Time Standards for 2025 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships Released

by Will Baxley 7

September 07th, 2024 College, NCAA Division III, News

The NCAA has released the qualifying standards for the 2025 Division III Championships.

On the men’s side, the cut times got faster across the board compared to last year, particularly in the breaststroke. The women’s side also saw faster qualification times in nearly every event in the A-cut. The biggest changes coming from the 200 fly and other middle-distance events. Women’s B-cuts got slightly faster in butterfly, breaststroke, and IM events while remaining the same in freestyle and backstroke.

Men’s Cuts

Event 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut 2024 Invite Time
50 Free 19.46 20.37 20.16
100 Free 43.31 45.02 44.51
200 Free 1:36.16 1:39.40 1:38.62
500 Free 4:20.26 4:31.24 4:29.54
1650 Free 15:02.59 15:50.88 15:43.03
100 Back 46.29 49.28 48.62
200 Back 1:42.02 1:49.01 1:47.52
100 Breast 52.11 55.29 54.62
200 Breast 1:53.85 2:01.06 1:59.78
100 Fly 46.52 48.63 48.12
200 Fly 1:43.96 1:49.88 1:48.62
200 IM 1:44.94 1:50.25 1:49.24
400 IM 3:47.19 3:58.93 3:56.33
200 FR-R N/A 1:21.55 1:21.20
400 FR-R N/A 3:01.31 3:00.30
800 FR-R N/A 6:40.49 6:37.94
200 MR-R N/A 1:29.60 1:28.93
400 MR-R N/A 3:18.26 3:16.80

Women’s Cuts

Event 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut 2024 Invite Time
50 Free 22.65 23.57 23.53
100 Free 49.31 51.42 51.28
200 Free 1:47.13 1:52.17 1:51.64
500 Free 4:45.33 5:00.37 4:58.57
1650 Free 16:27.52 17:21.20 17:18.05
100 Back 53.70 56.76 56.73
200 Back 1:55.94 2:03.17 2:03.08
100 Breast 59.84 1:04.25 1:03.99
200 Breast 2:10.99 2:20.43 2:19.78
100 Fly 52.92 55.96 55.74
200 Fly 1:56.90 2:05.01 2:04.49
200 IM 1:58.27 2:05.70 2:05.44
400 IM 4:13.77 4:29.40 4:28.50
200 FR-R N/A 1:35.10 1:34.49
400 FR-R N/A 3:29.09 3:28.16
800 FR-R N/A 7:38.31 7:33.95
200 MR-R N/A 1:44.61 1:44.06
400 MR-R N/A 3:50.46 3:49.31

You can find the official documents here:

Comparing to last year’s standards

Men’s ‘A’ Cut Standards Comparison

Event 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut 2023-24 ‘A’ Cut Time Difference (s) Percentage Difference
50 Free 19.46 19.49 -0.03 -0.15%
100 Free 43.31 43.33 -0.02 -0.05%
200 Free 1:36.16 1:36.16 0.00 0.00%
500 Free 4:20.26 4:22.06 -1.80 -0.69%
1650 Free 15:02.59 15:14.69 -12.10 -1.33%
100 Back 46.29 46.29 0.00 0.00%
200 Back 1:42.02 1:42.23 -0.21 -0.20%
100 Breast 52.11 52.99 -0.88 -1.66%
200 Breast 1:53.85 1:55.65 -1.80 -1.54%
100 Fly 46.52 46.73 -0.21 -0.45%
200 Fly 1:43.96 1:44.48 -0.52 -0.50%
200 IM 1:44.94 1:46.29 -1.35 -1.27%
400 IM 3:47.19 3:49.29 -2.10 -0.92%

Men’s ‘B’ Cut Standards Comparison

Event 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut 2023-24 ‘B’ Cut Time Difference (s) Percentage Difference
50 Free 20.37 20.43 -0.06 -0.29%
100 Free 45.02 45.11 -0.09 -0.20%
200 Free 1:39.40 1:39.71 -0.31 -0.31%
500 Free 4:31.24 4:31.63 -0.39 -0.14%
1650 Free 15:50.88 15:50.88 0.00 0.00%
100 Back 49.28 49.48 -0.20 -0.40%
200 Back 1:49.01 1:49.15 -0.14 -0.13%
100 Breast 55.29 55.55 -0.26 -0.47%
200 Breast 2:01.06 2:01.59 -0.53 -0.44%
100 Fly 48.63 48.76 -0.13 -0.27%
200 Fly 1:49.88 1:50.26 -0.38 -0.34%
200 IM 1:50.25 1:50.64 -0.39 -0.35%
400 IM 3:58.93 3:59.21 -0.28 -0.12%

Women’s ‘A’ Cut Standards Comparison

Event 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut 2023-24 ‘A’ Cut Time Difference (s) Percentage Difference
50 Free 22.65 22.75 -0.10 -0.44%
100 Free 49.31 49.52 -0.21 -0.42%
200 Free 1:47.13 1:47.87 -0.74 -0.69%
500 Free 4:45.33 4:49.75 -4.42 -1.52%
1650 Free 16:27.52 16:32.84 -5.32 -0.54%
100 Back 53.70 53.83 -0.13 -0.24%
200 Back 1:55.94 1:56.94 -1.00 -0.86%
100 Breast 59.84 1:00.11 -0.27 -0.45%
200 Breast 2:10.99 2:11.20 -0.21 -0.16%
100 Fly 52.92 53.81 -0.89 -1.65%
200 Fly 1:56.90 1:59.83 -2.93 -2.45%
200 IM 1:58.27 1:58.47 -0.20 -0.17%
400 IM 4:13.77 4:15.91 -2.14 -0.84%

Women’s ‘B’ Cut Standards Comparison

Event 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut 2023-24 ‘B’ Cut Time Difference (s) Percentage Difference
50 Free 23.57 23.57 0.00 0.00%
100 Free 51.42 51.46 -0.04 -0.08%
200 Free 1:52.17 1:52.15 0.02 0.02%
500 Free 5:00.37 5:00.37 0.00 0.00%
1650 Free 17:21.20 17:21.20 0.00 0.00%
100 Back 56.76 56.76 0.00 0.00%
200 Back 2:03.17 2:03.17 0.00 0.00%
100 Breast 1:04.25 1:04.39 -0.14 -0.22%
200 Breast 2:20.43 2:20.85 -0.42 -0.30%
100 Fly 55.96 56.06 -0.10 -0.18%
200 Fly 2:05.01 2:05.26 -0.25 -0.20%
200 IM 2:05.70 2:05.76 -0.06 -0.05%
400 IM 4:29.40 4:29.67 -0.27 -0.10%

Meet Selection Process

First, the top 20 women and top 16 men in each individual event are selected. After that, members of the top 20 women’s and top 16 men’s relays receive invites. If the maximum invite of 319 women and 260 men is not yet met, swimmers are added one by one in individual events until the invite capacity is reached. There are 24 men’s and 29 women’s diving spots reserved out of the total invites from their respective meets. Invite selection for divers take place according to regional placements

The meet will take place from March 19-22, 2025 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.

7
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

7 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
John
1 month ago

The A cuts are crazy fast. My daughter, who was a D1 Mid-Major Conference Champion in the 1650 two years ago and 500 champion last year, isn’t close to those A cuts.

BaldingEagle
1 month ago

I remember 1992, when the D-3 “A” cut for the backstrokes was not changed, even though the NCAA adapted the FINA/USAS rule for backstroke turns in December, 1991. That was also the first year for “A” and “B” cuts, though enough planning had been done to make the “A” cuts the average of the 5th best time in each event for the previous 3 years. This was NCAA’s attempt to hold down the cost of flying people to the meet and putting them up in hotels.

The result was that something like 22-25+ or more guys made the 200 back “A” cut. The cut time had been based on 7 old-style turns. The selection rules stated that every event… Read more »

Last edited 1 month ago by BaldingEagle
Erin
1 month ago

What is the actual purpose of A cuts? Barely anyone gets them and it doesn’t impact the number of swimmers invited in each event. Why not just get rid of them altogether?

Admin
Reply to  Erin
1 month ago

Sort of a ‘motivational’ thing, I guess.

Keith
Reply to  Erin
1 month ago

I think A-Cuts are three year average of winning time. Prior to the 2013 Championships, I think there based off something like a three year average of 5th place time. This resulted in 22 A-Cuts in Men’s 100 Fly and 19 in men’s 200 Fly. This was in addition to 16 Relays being priority number two after A-Cuts. Some events had as few as 12 Qualifiers. The next year A-Cuts were changed to prevent this from happening again. The process was also adjusted to make sure this is no more than 1 line difference between relay and individual qualifiers.

Clown Show
1 month ago

These A cuts are beyond stupid

Applesandoranges
Reply to  Clown Show
1 month ago

Yup. They’ll have two A cut qualifies and the rest will be invites.