2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships
- Dates: Wednesday, March 25–Saturday, March 28
- Location: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
- Defending Champions: Texas (1x)
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Texas junior Rex Maurer will race the 200 backstroke at the 2026 NCAA Championships. Maurer did not race the event last year, instead racing the 1650 freestyle where he was 2nd.
Despite being 2nd in the 1650 free last year, Maurer has not raced the event at all this season, meaning he had to find another event to swim as he did not have the qualifying time.
Maurer’s Individual Entries:
- 400 IM: #6 seed, 3:36.74
- 500 free: #1 seed, 4:08.46
- 200 back: #42 seed, 1:40.39
Maurer will look to defend his titles in both the 500 free and 400 IM as he won the 500 free last year in a 4:05.35 and the 400 IM in a 3:34.00. He is the American Record holder in the 500 freestyle as his lifetime best sits at a 4:04.45 at midseason in 2024.
He is the top seed in the 500 free by over half a second ahead of Zalan Sarkany of Indiana who finished 7th in the event last year. Sarkany notably earned the win in the 1650 ahead of Maurer last year.
Maurer’s 200 backstroke entry is notable as he is the #42 seed. He did not swim the 200 backstroke at SECs, instead swimming the 200 fly where he posted a personal best 1:41.35. That time would have made him the #31 seed in the 200 fly if he had opted for that event over the 200 backstroke.
Texas has the #18 (Cooper Lucas), #19 (Kyle Peck), and #28 (Ryan Brannon) seeds in the 200 fly, while #2 seed Hubert Kos is the only other Longhorn entered in the 200 backstroke alongside Maurer. Maurer has been as fast as 1:38.27 in the 200 back, a time he swam in November 2024 that would rank him as the #6 seed if it had been posted this season.
2nd in the 1650 last year btw. Probably gonna take a 1:38 to make it so best of luck. Weird call imo.
he’s been 1:38.2
Great call – The 1650 is boring whereas the 200 bk will be amazing.
Interested to see how his 200 Back goes. I feel like he will score, but no idea where
He’ll score in the 9-16 scoring probably I can’t imagine he surpasses that
Back to his freshman year lineup