By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

After an unprecedented year of racing that included the Olympics sandwiched between the Long Course and Short Course World Championships, it’s time to start releasing our fifth annual Top 100 list—check out last year’s rankings here.

As in previous years, we’ve taken a statistically driven approach reliant primarily upon world rankings and medals won at the Olympics, and to a lesser extent, Short Course Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve also taken into account things such as potential, future medal opportunities, injuries, and versatility. Long course is weighted more than short course, though performance potential in both formats is factored in.

After a large contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Short Course Worlds in December, those swimmers have started to move back up the rankings after they were low on the lists last year due to lack of competition.

We’ll be breaking down the top 100 into multiple installments, so keep an eye out as they’re released.

These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Thank you to Daniel Takata for his help with the data and compiling the rankings. 

Men’s Rankings:

• #100 – #91
• #90 – #81
• #80 – #71
• #70 – #61
• #60 – #51
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• #10 – #1

#60: Kieran Smith, USA (2024 Rank: NR) – Smith, 24, had some impressive performances last year, and he is a crucial relay swimmer for the United States. Smith did not swim at the World Championships in Doha, focusing on the Pro Swim Series meets in the United States through the beginning of the year. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Smith swam four individual events, qualifying for the Olympics in one, the 400 freestyle where he was the reigning bronze medalist from Tokyo. He finished one spot out of qualifying in the 200 IM, stopping the clock at 1:56.97. Like many American men, Smith had a lackluster performance at the Games, swimming 3:46.47 in the 400 to miss the final. He was also a member of the winning silver medal 4×200 freestyle relay. He came back hot from that performance, and had a much better SC World Champs in December. He won the silver medal in the 400 freestyle, coming in at 3:36.31, and he was a member of four United States gold medal relays, two of which broke world records.

#59: Apostolos Christou, Greece (2024 Rank: NR) – Christou won the first Olympic and World Championship medals of his career in 2024, a breakthrough of sorts for the Greek native despite having turned 28 in November. He snared bronze in the 100 back at the World Championships in Doha, and carried that momentum into the Olympics. After falling just .02 shy of a medal in the 100 back, placing 4th in 52.41, he shocked everyone in the 200 back, leading the field through 150 meters before holding on for silver in 1:54.82, more than a second and a half under his previous best. Christou also swept the 50 and 100 back at the 2024 European Championships, and while he’s still got some medal chances, his age, and the fact that he’s bound to have plenty out-of-the-pool duties in his home nation after his Olympic breakthrough, sees him rank lower than his 2024 results might suggest.

#58: Xu Jiayu, China (2024 Rank: 28) – Backstroker Xu Jiayu’s only major meet last year was the Olympic Games. In April, he swam at the national championships in China, where he won the 100 and 200 backstroke events. He went on to swim the 100 backstroke at the Games, earning the silver medal in 52.32. He ended up scratching out of the 200 backstroke. He still swam the mixed medley relay, which won silver, and the men’s medley relay, which won the gold. Jiayu hasn’t gone a best time in the backstroke events since 2023 (50 back) 2017 (100 back) and 2018 (200 back) respectively, though he does hold national records in all three.

#57: Zalan Sarkany, Hungary (2024 Rank: 98) – Sarkany, a Hungarian natvie, also competes in the NCAA, and is teammates with Corbeau at Indiana. Sarkany is a distance swimmer who swam at his first World Championships and Olympic Games this year. At the Hungarian Championships in April, Sarkany won the 800 and placed 2nd in the 1500. He had previously earned the Olympic Qualifying Time in the 400, and was able to swim that event at the Games as well, despite placing 4th at the Trials. At the Olympics, Sarkany finished outside the final in all three of his events, coming 11th in the 1500, and finishing 14th in both the 400 and 800. He went on to swim at the 2024 SC Worlds where he won gold in the 800 freestyle in 7:30.66. He also finished 6th in the 400 and 8th in the 1500.

#56: Ilya Shymanovich, Belarus (2024 Rank: 100) – Ilya Shymanovich is another older swimmer to sit in this section, turning 30 after the Olympic Games. Shymanovich started the year at the World Championships in Doha, where he swam the 50 and 100 breaststroke events. He finished 6th in the 100 and 10th in the 50. He went on to compete at the Games in the 100 breaststroke where he went 59.45 to finish 10th. He had a much busier SC season, participating in all three legs of the Aquatics World Cup, earning three silvers in the 50 breast, two silvers and a gold in the 100 breast, and one 200 breast bronze (Singapore). He also swam at the SC Worlds in Hungary, where he earned a bronze in the 50 breast. He also swam the 50, and finished 5th, and the 200, where he finished 8th. Shymanovich still holds the World record in the SCM 100 breaststroke at 55.28.

#55: Krzysztof Chmielewski, Poland (2024 Rank: 37) – Polish swimmer Krzysztof Chmielewski swims the butterfly and distance freestyle events. He swam all three major international meets this year, and did a different lineup at all three. At the Doha World Championships, he swam the 400 free, 1500 free, and 200 fly. He finished 19th in the 400 free, 15th in the 1500, and he disqualified his 200 butterfly, after swimming the fastest time in the semifinals for a one-hand touch. He went on to swim the 200 fly and 1500 free at the Paris Olympic Games (he missed the qualifying time in the 400). He finished 4th in the 200 fly, coming in at 1:53.90, three-tenths off his best time in the event, and 16th in the 1500. At the SC World Champs in December, he swam the 200 fly and the 800 freestyle, earning the bronze in the 200 fly and 13th in the 800 free.

#54: David Betlehem, Hungary (2024 Rank: NR) – Betlehem, a 20-year-old out of Hungary, swims the distance freestyle and open water events. Betlehem swam his first pool World Championships in July of 2023, finishing 12th in the 800 and 15th in the 1500. He really burst onto the scene this year, at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, where he ended up finishing 4th in the 1500 in 14:46.44. At the Hungarian Championships in April, Betlehem won the 1500 and 400 freestyle events, earning his first Olympic berth. At the Games, he finished 4th in the 1500, coming in at 14:40.91. While this list is only focused on pool swimming, we would be remiss to not mention his open water skills. In Paris, he earned the bronze medal in the Men’s 10k, swimming the event in 1:51:09.

#53: Tomoru Honda, Japan (2024 Rank: 20) – Japan’s Honda, 22, had a strong start to 2024, but he had a disappointing few months afterward. A butterfly specialist, Honda started the year winning a gold medal at the World Championships in Doha in the men’s 200 butterfly, swimming the event in 1:53.88. He battled a sprained ankle for part of the year, and ended up scratching the rest of his events at the World Champs. He went on to place 2nd at the Japanese Trials in the event in 1:54.18, and he missed the final entirely in the men’s 400 IM. He also finished 5th in the 100 fly. At the Olympic Games in Paris, Honda shocked everyone when he went 1:57.30 in the prelims of the 200 fly to miss the semi-finals. He did not swim the SC World Champs or any of the World Cup stops. He is the #5 performer in history in the event, at 1:52.70 from 2022, and he finished 2024 in the 4th spot in the worldwide rankings. Despite a blip at the Olympics, Honda is still a strong medal contender at this year’s World Championships.

#52: Caspar Corbeau, Netherlands (2024 Rank: 61) – Corbeau, 23, competes internationally for the Netherlands, and he is a staple in the men’s breaststroke events. He had one of the busiest years of any athlete, competing at all three major international meets and all three World Cup stops. At the 2024 Worlds in Doha, Corbeau won a silver medal in the men’s 200 breaststroke, and he finished 7th in the 100 and 11th in the 50. He carried that momentum through the Dutch National Championships in June, where he won the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, qualifying for the Games in both. In Paris, he went two new personal best times, dropping to 59.04 in the 100, where he finished 8th, and 2:07.90 where he won the bronze. He won five bronze medals and one gold through the World Cup stops before finishing 2024 at SC Worlds where he swam the 50 breast (14th), 100 breast (7th), and the 200 breast (5th).

#51: Matt Fallon, USA (2024 Rank: 46) – Fallon has proven to be a powerhouse in the 200 breast, with his 2:06.54 American Record swim at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials ranking 2nd in the world last year. The only swimmer who was faster was Olympic gold medalist Leon Marchand. Despite that breakthrough 2:06 in Indianapolis, Fallon was not able to recreate that swim in Paris, however, and ultimately finished 10th, missing the final. If Fallon can recreate his Trials swim at Worlds in July, he is a medal favorite, and he’s proven he can perform on the big stage before, winning bronze at the 2023 Worlds.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Top 100 For 2025: Men’s #60-51

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian, Dame Sophie Pascoe, has decided that it’s time to hang up her goggles. Pascoe, 32, announced her retirement from competitive para-swimming Thursday on social media.

“This decision marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in my life,” she wrote, “one defined by perseverance, passion, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. Wearing the silver fern and representing New Zealand on the world stage has been the greatest honour of my career. More than the medals and the records, my greatest achievement has been proving that having a disability does not define a person.”

 

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A post shared by Dame Sophie Pascoe PLY (@sophpascoe1)

Pascoe’s career in the pool extended more than two decades. During her four consecutive appearances at the Paralympic Games from 2008 to 2020, she won 19 medals, including 11 golds. She owns 20 medals from the long-course World Championships, seven from the short-course World Championships, and currently holds six long-course para-swimming world records.

Speaking to NewstalkZB, Pascoe called her retirement a “natural evolution.” She sat out the 2023 World Championships while pregnant with her son and decided not to attend the 2024 Paralympics as an athlete. However, she was on the broadcast for the Games, and Pascoe said that opportunity “really helped” her make this decision. “I felt really content sitting behind that desk and sharing what great athletes we have and still enhancing the Paralympic movement.”

In her retirement announcement on social media, Pascoe made it clear that while she is finished with this phase of her career, she still hopes to be involved in swimming. She wrote, “I am deeply committed to giving back to the sport that gave me so much…this isn’t goodbye, it’s just the start of a new way to make a difference.”

Pascoe debuted on the international scene at 11 and quickly climbed the ranks, winning bronze in the women’s 200 IM SM10 at the 2006 World Championships when she was 13. Two years later, she was New Zealand’s youngest athlete at the Beijing Paralympics, qualifying for the team at 15. She added another mark in the history books by becoming the youngest Kiwi to win a medal at the Paralympic Games, as she won gold in the 100 backstroke S10, 100 breaststroke SB9, and 200 IM SM10. She added a silver in the 100 butterfly S10, bringing her total to four medals at her first Paralympic Games.

Pascoe continued to excel after her debut Games, breaking world records and earning medals at the long-course and short-course World Championships, and the Commonwealth Games. She swam six events at the London Paralympics, claiming three gold medals, two of which were in world record time. In addition to defending her 200 IM SM10 gold from Beijing with a world record, she won the 100 butterfly S10 with a new world standard. Her third gold came in the 100 freestyle S10, and she also picked up three silver medals.

The accolades began to stack up for Pascoe outside the pool as well. She was inducted into New Zealand’s Order of Merit in 2009 for services to swimming. At the 2011 Halberg Awards, which honor New Zealand’s top athletes annually, she was named the inaugural winner of the Disabled Sportsperson of the Year award, which she would go on to receive multiple times.

Pascoe achieved another triple gold at the Rio Paralympics, along with earning silver in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Her success in Rio brought her total to nine Paralympic gold medals and 15 career Paralympic medals, surpassing Eve Rimmer as New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian. Pascoe further increased her total at the Tokyo Games, winning two golds (100 free S9, 200 IM SM9), one silver (100 breast SB8), and one bronze (100 back S9).

For her achievements, Pascoe served as New Zealand’s flag-bearer at the 2020 Paralympic Games. She was named a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to swimming in 2022.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sophie Pascoe, New Zealand’s Most Decorated Paralympian, Announces Retirement

By Sam Blacker on SwimSwam

Iris Cummings Critchell, the last living Olympian from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, died on January 24th at the age of 104.

Born in Los Angeles in 1920, Critchell began swimming in 1933 after watching the 1932 Olympics. Her father had been an Athletics coach at Columbia University and was active as a judge in athletics and swimming events at the time she began her athletic career. She joined the Los Angeles Athletics Club (LAAC) in 1934, and in 1935 won the women’s 200m breaststroke at the Pacific Coast Championships in San Diego – which was two laps of a 100m pool.

She won the first of three consecutive national titles in the 200m breaststroke titles in 1936, at the age of 15. This gave her the opportunity to swim at Olympic Trials, held four weeks later in New York, where she qualified for the Games. As her Olympic participation was not funded, she had to spend much of the run-up to Berlin raising money for her travel rather than training.

She noted that in the 10 days between making the team and departing for Berlin on the SS Manhattan, she did not get the opportunity to train at all. During the sea voyage, also another 10 days, the only opportunity to train was in a six-by-six meter pool.

In Berlin, she finished fourth in her 200m breaststroke heat and did not make it through to the next round. She continued swimming until 1939, when her interest in the sport waned due to both lack of funding and a general feeling that the 1940 Olympics were unlikely to go ahead

After retiring from swimming, Critchell enrolled in USC’s Civilian Pilot training program which she graduated from in 1941. She was then selected to serve in the Women’s Auxiliary Ferry Service, which later became WAS, in December 1942, and flew from May 1943 to December 1944, flying 18 different types of military aircraft. It was during this time that she met her husband Howard, with whom she had two children, Sandie and Robin.

Given her wide-reaching experience, Critchell returned to USC’s College of Aeronautics to establish its aviation curriculum in 1946. This later expanded to providing aeronautics education to students in high school.

RIP Iris Cummings Critchell, the last surviving Olympian from the 1936 Berlin Games and an aviation pioneer. Here Critchell tells part of her story with narration from Morgan Freeman. https://t.co/sSpcz4TYEbpic.twitter.com/jteWGLf3sb

— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) January 29, 2025

Critchell and her husband founded the Bates Aeronautics program at Harvey Mudd College of Science and Engineering in 1962, and she served as its director for 28 years. She continued teaching at the college until 1996, when she retired at the age of 76. Following her retirement, Critchell continued to assist the faculty both with student projects and as an archivist.

She left a lasting impression on the College. Current HMC President Harriet Nembhard said of her: “Iris loved Harvey Mudd College, and along with her husband, Critch, was instrumental in inspiring generations of our students to love aeronautics and to appreciate the privilege of flight”. The program she founded has several notable alumni, including astronauts George Nelson and Stanley G. Love.

Prior to setting up this program, Critchell raced airplanes competitively, participating in the All Woman Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR) 15 times. She finished in the top 10 on seven occasions, winning the race in 1957.

Critchell was the recipient of several aviation honors. She was inducted into the National Flight Instructors Hall of Fame in 2002, the Women In Aviation (WIA) Hall of Fame in 2007, and was the recipient of the FAA’s Nile Gold Medal in 2007.

Thomas Bach, current President of the IOC, recently paid tribute to the Olympian:

“We are saddened about the loss of Iris Cummings Critchell, who has passed away at the age of 104. She was the last living Olympian from the Olympic Games Berlin 1936, where she had competed as a swimmer. My thoughts are with her family and her friends.”

At 104 years, 245 days, she is the 16th longest-lived Olympian in history. The oldest living Olympian is Yvonne Chabot-Curtet of France, who competed in the 1948 and 1952 Games. She was born on May 28, 1920.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Swimmer Iris Cummings, Last Living Olympian From Berlin 1936, Passes Away

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

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 polls asked SwimSwam readers which swimmer that recently joined an NCAA roster will have the biggest impact in March:

Question: Which second semester addition will have the biggest impact at NCAAs?

RESULTS

• Chris Guiliano– 47.3%
• Katie Grimes– 31.3%
• Caspar Corbeau– 11.9%
• Lucas Henveaux– 4.8%
• Matt King– 2.3%
• Mewen Tomac– 1.5%
• Other – 1.0%

We’ve seen an inordinate number of game-changing additions to some of the best teams in the NCAA for the second half of the 2024-25 season, headlined by four Olympic and two World Championship medalists.

Paris Olympic medalists Chris Guiliano, Katie Grimes, Caspar Corbeau and Matt King, along with 2024 World Championship medalists Lucas Henveaux and Mewen Tomac, have joined NCAA rosters for the second semester, leading us to our latest poll: Which of them will make the biggest impact?

Of course, the question is open to interpretation. Is it who will score the most individual points? Who will boost their team’s relays the most? Or which swimmer will do the most for their team, possibly moving them up a spot or two in the final standings?

The poll results give us a mix of all of the above, and leading the way with nearly half of the votes was Guiliano, who transferred to Texas in the wake of Notre Dame’s season-long suspension.

Guiliano received 47.3% of the vote as a proven NCAA performer, having scored 45 individual points for the Fighting Irish last season, which tied for 7th-most among all swimmers at the meet.

In addition to that, Guiliano gives the Longhorns a true ace in the free relays, having split sub-18 in the 50 free, and produced multiple 40-point and 1:30-point flat start swims in the 100 and 200 free.

Texas has quickly evolved into the men’s NCAA title favorite this season, and although Indiana and Cal pose significant threats, Guiliano could end up being the difference-maker for the Longhorns.

Ranking second in the poll was Katie Grimes, who made her long-awaited college commitment in October and has now raced two meets for the University of Virginia.

With Cavalier teammate Alex Walsh opting not to race the 400 IM this season as the three-time defending champion, Grimes immediately becomes the favorite to win the national title, having produced an NCAA-leading time at the Eddie Reese Showdown last weekend.

Grimes is also a title contender in the 500 and 1650 free, if she chooses to contest those events (she might opt for the 200 back or 200 fly instead of the mile), so she may well score the most individual points among the second-semester additions. However, the Virginia women are winning the NCAA title this season with or without her, which could be used as an argument against her making the biggest impact.

The only other swimmer receiving more than 10% of votes was Corbeau, the former Longhorn who has joined the enemy, Indiana, for championship season.

Corbeau lasted raced at NCAAs in 2023, placing 2nd in the 200 breast, 4th in the 100 breast and 14th in the 200 IM for Texas. Since then, he’s won silver at the 2024 World Championships in the 200 breast, and then claimed bronze in the event at the Olympics. He was also 5th in the 200 breast and 7th in the 100 breast at Short Course Worlds in December, showing he was on good form heading into his Indiana debut in January.

Corbeau not only gives Indiana yet another elite breaststroker who can score, but he can contribute on the free relays, which should give the Hoosiers a boost in the team standings.

Also joining the Hoosiers for the second half is Matt King, the former Alabama Crimson Tide and Virginia Cavalier who made the U.S. Olympic team last summer and swam a prelim leg on the men’s 4×100 free relay that won gold.

King will be a key piece of IU’s 200 and 400 free relays, and should provide some individual points in the 50 and 100 free.

The other two options are Lucas Henveaux and Mewen Tomac, who both surprisingly joined Cal for the second semester by appearing in the Bears’ dual against USC.

Both having won medals at Worlds, they should be impactful in terms of individual points, but based on the poll, not as much as Guiliano, Grimes or Corbeau.

Heneveaux raced for Cal in 2022-23, scoring 18 points at the 2023 NCAAs after a pair of 9th-place finishes in the 500 and 1650 free. He’s clearly improved since then based on what he’s done in meters.

Tomac is a backstroker, and recently won bronze at SC Worlds in the 200 back, so he’ll be one to watch there. However, with how dialed in the NCAA’s best backstrokers are to the short course yard format, one has to wonder if Tomac will have enough time to get up to speed this season.

Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Which women’s conference title is most up for grabs:

ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE

The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam Pulse: Guiliano, Grimes Poised To Make Biggest Impact As Second Semester Additions

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

Pacific Swimming is seeing a merger between two powerhouse programs as the Crow Canyon Sharks have merged into the Pleasanton Seahawks. The clubs, which are located about 11 miles apart from each other, are in Danville and Pleasanton, CA, which is in the Bay area, East of San Francisco and North of San Jose.

This is a very significant program merger, as Crow Canyon is a USA Swimming Gold Medal club for 2025, while Pleasanton Seahawks is a Silver Medal club. Pleasanton Seahawks reached Podium Club status within the USA Swimming Club Excellence program, as they were a Gold Medal club from 2017-2020. The Club Excellence program is one of USA Swimming’s metrics for evaluating the success of its club teams. Club Excellence points are earned once a swimmer reaches the Summer Junior Nationals cut in an event. In order to become a Gold Medal club, as Crow Canyon is for the 2025 season, the club must be one of the top 20 scoring clubs in the country with a swimmer that has achieved a gold time standard. The gold time standards are equal to the 150th-ranked woman and 200th-ranked man in the world in that event from the previous year (LCM times are only considered for Club Excellence). To become a Podium Club, as Pleasanton Seahawks did, a club must be a Gold Medal program in 4 consecutive years.

All of that is to say that this a merger of two high performing clubs who have a track record of being very competitive at the local, Pacific Swimming, Western Zone, Junior National, and National levels.

Here is the Instagram post put out by the Pleasanton Seahawks about the merger.

More information was given by the Crow Canyon Sharks’ Instagram post on the merger, which outlined that former Crow Canyon head coach Joe Natina will become the co-head coach of Pleasanton Seahawks alongside Steve Morsilli, their existing head coach, who also founded and owns the team. Additionally, all of Crow Canyons’ staff will be retained and make the transition to Pleasanton Seahawks as well. That IG post can be found below.

The language in the Crow Canyons post makes it sound as though they plan to merge the training groups as well, as opposed to retaining the separate sites and operating as they were before the merger, just under one banner.

Crow Canyon has been steadily making waves over the past few years. SwimSwam published a piece on their performance at the 2023 Winter Juniors West meet, as they won the girls team title at the meet with just 10 swimmers. They had a similar showing at the 2024 Winter Juniors West meet, where they finished 3rd in the girls standings with just 8 swimmers. Crow Canyon took 4th in combined scoring at the meet.

Pleasanton Seahawks have been making waves recently mostly for the massive success of Luka Mijatovic. Mijatovic, just 15 years old now, has already broken 11 National Age Group Records in his career. Most recently, he ripped a 4:12.34 500 freestyle to shatter Drew Kibler’s 15-16 NAG at just 15 years old. Mijatovic won the boys 200 free and 400 free at Junior Pan Pacs last summer.

This new era of the Pleasanton Seahawks will certainly be an exciting one to follow.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Crow Canyon Sharks and Pleasanton Seahawks Merge in Big West Coast Club Swimming Shake-up

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

UVA has added another swimmer to their absolutely stacked recruiting class of 2025 with Finnish Breaststroker Davin Lindholm set to join the Hoos in the Fall.

Lindholm is currently completing his mandatory military service in Finland, which is required for men 18-60. Generally, men are required to enlist in the fall of the year they turn 18, but they are able to delay service due to studies, work, or other reasons up to age 28. Once enlisted, men are liable to serve a term of 165, 255, or 347 days Once Lindholm finishes his conscription, he will be placed in the reserves until he reaches 50 or 60, depending on his rank.

Due to his conscription, Lindholm is a bit older than the other freshman, and he will be turning 21 in July. His age will help bring a bit of experience and maturity to an exceptional class of American swimmers.

The class he is joining includes five of SwimSwam’s Top 20 recruits for the Class of 2025, #1 Thomas Heliman, #2 Maximus Williamson, #4 Nathan Szobota, #9Thomas Mercer, and #13 Blake Amlicke. They have three BOTR recruits with Grant Murphy, Noah Powers, and Josh Howat. They also have one of the top recruits from Virginia, Jackson Tishler.

Lindholm adds depth to the class in another area… breaststroke. UVA’s recruiting class of nine boys covers all the other specialties, sprint free, distance free, butterfly, backstroke, IM, Olympians, but none of the recruits were breaststroke specialists, until now.

Lindholm has represented Finland internationally a few times, most recently at the 2024 SC Worlds where he swam the 50 and 100 breaststroke events, finishing 28th in the 50 (26.98) and 48th in the 100 (1:00.23).

Lindholm’s Best Times (LCM/Converted)

• 50 Breast: 27.82/(23.52)
• 100 Breast: 1:02.06/(52.76)
• 200 Breast: 2:13.19/(1:53.44)

Virginia competes in the ACC, and, while the UVA women run the ACC, the men placed 5th at last year’s conference meet. They are already making huge strides to improve their ranking, but adding breaststroke depth will only help with their quest for a conference title.

Lindholm’s converted times would have earned him two finals swims at last year’s ACCs. His 100 breast would have finished 13th in the ‘B’ final

The 200 breast would have qualified him 3rd for the final, where his converted time would have finished 6th in the event. 

UVA recently lost their fastest breaststroker, and school record holder, Noah Nichols after the first semester this year. Sophomore Jay Gerloff is UVA’s current fastest breaststroker with his best times sitting at 53.35 in the 100 and 1:57.29 in the 200. Lindholm’s 100 breaststroke will likely make an immediate relay impact when he arrives in the fall.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: UVA Adds Finnish Breaststroker Davin Lindholm to Loaded Class of 2025

By Will Baxley on SwimSwam

There are reportedly no proposals to add a fifth year of eligibility to all NCAA athletes in the works, despite previous reports to the contrary.

Jeff Goodman, co-founder of college basketball publication Field of 68, said that an NCAA spokesperson confirmed to the publication that no such proposal or vote was in place.

https://x.com/goodmanhoops/status/1884315438336909706?s=43&t=gbXKI2UU35qtYIXJMG-2Cg

In early January, reports came out that the NCAA was considering adding a fifth year eligibility, and that the matter would be discussed throughout early 2025. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein was the first to break this report, citing an NCAA official.

If Goodman’s most recent report is true, this means that the fifth-year athletes for the 2024-2025 seasons will be the last of their kind. A fifth year of eligibility was first introduced for those who competed in the 2020-2021 season, which was significantly affected by COVID-19 regulations.

Even if a permanent fifth-year eligibility rule is off the table, other recent avenues have allowed some athletes to compete in a fifth year. In a lawsuit against the NCAA, a judge granted Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia a fifth year of eligibility. Pavia took a stint year at a junior college, which the NCAA considered a year of eligibility, but the courts overruled the NCAA.

Last September, reports also came out that the NCAA considered extending its football redshirt rules to all sports. If this consideration were to come to fruition, swimmers and other NCAA athletes could compete in a percentage threshold of a season’s competitions and then redshirt without it counting against their eligibility.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NCAA Reportedly Not Considering Permanent Fifth Year Eligibility

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

French swimmer Marie Wattel is planning to move to the United States to train under Herbie Behm at Arizona State according to a post on her Instagram account.

Wattel is wrapping up 3 weeks of knee rehab in Capbreton after tearing her meniscus in late 2023, impacting her Olympic preparations. She is now returning to her club CN Marseille, one of the top programs in France, to continue training and rehab, but says that in the next few months she plans to move to the USA and train at ASU.

In November 2024, she spent time touring and hiking national parks in the western United States, a post that Herbie Behm commented on at the time.

“It was so tough mentally at the end of (223), I couldn’t even get out o bed because of the pressure I had put on myself and my body,” she said. Planning this trip may have saved my Olympic year. It helped me relieve pressure and prepare for what’s coming next after Paris 2024, no matter what.

“I thought I would be devastated without an Olympic medal. In reality, it’s not the failure itself that harms us the most; it’s our own anxiety and fears about it.

“Time heals. It offers us the chance to learn from our experiences, grow stronger, and eventually start again with a renewed sense of purpose.

“Grateful for all the valuable lessons.”

Behm has become one of the most sought-after sprint coaches in the world after training swimmers to NCAA and Olympic titles alongside his former boss Bob Bowman. Last summer, Bowman left for the University of Texas and Behm was elevated to lead the Arizona State program. While the team has not gone through a full training cycle to make any broad conclusions about his success, early returns from swimmers like Ilya Kharun, who won bronze in the 100 and 200 fly in Paris, are encouraging. Kharun recently picked up five medals at the Short Course World Championships, including individual gold in the 200 fly.

Other international-level swimmers who have moved to train with Behm since Paris include Michael Andrew, the uber-talented American who has been coached by his father for his entire career until now.

Wattel, 27, is a native of Lille, France. She was the 2022 Short Course World Championships silver medalist in the 100 fly. She is also a four-time European Champion in long course, including 2020 gold in the 100 fly where she tied with Anna Ntountounaki of Greece.

Wattel holds eight French records, including the 100 fly in long course (56.14) from the 2022 World Championships. Her best finish in two Olympic Games came in 2021 in Tokyo, where she placed 6th in the 100 fly.

Wattel will arrive at Arizona State with good reference: the school’s collegiate championship team from last season was home to France’s (and the world’s) best swimmer Leon Marchand.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Two-Time French Olympian Marie Wattel Is Moving to the US to Train at Arizona State

By Yanyan Li on SwimSwam

In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges, Garrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

I’m back at it with my second SwimSwam podcast and video interview, where I talk to Duxbury High School senior Henry Perda. Henry, who has been swimming since he was seven years old, received a heart transplant during his sophomore year of high school. The transplant took him out of school and out of his sophomore swim season, and he had to re-learn how to swim again in the lead-up to his junior season. However, as a junior he came back to help Duxbury break the school record in the 200 medley relay, splitting 21.7 on his freestyle anchor leg. In this podcast, I get perspective from Henry about his career journey:

Timestamps:

• 0:00 – 1:40: Intro
• 1:40 – 9:08: Getting into swimming + Freshman year
• 9:08 – 24:01: Heart problems and transplant process
• 24:01 – 36:34: Recovery and getting back into swimming
• 36:34 – 40:23: Breaking the 200 medley relay school record
• 40:23 – 41:27: Senior year swimming goals
• 41:27 – 45:46: Going to Northeastern
• 45:46 – 48:28: Final reflections

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Massachusetts High School Swimmer Henry Perda Discusses Competing After A Heart Transplant

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Sprint freestyler Morgan Hoppe has decided to stay in-state for her collegiate career, committing to UC Santa Barbara. Hoppe is from Mission Viejo, California, about a 3-hour and 30-minute drive from the Santa Barbara campus.

I am so humbled and excited to announce my verbal commitment to study and swim d1 at UC Santa Barbara!! I want to say a huge thank you to my family, teammates, coaches, and UCSB staff for this incredible opportunity. Lastly, and most importantly, Coach Jeff , whose endless support in and out of the pool enabled me to be the athlete I am today. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to become a gaucho!!

Hoppe trains with Evolution Racing Club and competes during the high school season for Santa Margarita Catholic. She helped the school sweep the girls’ and boys’ team titles at the 2024 CIF State Championships for the second straight year. Hoppe swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay, splitting 24.04.

She swam her lifetime bests in the 50 and 100 freestyle events at the December 2023 CA/NV Speedo Sectional Championships. There, she placed 24th in the 50 freestyle, 22nd in the 100 freestyle, and 22nd in the 100 breaststroke. A week earlier, she swam her lifetime best in the 200 freestyle at the CA SCAT Winter Age Group Championship.

Best Times (SCY):

• 50 freestyle: 24.01
• 100 freestyle: 52.28
• 200 freestyle: 1:56.04
• 100 breaststroke: 1:06.10

Hoppe’s focus on the sprint freestyle events means she could make a big impact in the NCAA championship format. She’s a solid depth addition to the UC Santa Barbara sprint freestyle group, and the team will be hoping that she can develop into a strong relay asset like she’s been for her high school. In addition to her sprint freestyle specialization, Hoppe could opt to expand her versatility and develop her breaststroke and IM events as well

UC Santa Barbara has made the jump from the MPSF Championships to the Big West Championships this season, joining plenty of other MPSF programs. The women’s team finished second at the 2024 MPSF Championships, finishing 188 points behind the championship-winning Hawaii.

The team will look to occupy a similar place atop the Big West standings. Based on the 2024 MPSF times, Hoppe is just on the edge of earning a second swim in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle; last year, it took 23.94/52.02 to earn a lane in the respective ‘C’ finals.

Hoppe joined Remi Harrison, Chloe Eyrich, Caitlin Brown, Lelia Symington, Devon Silberman, and Callie Kowalchick in signing to the UC Santa Barbara women’s class of 2029.

 

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Morgan Hoppe Stays In-State, Signs With UC Santa Barbara For Fall 2025

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Louisville vs. Indiana

• January 31, 2025
• Louisville, Kentucky
• SCY (25 yards)

Louisville hosted Indiana this weekend in a top 15 showdown on both sides. Both teams suited up for the meet. The Indiana men came away with the win 189.5-110.5 while the Louisville women earned the win 170-130.

Women’s Recap

Moving up the NCAA rankings was Louisville’s Julia Dennis as she earned a win in the 50 freestyle in a 21.61. That now sits at #6 in the NCAA this season, moving Dennis up from her previous rank of #8 as she swam a 21.77 at midseason. Dennis made the NCAA ‘A’ final in the event last year, helping Louisville set a program record with three A finalists in the process, as she swam to a 21.60.

Dennis also was a member of the team’s winning 200 medley relay. The relay of Abby Karl, Caroline Larsen, Gabi Albiero, and Dennis touched in a final time of a 1:35.30. That was just ahead of Louisville’s ‘B’ relay as that relay touched in a 1:35.58 for a 1-2 finish.

Mia Cheatwood had a big day for the Cardinals, sweeping the breaststroke events. The West Virginia transfer won the 100 breast in a 58.96 and the 200 in a 2:08.07. She has been as fast as 58.77 in the 100 and 2:07.74 in the 200, both of which sit in the top 16 in the NCAA this season.

Ella Welch finished just behind Cheatwood in the 100 breast in a 1:00.06 and went on to her an individual win in the 100 butterfly. Welch touched in a 51.67, the #16 time in the NCAA this season. Her previous best was a 51.72 from midseason that sat at #18. Welch touched ahead of Albiero who swam a 52.09.

The Louisville women closed the meet with a win as Larsen, Albiero, Lucy Mehraban, and Dennis swam to a 3:12.37 in the 400 free relay.

Highlighting the meet for the Indiana women was Anna Peplowski. The senior swam to wins in the 100 free, 200 free, and 500 free. She first earned the win in the 200 free swimming a 1:42.41. She currently holds the top time in the NCAA this season with a 1:41.63 which she swam earlier this month in the dual meet against Michigan. She tied her season best of a 47.68 in the 100 free and swam a 4:39.26 in the 500.

The backstroke duo of Mya DeWitt and Kacey McKenna split their wins on the day. McKenna touched first in the 100 swimming a 52.05 while DeWitt was 2nd in a 52.24. DeWitt then earned the win in the 200 in a 1:53.89 while McKenna swam a 1:55.01.

Men’s Recap

The Indiana men were led by Rafael Miroslaw who earned wins in the 100 and 200 freestyles. He earned the win in the 100 in a 42.12 and a 1:32.32 in the 200. Miroslaw sits at #16 in the NCAA with a 41.97 in the 100 and #7 in the 200 with a 1:31.73. Both are converted times from SCM Worlds. Miroslaw led the team’s 400 free relay off in a 42.09 as Luke Barr, Tomer Frankel, and Matt King swam to a win in a 2:47.87.

The breaststroke events were huge for the Indiana men as they had a 1-2-3 finish in the 100. Graduate transfer Brian Benzing won the 100 in a 52.11, ahead of Finn Brooks (52.66) and Josh Matheny (52.68). Matheny earned the win in the 200 with a 1:53.96. He has been as fast as 1:50.31 this season which sits at #2 in the NCAA. Caspar Corbeau notably did not swim for the team today.

Brooks went on to earn his own win, touching in a 45.64 in the 100 butterfly. He also helped the team’s 200 medley relay to a win as Miroslav Knedla, Benzing, Brooks, and Matt King swam to a 1:23.74. Indiana’s ‘B’ relay touched 2nd in a 1:24.08.

Zalan Sarkany swam to a distance free sweep, touching in a 8:43.28 in the 1000 and a 4:15.60 in the 500 free. He was slightly faster earlier this month against Michigan as he won both events then in a 4:13.75 in the 500 and a 8:43.08 in the 1000 free.

The Louisville men were led by Tommy Bried who earned a win in the 200 butterfly, winning in a 1:42.08. That marked a best time for Bried as his previous best time was a 1:42.66 that he swam at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Bried also earned a win in the 400 IM, touching in a 3:42.65.

Louisville also was highlighted by a 1-2 finish in the men’s 200 back. Filip Kosinski earned the win in a 1:40.93 and was followed by teammate Jackson Millard 1:42.90.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Julia Dennis Swims 21.61 50 Free as Louisville Women Defeat Indiana, IU Men Earn Win

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

The Ivy League will not join the House vs. NCAA settlement that will allow schools to pay athletes directly, while the Coastal Athletic Conference has affirmed it will opt into the settlement by March 1, 2025.

The House vs. NCAA settlement accuses the NCAA and its five biggest conferences—the former Power 5—of restricting athletes’ ability to earn their cut of the college sports entertainment business. It received preliminary approval from Judge Claudia Wilken and will have a final approval hearing on April 7. If approved, the settlement will send millions in backpay to NCAA athletes and replace scholarship caps with roster limits, which has caused much stress among Olympic sports programs. It will also establish a 10-year revenue-sharing model allowing NCAA conferences and member schools to share 22% of their annual revenue with student-athletes.

The former Power 5 conferences—the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, and PAC-12—who are defendants in the settlement, have agreed to this model. Other conferences and schools can decide to opt into the proposed revenue-sharing model.

The CAA released a statement on Wednesday, Jan. 29, announcing its Board of Directors and member institutions had agreed to commit to the settlement. Opting into the settlement allows the CAA schools to facilitate NIL deals and engage in revenue-sharing with athletes. It also places financial obligations on the conference. According toHBCU Gameday, “the NCAA is reducing revenue distributions to Division I schools over the next decade to fund the $2.8 billion settlement, with 60% of the burden falling on conferences like the CAA,” that is to say, Division I mid-major conference schools as opposed to the now Power 4 conferences.

Conversely, the Ivy League has decided against joining this landscape-shifting settlement. The move was first reported by the Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn’s student newspaper, on Jan. 22, after Ivy League executive director Robin Harris sent an email announcing the decision to Ivy League players and coaches on Jan. 21.

The decision, made by the Ivy League Council of Presidents with the recommendation of the Ivy League Athletics Directors and Policy Committee, is unsurprising given the conference’s historic attitude about the relationship between money and athletics. The conference does not provide athletic scholarships, nor has it participated in athlete compensation via NIL collectives, which have become a prominent trend in attracting athletes to an institution. Last month, the Dartmouth men’s basketball program ended its attempt to unionize–which could’ve made made them the first college athletes to bargain for a contract–as they anticipated a shifting National Labor Relations Board.

The Ivy League’s decision to stay out of the House settlement means “pay for play” deals are not available to its athletes, endorsement deals and sponsorship deals will remain available, as will athletes’ ability to participate in brand-based NIL activities. Even though the conference has not opted into the settlement deal, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports it will still be bound to the “clearinghouse” terms of the settlement requiring all student-athletes to disclose payments over $600 to a third-party clearinghouse that has the power to block any NIL payment it deems a “pay for play” alternative.

Conferences have until March 1 to opt into the settlement, so more decisions should be announced in the coming weeks.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ivy League Won’t Join House v. NCAA Antitrust Settlement, CAA Opts In

By Will Baxley on SwimSwam

There are reportedly no proposals to add a fifth year of eligibility to all NCAA athletes in the works, despite previous reports to the contrary.

Jeff Goodman, co-founder of college basketball publication Field of 68, said that an NCAA spokesperson confirmed to the publication that no such proposal or vote was in place.

https://x.com/goodmanhoops/status/1884315438336909706?s=43&t=gbXKI2UU35qtYIXJMG-2Cg

In early January, reports came out that the NCAA was considering adding a fifth year eligibility, and that the matter would be discussed throughout early 2025. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein was the first to break this report, citing an NCAA official.

If Goodman’s most recent report is true, this means that the fifth-year athletes for the 2024-2025 seasons will be the last of their kind. A fifth year of eligibility was first introduced for those who competed in the 2020-2021 season, which was significantly affected by COVID-19 regulations.

Even if a permanent fifth-year eligibility rule is off the table, other recent avenues have allowed some athletes to compete in a fifth year. In a lawsuit against the NCAA, a judge granted Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia a fifth year of eligibility. Pavia took a stint year at a junior college, which the NCAA considered a year of eligibility, but the courts overruled the NCAA.

Last September, reports also came out that the NCAA considered extending its football redshirt rules to all sports. If this consideration were to come to fruition, swimmers and other NCAA athletes could compete in a percentage threshold of a season’s competitions and then redshirt without it counting against their eligibility.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NCAA Reportedly Not Considering Permanent Fifth Year Eligibility

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Florida State vs Florida

• January 31, 2025
• Ocala, Florida
• SCY (25 yards)

Florida State swept Florida in an in-state battle on Friday. Swimming took place at a neutral site in Ocala while diving took place in Gainesville, the home of the Gators. The Florida State men earned the win 150-149 while the Florida State women won 161-138. The Florida women had won the last six meets against Florida State.

Men’s Recap

With the meet coming down to the final event, the Florida State men were able to hang on and earn the win by one point. Leading the way for the team was freshman Michel Arkhangelskiy. Arkhangelskiy swam to four wins on the day including three at the individual level. He won the 50 free in a 19.65, touching ahead of teammate Sam Bork who swam a 19.86 for 2nd. He also swam a lifetime best in his win in the 100 free, touching in a 42.51.

Arkhangelskiy’s final individual win came in the 100 fly as he swam a lifetime best 46.21 to earn the win over Florida’s Josh Liendo who touched in a 46.42. Arkhangelskiy was also a member of the winning 200 medley relay as Mason Herbet, Tommaso Baravelli, Arkhangelskiy, and Jokubas Keblys touched in a 1:24.95 to finish ahead of Florida’s 1:25.62.

Andrew Rich swam to two wins on the day for Florida State, sweeping the backstroke events. The sophomore earned a win in the 100 back in a 47.21, leading a 1-2 finish as fifth year Mason Herbet touched in a 47.25. Rich touched in a 1:43.68 in the 200 back for the win as well.

The Florida men were led by Raphael Rached Windmuller who swept the breaststroke events. He earned the win in the 100 touching in a 53.83. He won the 200 in a 1:56.67.

Women’s Recap

Maddy Huggins of Florida State led the way earning two individual and one relay win. Huggins won the 100 breaststroke in a 1:00.79 and the 200 breast in a 2:09.14. Both were off of her season best times by over a second. She also helped the team’s 200 medley relay to a win as the relay of Alice Velden, Huggins, Jenny Halden, and Gloria Muzito touched in a 1:36.64.  Velden went on win the individual 100 backstroke as well, touching in a 53.17.

The 100 butterfly was a huge event for the Seminoles as they had a 1-2-3 finish. Edith Jernstedt led the way in a 52.50 while Halden swam a 52.89 for 2nd and Sophie Freeman touched 3rd in a 53.90.

Muzito also earned two more wins on the day. She touched first in the 50 free in a 22.81, the only sub-23 second swim of the day. She also helped the team’s 200 free relay to a win as Maryn McDade, Jernstedt, Halden, and Muzito touched in a 1:30.67. It was a 1-2 finish for Florida State in the relay as the ‘B’ relay touched in a 1:32.06. Florida’s ‘A’ relay notably was disqualified for leaving early on a relay exchange.

Leading the way for the Florida women was Bella Sims. The sophomore earned her first win of the day in the 200 free, touching in a 1:46.00. That was her first time swimming the individual version of the event this season as she swam on the team’s 800 free relay leading off in a 1:43.20 at midseason. Sims also earned a win in the 100 free, touching in a 49.41 to hold off Florida State’s Muzito who touched in a 49.42.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Florida State Sweeps Florida In Neutral-Site Dual Meet, Men Win 150-149, Women Win 168-131

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Cal vs Stanford (Men)

• Berkeley, CA
• January 31, 2025
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Meet Results Available on Meet Mobile: “Cal vs Stanford (Men)”
• Team Scores:
  • #3 Cal 175 – #9 Stanford 125

The #3 Cal men hosted #9 Stanford today for a rainy last regular season meet before the ACC Championships next month, and the Bears came out on top, improving their dual meet record to 5-1.

The highlight of the meet was Lucas Henveaux’s nation-leading time in the first event of the meet, the men’s 1650 where he swam 14:29.74

Henveaux just made his return to Cal for their last home meet, after competing with them for the 2022-2023 season, helping the Golden Bears to an NCAA title. His time today was faster than the 14:44.14 he went at the 2023 NCAA Championships to place 9th, and it replaces Texas swimmer Rex Maurer’s 14:30.47 at the top of the DI rankings.

The updated 1650 rankings:

1. Lucas Henveaux (Cal)- 14:29.74
2. Rex Maurer(Texas)- 14:30.47
3. Noah Millard (Yale)- 14:33.47
4. David Johnston (Texas)- 14:35.42
5. Owen Lloyd(NC State)- 14:37.23

He swam almost the opposite race of previous leader Maurer, getting out fast and holding on tight, rather than descending to drop a blistering final 100 (as Maurer did). With less than a second separating the two, it is looking like it will be an exciting and close race in the men’s 1650 at the NCAA Championships in March, which doesn’t happen very often.

His time was also a new team record for the Golden Bears, taking down Nick Norman’s 2018 record of 14:30.82.

Henveaux also won the 500 freestyle, finishing eight seconds ahead of the rest of the field, stopping the clock at 4:10.82. This is the 3rd fastest time in the NCAA this season.

The meet started with a victory in the 200 medley relay for Cal, coming in about half-a-second ahead of the Stanford ‘A’. Destin Lasco (21.28) Yamato Okadome (23.06), Dare Rose (19.68), and Jack Alexy (18.80) came together to go 1:22.82, beating Stanford’s 1:23.25 set by their team of Aaron Sequeira (21.34), Ron Polonsky(23.24), Andrei Minakov (19.95), and Ethan Harrington (18.72).

Destin Lasco went on to also win both of his individual events. He started with the top spot in the 200 freestyle, coming in at 1:31.85, which is tied for 9th in the NCAA this season. His 2nd win came in the 200 IM, where he went 1:41.68 to take the event by two seconds and move himself to 8th in the rankings.

Bjorn Seeligerwon the 100 back in 45.55, and came 2nd in the 100 free in 42.37 behind teammate Jack Alexy’s 41.61. Alexy’s time was one one-hundredth faster than his season best of 41.62, ranking him 5th in the NCAA.

Alexy also won the 50 free in a new season best time of 19.00, which will tie him for 12th in the DI rankings.

Stanford’s first event of the day went to senior Ron Polonsky in the 100 breast in 51.40. This was an add from the 51.21 he swam at the SMU Invite, which currently ranks him 10th in the NCAA. He also finished 2nd in the 200 breast at 1:52.53.

The Cardinals kept the good times rolling with a win in the very next event, the 200 fly. Andrei Minakov went 1:40.54 in the event, just off his season best of 1:40.30. Minakov also won the 100 fly in 44.83, which was a huge season best for him, dropping from the 45.57 he went at Cal’s meet against ASU and Stanford. His time today moves him up to 9th in the country.

Cal came back with an event win, sweeping the top two spots in the men’s 200 backstroke. Mewen Tomac took the event in 1:40.30 and Keaton Jones came in 2nd in 1:41.80.

Yamato Okadome won the 200 breast for Cal in 1:52.31, off his season best of 1:51.65 that ranks him 6th in the country.

The final event of the meet also went to Cal, with their ‘A’ relay coming in just over a second ahead of Stanford’s ‘A’. Nans Mazellier(43.02), Gabriel Jett (41.95), Bjorn Seeliger(41.54), Jack Alexy (41.04) went 2:47.55 in the event. This is the 5th fastest time in the NCAA this season, coming in ahead of Stanford’s season best time. The Stanford ‘A’ at this meet went 2:48.71 with their team of Henry McFadden(42.72),Rafael Gu(42.64), Andres Dupont Cabrera(41.70), and Andrei Minakov (41.65). 

Both men’s teams will be back in action at the 2025 ACC Championships next month. The women’s teams are racing tomorrow for their version of the Battle of the Bay.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lucas Henveaux Sets Nation Leading Mile Time at Last Regular Season Meet

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Florida State vs Florida

• January 31, 2025
• Ocala, Florida
• SCY (25 yards)
• PDF Results

While Florida State was upsetting their in-state rivals from Florida in the collegiate dual meet, the University of Florida pros took to the lanes between races to put some short course times on the board.

That included a 4:26.08 in the 500 yard free from Olympic superstar Katie Ledecky. While it’s unclear if these results will be submitted for official results to USA Swimming, that goes down as the third-fastest 500 yard free of her career, which means it is also the third-fastest 500 yard free in history. She now holds the 8 fastest swims in history and 19 of the 25 fastest swims in history.

Splits:

By comparison, in her record-setting 4:24.06 at the 2017 NCAA Championships, Ledecky split 50.65-52.84-53.58-54.07-52.92 by 100.

Other notable results from the night (compiled by SwimSwam reader Swamspeed):

• Bobby Finke, 200 breast – 2:00.35
• Katie Ledecky, 500 free – 4:26.08
• Kieran Smith, 1000 free – 8:45.65
• Isabel Ivey, 200 fly – 1:55.25
• Bobby Finke, 400 IM – 3:42.72
• Katie Ledecky, 400 IM – 4:00.75
• Isabel Ivey, 100 free – 49.12

Ledecky also swam 4:00.75 in the 400 IM, which is about four seconds off her lifetime best. This is her second meet since winning her 8th and 9th gold medals at the Paris Games in the 800 and 1500. Earlier this month, she swam 1:57.27 in the 200 meter free and 15:42.73 in the 1500 meter free in long course.

In other results, that swim for Smith is his lifetime best by 16 seconds, improving on a 9:01.86 that he swam in a late-season college dual meet as a sophomore at the University of Florida. That makes him the 23rd fastest performer in history.

Isabel Ivey, who was 3rd at the Olympic Trials in the 200 IM, swam a lifetime best in the 200 fly, improving her time by 1.23 seconds.

The full meet replay is below, with the pros popping in around the 1 hour, 14 minute and 2 hour marks:

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Katie Ledecky Swims a 4:26.08 in the 500 Free at the Florida-Florida State Dual Meet

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

NC State vs UNCW

• Raleigh, NC
• 25 yards
• Men: NC State 161- UNCW 114
• Women: NC State 176- UNCW 111

UNCW traveled to NC State on Friday for a dual meet. Although NC State earned the win on both sides, UNCW had some big swims including two conference records.

Women’s Recap

UNCW’s Cameron Snowden swam to a new conference record winning the 100 butterfly in a 52.06. That broke the previous Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) record of a 52.70 set by Sophia Heilen of William & Mary in 2023. Snowden will look to defend her conference title in the event next month as she swam a 52.72 last year.

NC State’s Leah Shackley touched first in the women’s 100 fly in a 51.37, although she exhibitioned the event. Shackley helped the Wolfpack’s 200 medley relay to a win as she teamed up with Olivia Nel, Lisa Nystrand, and Erika Pelaez for the win.

NC State’s Casaundra Moses earned three wins on the night. Moses first won the 50 free in a 22.02 before going on to win the 100 free in a 49.60. Moses also helped the NC State 200 free relay to a win as Nel, Lily Christianson, Moses, and Pelaez touched in a 1:26.88. Moses had the fastest split with a 21.52.

Kenna Smallegange swam to a lifetime best in the 1650 freestyle in her win for NC State. She swam to a 16:51.47, dropping from her previous best of a 17:07.38 that she swam at the 2022 Tar Heel Last Chance meet.

Lisa Nystrand swam to two wins on the day, winning the 200 free in a 1:48.01 and was the only swimmer under 1:50. She also won the 200 breast in a 2:08.75. That was just off her personal best of a 2:08.42 that she swam just last weekend at the Eddie Reese Showdown in Austin.

Men’s Recap

UNCW’s Jack VanHowe swam to a new CAA record in the men’s 100 backstroke. VanHowe earned a win in the event as well, touching in a 46.30. That broke the previous conference record of a 46.43 set by Colin Demers of William & Mary back in 2020. VanHowe entered the meet with a lifetime best of a 46.86 that he swam this year at midseason. He entered the season with a lifetime best of a 47.36.

Also earning a win on the men’s side for UNCW was Mason Hetzell who won the 100 breast in a 53.63, faster than his old lifetime best of a 53.94 from March 2023 that he swam prior to arriving at UNCW. He swam the event at CAAs last year, finishing 10th in a 54.33.

William Carrico of UNCW also earned a win, touching in a 1:57.28 in the 200 breaststroke. That was a season best as he swam a 1:59.46 at midseason. He finished 2nd in the event at CAAs last spring in a 1:56.27.

Sam Hoover of NC State earned three wins. Hoover started the meet off with a win as he combined with Stephen Conrad, Quintin McCarty, and Kaii Winkler for the win in the 200 medley relay. The relay won in a 1:24.74.

Hoover then went on to win the 100 fly in a 46.61 before helping the 200 free relay of Wells Walker, Hoover, Jerry Fox, and McCarty to a win in a 1:15.10. Fox had the fastest split with an 18.37.

Luke Miller swam to a season best in the 200 freestyle winning in a 1:33.89. Miller has a strong history in the event as he was 4th at 2022 NCAAs in the event with a 1:31.16, a time that still stands as his personal best. He was 17th at 2024 NCAAs, just missing finals but has only swam the event three times now this season. He had not broken 1:36 this season so today’s swim was a big season best.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: UNCW Breaks Two Conference Records In Dual Meet Against NC State

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

Competitor Coach of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based coach who has risen above the competition. As with any item of recognition, Competitor Coach of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one coach whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a coach who was clearly in the limelight, or one whose work fell through the cracks a bit more among other stories. If your favorite coach wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.

Brian Reynolds has been the head coach at Drury for more than four decades, leading the Panthers to a total of 33 NCAA Division II titles during his career.

That success has continued to be put on display throughout the 2024-25 season, which is Reynolds’ 42nd year as head coach of the men’s team and 37th leading the women’s program.

Drury has only raced once so far in 2025, but it was a dominant performance against Oklahoma Christian University.

The women’s team won 215-93, with the likes of Mellie Wijk, Belen Morales and Claire Conover leading the Panthers with some standout performances.

Wijk, a senior from Sweden, won the women’s 100 breast in a lifetime best of 1:00.96, narrowly missed her PB in winning the 100 fly (54.09), and added runner-up finishes in the 50 free (23.64) and 100 free (51.47), with the 50 free mark also standing as a best time.

Her swim in the 100 breast ranks 3rd in NCAA Division II this season, while her 100 fly best time of 54.02 from the midseason SMU Invite ranks 2nd.

The 200 breast was won by Conover, who set a season-best time of 2:11.90 to rank 2nd in Division II, only trailing Drury teammate Jonette Laegried, who didn’t compete against OCU but was 2:08.86 at the SMU invite.

Another impressive performer at the meet was Guatemalan freshman Belen Morales, who swept the 50 free (23.57), 100 free (50.91) and 200 free (1:51.92), setting lifetime bests in the two former events (she was even faster in the 50 leading off the 200 free relay in 23.54).

On the men’s side, Drury ran away with the dual against OCU, with the final score coming in at 240-72, improving their dual meet record to 4-0 on the season.

They won all but two events, with German sophomore Max Hagl setting a lifetime best of 49.23 en route to winning the 100 fly, while adding a season-best in winning the 100 back (49.04). Alvaro Zornova and Lachlan Sheehy were two other notable performers who hit PBs, while Brazilian sophomore Yuri Cabral picked up two individual wins in the 50 and 100 free.

The Drury men ranked 1st in the CSCAA Division II polls in January, while the women’s team sits 3rd.

Heading into the postseason with plenty of momentum, Reynolds will aim to lead the women’s team to their ninth Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship title after winning last year, while the men will seek to move up after placing 3rd in 2024.

About Competitor Swim

Since 1960, Competitor Swim® has been the leader in the production of racing lanes and other swim products for competitions around the world. Competitor lane lines have been used in countless NCAA Championships, as well as 10 of the past 13 Olympic Games. Molded and assembled using U.S. – made components, Competitor lane lines are durable, easy to set up and are sold through distributors and dealers worldwide.

^{Competitor Swim is a SwimSwam partner.} 

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Competitor Coach of the Month: Brian Reynolds

By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam

2025 EDDIE REESE SHOWDOWN

• January 24-25, 2025
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center — Austin, Texas
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Meet Info
• Live Results, also available on MeetMobile as “Eddie Reese Texas Showdown”
• Friday Morning Live Recap
• Friday Night Livestream 
• Friday Night Live Recap

Texas freshman Piper Enge had a big swim in the 100 breast this weekend at the Eddie Reese Showdown. Enge swam a 57.69, her first time under the 58-second barrier. She was also 2:07.90 in the 200 breast, placing 2nd in both the 100 and 200.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Piper Enge on Going 57 in 100Br: “It’s taken me a while to get a good break through in that”

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

Courtesy of Kevin Pierce. Follow Kevin on SubStack here.

It happens every year. As we approach the championship meets—the ones that swimmers and coaches alike circle on the calendar—the nerves start creeping in. My stomach gets tied up in knots. Sleep becomes a luxury as my mind races through race strategies, lineup possibilities, and what-ifs. I check the meet sheet over and over again, searching for that perfect combination of events that will put our team in the best position to succeed.

And yet, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve come to realize that the nerves, the sleepless nights, and the anxious energy are all signs that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. If I didn’t feel this way—if I wasn’t pacing my kitchen at midnight running through scenarios in my head—then maybe this wouldn’t be the right path for me. The moment I stop feeling this way is the moment I need to step away from coaching.

The Weight of Championship Season

There’s something different about these meets. The regular season is a grind, filled with tough practices, dual meets, and team-building moments. But championship season? That’s where everything is magnified. It’s where hard work meets opportunity, and where all the early morning practices, grueling sets, and technical adjustments are put to the test.

I know how much this means to my swimmers. I see the hours they’ve put in, the sacrifices they’ve made. And I want, more than anything, for them to have the moment they’ve worked for. I want them to feel the rush of touching the wall, looking up at the clock, and seeing a time that reflects all their dedication. I want them to feel the joy of standing on the podium, knowing they gave everything they had.

That’s why I can’t just turn it off. That’s why, as much as I tell my swimmers to control what they can and let go of the rest, I struggle to take my own advice. Because I care.

“Coaches Are Like Ducks”

Former Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock once said, “Coaches are like ducks. Calm on top, but paddling underneath. Believe me, there’s a lot of leg movement.” That quote hits home, especially this time of year.

On the pool deck, I do my best to be the steady presence my swimmers need. I crack jokes, give encouragement, and exude confidence in them—even if my stomach is doing backflips inside. Because they don’t need to see the storm that’s brewing in my mind. They need to feel like they’re ready. That’s my job. To make sure they believe in themselves, even when I’m running on two hours of sleep and fueled only by coffee and adrenaline.

Why the Nerves Matter

I used to think that getting nervous before big meets was a problem. That maybe I wasn’t doing something right if I couldn’t just relax and enjoy the moment. But now, I see it differently. The nerves don’t mean I’m weak or unprepared. They mean I care. They mean I’m invested. They mean I love what I do.

If I ever show up to a championship meet without that feeling—the weight of responsibility, the anticipation, the restless energy—that’s when I’ll know it’s time to walk away. Because that would mean I’m no longer all in.

But for now? For now, I embrace the knots in my stomach. I embrace the late-night strategy sessions and the overanalyzing and the deep breaths I have to take before the first race. Because that’s what it means to be a coach. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Let’s go race.

ABOUT KEVIN PIERCE

Kevin Pierce is a dedicated high school swim coach, leadership consultant, and advocate for athlete development. As the head coach of the Ridley High School boys’ swim team (Folsom, Pa), he has a passion for helping young swimmers reach their full potential, both in and out of the water. With years of experience in coaching, mentoring, and program development, Kevin specializes in leadership training, team culture, and athlete motivation.

Beyond the pool deck, Kevin is the founder of Green Mystique Leadership Consulting, where he works with youth and high school athletes to develop leadership skills that extend beyond sports. He is also the author of Leo The Lion’s Great Adventure, a children’s book that teaches leadership lessons through storytelling.

Kevin contributes to SwimSwam with insightful articles on high school swimming, leadership in sports, and strategies for fostering a winning team culture. His expertise in balancing athletic performance with leadership development makes him a valuable voice in the swimming community.

• Instagram – CoachKevinPierce
• Website – CoachKevinPierce.com
• X – kevpierce14
• Substack – https://kevinpierce.substack.com/

Read the full story on SwimSwam: The Nerves That Keep Me Going