2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 26-29, 2025
- Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center, Federal Way, Washington
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
- Psych Sheet
- Eligible Relays
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Live Results
- Live Recaps
On Saturday night, newly-crowned NCAA champion Luca Urlando confirmed to SwimSwam that he had two seasons of eligibility left in collegiate swimming and that he planned on using both. On this timeline, his final season will be the 2026-27 season.
Luca Urlando, a redshirt senior, confirmed tonight that he has TWO years of eligibility left in the NCAA and plans on using both.
— Yanyan Li (@yyanyanli1) March 30, 2025
- See also: Luca Urlando on NCAA Title: “It has felt like years of setbacks to get to a moment like this”
Urlando competed for Georgia during three NCAA seasons: 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2024-25. His first extra year of eligibility comes from his COVID-19 fifth year, which was given to all winter sport collegiate athletes who competed during the 2020-21 season. He also redshirted the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons — he was out for the former season after dislocating his shoulder in October 2023, while he spent the latter season training with Bob Bowman’s pro group at Arizona State in preparation for the Paris Olympic games.
On the Georgia athletics webpage, Urlando is listed as a redshirt senior.
Having Urlando for two more seasons will be a huge boost for Georgia. He was the Bulldogs’ top scorer at the 2025 NCAA championships with 45 individual points and he also raced on four relays. In his individual events, he placed ninth in the 200 IM (1:40.53), third in the 100 fly (43.49) and first in the 200 fly (1:36.43). In the 200 fly, he shattered his own NCAA record by 0.74 seconds.
Urlando’s presence will also set up further showdowns with Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun, who is set to graduate in 2027. Kharun was the 2024 NCAA champion in the 200 fly and placed third to Urlando this year, while the two finished 2-3 respectively behind Josh Liendo in the 100 fly.
Why doesn’t the NCAA put an age limit on college sports? 18yr old boys should not be competing against 25 yr old men.
I can’t wait for 2 more years of Luca post race interviews
Will he transfer to Texas?
He is more than fine at UGA. The Texas glaze is rampant. He trained with Bob for a year then voluntarily left.
I don’t understand why people don’t see the importance going to UGA has for Urlando.
So long as he doesn’t try to sue the NCAA afterwards like another 7th year I know of. Seems like a good guy though 👍
“Oh he’s not a GRANT….. HOUSE!
His 200 fly is mighty, just lettin’ it all hang out.”
This is getting ridiculous. That dude has been around since like 2015 it seems like.
His freshman year was 20-21, same as Alex Walsh, let’s not be dramatic here.
He’ll be done with his eligibility younger than stetson bennett or chad baker-mazara 🤣
Don’t forget Hendon Hooker. Only four months younger with two fewer rings than Stet and no 2 Fly records either.
Okay guys, obviously I’m very biased, but he deserves these extra years after all the hardships he’s been through. This is not the same situation as a semi-arbitrary COVID 5th year, or the waivered 5th year internationals that teams like Cal love. Imagine where he could be right now if all the injuries didn’t derail his progress. I’m so happy he gets this opportunity!
He’ll be 26 when he graduates? Why not just go pro? This is crazy.
We agree! As A MAN VOL fan I wish Luca all the best and look forward to many great meets against UGA during his career.
Grant House reborn
Except he is faster and isnt suing the NCAA
yeah fifth years are not going anywhere and its going to get worse
What do you mean by that? There have been people using medical redshirts in every sport long before 5th years.
I keep hearing in basketball circles that current seniors are suing for more eligibility because they wont get four year of NIL