Emma Karam, Mary Macaulay Highlight UNC Invite With Season Best Times

Anya Pelshaw
by Anya Pelshaw 0

February 09th, 2026 ACC, College

UNC Invite

  • February 5-7, 2026
  • Chapel Hill, NC
  • SCY (25 Yards)

North Carolina hosted its own invite less than two weeks out from the ACC Championships and some members of the program moved up the all-time rankings.

Highlighting the meet on the women’s side were Emma Karam and Mary Macaulay. Karam swam to a win in the 200 back, touching in a season best 1:52.83. She now sits at #26 in the NCAA this season and will look for another NCAA invite after it took a 1:53.31 last year. She was 21st in the 200 back at the 2025 NCAA Championships in a 1:52.63. Karam also swam a season best 51.88 in the 100 back while leading off the UNC women’s 400 medley relay.

The women’s 400 IM featured two swimmers who moved up the all-time top 10 for UNC. Mary Macaulay won in a 4:08.08 to move up to #3 in school history as well as #24 in the NCAA this season. That time also gets her under last year’s NCAA cutline as it took a 4:09.53 a year ago. Ava Muzzy also moved up in the all-time school rankings for UNC as she touched in a 4:10.23 to be #7 all-time.

UNC’s Samantha Arnold won the 100 breast in a 59.77, making her the #3 performer all-time in the event. She now sits at 39th in the NCAA this season, and it took a 59.51 t0 make 2025 NCAAs in the event.

The men’s side of the meet was highlighted by the 200 backstroke. David Melnychuk of UNC earned the win in a 1:42.12, making him the #8 performer in school history. He now sits at #63 in the NCAA this season and it took a 1:40.13 to make 2025 NCAAs in the event. NC State’s Max Buff was 2nd in the 200 back, touching in a personal best 1:42.24.

Ben Delmar won the 100 breast for UNC in a 52.79, about a second off his season best 51.74 that sits at #20 in the NCAA this season. NC State’s Arsen Kozhakhmetov was 2nd in a 53.23, half a second off his season best 52.72 that sits tied for 62nd in the NCAA this season.

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About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 …

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