GREENSBORO, North Carolina – Two NCAA individual automatic bids and one Championship record were achieved on the first day of action at the 2026 American Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship on Wednesday, February 18, at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Rice leads after the first day of action with 354.5 points, followed by Liberty in second with 323 points. East Carolina is third with 218.5 points, followed by James Madison (215), FIU (209), Tulane (191), Marshall (180), Florida Atlantic (139) and North Texas (124).
FIU opened the meet with a Championship record in the 200-yard medley relay, with the team of Diana Santamaria, Frida Loebersli, Oumy Diop and Tawannah McLemore finishing first in 1:36.24. Liberty was second in 1:36.92, while Rice was third in 1:39.05. It was the fourth-consecutive Championship that the Panthers have won the 200 medley relay.
Rice’s Ava Portello became a 2-time American champion in the 500-yard freestyle in an NCAA automatic-qualifying time of 4:42.67. Tulane’s Lise Coetzee placed second in 4:45.45, while Rice’s Ella Dyson was third in 4:47.28.
In the 50-yard freestyle, Aly Buzzuto became the first Liberty Flame to win an American championship, touching first in an NCAA automatic-qualifying time of 22.27. James Madison’s Jamie Cornwell was second in 22.38, while Liberty’s Kamryn Cannings was third in 22.42.
Rice’s Reese Cole captured the 200-yard individual medley, winning in a time of 1:58.28, ahead of teammate Bella Zhang in 1:59.06. Marshall’s Molly Warner placed third in 1:59.88.
In the final event of the evening, the North Texas trio of Sydney Guidara, Kamryn Wong and Amelia Sharp won the team diving event with a combined score of 298.25, the second time in three years the Mean Green have won the event. East Carolina was second with 286.05 points and FIU was third with 282.25 points.
The action continues Thursday with preliminaries beginning at 10:30 a.m. Eastern and finals starting at 5 p.m. Eastern. Both sessions will be available on ESPN+.
2026 American Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, February 18
200-yard Medley Relay – Diana Santamaria, Frida Loebersli, Oumy Diop, Tawannah McLemore, FIU – 1:36.24 –
Championship Record
500-yard Freestyle – Ava Portello, Rice – 4:42.67 –
NCAA Automatic Qualifier
200-yard Individual Medley – Reese Cole, Rice – 1:58.28
50-yard Freestyle – Aly Bozzuto, Liberty – 22.27 –
NCAA Automatic Qualifier
Team Diving Event – Sydney Guidara, Kamryn Wong, Amelia Sharp, North Texas – 298.25
Thursday, February 19
Session 3 - 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
1-meter Diving Prelims
Session 4 - 5 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+
1-meter Diving Consolations
200-yard Freestyle Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
1-meter Diving Finals
400-yard Medley Relay
Friday, February 20
Session 5 - 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+
100-yard Backstroke
100-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
3-meter Diving Prelims
Session 6 - 5 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+
3-meter Diving Consolations
800-yard Freestyle Relay
3-meter Diving Finals
100-yard Backstroke
100-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
Saturday, February 21
Session 7 - 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
200-yard Breaststroke
Platform Diving Prelims
Session 8 - 4:45 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 5:40 p.m. (Senior Recognition) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+
Platform Diving Consolations
1,650-yard Freestyle*
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
200-yard Breaststroke
Platform Diving Finals
400-yard Freestyle Relay
* The 1,650-yard Freestyle is a timed final event. The fastest heat of scoring athletes will be swum at the beginning of finals. The remaining heats will begin prior to the start of the finals session (backed up from a 5 p.m. warm-up time, depending on the number of heats).