2026 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Dates: Wednesday, March 25–Saturday, March 28
- Location: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
- Defending Champions: Texas (1x)
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The fastest 200-yard backstroker in NCAA history just widened the gap between himself and the rest of the field.
Texas senior Hubert Kos captured his second-straight NCAA title in the 200 back, decimating the field by over three seconds in a time of 1:34.13. That time takes 0.08 seconds off his previous NCAA record, which was set at the 2025 NCAA Championships.
Kos was already the fastest 200 backstroker ever by over a second and the only swimmer to break 1:35 in the event. Now, he’s done it not just once, but twice.
All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 200-Yard Backstroke:
- Hubert Kos, Texas — 1:34.13 (2026)
- Destin Lasco, Cal — 1:35.37 (2024)
- Ryan Murphy, Cal — 1:35.73 (2016)
- Shaine Casas, Texas A&M — 1:35.75 (2021)
- Jonny Marshall, Florida — 1:35.85 (2025)
Compared to his NCAA record from 2025, Kos was slower on his opening 50 and his final 50. However, the middle 100 was where he made up ground, as he out split his 2025 self by 0.59 in that portion of the race.
Split Comparison:
| Hubert Kos, 2026 NCAA Championships | Hubert Kos, 2025 NCAA Championships | |
| 5oy | 22.15 | 22.04 |
| 100y | 23.78 | 24.18 |
| 150y | 23.80 | 23.99 |
| 200y | 24.40 | 24.00 |
| Total | 1:34.13 | 1:34.21 |
Kos, who on Friday became the first swimmer to ever break 43 seconds in a 100-yard backstroke, is now the first under 43 in the 100 back and the first under 1:35 in the 200 back. He closes his NCAA career with five individual titles, winning the 200 IM, 100 back and 200 back in 2025 before sweeping the backstrokes again in 2026.
“I miscounted my 2 Back the last 50 and thought I had another 100 left. Looked at the board off the final turn and saw 1:29 and was like oh.”
-Hubert on Twitch
That’s annoying… He broke the record by accident lol.
After his 20.42 foot-touch split in the 100 back, I was hoping he’d do a 50 back time trial and break 20.seconds.
I thought he would take it out faster than that. You need a margin chasing barriers. That’s what Marchand figured out with the 1:54 and Summer will realize at 200 butterfly
Imagine telling someone in 2023 that an article about a 1:34.1 200 back would have 5 comments in 2026💀
What a loser! Couldn’t even get under 1:34.
Rowdy liked this
Rowdy was not impressed
excited to see what he pulls off at euros, 100 fly added to his portfolio now too?
It’ll be great but I think Grousset and Ponti (Grousset especially with Caeleb WR in sight at home soil) will be very tough to beat but interesting to see what kind of time he could produce tapered.
Think he will race the 200 IM (he is a double european champion and defending one in it 2022 and 2024) but even more than Grousset, Léon will be quite unbeatable (and at home too).
Hubi Kos with his suit, cap, and goggles on:
Hubi Kos with his t-shirt on:
Yugi did beat Yami in the final duel so what ur saying is that Kos will beat Peirsol’s WR with a shirt on
Yami threw that match