SwimSwam’s 2023 Pre-NCAA Champion Picks (Women)

2023 NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Back in September/October, we picked who we thought would win each event at NCAAs. Read in-depth about those picks here. A quick summary of the most common pick at the start of the season can be seen in the chart below:

SwimSwam’s Pre-Season Top Pick
50 Free Kate Douglass, Virginia
100 Free Gretchen Walsh, Virginia
200 Free Taylor Ruck, Stanford
500 Free Erica Sullivan, Texas
1650 Free Paige McKenna, Wisconsin
100 back Katharine Berkoff, NC State
200 Back Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin
100 Breast Kaitlyn Dobler, USC/ Anna Elendt, Texas
200 Breast Kate Douglass, Virginia
100 Fly Maggie MacNeil, LSU
200 Fly Alex Walsh, Virginia
200 IM Alex Walsh, Virginia
400 IM Alex Walsh, Virginia
200 Medley Relay Virginia
400 medley Relay Virginia
200 Free relay Virginia
400 free relay Virginia
800 free relay Stanford

Obviously, things don’t always pan out the way we always expect (see UNC men’s basketball #1 during pre-season and miss the NCAA tournament this year). In addition, swimmers change their events as the season goes on. One example of this is that a majority of us writers picked Kate Douglass to win the 50 free at NCAAs. Douglass changed her lineup this year and has instead opted for the 200 IM over the 50 free.

In our updated picks, we all picked Gretchen Walsh to win the 50 free, even though a majority of us originally picked Douglass. We all still are expecting Alex Walsh to win 400 IM and Dogulass to win th 200 breast so it looks like we are in for a good week of competition. From a relay standpoint, no one changed a single pick as we all have Virginia winning the 200 and 400 frees as well as 200 and 400 medleys and Stanford winning the 800 free relay.

Updated Picks:

SwimSwam’s Top Pick Highest 2022 Returner Anya Braden James Robert YanYan Sophie Riley Spencer Ben Annika Reid
50 Free Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, UVA Gretchen Walsh, UVA Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, UVA Gretchen Walsh, UVA Gretchen Walsh, UVA
100 Free Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Gretchen Walsh, UVA Gretchen Walsh, UVA Maggie MacNeil, LSU Gretchen Walsh, UVA Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU
200 Free Taylor Ruck, Stanford Taylor Ruck, Stanford Aimee Canny, Virginia Taylor Ruck, Stanford Kelly Pash, Texas Taylor Ruck, Stanford Kelly Pash, Texas Kelly Pash, Texas Taylor Ruck, Stanford Taylor Ruck, Stanford Taylor Ruck, Stanford Taylor Ruck, Stanford Taylor Ruck, Stanford
500 Free Erica Sullivan, Texas Emma Weyant, Florida Erica Sullivan, Texas Emma Weyant, Florida Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, TX Emma Weyant, Florida Erica Sullivan, Texas
1650 Free Erica Sullivan, Texas Paige McKenna, Wisconsin Paige McKenna, Wisconsin Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas Paige McKenna, Wisconsin Paige McKenna, Wisconsin Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, TX Erica Sullivan, Texas Erica Sullivan, Texas
100 back Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC State Claire Curzan, Stanford Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC Sttate Gretchen Walsh, Virginia Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC State Claire Curzan, Stanford Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC State Katharine Berkoff, NC State
200 Back Claire Curzan, Stanford Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanfod Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin Claire Curzan, Stanford Claire Curzan, Stanford
100 Breast Lydia Jacoby, Texas Kaitlyn Dobler, USC Lydia Jacoby, Texas Kaitlyn Dobler, USC Kaitlyn Dobler, USC Lydia Jacoby, Texas Lydia Jacoby, Texas Lydia Jacoby, Texas Kaitlyn Dobler, USC Kaitlyn Dobler, USC Lydia Jacoby, TX Lydia Jacoby, Texas Lydia Jacoby, Texas
200 Breast Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, UVA Kate Douglass, UVA Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, UVA Kate Douglass, UVA Kate Douglass, UVA
100 Fly Maggie MacNeil, LSU Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Kate Douglass, Virginia Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Maggie MacNeil, LSU Kate Douglass, UVA
200 Fly Kelly Pash, Texas Alex Walsh, Virginia Kelly Pash, Texas Kelly Pash, Texas Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Kelly Pash, Texas Emma Sticklen, Texas Kelly Pash, Texas Kelly Pash, Texas Kelly Pash, TX Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia
200 IM Kate Douglass, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, UVA Alex Walsh, UVA Kate Douglass, Virginia Kate Douglass, UVA Kate Douglass, UVA Alex Walsh, Virginia
400 IM Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Wash, UVA Alex Walsh, UVA Alex Walsh, UVA Alex Walsh, UVA Alex Walsh, Virginia Alex Walsh, Virginia
200 Medley Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia UVA Virginia Virginia
400 medley Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia UVA Virginia Virginia
200 Free relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia UVA Virginia Virginia
400 free relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia UVA Virginia Virginia
800 free relay Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford Stanford
Potential Upset
Maybe not an “upset” but I really debated the 200 free. I’m thinking that Canny has the super excited freshman energy in her and wins the 200 free.
Lindsay Looney shocks Walsh/Texas trio and wins the 200 fly Is it an upset to pick the reigning Olympic gold medalist to win the comparable yards event? It feels like someone should mention the chance that Lydia Jacoby could adapt quickly to college and win the 100 breast. I hyped her up on the podcast, but I think Amy Fulmer is going to suprise us in the sprint events. 20/46-point on relays but she didn’t have the greatest individual races—she could be this year’s 2022 Kaitlyn Dobler. Pre-season I picked Emma Sticklen in the 200 fly as my potential upset. I’ve got her down as the winner now, so I’ll go for Olivia Bray as the 500 free champion. Dakota Luther, Texas in 200 fly. I can see her potentially giving Walsh a good battle since the event is on the last day and Walsh’s schedule is so heavy.
Mona McSharry of Tennessee could win the 100 breaststroke. I was actually close to choosing her over Dobler… this will be a great race.

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dscott
1 year ago

Good eye, James!

Megan Jones
1 year ago

Not putting Huske as a pick for 100 fly is disrespectful in my opinion. She’s the defending World Champion in LCM but I’m gonna have to pick MacNeil for this one

Last edited 1 year ago by Megan Jones
emma
Reply to  Megan Jones
1 year ago

“not putting Huske is disrespectful” *picks MacNeil*

Riser
1 year ago

Excuse me for my ignorance in asking this question, but why is Coleman not included in the picks? Why is that?

Christopher
1 year ago

I think A Walsh will win the 200 fly. Different level than Pash.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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