Annika McEnroe will transfer to Duke for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. McEnroe arrives after spending her undergraduate career at Cal but has two years of eligibility remaining.
McEnroe made her first NCAA Championships as a freshman, swimming to a 36th place finish in the 400 IM, 40th place finish in the 200 back, and a 58th place finish in the 200 IM.
She switched her focus to the backstroke events as a sophomore and swam lifetime best times at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships as she was 4rd in the 100 back in a 52.23 (51.97 in prelims) and 3rd in the 200 back in a 1:52.61. She also was 10th in the 200 IM in a lifetime best 1:58.01. She went on to swim at 2023 NCAAs and finished 28th in the 200 back, 30th in the 100 back, and 48th in the 200 IM.
She has not competed since midseason in 2023. That was the only meet she competed in during the 2023-2024 season for the Golden Bears. She has two years of eligibility left.
McEnroe’s lifetime best times are:
- 100 back: 51.97
- 200 back: 1:52.91
- 200 IM: 1:58.01
The Duke women finished 11th at the 2025 ACC Championships and went on to finish 21st at 2025 NCAAs. Kaelyn Gridley led the team at NCAAs with 26 individual points.
The backstroke cutlines got much faster this season but McEnroe’s lifetime best in the 200 back was still under the cutline as that sat at a 1:53.31. The 100 back cutline was a 51.68. Ali Pfaff was the lone backstroker for the Blue Devils at 2025 NCAAs as Pfaff finished 18th in the 100 (51.29) and 30th in the 200 (1:53.44). Pfaff just finished her sophomore season so the two will have the chance to train together.
In addition to her impact at the NCAA level, McEnroe’s lifetime best times in the 100 and 200 backstrokes are on the border of the ‘A’ and ‘B’ final. Her 200 IM lifetime best would have been on the border of the ‘B’ and ‘C’ final.
Spieker vs Taishoff is a depressing trade, but nevertheless Duke is a great school and Durham is pretty cool. Congrats and good luck! Hope to see her back at the big dance next spring.