SwimSwam Virginia Women Six-Peat, Cal Men Win First ACC Title & Texas Sweep SEC Titles In Conference Debut

Conference Championships Chaos: The busiest week of the year is in the books as the dust has settled from the ACC, SEC and Women's Big Ten Championships, with the Virginia women making it six ACC titles in a row and conference debutants Cal and Texas winning championship titles.

Also: All of the highlights from conference meets, including five new U.S. Open Records in relays, Maximus Williamson sets a trio of National High School Records, and USA Swimming announces its new CEO and President.

Virginia Women Make It Six ACC Titles In A Row

Another chapter of the University of Virginia women's dynasty was written on Saturday as the Cavaliers rolled to their sixth consecutive ACC Championship title, comfortably topping runner-up Stanford by over 300 points.

Leading the way for UVA was superstar Gretchen Walsh, who went undefeated with individual titles in the 50 free (20.60), 100 free (45.20) and 100 back (48.95) to score the maximum 96 points, while fifth-year Alex Walsh and freshman Katie Grimes also won multiple individual events.

Walsh topped the 200 breast (2:03.65) and 200 fly (1:50.43), while Grimes won the 500 free (4:32.69) and 400 IM (3:59.69) in her first-ever college championship meet.

The Virginia women also had some phenomenal performances in the relays, which kicked off on the opening night in the 800 free relay.

Gretchen Walsh led off in 1:39.34, ranking her #2 all-time in the 200 free behind Missy Franklin (1:39.10), and was followed by Alex Walsh (1:41.87), Aimee Canny (1:42.03) and Curzan (1:40.89) for a final time of 6:44.13, breaking Stanford's NCAA and U.S. Open Record of 6:45.91 from 2017. The swim gave the Cavaliers ownership of all five women's NCAA relay records.

The UVA women added a second all-time record in the 400 medley relay, as Curzan (49.35), A. Walsh (57.05), G. Walsh (47.00) and Anna Moesch (46.18) combined for a time of 3:19.58, obliterating the former NCAA and U.S. Open Record of 3:21.01 and the American Record of 3:21.80, both previously held by UVA teams.

The 47.00 fly split for Walsh marked the fastest ever, and she also reeled off the fastest 100 free relay leg of all-time in the 400 free relay, anchoring in 44.93 as the Cavs touched in a time of 3:05.93, just nine one-hundredths off the NCAA and U.S. Open Record they set at the 2023 NCAAs.

Other highlights from the meet included Stanford's Torri Huske winning the 100 fly in 48.52, a new best time that holds her ranking at #4 all-time but is just six one-hundredths shy of the #2 time held by Kate Douglass (48.46).

Huske also won the 200 IM (1:51.46) and was the runner-up to G. Walsh in the 100 free, setting a new best time of 46.09 to rank #6 all-time.

The Cardinal were 2nd in the team race with Louisville, Cal and NC State rounding out the top five.

Women's ACC Team Standings – Top 5

1. Virginia – 1451.5
2. Stanford – 1141
3. Louisville – 935.5
4. California – 864
5. North Carolina State – 787.5

Cal Men Claim ACC Title In Conference Championship Debut

The former Pac-12 teams crashed the party at the ACC Championships in the men's meet, as newcomers Cal handily won the conference title and Stanford finished as the runners-up to end NC State's reign at the top.

The Golden Bears finished with 1271.5 points to best the Cardinal (1065) by more than 200 points, while the Wolfpack (1021) placed 3rd.

Cal got the job done thanks in part to three relay titles, resetting the ACC Championship Record in the 200 medley (1:21.54), 400 free (2:44.81) and 800 free (6:06.66) relays.

Individually, Cal was led by Gabriel Jett and Lucas Henveaux, who scored 86 and 85.5 points respectively, with Jett winning the 200 back (1:37.19) and Henveaux winning the 500 free (4:08.83), with Jett placing 2nd, as both victories marked new meet records.

Jack Alexy also had a win for the Bears in the 100 free (41.19) and featured on all three winning relays.

Virginia Tech's Carles Coll Marti earned Men's Swimmer of the Meet honors after leading the way with 90 individual points, winning the 200 breast (1:49.62) with a new conference record and adding a second title in the 200 IM (1:40.95).

For runner-up Stanford, their top performer was Andrei Minakov, who swept the 100 fly (44.27) and 200 fly (1:39.03) with a pair of season-best times.

Men's ACC Team Standings – Top 5

1. California- 1271.5
2. Stanford – 1065
3. NC State – 1021
4. North Carolina – 852
5. Louisville – 814.5

Sticklen, Cox Lead Texas Women To First SEC Title

The Texas women ended Florida's two-year run as the Longhorns cruised to the SEC title with 1450 points, leading the runner-up Gators (1179) by 271 points.

Leading the way for the Longhorns was fifth-year Emma Sticklen, who swept her individual events with a new SEC Record in the 200 fly (1:49.17) and additional wins in the 100 fly (49.40) and 200 IM (1:52.42).

Sticklen's swim in the 200 fly was also just .01 shy of the NCAA Record held by Virginia's Alex Walsh (1:49.16).

Another top performer for Texas was freshman Jillian Cox, who set Championship Records en route to wins in the 500 free (4:31.54) and 1650 free (15:30.33), with her mile time improving on her nation-leading marker of 15:34.66 from the Texas Hall of Fame Invite (she leads the NCAA in the 500 free at 4:30.68 from the Invite).

Texas also won the 200 free (1:25.90) and 200 medley relays (1:33.84), setting a new meet record in the latter, and ranking 2nd on the team with 82 points (behind Sticklen's 96) was sophomore Campbell Stoll, who was the runner-up to Sticklen in the 200 fly and 200 IM and placed 3rd in the 400 IM.

Other standouts at the meet included Tennessee sophomore Camille Spink, Florida sophomore Bella Sims and Tennessee fifth-year Mona McSharry.

Spink swept the 50 free (21.23), 100 free (46.25) and 200 free (1:42.06), setting new best times in all three and defending her titles in the 50 and 100 that she won as a freshman. She also provided key legs of 1:41.28 and 46.01 on Tennessee's winning 800 and 400 free relays, respectively.

Sims was on fire in the backstroke events, first setting a new SEC Record in winning the 100 back final (49.20) before re-lowering it leading off the Gators' 400 medley relay (48.97) later that same session. Florida clocked 3:24.78 in the relay to set a new conference record as well.

The next night in the 200 back, Sims defended her title in 1:48.28, knocking four one-hundredths off her previous best set in December 2022. She also placed 3rd in the 200 IM after winning it last season.

McSharry won the 100 breast for the fourth straight year in a time of 57.26, edging out teammate McKenzie Siroky by .01, and then won the 200 breast for the third consecutive time, clocking 2:05.85 to lead Alabama's Avery Wiseman (2:06.28).

Women's SEC Team Standings – Top 5

1. Texas – 1450
2. Florida – 1179
3. Tennessee – 1172
4. Georgia – 689.5
5. South Carolina – 635.5

Three NCAA Relay Records Fall As Texas Men End Florida's SEC Title Run

The Texas men snapped Florida's run of dominance in the SEC by winning the conference title in their debut at the championships, scoring 1474.5 points to top the Gators (1325) by 149.5.

Leading the way for the Longhorns was sophomore Rex Maurer, who won the 500 free (4:07.09) and 400 IM (3:35.61) and placed 3rd in the 1650 free to lead all men with 91 individual points.

Despite Texas' historic win, the real story of the men's meet was the fact that we saw four NCAA and U.S. Open Records broken, with three of them coming in relays.

The first came in the 200 free relay, where the Tennessee quartet of Jordan Crooks (17.96), Gui Caribe (18.04), Lamar Taylor (18.25) and Nikoli Blackman (18.55) combined for a time of 1:12.80, obliterating the all-time record of 1:13.35 set by Florida in 2023.

The Gators were also under the old record in 1:13.29, with Josh Liendo leading off in 18.26 and freshman Alex Painter providing their fastest split of 18.18 on the second leg.

The next night, Florida senior Julian Smith made history with the fastest swim of all-time in the 100 breast, touching in 49.51 to erase the NCAA and U.S. Open Record of 49.53 set by Cal's Liam Bell last season. Smith also broke his own SEC Record of 49.98 which he set earlier this season.

Later in the session, in the 400 medley relay, Florida threw down an earth-shattering record, as Jonny Marshall (43.91), Smith (48.95), Liendo (42.12) and Painter (40.68) combined for a time of 2:55.66, obliterating the previous NCAA Record of 2:57.32 set by Arizona State last year.

Liendo's fly split was the fastest in history, while Smith's breast leg was #2 all-time.

To close things out on the final night of racing, the Tennessee quartet of Caribe (41.11), Blackman (41.13), Taylor (40.65) and Crooks (39.52) smashed the NCAA and U.S. Open Record in the 400 free relay, clocking 2:42.41 to lower the previous mark of 2:43.40 set by Arizona State last year.

Crooks' 39.52 split marks the fastest ever.

Florida wasn't far off the previous record, with Liendo (40.78), Smith (40.76), Painter (40.85) and Scotty Buff (41.21) clocking 2:43.60.

The other two relays were also quick. In the 200 medley, Tennessee narrowly missed the all-time record in 1:20.22, seven one-hundredths shy of Florida's mark from the 2024 NCAAs (1:20.15), and in the 800 free, Florida won in 6:02.50, just 24 one-hundredths off the NCAA Record held by Cal (6:02.26). Texas placed 2nd in the relay in 6:03.24, setting a new American Record.

Florida's Smith went on to win Men's Swimmer of the Meet after he also won the 200 IM (1:39.38), placed 6th in the 100 free (41.34), and had sizzling splits in the 200 medley (22.15 on breast for #1 all-time) and 800 free relays (1:29.67).

Other highlights included Georgia's Luca Urlando coming within .01 of his NCAA Record in the 200 fly (1:37.18) set earlier this season, Liendo breaking his SEC Championship Record in the 100 fly (43.23), Crooks breaking his Championship Record in the 50 free (17.85), and then Liendo and Crooks tying for the title in the 100 free, clocking matching 40.45s.

Men's SEC Team Standings – Top 5

1. Texas – 1474.5
2. Florida – 1325
3. Tennessee – 977.5
4. Georgia – 796.5
5. Texas A&M – 790

Depth, Freshmen Propel Ohio State To Fifth Women's Big Ten Title In Six Years

The Ohio State women returned to the top of the heap in the Big Ten, winning the conference title for the fifth time in six seasons after suffering a half-point upset loss to Indiana in 2024.

The Buckeyes scored 1313.5 points to lead the Hoosiers (1255.5) by 58, with Michigan ranking 3rd (1149.5).

Ohio State won two events throughout the competition, with depth proving to be a key factor in the victory. Their freshman class also accounted for 39% of the team's individual points.

Winning titles for OSU were junior Lena Hentschel in the 1-meter diving event (328.75) and freshman Sienna Angove in the 400 IM (4:03.92).

The top performer of the meet was Wisconsin fifth-year Phoebe Bacon, who went three-for-three individually with repeat wins in the 200 back (1:48.75) and 200 IM (1:53.12) and reclaiming the title she last won in 2022 in the 100 back (50.14).

Bacon was named Swimmer of the Meet, while Indiana's Skyler Liu picked up Diver of the Meet honors.

Women's Big Ten Team Standings – Top 5

1. Ohio State – 1313.5
2. Indiana – 1255.5
3. Michigan – 1149.5
4. Wisconsin – 849
5. USC – 835

USA Swimming Names Chrissi Rawak New President & CEO

USA Swimming announced Chrissi Rawak as its new President and CEO last Wednesday, fulfilling the role previously held by Tim Hinchey before he was let go by the organization in August 2024.

Rawak, a former collegiate swimmer at the University of Michigan, has spent the past nine years serving as the Director of Athletics at the University of Delaware, a role she assumed in May 2016. She was the first woman to serve as Director of Athletics at Delaware and was recognized as the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ Athletic Director of the Year in 2024.

Rawak competed collegiately for the Wolverines from 1988 until 1992, and then served as an assistant coach for the Michigan women from 1992 until 1997 before transitioning into an administration role at Northwestern (Director of Personnel and Business Resources in the Office of Alumni Relations and Development) while earning a master's degree in communication.

She then returned to Michigan, spending seven years in the school’s Office of University Development as the assistant vice president of talent management and development operations (2003-11) before transitioning into her role as Michigan’s executive senior associate athletic director (2011-16).

“Chrissi brings a proven track record of leading organizations and building winning teams,” said Chris Brearton, Chair of the USA Swimming Board of Directors. “She has first-hand experience with our sport, both as a successful athlete and a coach. Her vision will help write the next chapter of American swimming excellence.”

Rawak was the choice of a nine-member CEO Search Task Force appointed in October to find Hinchey's replacement.

“I’m grateful to the USA Swimming Board for this incredible opportunity and the trust they've placed in me,” said Rawak.

“I can't wait to collaborate with our coaches, athletes, staff, alumni, volunteers, sponsors, and fans to strengthen the USA's position as the world's top swimming nation. We will focus on growing our sport across the country, continuing to prioritize athlete safety and education, and preparing for a historic performance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.”

Read more on the hiring here.

QUICK HITS

• Maximus Williamson set a trio of National High School Records at the Texas 6A Championships, leading Keller to the state title. Williamson notably broke both the 17-18 NAG record and the National High School mark in the 200 free (1:30.46), and added new high school marks in the 100 free (41.54) and the 50 free (19.08), with the latter coming on a relay lead-off.
• Brooks Curry, who appeared on the ACC psych sheets prior to the meet but didn't end up competing, was initially planning on racing but didn't due to the NCAA wanting to look into his eligibility status.
• Texas lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills that limit the amount of scholarship money international student-athletes can earn.
• The Princeton women won their third consecutive Ivy League title over the weekend, scoring 1479 points to lead runner-up Harvard (1287.5).
• Notable names such as Michael Andrew, Chase Kalisz, Sydney Pickrem and Taylor Ruck were in action over the weekend at the Copa Internacional meet in Veracruz, Mexico.
• The final week of conference championship meets this week features Big 12s, Men's Big Tens and the Men's Ivy League Championships.

The Repeat 3-Peat: Virginia Women Win 6th Straight ACC Title in Swimming & Diving!

From Coast to Coast: California Men Win Their First Atlantic Coast Conference Title

Texas Men Conquer New Lands with 1st SEC Championship, 46th-Straight Conference Title

Texas Women Dominate First SEC Championships, Winning by More than 250 Points

Ohio State Buckeyes Win 5th Women’s Big Ten Championship Title In Six Years

TRIFECTA: Maximus Williamson Adds a 3rd National HS Record to His Haul in Austin