Pitt Women Finish 12th in 800 Free Relay, First Relay to Score in 39 Years

2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• Wednesday, March 18 – Saturday, March 21, 2026
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Defending Champions: Virginia (5x)
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  • Prelims: Day 1
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The Pitt women made history on day 1 of the 2026 NCAA Championships as the team’s 800 free relay swam to an 12th place finish. That marked the program’s first scoring relay in 39 years. Avery Kudlac, Sydney Gring, Mary Clarke, and Claire Jansen combined for a 7:00.57.

This year marks the 4th season under head coach Chase Kreitler who joined the team at the start of the 2022-2023 season. They have dropped over 21 seconds in the 800 free relay over those four years.

800 Free Relay Progression

• 2023: 7:21.52
• 2024: 7:12.67
• 2025: 7:03.38
• 2026: 7:00.42 at ACCs, 7:00.57 at NCAAs

Kreitler spoke of the swim saying:

“The 800 Free Relay was a fantastic way to start off NCAAs for our team! It was our first Women’s Relay to score in 39 years and only Pittsburgh’s second relay ever to score at the NCAA Championships in the history of our program since we entered the NCAA in the 1982-1983 season. We have been building toward this moment for the last four years and I couldn’t be more proud of our team and the work they have put in to get here. This has already been an incredible season with our 6th place finish at ACCs and we are excited to compete the rest of the week here in Atlanta.”

Not only has the team’s 800 free relay seen success, but so has the 400 free relay as they have dropped almost six seconds over the last four years. At midseason in Texas, the team swam to the ‘A’ cut to punch their ticket to NCAAs. Prior to the 2025 NCAA Championships, the team had not qualified a relay for NCAAs since 2006.

400 Free Relay Progression

• 2023: 3:18.63
• 2024: 3:15.92
• 2025: 3:13.83
• 2025-26: 3:12.88 from midseason

Their 3:12.88 from midseason currently sits at #16 in the NCAA this season, so the team will look to have another scoring relay later this week in Atlanta.