SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which of the remaining women’s NCAA records set prior to 2020 will be the next to go down:
Question: Which pre-2020 women’s NCAA Record will fall first?
RESULTS
- 200 free – 1:39.10 (Missy Franklin) – 67.1%
- 400 IM – 3:54.60 (Ella Eastin) – 16.7%
- 100 breast – 55.73 (Lilly King) – 14.3%
- 500 free – 4:24.06 (Katie Ledecky) – 1.6%
- 1650 free – 15:03.31 (Katie Ledecky) – 0.4%
The Virginia women’s dynasty in college swimming has resulted in the NCAA record books being rewritten over the last five years. Out of the 13 individual championship events on the program, the Cavaliers own seven of them: Gretchen Walsh holds the all-time records in the women’s 50 free, 100 free, 100 back and 100 fly, Kate Douglass is the fastest in history in the 200 breast and 200 IM, and Claire Curzan recently reset her all-time mark in the 200 back.
Another UVA star, Alex Walsh, previously owned the NCAA Record in the 200 fly, but it was broken by Texas’ Emma Sticklen last year.
Beyond those eight events, the remaining five have NCAA Records that have been on the books for at least seven years.
The oldest mark belongs to Missy Franklin, who established the 200 free record of 1:39.10 at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Katie Ledecky‘s records in the 500 free (4:24.06) and 1650 free (15:03.31) were both set in 2017 (though in different seasons), while her Stanford teammate Ella Eastin produced the 400 IM mark of 3:54.60 at the 2018 NCAAs.
Indiana legend Lilly King broke the NCAA Record in the 100 breast six times during her college career, culminating with a 55.73 clocking at the 2019 NCAAs.
In our most recent poll, we asked SwimSwam readers which of these five pre-2020 records will be the next to go down, and the 200 free earned more than two-thirds of votes at 67.1%.
After Franklin’s historic 1:39.10 swim in 2015, the only swimmer who broke the 1:40 barrier over the next nine-plus years was Mallory Comerford, who clocked 1:39.80 at the 2018 NCAA Championships.
In the last 12 months, however, we’ve seen two more swimmers join the sub-1:40 club, with G. Walsh taking a serious run at Franklin’s record at the 2025 ACC Championships, clocking 1:39.34, and then last week, UVA’s Anna Moesch fired off a time of 1:39.72 to make it four swimmers in history under 1:40.
Although Walsh has graduated, Moesch is a strong candidate to take down Franklin’s record, potentially next month if she nails her taper for NCAAs. We’ve also seen USC’s Minna Abraham (1:40.47) and Indiana’s Liberty Clark (1:40.84) go sub-1:41 this season, setting up an exciting race in three weeks.
NCAA Record vs #2 All-Time (Collegiately) vs #1 This Season
| Event | NCAA Record | #2 All-Time | Fastest In 25-26 |
| 200 Free | 1:39.10 | 1:39.34 | 1:39.72 |
| 500 Free | 4:24.06 | 4:28.90 | 4:30.53 |
| 1650 Free | 15:03.31 | 15:25.30 | 15:32.75 |
| 100 Breast | 55.73 | 56.09 | 56.77 |
| 400 IM | 3:54.60 | 3:55.97 | 3:58.02 |
Looking at the numbers, the only record that looks like it has a legitimate chance of being broken before the 200 free is the 100 breast, as just last season, we saw another Virginia swimmer, Jasmine Nocentini, come within 36 one-hundredths of King’s record in 56.09.
Although Nocentini has graduated, there have already been two swimmers under 57 seconds this season, Eneli Jefimova (56.77) and Anita Bottazzo (56.87), and Anastasia Gorbenko (57.03) isn’t far behind. Jefimova and Gorbenko have accomplished international resumes and will race in their first NCAA Championship meet in March with a chance to climb the all-time rankings and potentially challenge King’s record.
The 400 IM ended up earning more votes than the 100 breast, despite the fact that no one has seriously challenged Eastin’s record.
A. Walsh is the #2 performer of all-time and is 1.37 seconds slower than Eastin at 3:55.97.
There are three swimmers currently competing in the NCAA who have broken 3:58 in their career, those being Bella Sims (3:56.59), Katie Grimes (3:57.02) and Caroline Bricker (3:57.36). Of those three, only Bricker set her best time in college.
Sims leads the national rankings so far this season at 3:58.02, followed by Lucy Bell (3:59.11), Bricker (3:59.70) and Grimes (3:59.80).
As for Ledecky’s records in the 500 and 1650 free, those don’t look like they’re going down anytime soon.
The fastest times produced by current NCAA swimmers in the 500 belong to Grimes (4:28.27), Sims (4:28.64) and Claire Weinstein (4:29.38), the Sandpipers of Nevada trio who all produced those swims while competing at the club level. Even if they were to match their career bests while in college, there’s still a long way to go to reach Ledecky’s 4:24.06.
In the 1650, Ledecky’s U.S. Open Record of 14:59.62 set last December is more than 24 seconds faster than the next-fastest swimmer, that being Erica Sullivan, another Sandpiper product, who went 15:23.81 in 2019.
Among collegiate performances, Ledecky’s 15:03.31 record is 22 seconds quicker than the second-fastest NCAA performer ever, Leah Smith (15:25.30). Among active college swimmers, Grimes owns the fastest PB at 15:26.17.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: What was the top relay split we saw across ACCs and SECs?
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When do we think Ledecky’s 15:03 NCAA record goes down? Before or after 2028? 2029?
No way. I am anticipating 15-20 years at the bare minimum for just 15:03 to go down. 14:59 may not be beaten in some of our lifetimes
wow I didn’t realize nocentinis 56.09 was 2nd all time. what a wild year she had
She had one more year of eligibility that she didn’t use IIRC, would have been fun to see what she could have done
I don’t see anyone breaking Eastin’s record for a while. Think the 100br will go before that.
Bricker might, but would have to drop 3 more seconds
I doubt it
Just curious, but for the people who picked Ledecky’s 1650: what were you thinking?
The 200 Free is by far the next record to fall here. I think Moesch takes is down at NCAAs honestly
One thing about Moesch is that she split it 23, 25, 25, 25. She got faster on the last 3 50’s which is rare. Makes me think she has a lot more in the tank come NCAA’s. Potentially 1:38
I keep forgetting how fast Sims has been in the 400 IM, jeez. Would love to see her get back down there.
It is a bit funny that the record voted the most untouchable is also the only one on this list that has been beaten, even if it happened outside of NCAA.
14:59 boggles my mind every time I see it. Looks like a men’s time!
1650 free or 100 fly?
100 fly hasn’t been beaten..
its also not even on the list
Which one I believe will be broken first? I’d say 100 fly, if only because NCAA is very sprint-focused and therefore more likely to attract the next generational sprint flyer then the next generational distance swimmer.
And outside of NCAA Gretchen herself could rebreak US open record if she wants to, while Katie claims to be done with 1650.
Also there isn’t a lot of young talent in distance free compared to fly. So that is also a factor. Unless someone comes out of nowhere