Akron Secures Fifth-Straight MAC Swimming & Diving Championship Title

2026 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships – Women

• Dates: Wednesday, February 25–Saturday, February 28
• Location: Oliver J. Ocasek Natatorium, Akron, OH
• Defending Champions: Akron women (4x)
• Live Results – Meet Mobile
• Live Video: ESPN+
• Championship Central
• SwimSwam Fan Guide
• Teams: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Miami-OH (women), Ohio, Toledo, UMass
• MAC Record Book
• Day 1 Results | Day 2 Results | Day 3 Results | Full Results
• Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap | Day 3 Recap

Final Team Scores

1. Akron – 771
2. Ohio – 559
3. Ball State – 500
4. Miami – 492
5. Buffalo – 446
6. Eastern Michigan – 263
7. Massachusetts – 195
8. Toledo – 174
9. Bowling Green – 159

Akron held onto its crown at the 2026 Mid-American Conference Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, winning its fifth-straight conference title with 771 points to close out the weekend. The team’s victory also marks Akron’s 12th win in 13 years.

The Zips may have racked up the most points over the course of the meet, but Saturday’s competition saw plenty of other athletes deliver shining performances as well.

Ohio’s Zita Szoke picked up her second individual conference title of the meet in the 100 free (47.59) after smashing three records during the morning session. She posted a lifetime best time of 47.55 during prelims and broke the conference, meet and pool records in the event. Szoke already owned the MAC record, having set it last season with a time of 47.62; her performance on Saturday morning shaved .22 off of the former championship record (47.77), which was set by Miami’s Nicole Maier in 2024.

Teammate Casadie DiBetta completed a sweep of the breaststroke events, winning the 200 breast in 2:09.33 and knocking over a second off of her personal best time (2:10.99). Both DiBetta and Szoke earned new NCAA qualifications with their performances.

In a surprise outcome, the 200 fly saw a tie for 1st-place. Akron’s Felicia Klintemar and Ball State’s Alexa Von Holtz both touched in 1:58.75, becoming co-champions in the event. It was only Von Holtz’s second time on the podium this weekend, having won bronze in the 400 IM, while it marked Klintemar’s third individual gold. Combined with her relay victories, Klintemar won all seven of her events over the course of the meet.

Another notable gold medal performance came from the diving side of the competition, courtesy of Bowling Green freshman Natalia Mayorga. Mayorga prevailed on the 3-meter with a score of 316.85 points, giving the Falcons their first victory in that event since 2020.

Miami logged back-to-back victories on Saturday night. Freshman Gracie Gregory, who won the 500 free (4:49.49) and 400 IM (4:16.83), touched first in the 1650 free with a new lifetime best time of 16:39.00. Meanwhile, Chrisna Bezuidenhout took home the championship title in the 200 back, stopping the clock in 1:54.28 and shaving .3 off of her own program record from last season.

The final event of the meet went to Akron, with the Zips emerging victorious in the 400 free relay. The team of Helena Lalkovic [49.17], Ada Szwabinska [48.71], Callie Parkes [48.34] and Klintemar [48.70] combined for a winning time of 3:14.92, completing a sweep of all five relay events for Akron.

Postseason Awards

• Most Outstanding Senior: Payton Kelly (Ball State)
• Swimming Coach of the Year: J. Agnew (Ball State)
• Diving Coach of the Year: Russ Dekker (Buffalo)