2026 ACC Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships

• Dates:
  • Diving: Sunday, February 15–Tuesday, February 17
  • Swimming: Tuesday, February 17–Saturday, February 21
• Location: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Defending champions: UVA women (6x); Cal men (1x)
• Live Results
• Live Video: ESPN+ ($)
• Schedule of Events (PDF)
• Championship Central
• Pre-Scratch Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 4|Day 5
  • Finals: Day 1|Day 2|Day 3|Day 4
• Teams: Boston College, Cal, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (women swimming & diving/men diving), NC State, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Day 5 Finals Heat Sheet

The 5th night of finals will only see three events contested with six champions to be crowned, but that’s not to say that some potential fireworks are not in store for us swim fans! Tonight’s finals session will begin with the 400 IM, followed by the 100 butterfly, and we’ll put a bow on night five with the 200 freestyle.

After winning the 500 free last night, Virginia’s Katie Grimes looks to return to the top of the podium as the top seed for the 400 IM, having finished more than two seconds better than 2nd-seeded Lucy Bell of Stanford (4:05.50) in 4:03.18. Grimes is one of four Cavaliers in the ‘A’ final as Stanford and Cal are each represented with two swimmers each in the 400 IM.

The men’s top three were separated by just 7 tenths this morning as Stanford’s Josh Zuchowski claimed the middle lane tonight in 3:39.17. Louisville’s Jackson Millard and Cal’s Ryan Erisman both finished closely behind, making for a highly anticipated men’s showdown.

US Olympic teammates Claire Curzan (Virginia) and Torri Huske (Stanford) sat atop the prelims results in the women’s 100 fly, with Curzan holding a near second advantage over Huske 49.19 to 50.12. Curzan flirted with Alex Walsh‘s pool record of 49.09 this morning, and with a field that includes 50 free champion and Virginia teammate Sara Curtis and Stanford’s Gigi Johnson, that record could be counting its days this evening.

Aiden Hayes of NC State notched the 3rd fastest time of his career this morning in the 100 fly to finish as the top seed (44.40). He will be joined by Pitt’s Julian Koch, who’s 44.75 slots him in for 2nd and marked a new program record.

Our final event, the 200 free, will see 2025 bronze medalist Anna Moesch looking to reach the top of the ACC, after leading all prelims swimmers by almost a second and a half in 1:41.67. That final will also see Paris Olympian Claire Weinstein of Cal, who finished 5th this morning in 1:43.98, and Virginia Tech’s Carmen Weiler Sastre, who was 2nd this morning in 1:43.02.

It took 1:32.80 to reach the A-final in the men’s 200 free, and nobody was under 1:32.21. Florida State’s Logan Robinson leads a very tight championship final with Stanford’s Henry McFadden (1:32.32) and Francis Brennan of SMU (1:32.35) just over a tenth slower than Robinson this morning.

Women’s 40o IM

• NCAA: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• ACC: 3:55.97 — Alex Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• ACC Championship Record: 3:59.33 — Ella Nelson, Virginia (2023)
• Pool: 3:57.25 — Alex Walsh, Virginia (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 4:09.53

Top 8:

1. Lucy Bell (STAN)- 3:59.11 *ACC Champs Record
2. Kati Grimes (UVA)- 3:59.80
3. Aimee Canny (UVA)- 4:02.35
4. Sophia Umstead (UVA)- 4:04.34
5. Leah Hayes (UVA)- 4:04.37
6. Teagan O’Dell (CAL)- 4:04.39
7. Caroline Bricker (STAN)- 4:04.69
8. Mia West (CAL)- 4:05.10

Grimes battled Cal’s Mia West through the first 100 yards, as West held a slight advantage in 53.99. Grimes then began to distance herself through the backstroke, turning two seconds ahead of the field at the halfway point.

Stanford’s Lucy Bell quickly got herself back into the race on the breaststroke (1:05.32), erasing the deficit and turning about a half second ahead of Grimes headed for the final 100. On the final 50, Bell flew off of the walls to take full control and secure the win in 3:59.11, breaking the ACC Championship meet record in the process, marking her first time under 4:00 in her career. That swim took over a second off of her former best of 4:00.24 from last season’s NCAA Championships.

In the consolation final, it was Pitt’s Kimmy Shannon out of lane 2 who took the lead through the breaststroke leg (1:10.04) and a powerful freestyle close to earn the heat win in 4:04.82, taking over a full second off of her career vest of 4:06.18 from a January dual with Villanova.

Notre Dame’s Carli Cronk used a powerful fly leg (56.42) and strong final 100 free (55.76) to touch the wall first in the bonus final out of lane 1 in a lifetime best

Men’s 400 IM

• NCAA: 3:28.82 — Léon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• ACC: 3:36.22 — Lucas Henveaux, California (2025)
• ACC Championship Record: 3:38.43 — Robert Owen, Virginia Tech (2017)
• Pool: 3:32.88 — Hugo González, California (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 3:41.61

Top 7:

1. Josh Zuchowski (STAN)- 3:38.58
2. Ryan Erisman (CAL)- 3:38.94
3. Tommy Bried (UL)- 3:40.15
4. Gregg Enoch (UL)- 3:40.21
5. Louis Dramm (UNC)- 3:41.42
6. Ethan Ekk (STAN)- 3:42.79
7. Humberto Najera (CAL)- 3:44.27

Through the first 10 yards, it was Louisville’s Gregg Enoch leading an incredibly tight final and began to pull further ahead through the backstroke, turning in 1:45.70.

By the first length of breaststroke, Louisville’s Tommy Bried, the 2025 champion this event had caught his teammate, with teammate Jackson Millard following closely behind. With a 50 to go in the race, the field tightened again, but it was Stanford’s Josh Zuchowski found that next level and turned up the tempo to down his newly minted best time to take the event win for the Cardinal in 3:38.58, just oupacing Cal’s Ryan Erisman to the touch, as Erisman finished closely behind in 3:38.94. Zuchowski took three seconds off his career best on the day.

Millard would end up getting disqualified in the championship final.

Cal’s Frederick Klein used a big back half of his 400 IM to take control in the consolation final and take the win in 3:41.30, over a second and a half better than the field.

ACC 400 IM mainstay Kyle Ponsler of NC State took the bonus final winin 3;41.88, a time that would have qualified him for the championship final this morning nearly five seconds better than he was in the prelims (3:46.86).

Women’s 100 Fly

• NCAA: 46.97 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• ACC: 46.97 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• ACC Championship Record: 48.25 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• Pool: 49.09 — Alex Walsh, Virginia (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.87

Top 8:

1. Torri Huske (STAN)- 48.26 *Pool Record
2. Claire Curzan (UVA)- 48.47
3. Gigi Johnson (STAN)- 49.95
4. Leah Shackley (NCST)- 50.52
5. Sara Curtis (UVA)-50.70
6. Annie Jia (CAL)- 50.83
7. Erika Pelaez (NCST)- 50.91
8. Tatum Wall (DUKE)- 51.05

Huske and Curzan were tied at the first turn in 10.1 with Huske taking an early lead at the 50 in 22.20,. Off the turn Huske came up so strong and began to get some separation from Curzan and maintain the lead through the final touch, holding off the cavalier in 48.26, just missing the ACC Championship record by .01, but earning her 2nd straight ACC title in this event and marking a lifetime best.

Curzan appeared to be making some moves on the final 25 but ultimately ran out of room, resulting in the silver in 49.47. Huske’s Stanford teammate Gigi Johnson rallied for the bronze in 49.95 to give the Cardinal a 1-3 points grab.

Louisville’s Ella Welch and Virginia’s Carly Novelline battled from start to finish in the consolation final, with Welch leading at the turn, but Novelline stormed home the last 35 yards to overtake Welch (51.37) and nab the win in 51.16.

Men’s 100 Fly

• NCAA: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• ACC: 43.15 — Youssef Ramadan, Virginia Tech (2023)
• ACC Championship Record: 43.90 — Youssef Ramadan, Virginia Tech (2022)
• Pool: 43.71 — Andrei Minakov, Stanford (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 45.12

Top 8:

1. Aiden Hayes (NCST)- 44.07
2. Thomas Heilman (UVA)- 44.16
3. Julian Koch (PITT)- 44.56
4. Michel Arkhangelskiy (FSU)- 44.79
5. Arsenio Bustos (NCST)- 44.82
6. Rian Graham (UL)- 44.99
7. Aiden Musso (UL)- 45.20
8. Rafael (STAN)- 45.32

Aiden Hayes got out fast, leading Koch buy just one hundredth of a second ath te 50 turn in 20.33. By the 75 turn, it was not Koch who was creeping up on Hayes, but Virginia’s Thomas Heilman giving Hayes the works coming home.

Heilman split a heroic final 50 of 23.47 to nearly catch the former ACC freshman of the year in Hayes, who held on to pick up a milestone victory in his career in 44.07, a third of a second faster than his morning swim of 44.07.

Koch continued to impress, dropping nearly two tenths from his morning swim to reset his program record for Pitt in 44.56.

A tight consolation final where the top three were separated by less than two tenths saw the Virginia Tech Hokies pick up a 1-2 finish with Landon Gentry (45.24) and Will Hanyon (45.32) touching the wall 1st and 2nd.

Women’s 200 Free

• NCAA: 1:39.10 — Missy Franklin, California (2015)
• ACC: 1:39.34 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• ACC Championship Record: 1:39.34 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2025)
• Pool: 1:41.12 — Taylor Ruck, Stanford (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:44.74

Top 8:

1. Anna Moesch (UVA)- 1:39.72 *Pool Record
2. Madi Mintenko (UVA)- 1:41.52
3. Claire Weinstein (CAL)- 1:42.40
4. Bailey Hartman (UVA)- 1:42.64
5. Carmen Weiler Sastre (VT)- 1:43.14
6. Cavan Gormsen (UVA)- 1:43.20
7. Annam Olsewere (STAN)- 1:43.23
8. Gigi Johnson (STAN)- 1:43.25

Anna Moesch only held a narrow lead though the first 100 as her teammate Madi Mintenko was right on her hip through the first 125 yards. Moesch then used a massive final 75 to get herself under the 1:40 barrier for the first time in her career in 1:39.72, a half second personal best from the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge in November. That time also lowers Taylor Ruck‘s pool record of 1:41.12 by over a full second.

Mintenko also set a new best in her young collegiate career with her runner-up finish in 1:41.52. Cal’s Claire Weinstein (1:42.40) swam up two spots from her prelims swim to finish on the podium in 3rd. That time still sits over a second off of her best time of 1:41.10 from 2024.

Louisville’s Daria Golovaty led a trio of sub 1:44 finishers in the consolation finals, just out touching Cal’s Ella Cosgrove by one hundredth of a second in 1:43.93.

Men’s 200 Free

• NCAA: 1:28.33 — Luke Hobson, Texas (2024)
• ACC: 1:30.02 — Jack Alexy, California (2025)
• ACC Championship Record: 1:31.16 — Luke Miller, NC State (2022)
• Pool: 1:30.28 — Drew Kibler, Texas (2022)
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:32.27

Top 8:

1. Henry McFadden (STAN)- 1:31.05 *ACC Champs Record
2. Logan Robinson (FSU)- 1:31.18
3. Kaii Winkler (NCST)- 1:31.27
4. Keaton Jones (CAL)- 1:31.60
5. Brendan Whitfield (VT)- 1:31.84
6. Guy Brooks (UL)- 1:31.92
7. Francis Brennan 9SMU)- 1:32.45
8. Daniel Diehl (NCST)- 1:33.61

This race changed hands too many times to count, with NC State’s Kaii Winkler and VT’s Brendan Whitfield each opening up fast from some outside lanes, but the field would then come back to them as Henry McFadden of Stanford showing his skill with a big middle 100 to get himself into the leaders position with a 50 to go.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Florida State’s Logan Robinson put on the afterburners with the intent to play spoilers to McFadden’s back-to-back 200 free ACC title chances. But despite the late push from Robinson, it would be the sheer size and strength of McFadden holding on to grab gold for the Cardinal men in 1:31.05, a new ACC Championship meet record.

Robinson still powered to a silver medal in 1:31.18, taking over half a second off of his lifetime best of 1:31.77. Winkler’s early speed showed to pay off, holding on long enough to take bronze in 1:31.27.

Virginia’s Maximus Williamson and David King were the two sub 1:33 performers this morning who did not make the championship final, and it was Williamson who led throughout the race to win the consolation final in 1:32.45. Stanford’s Jason Zhao overtook king on the final 50 to finish 2nd in the heat in 1:32.70.

Team Standings After Day 5:

Women: 

1. Virginia- 786
2. Stanford- 662
3. California- 621
4. Louisville- 507
5. NC State- 404.5
6. Pittsburgh- 354.5
7. North Carolina- 261.5
8. Miami- 248
9. Florida State- 223
10. Notre Dame- 220
11. Duke- 215.5
12. Virginia Tech- 208
13. Georgia Tech- 204
14. SMU- 155
15. Boston college- 48

Men:

1. California- 622
2. Stanford- 596
3. Louisville- 521
4. NC State- 505
5. Virginia Tech- 369.5
6. Florida State- 350.5
7. Notre Dame- 320
8. North Carolina- 299.5
9. Virginia- 281.5
10. SMU- 275
11. Pittsburgh- 244
12. Georgia Tech- 236
13. Miami- 162
14. Boston College- 86
15. Duke- 68