2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 16-19, 2022
- McAuley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA
- Short Course Yards (SCY), Prelims/Finals
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTS HERE:
- Official Psych Sheets (with cutlines), updated March 4th
- Invited Swimmers by Team (Doesn’t include relay-only swimmers), updated March 4th
- Eligible Relays
- Alternates List
In this article, we’ll be examining the cutlines for the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships compared to last year and 2020. The cutline in all 13 events is faster this year than last year, an outcome that was largely expected due to the tenuous nature of the 2020-2021 season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The change was very slight in some events, but in a handful of events, the 2022 cutlines are quite a bit faster.
Without further ado, here is a chart comparing the 2022 invited times to 2021:
| Event | 2022 Cutline Time | 2021 Cutline Time | 2022 vs 2021 Change |
| 50 free | 22.16 | 22.32 | -0.16 seconds |
| 100 free | 48.44 | 48.76 | -0.32 seconds |
| 200 free | 1:45.42 | 1:46.25 | -0.83 seconds |
| 500 free | 4:43.08 | 4:44.77 | -1.69 seconds |
| 1650 free | 16:16.47 | 16:25.47 | -9.00 seconds |
| 100 back | 52.47 | 53.01 | -0.54 seconds |
| 200 back | 1:53.97 | 1:55.05 | -1.08 seconds |
| 100 breast | 59.87 | 1:00.12 | -0.25 seconds |
| 200 breast | 2:09.15 | 2:10.37 | -1.22 seconds |
| 100 fly | 52.35 | 52.70 | -0.35 seconds |
| 200 fly | 1:56.14 | 1:57.42 | -1.28 seconds |
| 200 IM | 1:56.85 | 1:57.62 | -0.77 seconds |
| 400 IM | 4:11.60 | 4:13.19 | -1.59 seconds |
Perhaps the most notable difference in the 1650 free, in which swimmers had to be a full 9 seconds faster this year than last in order to qualify for NCAAs. The 200 back, breast, and fly each got faster by more than a second as well, and the 200 free time improved by nearly a second.
Next up, let’s compare the last three years of NCAA cutline times. Here is a chart showing the invited times in each event for 2020, 2021, and 2022.
| Event | 2022 Cutline Time | 2021 Cutline Time | 2020 Cutline Time |
| 50 free | 22.16 | 22.32 | 22.21 |
| 100 free | 48.44 | 48.76 | 48.51 |
| 200 free | 1:45.42 | 1:46.25 | 1:45.23 |
| 500 free | 4:43.08 | 4:44.77 | 4:41.20 |
| 1650 free | 16:16.47 | 16:25.47 | 16:17.45 |
| 100 back | 52.47 | 53.01 | 52.73 |
| 200 back | 1:53.97 | 1:55.05 | 1:53.99 |
| 100 breast | 59.87 | 1:00.12 | 59.98 |
| 200 breast | 2:09.15 | 2:10.37 | 2:10.12 |
| 100 fly | 52.35 | 52.70 | 52.34 |
| 200 fly | 1:56.14 | 1:57.42 | 1:56.06 |
| 200 IM | 1:56.85 | 1:57.62 | 1:57.31 |
| 400 IM | 4:11.60 | 4:13.19 | 4:10.39 |
We’re officially back to pre-pandemic invite times, as the cutline this year is faster than the 2020 cutline in 8 of the 13 events. This year’s invited times are historically fast in the 1650 free, 100 back, 200 breast, and 200 fly.
not very related but Gretchen just dropped a 21.06 50 free and 23.04 50 back
What is that in non desorbo time?
I hope she doesnt run into anyone in the warmup lanes. It will be anticlimactic if she misses those marks in Prelims