University of Virginia sophomore Anna Moesch won her first career individual national title in style on Thursday at the Women’s NCAA Championships in Atlanta.
Moesch, who became just the fourth woman in history to break 1:40 in the 200 freestyle at last month’s ACC Championships in 1:39.72, won a tightly contested final in a time of 1:39.23, moving her up from 4th into 2nd all-time in the event.
Moesch now only trails Missy Franklin, who established the current NCAA, American and U.S. Open Record of 1:39.10 back in 2015, in the historical rankings.
Franklin was much more aggressive on the front half than Moesch, turning more than a full second faster at the 100 mark, 47.74 to 49.01. Moesch was 1.35 seconds back of Franklin’s record pace at the 150, but pulled back an incredible 1.22 seconds on the last 50.
Split Comparison
| Franklin, 2015 NCAAs | Moesch, 2026 ACCs | Moesch, 2026 NCAAs |
| 22.98 | 23.54 | 23.49 |
| 47.74 (24.76) | 49.15 (25.61) | 49.01 (25.52) |
| 1:12.91 (25.17) | 1:14.58 (25.43) | 1:14.26 (25.25) |
| 1:39.10 (26.19) | 1:39.72 (25.14) | 1:39.23 (24.97) |
Finishing in the runner-up position in the final was Indiana freshman Liberty Clark, who led off Indiana’s 800 free relay on Wednesday in a time of 1:39.70 to overtake Moesch for 3rd in the all-time rankings. Moesch anchored Virginia’s 800 free relay to victory with a 1:39.03 split, the fastest in history.
Clark produced another sub-1:40 swim in the individual final, clocking 1:39.88 to finish 65 one-hundredths back of Moesch.
RACE VIDEO
Courtesy of NCAA Championships on YouTube
The 200 free as a whole was significantly faster than last year, with six women breaking 1:42 in the prelims and 1:42.28 being the cut-off to make the final. At the 2025 NCAAs, only one swimmer cracked 1:42 in the heats, and 1:43.24 was the cutline to qualify for the ‘A’ final.
The event has been taken to the next level all season, as evidenced by the fact that four of the 10-fastest performers in history produced their times in 2025-26.
Texas’ Nikolett Padar led off the Longhorns’ 800 free relay at NCAAs in 1:40.30, ranking her #6 all-time, while USC’s Minna Abraham clocked 1:40.47 at the midseason Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in November, which now slots her 10th in history.
Padar placed 3rd in Thursday’s 200 free final in a time of 1:40.78, while Abraham placed 4th in 1:41.66.
All-Time NCAA Rankings, Women’s 200 Freestyle
- Missy Franklin (Cal), 1:39.10 – 2015
- Anna Moesch (Virginia), 1:39.23 – 2026
- Gretchen Walsh (Virginia), 1:39.34 – 2025
- Liberty Clark (Indiana), 1:39.70 – 2026
- Mallory Comerford (Louisville), 1:39.80 – 2018
- Nikolett Padar (Texas), 1:40.30 – 2016
- Katie Ledecky (Stanford), 1:40.36 – 2017
- Simone Manuel (Stanford) / Taylor Ruck (Stanford), 1:40.37 – 2017 / 2019
- –
- Minna Abraham (USC), 1:40.47 – 2025
Following her victory in the 200 free, Moesch picked up a second NCAA title on the night in the 200 free relay, splitting 20.96 as Virginia claimed the event for the fifth straight year in 1:24.11.
On Friday, she qualified 6th into the final of the 50 free (21.35), and will also anchor the Virginia 400 medley relay at the end of the session.
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