2026 NCAA Division II Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2026 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships

• March 10-14, 2026
• Deaconess Aquatic Center — Evansville, Indiana
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Defending Champions
  • Women: Nova Southeastern (3x)
  • Men: vacant
• Psych Sheets
  • Men
  • Women
• Live Video
• Live Results
• Live Recaps:
  • Prelims: Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

The penultimate day of the 2026 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships gets underway this morning with preliminary heats in the 500 free, 100 back, 100 breast and 200 fly.

The three-time defending national champions from Nova Southeastern hold a 55.5-point advantage over Tampa entering the day, while the Drury men sit nine points clear of the Spartans.

Women’s Standings – Thru Day 3:

1. Nova Southeastern- 265
2. Tampa- 209.5
3. Colorado Mesa- 160.5
4. Drury- 158
5. Indy- 153
6. West Florida- 143
7. Findlay- 128.5
8. Grand Valley- 111
9. Wingate- 103
10. Delta State- 87

Men’s Standings – Thru Day 3:

1. Drury- 253
2. Tampa- 244
3. Indy- 228
4. Colorado Mesa- 214
5. McKendree- 151.5
6. Lynn- 124
7. Findlay- 95
8. Wingate- 92
9. Grand Valley- 91
10. Florida Southern- 90

West Florida’s Agata Naskret headlines the action this morning after breaking the NCAA Division II Record in the women’s 100 back on last night’s 400 medley relay, having led off the Argos in 51.24 to lower her own mark of 51.26 set at the Delta State Thanksgiving Invite in November. West Florida went on to set a new D2 record in winning the relay title.

Naskret is also the defending champion in the 100 back, having won the 2025 title in a time of 51.52—an NCAA record at the time—while she was at Colorado Mesa.

The other events on Friday’s slate featuring the defending champion will be the men’s 500 free, where Tampa’s Jacob Hamlin will be looking to follow up on his record-breaking performance last year, and the men’s 100 back, where Drury junior Ivan Adamchuk comes in as the reigning champion.

The women’s 500 free will feature last year’s runner-up, Grand Valley State’s Lucy Hedley, along with Nova Southeastern’s Emilia Ronningdal, who placed 2nd in last night’s 200 free final (where Hedley was 3rd).

The women’s 100 breast will be headlined by Indy’s Celina Schmidt, the top seed who had the fastest breast split (1:00.00) on last night’s 400 medley relay, while the top returner from last year in the 200 fly will be Tampa sophomore Burlingtyn Bokos, who is coming off a big win in the 400 IM on Thursday.

In the men’s 100 breast, Indy sophomore Jeremias Pock is coming in with a ton of momentum after winning the 400 IM and then throwing down a blistering 50.35 breast leg on the 400 medley relay last night. He was 3rd in the 100 breast last year and is the top returner in the field.

In the 200 fly, the favorite has to be McKendree sophomore Vova Gavrysh, who was 3rd last year and picked up a win last night in the 200 free.

WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 4:39.28, Patricia Castro Ortega (Queens) – 2016
• Meet Record: 4:39.28, Patricia Castro Ortega (Queens) – 2016

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Justice Beard (UMSL), 4:49.30
2. Hailey Williams (NSU), 4:51.93
3. Olivia Hansson (MESA), 4:52.84
4. Emilia Ronningdal (NSU), 4:52.91
5. Laura Hodgson (TAMP), 4:53.83
6. Abigail Andrews (SFU), 4:54.33
7. Daniella Meinema (CATC), 4:54.42
8. Hanna Sasivarevic (MESA), 4:54.83

Missouri-St. Louis junior Justice Beard defended her top seed in the women’s 500 freestyle, dominating the fifth and final heat in a time of 4:49.30 to lead the field into the ‘A’ final by more than two and a half seconds.

Beard, who owns the fastest time in the nation this season at 4:48.17, set en route to winning the GLVC title last month, finished 5th in last year’s final in a time of 4:50.40.

Nova Southeastern’s Hailey Williams won the first circle-seeded heat in 4:51.93 to advance 2nd overall, qualifying for her third straight ‘A’ final in the event. The senior set a personal best of 4:47.94 to finish 3rd at the 2024 NCAAs before placing 4th last year.

Colorado Mesa’s Olivia Hansson (4:52.84) out-touched Nova Southeastern’s Emilia Ronningdal (4:52.91) to win Heat 4, as they advance 3-4 into the ‘A’ final. Hansson set an altitude-adjusted best time of 4:48.34 at last month’s RMAC Championships, while Ronningdal set a PB of 4:51.23 at the Sunshite State Conference Championships. Hansson was 7th in the event last season, while Ronningdal didn’t race the event last year but is coming off a runner-up finish in the 200 free last night.

Grand Valley State’s Lucy Hedley, who was last year’s runner-up in a time of 4:47.57, was well off this morning and ended up finishing 18th in 5:01.36. She came in with a season-best of 4:49.37, which ranked her 4th in the country.

MEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 4:14.62, Jacob Hamlin (Tampa) – 2025
• Meet Record: 4:14.62, Jacob Hamlin (Tampa) – 2025

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Swann Plaza (INDY), 4:20.17
2. Nazar Herashchenko (CATC), 4:20.67
3. Sebastian Camacho Gomez (UFIN), 4:21.52
4. Matteo Vissotto (DRUR), 4:21.86
5. Barnabas Fluck (TAMP), 4:22.33
6. Fernando Dehaudt (WIN), 4:22.47
7. Jacob Hamlin (TAMP), 4:22.57
8. Marti Rossell Diez (WCU), 4:22.85

Indy’s Swann Plaza and Catawba’s Nazar Herashchenko got locked into a stroke-for-stroke battle in the fifth and final heat of the men’s 500 free, and it was Plaza doing what he needed to do to get his hand on the wall first and claim the top seed for tonight’s session.

Plaza, a 24-year-old Frenchman who is listed as a senior but is in his first year of college swimming, touched in 4:20.17 to top Herashcehnko by half a second and book Lane 4 for the final. He came into the meet as the top seed after putting up a time of 4:16.21 at the Miami Invitational in November, and followed up by winning the GLVC title last month in 4:18.79.

Herashcehnko, a sophomore, set a new lifetime best of 4:20.67 to advance 2nd into the final, improving on his 4:21.34 mark set in the prelims last year, where he finished 6th in the final.

Defending champion and Division II record holder Jacob Hamlin won the penultimate heat in a time of 4:22.57, which ended up only barely sneaking into the ‘A’ final in 7th. He was the only swimmer from the heat to make it into the top eight.

Findlay sophomore Sebastian Camacho Gomez blasted his way to a time of 4:21.52 from the first circle-seeded heat, qualifying him 3rd for the final ahead of Drury’s Matteo Vissotto (4:21.86).

Camacho Gomez set a best time of 4:19.14 at the Calvin Winter Invite in November, while Vissotto, who was 4th last year, set a PB of 4:19.63 at the SMU Invitational earlier this season.

The 2025 NCAA runner-up, Wingate’s Fernando Dehaudt, knocked two and a half seconds off his season-best time in 4:22.47 to qualify 6th for the final. The sophomore placed 2nd to Hamlin in last year’s final in a time of 4:20.83.

WOMEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 51.24, Agata Naskret (West Florida) – 2026
• Meet Record: 51.24, Agata Naskret (West Florida) – 2026

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Agata Naskret (UWF), 53.16
2. Sidni Meister (TAMP), 54.35
3. Lindsey Louder (TAMP), 54.59
4. Vittoria Proietti (GVSU), 54.61
5. Taylar Hooton (MESA), 54.75
6. Sophia Leo (CSP), 54.99
7. Kasha Stokes (IUP), 55.04
8. Valentina Masella (INDY), 55.14

After taking down her NCAA Division II record in last night’s 400 medley relay, Agata Naskret cruised through the heats of the women’s 100 back, posting the top time of the morning by over a second.

The West Florida senior clocked 53.16 (25.83/27.33) after lowering her D2 record of 51.26 in a time of 51.24 on Thursday night.

Naskret is coming in as the defending champion, having won the 2025 title in a time of 51.52 while at Colorado Mesa.

Tampa junior Sidni Meister had a monster swim from out in Lane 8 in Naskret’s heat, clocking 54.35 to qualify 2nd for the final and lower her previous best of 54.50, set in last night’s 400 medley relay. Coming into the meet her best time stood at 54.53, set in last season’s NCAA ‘B’ final, where she finished 10th. Meister entered the meet with a season-best of 55.24, which only ranked her 17th in the nation.

Grand Valley State’s Vittoria Proietti, racing alongside Meister in Lane 7, was close behind in 54.61 to advance 4th into the final, improving on her previous best of 54.98 set last year.

Another Tampa junior, Lindsey Louder, set a new best time of 54.59 to win Heat 2 and qualify 3rd into the final, while Indy freshman Valentina Masella was the only swimmer from Heat 3 to make the top eight, touching first in 55.14 to advance 8th overall.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 45.09, Marius Kusch (Queens) – 2019
• Meet Record: 45.09, Marius Kusch (Queens) – 2019

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Alvaro Zornoza Quiros (DRUR), 46.24
2. Gabriel Morales (CN), 46.38
3. Maurice Grabowski (LYNN), 46.51
4. Ivan Adamchuk (DRUR), 46.68
5. Rufus Bernhardt (TAMP), 46.76
6. William Beckstead-Holman (TAMP), 46.84
7. Mahmoud El Walid Abdelkarim (GVSU), 47.13
8. Olin Charnstrom (WAYN), 47.41

Drury junior and 2025 NCAA runner-up Alvaro Zornoza Quiros claimed the top seed in the heats of the men’s 100 back, putting up a time of 46.24 to top Heat 3 over Carson-Newman’s Gabriel Morales.

Zornoza Quiros came into the meet tied for the top time in D2 this season in 46.14, and his personal best stands at 46.10, set in the 2025 NCAA prelims. He also led off Drury’s 400 medley relay last night in 46.21.

Morales, the 2025 NJCAA runner-up in this event, clocked 46.38 to improve on his previous best of 46.79 and advance 2nd into the final.

Lynn senior Maurice Grabowski, who was tied with Zornoza Quiros for the top time this season coming in, clocked 46.51 to win Heat 4 and qualify 3rd for the final, while defending champion Ivan Adamchuk led the first circle-seeded heat in 46.68 to advance 4th overall.

Adamchuk won the 2025 title in 46.06 after setting a lifetime best of 45.93 in the prelims.

WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 59.51, Theresa Michalak (West Florida) – 2017
• Meet Record: 59.51, Theresa Michalak (West Florida) – 2017

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Annika Luce (WIN), 1:01.26
2. Celina Schmidt (INDY), 1:01.34
3. Helmi Kakela (UFIN), 1:01.57
4. Zsofia Kurdi (NSU), 1:01.69
5. Natalia Dwojak (WIN), 1:01.81
6. Mahee Gory-Lauret (CATC), 1:01.83
7. Gwen Bergum (DRUR), 1:01.89
8. Alena Rozova (UWF), 1:01.91

The women’s 100 breaststroke was tightly bunched this morning, with all eight ‘A’ final qualifiers separated by just 65 one-hundredths of a second.

Leading the charge was Wingate senior Annika Luce, who had a breakthrough swim to clock 1:01.26 and grab the top seed for tonight’s session, knocking more than nine-tenths off her previous best of 1:02.17. Last season, Luce placed 18th in the 100 breast in a time of 1:02.59.

Indy fifth-year Celina Schmidt, who was 5th last year and posted the fastest breast split on last night’s 400 medley relay, qualified 2nd into the final in 1:01.34 after winning Heat 5. She leads Division II this season with her time of 1:00.49 from the GLVC Championships.

Findlay freshman Helmi Kakela led the way in Heat 3 to qualify 3rd for the final in 1:01.57, having set a new best of 1:01.23 en route to winning the Great Midwest-Mountain East Conference title last month.

Drury junior Gwen Bergum, who was only 29th at NCAAs last season but has seen vast improvement this season and came in ranked 2nd at 1:00.67, put up a time of 1:01.89 to advance 7th overall.

The most notable drop among ‘A’ finalists came from French native and Catawba freshman Mahee Gory-Lauret, who knocked a second and a half off her personal best to make the ‘A’ final in 6th (1:01.83).

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 51.58, Jeremias Pock (Indy) – 2026
• Meet Record: 51.63, Anton Lobanov (Nova Southeastern) – 2015

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Jeremias Pock (INDY), 52.01
2. Maxim Tsyfarov (LYNN), 52.40
3. Joao Nogueira (DRUR), 52.76
4. Maksymilian Minichowski (CATC), 52.86
5. William Slowey (ROLL), 52.79
6. Jordan Christensen (MS&T), 52.95
7. Jurica Dragun (UBPK), 53.49
8. Elliot Weber (DRUR), 53.51

Indy sophomore Jeremias Pock posted the top time of the morning in the men’s 100 breast in a time of 52.01, just over four-tenths shy of the Division II record he set earlier this season of 51.58.

Pock, who was 3rd in this event as a freshman, is coming off an impressive Thursday night session that saw him win the 400 IM title and then post a blistering 50.35 breast split to help Indy win the 400 medley relay in record-setting fashion.

Lynn junior Maxim Tsyfarov, who split 51.64 last night in the 400 medley relay, clocked 52.40 to qualify 2nd overall. The Israeli native lowers his previous best of 52.51 set en route to finishing 4th last year.

Four other men broke 53 seconds this morning, led by Drury’s Joao Nogueira, who clocked 52.76 for 3rd overall after setting a best time of 52.63 earlier this season.

Along with Pock and Tsyfarov, the only other swimmer from last year’s ‘A’ final making it back this year is Catawba junior Maksymilian Minichowski, who clocked 52.86 to advance in 4th and lower his two-year-old best time of 52.94.

WOMEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 1:55.98, Ann Carozza (West Chester) – 2022
• Meet Record: 1:55.98, Ann Carozza (West Chester) – 2022

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Burlingtyn Bokos (TAMP), 2:00.27
2. Maria Fe Munoz (DRUR), 2:00.40
3. Viktoriia Kostromina (NSU), 2:00.46
4. Janne Bodemer (DSU), 2:00.68
5. Emily Mears-Bentley (FIND), 2:00.96
6. Rianne Rose (DRUR), 2:01.24
7. Megan Corcoran (C-N), 2:01.41
8. Lydia Douthit (LYNN), 2:02.00

Burlingtyn Bokos, Maria Fe Munoz and Viktoriia Kostromina won their respective circle-seeded heats to claim the top three seeds for tonight’s final of the women’s 200 fly, with Bokos leading the way.

The Tampa sophomore who won the 400 IM last night followed up by clocking 2:00.27 in Heat 4 to claim the top seed for tonight’s session, where she’ll be aiming to improve on the 4th-place finish she had last season as a sophomore. The three women who finished ahead of her in 2025 have all graduated.

Fe Munoz, a Drury senior, clocked 2:00.4o to advance in 2nd, while Kostromina, a Nova Southeastern fifth-year, went 2:00.46 to qualify in 3rd. Fe Munoz was 5th in last season’s final, while Kostromina placed 3rd at the 2025 ECAC Open Championships.

Among the three, Fe Munoz owns the fastest best time at 1:58.34, set at the 2024 NCAAs. Bokos has been as fast as 1:58.99 and Kostromina’s PB stands at 1:59.94.

The fastest swimmer in Division II this season, however, is Findlay senior Emily Mears-Bentley, who clocked 2:00.96 to advance 5th into the final. Mears-Bentley went 1:58.41 at the Calvin Winter Invite in November, which ranks her 1st in the country by 99 one-hundredths of a second. She placed 7th in last year’s final.

The lone ‘A’ finalist to drop time from their seed was Drury freshman Rianne Rose, who clocked 2:01.24 to knock nearly a full second off her previous PB of 2:02.20 and qualify 7th overall.

MEN’S 200 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA DII Record: 1:40.75, Jackson Lustig (McKendree) – 2023
• Meet Record: 1:40.75, Jackson Lustig (McKendree) – 2023

‘A’ Final Qualifiers: 

1. Gabriel Morales (CN), 1:43.97
2. Luke Dinges (ROLL), 1:43.99
3. Vova Gavrysh (MKU), 1:44.31
4. Akos Hajagos (FIT) / Vitaly Kostin (LYNN), 1:44.48
5. –
6. Nicholas Cavic (TAMP), 1:44.59
7. Matteo Ballardin (NMU), 1:44.90
8. Joshua Noll (TAMP), 1:45.42

Shortly after booking his ticket to the ‘A’ final of the 100 back, Carson-Newman junior Gabriel Morales was back in the water in the heats of the men’s 200 fly, firing off a massive new personal best to claim the top seed.

Morales ran down top seed Vova Gavrysh to win the fourth and final heat in a time of 1:43.97, smashing his previous best of 1:45.51 set at the Gamecock Invitational.

Gavrysh, who leads Division II this season with his time of 1:42.33 from the Mizzou Invitational, was the fastest swimmer in the field through the 50 (22.95), 100 (49.26) and 150-yard (1:16.35) walls, but faded coming home and ended up 3rd overall in 1:44.31.

One heat prior, Rollins senior Luke Dinges put up a time of 1:43.99, just three one-hundredths shy of the personal best he set at the Sunshine State Conference Championships to qualify 2nd into the final. Dinges, who was 5th in last year’s final, was the only swimmer in the field to keep all of his splits under 27 seconds.

Also racing in Heat 3, Florida Tech’s Akos Hajagos and Lynn’s Vitaly Kostin produced matching 1:44.48s to tie for 4th overall. Hajagos was the runner-up in the event at the 2024 NCAAs, while Kostin placed 2nd last year.

The first circle-seeded heat was won by Northern Michigan freshman Matteo Ballardin, who posted a time of 1:44.90 to advance in 7th after coming in ranked 3rd at 1:44.63.