Just weeks after entering the transfer portal, Lawson Ficken will transfer the University of Virginia, beginning in the fall of 2025. Ficken spent her first two seasons at Auburn and will join the Cavaliers for her junior year.
Ficken hails from Greenwood Village, Colorado, where she grew up swimming for Cherry Creek High School and University of Denver Hilltoppers Swim Club.
During her freshman year at Auburn, Ficken achieved NCAA ‘B’ cuts in the 50 freestyle (22.47), 100 freestyle (48.49), and 100 butterfly (52.48) at the 2024 SEC Championships. She finished 15th in the 50 free, 9th in the 100 free, and 10th in the 100 fly at the meet. As a key relay contributor, she helped Auburn secure 3rd place in the 200 free relay with a split of 21.88, 3rd place in the 200 medley relay with a split of 22.84 (setting a new program record that has since been broken), and 5th place in the 400 free relay with a split of 48.37.
Ficken did not qualify to swim individually at the NCAA Championships that year, but was included on Auburn’s roster as a relay alternate. She helped the 200 medley relay to a 15th-place finish with a time of 1:35.97, just off their benchmark from the bronze medal performance at the SECs. She split 23.51 on the relay at NCAAs, a bit off her 22.84 split from SECs, and did not appear on any of the free relays.
Fast forward to this past season, Ficken improved her 100 fly time by 0.05 seconds while slightly adding in the sprint free events.
At the 2025 SEC Championships this past February, Ficken placed 25th in the 100 fly (52.93), 37th in the 50 free (22.69), and 39th in the 100 free (49.62). While her 50 free was a season best, the times in her other two events weren’t. She set the aforementioned personal best in the 100 fly (52.43) earlier in the season at a dual meet against Alabama in January. Additionally, Ficken clocked a faster 100 free time of 49.44 at the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational in November.
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 22.44
- 100 Freestyle: 48.49
- 100 Butterfly: 52.43
The Virginia women are coming off their 5th consecutive NCAA team title. The Cavaliers were led by senior Gretchen Walsh, who claimed victories in the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 free, setting new NCAA records in the 100 fly and 100 free, while also tying her own record in the 50 free.
Ficken helps fill a gap in the sprint group, as Walsh and Maxine Parker were both part of the team’s NCAA-winning 200 free relay. Parker, who just completed her fifth year, split a 21.56 on the third leg of the relay. The team won the event with a time of 1:24.45, finishing more than half a second ahead of Louisville (1:25.04).
Ficken’s 50 free time would have ranked 5th on the Cavaliers’ roster this past season, while her 100 free would have been 6th and her 100 fly 7th.
She will definitely dip below 22 and below 48 before she leaves UVA
Yes, will be a big coaching upgrade!
Doesn’t really seem UVA fast
Perhaps spots on the 200 Free Relay and the 400 Free Relay…
Then UVA would not have recruited her. I am sure she will see great improvement over the next 2 years!
A. Canny and M. Mintenko are faster across the board (50 FR, 100 FR, 200 FR).
2025-2026 NCAA Season
4 x 200 FR-R
A. Canny-M. Mintenko-K. Grimes-A. Moesch
4 x 100 FR-R
C. Curzan-A. Canny-M. Mintenko-A. Moesch
Yeah! Now two studs from the same HS at UVA! Watch out, Lawson is gonna crush it!
Not to mention three from the same club.
…and four from the state of Colorado.
Okay she NEEDS to transfer to Texas and swim for Bowman
She NEEDS to do whatever she thinks is best for her.
Always laugh at these hilariously bad takes. Like you could possibly know the ins and outs of this young ladies life.
Bowman is the college MENS coach.