Kate Douglass is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. Douglass made headlines during her freshman year when she put up speedy times throughout the season in dual meets, her mid-season meet, and even at practice.
High School
Kate Douglass was ranked as the #2 recruit in SwimSwam’s 2019 Top 20 High School Rankings. On February 27, 2018, Douglass announced her verbal commitment to swim for the University of Virginia.
A 2018-19 U.S. National Junior Team member, Douglass competed at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina and the 2017 Junior World Championships in Indianapolis. As an age grouper, she set the U.S. Swimming National 13-14 and 15-16 Age Group Record for the 50 free. Douglass held the New York high school state records in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trails in the 50 free, 100 and 200 breast, and 200 IM.
College (Virginia)
2019-2020
As a freshman, Douglass made headlines left and right. She showed her extreme range early in the dual meet season, where she joined an exclusive group by going 22 in the 50 free and 2:07 in the 200 breast. She impressed further at her mid-season meet, the Tennessee Invite, when she went lifetime bests in the 50 free (21.53), 100 free (47.85), 100 breast (59.53), 200 breast (2:06.19), 100 fly (50.30), and 200 IM (1:52.84).
At the ACC Championships, Douglass started things off in the 200 IM, where she took her 1st ACC title in a 1:51.36, becoming the fastest freshman in the event all-time. She went on to win the 100 fly (50.83) and take 3rd in the 200 breast (2:05.89). She was also on UVA’s winning 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 2nd place 400 medley relay.
2020-2021
Douglass continued to improve drastically her sophomore year, flexing her range yet again. At her second ACC Championships, she started things off by anchoring UVA’s 200 medley relay to an NCAA record of 1:32.93 and ACC title. She kept things rolling in her individuals, taking 2nd (1:51.97) in the 200 IM behind her teammate, Alex Walsh, and winning the 100 fly (49.96) and 100 free (46.83). She also swam on UVA’s winning 400 medley relay, 200 free relay, and 400 free relay.
At the 2021 NCAAs, the story coming in was Maggie MacNeil would face Kate Douglass for 3 rounds: 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 free. Douglass took the first round, winning the 50 free in 21.13 over MacNeil’s 21.17. Round 2 went to MacNeil, as she won the 100 fly in a new NCAA and US Open record of 48.89 to Douglass’ 49.55 2nd place finish. Douglass would take 2nd again to MacNeil in the 100 free, touching at 46.30 to MacNeil’s 46.02. Douglass also swam on UVA’s 2nd place 200 & 400 free and medley relays. Despite getting so many 2nd places throughout the 3.5 day meet, Douglass left a national champion as UVA went on to win the team title, the first in the women’s program’s history.
2021 Olympic Trials
In Omaha, Kate Douglass qualified for her first Olympic Games in the 200 IM, touching 2nd in 2:09.32, just .02 behind her UVA teammate Alex Walsh. Douglass also went PB’s in the 100 fly (56.56, 3rd) and 100 free (54.14 in semi-finals, 7th with 54.17), and placed 6th in the 50 free (24.78).
2020 Olympic Games
Douglass started off her first Olympic Games strong in the prelims of the 200 IM, posting a lifetime best of 2:09.16 to claim the first seed headed into semi-finals. In the final, Douglass came from behind in the final 50, passing much of the field to touch for 3rd behind Japan’s Yui Ohashi and her UVA and USA teammate, Alex Walsh.
