her in the lead from the 1st 50.

Mich 12, Tenn 6

Men’s 200 IM

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:44.13
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:42.65

1. Tony Laurito (TENN)- 1:44.87*
2. Ryan Healy (MICH)- 1:45.20*
3. Jake McCoy (TENN)- 1:45.42
4. Rian Herrmann (MICH)- 1:48.36*
5. Tyler Tannenberger (MICH)- 1:52.98

Tennessee scratched freshman Gabe Nunziata in the 200 IM, but it worked out for them as they still went 2-2 with Michigan thanks to Tony Laurito’s 1:44.87 for the win, holding off a late charge from Michigan’s Ryan Healy. Laurito split 25.82 on the final 50 to Healy’s 24.63.

Tenn 14, Mich 3

Women’s 200 Fly

• NCAA Record: 1:49.11, Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:57.11
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:55.82

1. Emily Brown (TENN)- 1:53.07*
2. Montse Spielmann (MICH)- 1:57.49*
3. Anna Boemer (MICH)- 1:57.51*
4. Amelia Mason (TENN)- 1:59.78
5. Ella Jo Piersma (MICH)- 2:00.12
6. Tori Brostowitz (TENN)- 2:08.12

The women’s 200 fly was a wash with the points as Tennessee’s Emily Brown took the top time in 1:53.07 to score 2 points with Michigan’s Montse Spielmann and Anna Boemer won their matchups in 1:57.49 and 1:57.51 to also score 2 points for Michigan.

Mich 14, Tenn 8

Men’s 200 Fly

• NCAA Record: 1:36.41, Luca Urlando (Georgia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:43.79
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:41.45

1. Martin Espernberger (TENN)- 1:41.22*
2. Lorne Wigginton (MICH)- 1:42.78
3. Aidan Hill (TENN)- 1:44.85*

At a time when they need all the points they can get, the Michigan men only had one swimmer in the men’s 200 fly, and he did not score any points for the team. Martin Espernberger won for Tennessee in 1:41.22 to beat Wigginton in their matchup and Aidan Hill finished 3rd, racing nobody, in 1:44.85 to score 3 points for the Volunteers.

Tenn 18, Mich 3

Timeout #3 has been called.

Women’s 500 Free

• NCAA Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky (Stanford) – 2017
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 4:43.70
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 4:39.47

1. Hannah Bellard (MICH)- 4:35.55*
2. Ella Jansen (TENN)- 4:37.33
3. Marian Ploeger (MICH)- 4:43.59*
4. Rebecca Diaconescu (MICH)- 4:47.82*
5. Avery Luedke (TENN)- 4:53.48
6. Mere Whelehan (TENN)- 4:56.94

Michigan swept all the points in the women’s 500 freestyle with Hannah Bellard swimming 4:35.55 to just miss her lifetime best 4:34.77 from this week last year. She came in nearly two seconds ahead of Tennessee’s Ella Jansen, locking up two points. Marian Ploeger and Rebecca Diaconescu also won their matchups to earn two more point, giving Michigan a 10 point lead with four events remaining.

Mich 18, Tenn 8

Men’s 500 Free

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2024
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 4:18.07
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 4:14.13

1. Koby Bujak-Upton (TENN)- 4:16.21*
2. Mac Clark (TENN)- 4:25.12*
3. Jack Luken (MICH)- 4:26.06*
4. Inbar Danziger (MICH)- 4:34.51
5. Alex Thiesing (MICH)- 4:36.97

Tennessee’s Koby Bujak-Upton won the men’s 500 free in 4:16.21, coming in nearly 10 seconds ahead of teammate MacClark’s 4:25.12. Jack Luken from Michigan swam 4:26.06 to lock up the 3rd spot and one point for Michigan.

Tenn 21, Mich 4

Women’s 100 Free

• NCAA Record: 44.71, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 48.60
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 48.11

1. Camille Spink (TENN)- 46.65*
2. Stephanie Balduccini (MICH)- 47.11
3. Leila Fack (MICH)- 47.78*
4. Emily Armen (TENN)- 47.90*
5. Christey Liang (MICH)- 49.07
6. Julianna Bocska (TENN)- 49.82

Camille Spink won the 100 free for Tennessee, brining in two of the Volunteers 3 points in the event. Her 46.65 came in nearly half-a-second ahead of Stephanie Balduccini’s 47.11 from Michigan and was the fastest she has swum so far this meet. Leila Fack won the 2nd matchup in 47.78 for Michigan while Emily Armen swam 47.90 to win the final matchup for Tennessee.

Mich 19, Tenn 11

Men’s 100 Free

• NCAA Record: 39.83, Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 42.55
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 41.95

1. Gui Caribe (TENN)- 41.93*
2. Pedro Sansone (TENN)- 42.06*
3. Nikoli Blackman (TENN)- 42.10*
4. Yousuf Al-Matrooshi (MICH)- 42.10
5. Henry Gray (MICH)- 45.35
6. Jaden Ficklen (MICH)- 46.31

The Tennessee men have officially locked up their spot in tomorrow’s championship meet where they will have a rematch with the ASU men for the title. They took the top three spots in the men’s 100 freestyle with Gui Caribe winning the event in 41.93. Pedro Sansone was 2nd in 42.06, and Nikoli Blackman was 3rd in 42.10.

Tenn 25, Mich 4

Women’s 200 Back

• NCAA Record: 1:46.82, Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:54.80
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:53.31

1. Bella Sims (MICH)- 1:51.96*
2. Regan Rathwell (TENN)- 1:52.80
3. Lily Cleason (MICH)- 1:53.46*
4. Ariana Zhao (MICH)- 1:55.09*
5. Lexi Stephens (TENN)- 1:55.58
6. Sophie Brison (TENN)- 1:56.90

Bella Sims and crew locked up Michigan’s spot in tomorrow’s Championship Final, where they will get a rematch opportunity against UVA. Sims swam 1:51.96 to grab the win by nearly a second over Tennessee’s Regan Rathwell. She was just off her season best 1:51.26 from the end of october.

Mich 23, Tenn 11

Men’s 200 Back

• NCAA Record: 1:34.21, Hubert Kos (Texas) – 2025
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:42.14
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:40.13

1. Ben Bricca (TENN)- 1:40.82*
2. Nick Simons (TENN)- 1:41.43*
3. Ulises Saravia (TENN)- 1:42.98*
4. Lorne Wigginton (MICH)- 1:46.96
5. Ryan Hume (MICH)- 1:46.96
6. Logan Zucker (MICH)- 1:50.41

Tennessee is not letting up, taking all four points in the men’s 200 backstroke with Ben Bricca taking the top spot in 1:40.82 with his trio of 25 second splits on the back end of the race. This was a new personal best time by nearly two seconds from the 1:42.20 he swam in the first meet of the day today.

Tenn 29, Mich 4

Women’s 200 Breast

• NCAA Record: 2:01.29, Kate Douglass (Virginia) – 2023
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 2:11.27
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 2:09.58

1. Emelie Fast (TENN)- 2:10.83*
2. Sara Pasquella (MICH)- 2:11.92
3. Simone Moll (TENN)- 2:12.19*
4. Hannah Marinovich (TENN)- 2:13.23*
5. Cecilia Howard (MICH)- 2:14.26

With their spot in tomorrow’s championship secure, Michigan scratched Letita Sim, their top 200 breaststroker. This allowed Tennessee to sweep the points in the event with Emilie Fast winning in 2:10.83, a new season best time for her. Simone Moll and Hannah Marinovich won the other two matchups.

Mich 23, Tenn 15

Men’s 200 Breast

• NCAA Record: 1:46.35, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2024
• 2026 NCAA Qualifying Time: 1:54.95
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:52.89

1. Gabe Nunziata (TENN)- 1:53.12*
2. William Savarese (MICH)- 1:55.77*
3. Grayson Nye (TENN)- 1:57.75
4. Kamal Muhammad (TENN)- 1:58.76*
5. Matthew Kroll (MICH)- 2:01.78
6. Ozan Kalafat (MICH)- 2:03.41

Gabe Nunziata won the men’s 200 breaststroke for Tennessee, coming in at 1:53.12, a new lifetime best for him, dropping from the 1:53.62 he swam at the end of October. Michigan’s William Savarese finished 2nd, to pick up one point for Michigan while Kamal Muhammad won the last matchup in 1:58.76.

Tenn 32, Mich 5

Women’s 200 Free Relay

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63 — Virginia (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Standard — 1:28.26
• NCAA ‘B’ Standard — 1:28.78

1. Michigan ‘A’ – 1:25.99*
2. Tennessee ‘A’- 1:27.38*
3. Tennessee ‘B’- 1:30.02
4. Michigan ‘B’- 1:31.16

Michigan already won the meet, but they wrapped it up with a win in the women’s 200 freestyle relay, coming in at 1:25.99 more than a second ahead of Tennessee’s ‘A’ relay time of 1:27.38. Lexi Greenhawt swam 21.72 on the opening leg. Brady Kendall was 21.26. Leila Fack was 21.44, and Stephanie Balduccini was 21.67. The Tennessee ‘A’ had Camille Spink (21.35), Julianna Bocska (22.23), Jillian Crooks (22.06), and Emily Armen (21.74).

Final Score: Mich 27, Tenn 17

Men’s 200 Free Relay

• NCAA Record: 1:12.80 — Tennessee (2025)
• NCAA ‘A’ Standard — 1:16.23
• NCAA ‘B’ Standard — 1:16.91

1. Tennessee ‘A’- 1:19.64
2. Michigan ‘A’- 1:20.89

The Tennessee men wrapped up the day with another win, touching in 1:19.64 to beat Michigan’s ‘A’ relay by a little more than a second. Ulises Sarvia led off in 20.06. Ben Bricca swam 19.56. Gabe Nunziata was 20.18, and Kamal Muhammad split 19.84 to come in ahead of Michigan’s 1:20.89

Final Score: Tenn 36, Mich 5

Tomorrow, we will have the 3rd place meet between the ASU and Tennessee on the women’s side and UVA and Michigan on the men’s side at 12 pm EST.

That meet will be followed by the Championship at 3 pm EST, which will see the Michigan women take on the UVA women while the Tennessee men will take on the ASU men.