2026 Big 12 Championships: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2026 Big 12 Championships

• Dates: Tuesday, February 24–Saturday, February 28, 2026
• Location: Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
• Defending champions: Arizona State women (1x); Arizona State men (1x)
• Teams: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Christian, Utah, West Virginia
• Men’s Championship Preview
• Women’s Championship Preview
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video: ESPN +
• Live Recaps
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
• Friday Finals Heat Sheet

There are two days left of the 2026 Big 12 Championships, and the Arizona State Sun Devils are running away with the meet on both sides.

The ASU women have won every individual swimming event and two of the three relays so far, but their streak could be in jeopardy tonight.

Deniz Ertan holds the top seed in the women’s 200 butterfly for ASU with the 1:57.46 she swam in prelims coming in eight-tenths ahead of the field. She is the reigning Big 12 Champion in the event, and is the favorite to win tonight.

The women’s 100 breaststroke is a spot where we knew ASU would struggle. Their top seed is Ginger McMahon, who qualified 4th in 1:00.05 in the prelims session, a little more than a second behind Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye, who earned the top seed in 58.62.

In the 100 backstroke, ASU was dealt a major blow when top seed Miriam Sheehan was disqualified in the prelims of the event for the 15-meter rule after setting the 2nd fastest time. Alexia Duncan leads the field at 52.41 for Houston. ASU’s top seed is Gerda Szilagyi, who comes in at 4th in 53.37 to be the only Sun Devil in the ‘A’ final.

On the men’s side, ASU boasts the favorite in all three swimming events. Ilya Kharun leads the 200 fly final by more than two seconds with the 1:40.37 he swam in the prelims to qualify 1st overall.

The 100 breast sees two Sun Devils at the top of the order with Lucien Vergnes being the only swimmer under 52 in the prelims, touching in 51.90. Andy Dobrzanski qualified 2nd in 52.02, while Arizona’s Tavner Wisdom will be looking to spoil the Sun Devil party as the 3rd seed in 52.17.

Arizona’s Duncan Henderson earned the top seed in the men’s 100 backstroke final with his 44.79, but ASU’s Adam Chaney set a new conference record leading off the 400 medley relay in a time of 43.93 last night, and will be the favorite to win from lane five.

The Arizona Wildcats had a strong morning, and the men’s team will be looking to distance themselves from Utah tonight, as they are projected to pick up about 60 points over the Utes before diving.

The men will also contest the platform diving event tonight, and if it is anything like the other two diving events, we could be in for a very close final.

The session will wrap up with the 200 freestyle relays, and ASU will be the heavy favorites in both, especially after they qualified eight men to the 50 free ‘A’ final on day two of the meet.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:49.11, Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 2025
• Big 12 Record: 1:49.95, Emma Sticklen (Texas) – 2023
• Big 12 Championship Record: 1:51.66, Kelly Pash (Texas) – 2024
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 1:57.11
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:55.82

Top 8 Finishers

1. Deniz Ertan (ASU) — 1:56.31
2. Julia Ullmann (ASU) — 1:57.29
3. Sydney Nethercutt (UH) — 1:57.62
4. Noor El Gendy (UH) — 1:58.80
5. MJ Neilson (ARIZ) — 1:59.52
6. Kendall Mallers (ISU) — 2:00.15
7. Emma Kinsey (ARIZ) — 2:00.51
8. Ariel Beltran (ASU) — 2:01.12

Arizona’s Deniz Ertan earned the top time in the women’s 200 butterfly, swimming 1:56.31 to come in about a second ahead of teammate Julia Ullmann, picking up her 2nd straight title in the event.

Ertan was out in the lead at 55.62, sitting just ahead of teammate Julia Ullmann, who turned 2nd in 55.93. She came home in 1:00.69 to lock up her 2nd event win of the meet. Her lifetime best in the event stands at 1:54.92 from last year’s Big 12s.

Julia Ullmann finished 2nd for the Sun Devils. After getting out just behind Ertan, she dropped to 3rd, splitting 30.45 on the 3rd 50 to sit behind Houston’s Sydney Nethercutt, who swam 29.90 on the 3rd 50.

Ullmann made up the ground, splitting 30.91 on the final 50, the 2nd fastest split in the field, to touch in 1:57.29. She was a little more than a second off her lifetime best 1:55.80 from the end of November.

Nethercutt split 31.71 on her closing 50 to touch in 1:57.62 to add about a second from her lifetime best 1:56.98 from February of last year.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:36.41, Luca Urlando (Georgia) – 2025
• Big 12 Record: 1:37.35, Jack Conger (Texas) – 2017
• Big 12 Championship Record: 1:39.17, Jack Conger (Texas) – 2017
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 1:43.79
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 1:41.45

Top 8 Finishers

1. Ilya Kharun (ASU) — 1:37.70 **New Meet Record
2. Haakon Naughton (ARIZ) — 1:39.22
3. Joel Nace (ARIZ) — 1:43.41
4. Evan VanBrocklin (UTAH) — 1:43.94
5. Jakub Walter (UTAH) — 1:44.34
6. Filip SEnc-Samardzic (ASU) — 1:44.43
7. Jacob Ballard (BYU) — 1:45.46
8. Viktor Hristov (TCU) — 1:45.56

Ilya Kharun continues to dominate, picking up his 3rd and final individual event win of the meet in the men’s 200 fly, swimming 1:37.70 to touch more than a second ahead of the field and set a new meet record in the event.

Kharun was out in 21.98, turning just six hundredths ahead of Arizona’s Haakon Naughton, who split 22.04 on the opening 50.

Naughton briefly took the lead at the 100 mark, splitting 46.88 with a 2nd 50 of 24.84 to sit about eight tenths ahead of Kharun’s 47.65 and 26.57.

The two had almost identical 3rd 50 splits with Kharun touching in 25.45 and Naughton swimming 25.49 to still sit a more than seven tenths ahead of Kharun going into the final 50.

On the last 50, Kharun had a massive 24.60 split, to be the only swimmer under 26 seconds, making up more than two seconds on Naughton, who had the 2nd fastest final 50 split in the field of 26.85.

Kharun touched in 1:37.70, taking more than a second off Jack Conger’s 2017 record time of 1:39.17, and only a tenth off his lifetime best 1:37.56 from November.

Naughton’s 1:39.22 swim was a second drop from his previous best 1:40.24 from last year’s NCAA Championships

Arizona’s Joel Nace finished 3rd in 1:43.41, about a second add from the 1:42.41 he swam in November.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – Finals

• NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (Indiana) – 2019
• Big 12 Record: 56.88, Anna Elendt (Texas) – 2022
• Big 12 Championship Record: 57.27, Lydia Jacoby (Texas) – 2024
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 1:00.30
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 59.51

Top 8 Finishers

1. Joleigh Crye (CINC) — 58.02
2. Eleni Gewalt (ARIZ) — 58.56
3. Linid Worrell (CINC) — 59.34
4. Evelyn Entrekin (UH) — 59.83
5. Grace Swoboda (ISU) — 1:00.18
6. Lucie Vasquez (ASU) — 1:00.23
7. Ginger McMahon (ASU) — 1:00.34
8. Nina Vadovicova (TCU) — 1:00.44

Cincinnati’s Joleigh Crye picked up the first non-ASU individual swimming event win of the meet, swimming 58.02 in the women’s 100 breaststroke to earn her 2nd straight title in the event.

She grabbed the lead early, splitting 26.99 on the opening 50, which was about half-a-second ahead of teammate Lindi Worrell‘s 27.44 in 2nd. Eleni Gewalt turned 3rd in 27.47.

On the 2nd 50, Crye split 31.03, earning the overall event win and missing her personal best 57.99 by three hundredths.

Eleni Gewalt had a massive final 25 split of 14.31 to swim 31.09 on her final 50, catching Cincinnati’s Worrell to finish 2nd. She swam 58.56 to take nearly half-a-second off her previous best of 59.00 from this meet last year.

Worrell was 31.90 on her final 50 to touch in 59.34, a six tenth drop from the 59.96 she swam in November. Before this season, she had never been under 1:00 in the event.

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – Finals

• NCAA Record: 49.51, Julian Smith (Florida) – 2025
• Big 12 Record: 50.49, Caspar Corbeau (Texas) – 2022
• Big 12 Championship Record: 50.96, Caspar Corbeau (Texas) – 2022
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 52.58
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.58

Top 8 Finishers

1. Andy Dobrzanski (ASU) — 51.32
2. Lucien Vergnes (ASU) — 51.65
3. Jonathan Itzhaki (ASU) — 52.18
4. Tavner Wisdom (ARIZ) — 52.51
5. Brayden Taivassalo (ASU) — 52.56
6. Peter Etzold (BYU) — 52.58
7. Jon Reiter (ASU) — 52.88
8. Will Bonnett (BYU) — 53.09

In another exciting race, ASU’s Andy Dobrzanski swam the top time in the men’s 100 breaststroke finals of 51.32, just three tenths ahead of teammate Lucien Vergnes‘ 51.65 in 2nd.

Dobrzanski led at the 50 mark, turning in 23.94 to sit just two hundredths ahead of Vergnes, who touched in 23.96.

He came back strong, splitting 27.38, the fastest closing 50 in the field, to earn the event win. He added just three tenths from his best time of 51.00 that he set in January at the Big 12 West Championships.

Vergnes split 27.69 to finish 2nd in 51.65, a three tenth drop from his pre-meet best of 51.99 that he set in November.

ASU also picked up the 3rd place finish, sweeping the podium, with Jonathan Itzhaki‘s 52.18 (24.25/27.93). This was a six tenth drop for the freshman from the 52.83 he swam at the same Big 12 West Championships as Dobrzanski.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – Finals

• NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (Virginia) – 2024
• Big 12 Record: 50.51, Claire Adams (Texas) – 2020
• Big 12 Championship Record: 50.51, Claire Adams (Texas) – 2020
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 52.65
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 51.68

Top 8 Finishers

1. Alexia Duncan (UH) — 52.31
2. Lila Lillie (ARIZ) — 52.76
3. Kayman Neal (ARIZ) — 52.85
4. Julia Smurzynska (ARIZ) — 53.18
5. Gerda Szilagyi (ASU) — 53.33
6. Elizabeth Jimenez (UH) — 53.42
7. Natasha Whittall (WVU) — 53.49
8. Magdalena Hagsten Skarda (ARIZ) — 54.06

Before tonight, the University of Houston had never won a swimming title at the Big 12 Championships. This is only their 3rd season in the conference, but Alexia Duncan picked up their 1st swimming event win just one day after diver Maisy Woloszyn won their first ever individual title last night in the 3-meter event.

Duncan was out in 2nd at the turn, flipping in 25.49 to sit almost two tenths behind Arizona’s Lila Lillie, who was 25.32 on the opening 50.

Lillie maintained her lead through the 75 mark, turning in 39.01 to sit just ahead of Duncan’s 39.08. Duncan had the fastest closing 25 in the field of 13.23 to split 26.82 on her final 50. She touched in 52.31 to drop three tenths from her previous best 52.62 and earn her 1st NCAA qualification as a sophomore.

Lillie finished 2nd in 52.76 after swimming 27.44 on her final 50. This was a little more than a tenth drop from 52.91 she swam in November.

Rounding out the podium was Arizona’s Kayman Neal in 52.85 (25.84/27.01), just three hundredths off her lifetime best 52.82 from November.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – Finals

• NCAA Record: 43.20, Hubert Kos (Texas) – 2025
• Big 12 Record: 43.93, Adam Chaney (ASU) – 2026
• Big 12 Championship Record: 43.93, Adam Chaney (ASU) – 2026
• 2026 NCCA Qualifying Time: 46.29
• 2025 NCAA Invite Time: 45.26

Top 8 Finishers

1. Adam Chaney (ASU) — 44.13
2. Duncan Henderson (ARIZ) — 44.97
3. Alex Desangles (ARIZ) — 46.25
4. Ryan Hardy (ARIZ) — 46.55
5. Filip Suchanski (TCU) — 46.58
6. Edgar Cicanci (TCU) — 46.71
7. Owen Chiles (CINC) — 46.91

Nolan Dunkel (UTAH) — DQ

After a number of DQs in the prelims session, the men’s 100 backstroke final saw a major disqualification from Utah’s Nolan Dunkel. After originally finishing 3rd in the event (46.11), Dunkel was disqualified for the 15-meter rule.

ASU’s Adam Chaney earned the gold medal with his 44.13 coming in just two tenths off the 43.93 conference record mark he set in the event last night. He opened the race in 21.15, half-a-second ahead of Arizona’s Duncan Henderson, who got out in 21.62 to be the only other swimmer under 22 seconds on the opening 50.

Chaney came home in 22.98 to lock up the event win by six tenths. Henderson split 23.35 on his closing 50 to finish 22nd in 44.97. This was a tenth drop from the 45.08 he swam at the Arizona vs Texas A&M meet in December.

After Dunkel’s DQ, Arizona’s Alex Desangles won the bronze in 46.25, which was a four tenth add from his lifetime best 45.89.

MEN’S PLATFORM DIVING — FINALS

Top 8 Finishers

1. Gage Dubois (ARIZ) — 383.60
2. Luke Hernandez (ARIZ) — 371.45
3. Bryn James (TCU) — 352.10
4. Elliott Dillon (TCU) — 343.05
5. Noah Green (CINC) — 331.65
6. Elias Petersen (UTAH) — 331.35
7. Ramez Sobhy (CINC) – 329.30
8. Marti Llop (BYU) — 308.70

The men’s diving was not quite as close as last night’s 1-meter event, but it was still an exciting contest. Arizona’s Gage Dubois finished 1st in 383.60, coming in  12 points ahead of teammate Luke Hernandez‘s 371.45 for 2nd.

TCU’s Bryn James had a very strong final dive to finish 3rd in 352.10, a little over nine points ahead of teammate Elliott Dillon‘s 343.05 for 4th.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63 – Virginia (Nocentini, G Walsh, A Walsh, Parker), 2024
• Big 12 Record: 1:26.31 – University of Texas (Cooper, Longi, Sticklen, Pash), 2024
• Meet Record: 1:26.66 – University of Texas (G Cooper, A Longi, E Sticklen, K Pash), 2024
• NCAA Qualifying Times (Qualifying/Provisional): 1:28.26/1:28.78

Top 8 Finishers

1. Arizona — 1:27.33
2. ASU — 1:29.47
3. Cincinnati — 1:30.22
4. BYU — 1:30.35
5. TCU — 1:30.52
6. Houston — 1:30.57
7. Utah — 1:31.31
8. Kansas — 1:31.99

The Arizona women had a huge performance in the 200 freestyle relay to pick up a two second win over ASU, swimming 1:27.33.

Riley Botton lead the team off in 22.06, about a tenth off her personal best 21.97. She was more than seven tenths ahead of ASU’s Miriam Sheehan who led off in 22.78 for 2nd overall.

Patricija Kondraskaite swam 21.51 on the 2nd leg for Arizona, which was the 2nd fastest split in the field. She extended the lead over ASU’s Indigo Armon, who split 22.48.

Charlie Millard swam the 3rd leg for Arizona, and she came in at 22.48, giving up about half-a-second to ASU freshman Shane Golland‘s 21.92 split.

The anchor leg saw Wildcat Julia Wozniak swim the fastest split in the field of 21.28 to lock up the win for the Sun Devils in 1:27.33.

ASU finished 2nn with Julia Ullmann on the anchor in 22.29, touching in 1:29.47.

Cincinnati was 3rd with Joleigh Crye (22.87), Kate Mardis (22.40), Joann Adler (22.66), and Lindi Worrell (22.29) stopping the clock in 1:30.22.

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:12.80 – Tennessee (Crooks, Caribe, Taylor, Blackman), 2025
• Big 12 Record: 1:13.93 – Arizona State University (Kharun, Palmer, Sammon, Kulow), 2024
• Meet Record: 1:15.76 – University of Texas (Krueger, Jiang, Bowman, Kibler), 2021
• NCAA Qualifying Times (Qualifying/Provisional): 1:16.23/1:16.91

Top 8 Finishers

1. ASU — 1:12.98 **New Conference Record
2. Arizona — 1:16.18
3. TCU — 1:17.88
4. BYU — 1:18.48
5. Cincinnati — 1:18.87
6. Utah — 1:19.11
7. West Virginia — 1:19.76

We were on NCAA record watch in the men’s 200 free relay, and ASU fell just short of the 1:12.80 mark the Tennessee men set last year, but they did set a new Big 12 record, taking a second off the 1:13.93 they swam last season.

Remi Fabiani led the team off in 18.62, a new lifetime best for him, taking four hundredths off the 18.68 he swam in the event final.

Jonny Kulow split 18.16 on the 2nd leg, which is about four tenths off his fastest split of 17.78 from last year’s NCAA Championships.

Adam Chaney was 18.28 in 3rd, and Ilya Kharun anchored the team in 17.92. They finished in 1:12.98 to just miss the NCAA record time of 1:12.80 by 18 hundredths.

Arizona finished 2nd withDuncan Henderson(19.43), Tomas Lukminas (18.89), Ralph Daleiden Ciuferri (19.10), and Jakey Hutchinson (18.76) swimming 1:12.98

The bronze medal went to Peter Horton (19.39), Nigel Forbes (19.15), Colin Clough (19.82), and Max Zinn (19.52) in 1:17.88.

Team Scores

Women

1. ASU — 1227.5
2. Arizona — 997.5
3. Houston — 815.5
4. Cincinnati — 615
5. TCU — 548
6. Kansas — 547.5
7. Utah — 530
8. BYU — 402
9. Iowa State — 394
10. West Virginia — 311

Men

1. ASU — 1373.5
2. Arizona — 1242.5
3. Utah — 1058
4. TCU — 752
5. BYU — 653
6. Cincinnati — 578
7. West Virginia — 501