The qualifying standards for the 2026 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships have been released.
The competition is scheduled for March 11-14, 2026, in Evansville, Indiana.
2026 NCAA DIVISION II QUALIFYING TIMES
| Women’s ‘B’ | Women’s ‘A’ | Event | Men’s ‘A’ | Men’s ‘B’ |
| 23.62 | 22.50 | 50 Freestyle | 19.39 | 20.36 |
| 51.94 | 49.47 | 100 Freestyle | 43.08 | 45.23 |
| 1:52.69 | 1:47.32 | 200 Freestyle | 1:34.74 | 1:39.48 |
| 5:03.89 | 4:49.42 | 500 Freestyle | 4:19.98 | 4:32.98 |
| 10:22.42 | 9:52.78 | 1000 Freestyle | 8:58.94 | 9:25.89 |
| 17:20.73 | 16:31.17 | 1650 Freestyle | 15:11.41 | 15:56.98 |
| 56.16 | 53.49 | 100 Backstroke | 46.32 | 48.64 |
| 2:02.85 | 1:57.00 | 200 Backstroke | 1:42.18 | 1:47.29 |
| 1:04.08 | 1:01.03 | 100 Breaststroke | 52.6 | 55.23 |
| 2:19.71 | 2:13.06 | 200 Breaststroke | 1:55.12 | 2:00.87 |
| 56.04 | 53.37 | 100 Butterfly | 46.17 | 48.48 |
| 2:04.92 | 1:58.97 | 200 Butterfly | 1:44.66 | 1:49.89 |
| 2:05.36 | 1:59.39 | 200 Individual Medley | 1:44.60 | 1:49.83 |
| 4:29.14 | 4:16.33 | 400 Individual Medley | 3:46.91 | 3:58.26 |
RELAY STANDARDS
| Women’s ‘B’ Standard | Relay Event |
Men’s ‘B’ Standard
|
| 1:33.14 | 200 Freestyle Relay | 1:19.88 |
| 3:24.60 | 400 Freestyle Relay | 2:56.83 |
| 7:27.03 | 800 Freestyle Relay | 6:33.68 |
| 1:42.20 | 200 Medley Relay | 1:27.39 |
| 3:44.86 | 400 Medley Relay | 3:12.57 |
DIVING STANDARDS
Women’s
| Event | Optional Dives Points (6 dives) | Championship Points (11 dives) |
Min. Degree of Difficulty
|
| 1-Meter Diving | 255 | 390 | 13 |
| 3-Meter Diving | 265 | 420 | 13.3 |
Men’s
| Event | Optional Dives Points (6 dives) | Championship Points (11 dives) |
Min. Degree of Difficulty
|
| 1-Meter Diving | 285 | 440 | 14 |
| 3-Meter Diving | 295 | 460 | 15 |
The individual time standards have seen modest changes from last year, with six women’s ‘A’ cuts and seven men’s ‘A’ cuts getting faster, while seven ‘B’ cuts have gotten quicker for both men and women. The rest of the standards remain the same.
WOMEN’S NCAA DIVISION II QUALIFYING TIMES: 2025 VS 2026
| 2025 ‘B’ | 2025 ‘A’ | Event | 2026 ‘A’ | 2026 ‘B’ |
| 23.77 | 22.63 | 50 Freestyle | 22.50 | 23.62 |
| 51.95 | 49.47 | 100 Freestyle | 49.47 | 51.94 |
| 1:53.08 | 1:47.70 | 200 Freestyle | 1:47.32 | 1:52.69 |
| 5:04.69 | 4:50.18 | 500 Freestyle | 4:49.42 | 5:03.89 |
| 10:24.51 | 9:54.77 | 1000 Freestyle | 9:52.78 | 10:22.42 |
| 17:20.73 | 16:31.17 | 1650 Freestyle | 16:31.17 | 17:20.73 |
| 56.18 | 53.51 | 100 Backstroke | 53.49 | 56.16 |
| 2:02.85 | 1:57.00 | 200 Backstroke | 1:57.00 | 2:02.85 |
| 1:04.08 | 1:01.03 | 100 Breaststroke | 1:01.03 | 1:04.08 |
| 2:19.71 | 2:13.06 | 200 Breaststroke | 2:13.06 | 2:19.71 |
| 56.04 | 53.37 | 100 Butterfly | 53.37 | 56.04 |
| 2:04.92 | 1:58.97 | 200 Butterfly | 1:58.97 | 2:04.92 |
| 2:05.36 | 1:59.39 | 200 Individual Medley | 1:59.39 | 2:05.36 |
| 4:29.89 | 4:17.04 | 400 Individual Medley | 4:16.33 | 4:29.14 |
MEN’S NCAA DIVISION II QUALIFYING TIMES: 2025 VS 2026
| 2025 ‘B’ | 2025 ‘A’ | Event | 2026 ‘A’ | 2026 ‘B’ |
| 20.36 | 19.39 | 50 Freestyle | 19.39 | 20.36 |
| 45.23 | 43.08 | 100 Freestyle | 43.08 | 45.23 |
| 1:40.00 | 1:35.24 | 200 Freestyle | 1:34.74 | 1:39.48 |
| 4:33.67 | 4:20.64 | 500 Freestyle | 4:19.98 | 4:32.98 |
| 9:27.64 | 9:00.61 | 1000 Freestyle | 8:58.94 | 9:25.89 |
| 15:57.63 | 15:12.03 | 1650 Freestyle | 15:11.41 | 15:56.98 |
| 48.64 | 46.32 | 100 Backstroke | 46.32 | 48.64 |
| 1:47.29 | 1:42.18 | 200 Backstroke | 1:42.18 | 1:47.29 |
| 55.33 | 52.69 | 100 Breaststroke | 52.60 | 55.23 |
| 2:00.87 | 1:55.12 | 200 Breaststroke | 1:55.12 | 2:00.87 |
| 48.58 | 46.26 | 100 Butterfly | 46.17 | 48.48 |
| 1:49.89 | 1:44.66 | 200 Butterfly | 1:44.66 | 1:49.89 |
| 1:50.34 | 1:45.08 | 200 Individual Medley | 1:44.60 | 1:49.83 |
| 3:58.26 | 3:46.91 | 400 Individual Medley | 3:46.91 | 3:58.26 |
The events that saw the biggest improvements in terms of percentage change were the 50 free for the women, while for the men the biggest drops came in the 200 free and 200 IM.
WOMEN’S ‘A’ CUT CHANGES
| Event | 2025 | 2026 | % Change |
| 50 Freestyle | 22.63 | 22.50 | -0.57% |
| 200 Freestyle | 1:47.70 | 1:47.32 | -0.35% |
| 500 Freestyle | 4:50.18 | 4:49.42 | -0.26% |
| 1000 Freestyle | 9:54.77 | 9:52.78 | -0.34% |
| 100 Backstroke | 53.51 | 53.49 | -0.04% |
| 400 Individual Medley | 4:17.04 | 4:16.33 | -0.28% |
WOMEN’S ‘B’ CUT CHANGES
| Event | 2025 | 2026 | % Change |
| 50 Freestyle | 23.77 | 23.62 | -0.63% |
| 100 Freestyle | 51.95 | 51.94 | -0.02% |
| 200 Freestyle | 1:53.08 | 1:52.69 | -0.35% |
| 500 Freestyle | 5:04.69 | 5:03.89 | -0.26% |
| 1000 Freestyle | 10:24.51 | 10:22.42 | -0.34% |
| 100 Backstroke | 56.18 | 56.16 | -0.04% |
| 400 Individual Medley | 4:29.89 | 4:29.14 | -0.28% |
MEN’S ‘A’ CUT CHANGES
| Event | 2025 | 2026 | % Change |
| 200 Freestyle | 1:35.24 | 1:34.74 | -0.52% |
| 500 Freestyle | 4:20.64 | 4:19.98 | -0.25% |
| 1000 Freestyle | 9:00.61 | 8:58.94 | -0.31% |
| 1650 Freestyle | 15:12.03 | 15:11.41 | -0.07% |
| 100 Breaststroke | 52.69 | 52.6 | -0.17% |
| 100 Butterfly | 46.26 | 46.17 | -0.19% |
| 200 Individual Medley | 1:45.08 | 1:44.60 | -0.46% |
MEN’S ‘B’ CUT CHANGES
| Event | 2025 | 2026 | % Change |
| 200 Freestyle | 1:40.00 | 1:39.48 | -0.52% |
| 500 Freestyle | 4:33.67 | 4:32.98 | -0.25% |
| 1000 Freestyle | 9:27.64 | 9:25.89 | -0.31% |
| 1650 Freestyle | 15:57.63 | 15:56.98 | -0.07% |
| 100 Breaststroke | 55.33 | 55.23 | -0.18% |
| 100 Butterfly | 48.58 | 48.48 | -0.21% |
| 200 Individual Medley | 1:50.34 | 1:49.83 | -0.46% |
RELAY CUTS: 2025 VS 2026
For the relays, four of the women’s provisional cuts got quicker, with only the 400 medley relay remaining the same, while on the men’s side, the 200 free relay was the only one that didn’t improve.
| % Change (Women) | 2025 Women Cut | 2026 Women Cut | Relay Event | 2026 Men Cut | 2025 Men Cut |
% Change (Men)
|
| -0.38% | 1:33.56 | 1:33.14 | 200 Freestyle Relay | 1:19.88 | 1:19.88 | 0.00% |
| -0.24% | 3:25.09 | 3:24.60 | 400 Freestyle Relay | 2:56.83 | 2:57.46 | -0.36% |
| -0.29% | 7:28.30 | 7:27.03 | 800 Freestyle Relay | 6:33.68 | 6:45.00 | -2.81% |
| -0.25% | 1:42.46 | 1:42.20 | 200 Medley Relay | 1:27.39 | 1:27.60 | -0.24% |
| 0.00% | 3:44.86 | 3:44.86 | 400 Medley Relay | 3:12.57 | 3:13.14 | -0.29% |
The number of participants selected for the Division II Swimming & Championships is capped at 175 men (157 swimmers/18 divers) and 205 women (183 swimmers/22 divers). Unlike Division I and Division III, swimmers in Division II can enter up to four individual races. Division II also sponsors the 1000 freestyle as a championship event, which neither Division I nor Division III does.
At the 2025 NCAA Division II Championships, the Nova Southeastern women claimed their third consecutive national title, while the Drury men earned their first title since 2014. There were also an incredible 13 D2 records broken at the meet.
So much for ‘A’ and ‘B’ qualifying standards going away in favor of automatic qualifying, or is that convo only re: Division 1?