2026 Columbia Spring Sectionals
- March 12-15, 2026
- Columbia, MO
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Mobile “Region VIII Speedo Spring Sectionals”
The final session of the 2026 Columbia Sectionals proved just as speedy as its preceding sessions.
The biggest news out of Sunday’s session came from 14-year-old Lexie D’Amico of the Razorback Aquatics. She blitzed a 27.80 in the 50 breaststroke final to win and set the 13-14 NAG in the event. You can read more about D’Amico’s milestone swim here.
Beyond the NAG, Zoe Smith lit up the Missouri pool with her 100 freestyle win. Her 47.80 time marks a new personal best by over a second. Previously, her best stood at 48.82 from Arkansas 6A State Championships. Smith’s future NCAA team, NC State, will be enthused about this swim, as it would rank second among Pack swimmers at the ACC Championships. Only Erika Pelaez bested 47.80 at the conference meet by posting a 47.20 on the relay lead-off. Smith’s swim places her firmly in contention for top 16 at ACCs as well as a spot on NC State’s 400 freestyle relay.
Smith was a double winner, also commanding the 50 back A final with a 24.18.
The last session featured other repeat winners in names such as Ty Thomas and Lucy Velte. They won the 200 IM for their respective genders: Thomas unleashed a 1:45.21 to win by five seconds, while Velte posted a 1:55.69, a three-second best time for the Northwestern commit.
NCAA Division II Finalist and Ukrainian national Viktor Khnykin dipped under 22 to claim the men’s 50 back in 21.99. Behind him was Graham Henderson in 22.18, which launched him to #5 in the country among 15-16 boys.
The men’s 100 free went to future ASU Sun Devil Dillon Albertyn, who demonstrated consistency by tying his lifetime best of 44.03.
Rounding out the final session’s winners was Canaan Brice, who picked up his first gold of the meet with a 24.51 50 breast outing.
Lucy Velte is a Northwestern commit. That was a huge “get” for Northwestern and I think it is the start of something big there. They can build a top tier program around Velte, especially now that Rachel Stratton-Mills is getting momentum as she starts to get the classes that she actually recruited on campus.
Just because she can recruit well, doesn’t mean she’s developing the womens team successfully. Men have seen success but having only 1-2 individual qualifiers for NCAAs over her three seasons at Northwestern on the womens side, very few time drops across seasons, and the women almost getting beat by Nebraska at Big Tens (no shade on Nebraska they had some great swims), does not bode an upward trajectory even if getting top recruits. If you look at 2020 (when covid cancelled NCAAs)-2023 Northwestern had no less than 4 individual qualifiers and many years of 8-9 individual qualifiers as well, placing top 18 multiple times. Recruiting is only half of the upward trajectory of a program-development is the other half.
Velte heading to Northwestern* she’ll be a force in the Big10. Can’t wait to watch her break the 1:53.1 200IM school record
I feel like there’s no way velte stays committed to northeastern… that would be a team record by 5 seconds
She’s committed to ***Northwestern and I think it’s actually the opposite. All it takes is one person’s commitment to start momentum for a program. Velte could be doing what Crush did for Tennessee. Can’t wait to see what she does for them.
well northwestern is quite a bit better so that makes more sense
but Tennessee has been on the rise the past few years long before crush, I would say more like Douglass/walshes to UVA back in 2018/19
I am committed to Northwestern, not Northeastern. Go ‘Cats!
I’m sorry the article said northeastern earlier 😔 u ate that 2 IM
My favorite part of all these ridiculous swims in Columbia is that none of these high school kids want to swim for Mizzou.
Wonder why?
Arguably the most stagnant and unappealing program in the Power 4 right now
Mizzou is lacking in ALL sports really!