2026 Nebraska School Activities Association State Swimming and Diving Championships
- Feb. 26-28,, 2026
- Lincoln, NE
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Two familiar champions climbed back atop the podium at the Nebraska State Swimming and Diving Championships.
The Omaha Marian girls repeated as champions, outlasting runner-up Lincoln East by three points after winning the 400 free relay.
For the third time in the last four years and 25th overall, Creighton Prep won the boys title, finishing 39.5 points ahead of runner-up Westside.
Girls’ Recap
Marian was led by senior Meredith Peyton, a Nebraska commit who captured two individual titles.
Peyton won the 200 IM in a personal best of 2:02.65 and then repeated as champion in the 100 fly in a time of 53.73.
Peyton also anchored in 49.90 to guide Marian to victory in the 400 free relay in a time of 3:30.98 and clinch the team title.
Other team members were Lucy Johansen (52.92), Charlotte Holcomb (52.86) and Olive French (54.66).
Lincoln East, leading by five points going into the 400 free relay, placed 3rd in a time of 3:31.91, losing eight points to Marian in the race and settling for the runner-up position in the team standings.
The other individual stars were Millard North sophomore Leah Inman and Brownell-Talbot freshman Millie Knudson.
After winning the 50 and 100 free events last year, Inman won the 200 free (1:48.33) and 500 free (4:59.80) this year to make it four individual titles already in her high school career.
Knudson was the sprint freestyle queen, claiming the 50 free in a personal best 22.63 and the 100 free in 50.17.
Other event winners were:
- Elkhorn won the 200 medley relay in 1:45.07 behind the team of Alice Ogura (26.04), Rachel Kathol (30.60), Bella Nordaker (24.67) and Oliva Maas (23.76).
- Marian sophomore Leila Steinhoff captured the 1-meter diving event with 433.40 points.
- In the 200 free relay, Elkhorn’s team of Jenna Poling (23.59), Nordaker (23.02), Maas (23.80) and Bessie Wagner (24.44) won with a time of 1:34.85.
- Ogura, a sophomore for Elkhorn, repeated as champion in the 100 back with a time of 55.51.
- Lincoln Southeast sophomore London Klein won the 100 breast with a personal best time of 1:05.06.
Girls’ Team Standings — Top 5
- Marian, 322
- Lincoln East, 319
- Elkhorn, 281
- Westside, 233
- Millard North, 173
Boys’ Recap
Creighton Prep won the title in decisive fashion despite having no 1st or 2nd-place finishes in any event. The leading point getter was senior Riley Mead, who took 3rd in the 50 free (21.38) and 100 fly (51.37), both in personal best times.
The two multi-event winners were Fremont junior Elliot Vech and Lincoln East junior Eje Kim.
Vech won the 200 free (1:38.91) and 100 free (45.35), both in personal best times.
Kim claimed the 100 fly title in a lifetime best of 47.95, and then followed up by defending his 100 back title with another PB of 48.95.
Both swimmers also played a role in a winning relay.
Kim led off in 22.44 on the backstroke leg for East’s team in the 200 medley relay that won with a time of 1:21.84. Other team members were Bennett Bacon (25.13), Quinn Berge (23.20) and Mason Orr (21.07).
Vech split 20.27 on the second leg of Fremont’s 200 free relay team that won with a time of 1:24.70. Other team members were Zayne Keslar (22.18), Dominic Morrison (21.97) and Jacob Hanson (20.28).
Other event winners were:
- Omaha Central senior Carter Hiley won the 200 IM in a personal best time of 1:49.99 after finishing 2nd last year.
- Westside junior Spencer Thorn won the 50 free in a personal best 21.20, improving on a 4th-place finish last year.
- Lincoln junior Colin Farr claimed the 1-meter diving title with 505.95 points.
- Bellevue West sophomore Alex Jones won the 500 free with a time of 4:41.15.
- Bacon, a junior for East, won the 100 breast in 56.25 after finishing 2nd last year.
- The 400 free relay was won by Westside’s team of Thorn (46.89), Aiden Olsen (47.06), Jake Jepsen (47.97) and Pearson Kratky (45.60) with a time of 3:07.52.
Boys’ Team Standings — Top 5
- Creighton Prep, 314.5
- Westside, 275
- Millard North, 194
- Fremont, 176
- Papillion Lavista 163
