Hold on to your swim caps, folks, because the NCAA women's swimming scene is on fire! The first half of this season has seen some blazing times, and with midseason invitationals just around the corner, it's the perfect time to dive into the top performers. Let's take a look at the fastest three swimmers in each event before the 2025-26 midseason invites kick off.
| EVENT | Fastest | 2nd Fastest | 3rd Fastest |
| :----------- | :--------------------- | :---------------------- | :------------------------ |
| 50 free | Sara Curtis (UVA), 21.18 | Julia Dennis (LOU), 21.21 | Camille Spink (TENN), 21.30 |
| 100 free | Anna Moesch (UVA), 46.53 | Camille Spink (TENN), 46.54 | Eva Okaro (TEX), 47.06 |
| 200 free | Anna Moesch (UVA), 1:41.42 | Bella Sims (MICH), 1:41.43 | Aimee Canny (UVA), 1:41.85 |
| 500 free | Kennedi Dobson (UGA), 4:33.61 | Jillian Cox (TEX), 4:33.91 | Aimee Canny (UVA), 4:34.26 |
| 1650 free | Gena Jorgenson (NEB), 16:10.04 | Camille Henveaux (CAL), 16:30.20 | Claire Tuggle (USC), 16:34.79 |
| 100 back | Bella Sims (MICH), 49.87 | Claire Curzan (UVA), 50.08 | Maggie Wanezek (WISC), 50.30 |
| 200 back | Claire Curzan (UVA), 1:47.89 | Miranda Grana (IU), 1:49.85 | Erika Pelaez (NCST), 1:50.83 |
| 100 breast | Anita Bottazzo (FLOR), 56.87 | Eneli Jefimova (NCST), 57.67 | McKenzie Siroky (TENN), 57.78 |
| 200 breast | Lucy Bell (STAN), 2:04.76 | Eneli Jefimova (NCST), 2:07.38 | Aimee Canny (UVA), 2:07.45 |
| 100 fly | Claire Curzan (UVA), 50.06 | Torri Huske (STAN), 51.05 | Leah Shackley (NCST), 51.19 |
| 200 fly | Campbell Stoll (TEX), 1:52.25 | Caroline Bricker (STAN), 1:52.85 | Lilou Ressencourt (CAL), 1:53.24 |
| 200 IM | Aimee Canny (UVA), 1:55.03 | Leah Hayes (UVA), 1:55.10 | Torri Huske (STAN), 1:55.13 |
| 400 IM | Torri Huske (STAN), 4:04.21 | Caroline Bricker (STAN), 4:04.30 | Campbell Stoll (TEX), 4:04.49 |
| 200 free relay | Virginia, 1:25.77 | Louisville, 1:26.28 | Texas, 1:27.13 |
| 400 free relay | Louisville, 3:10.27 | NC State, 3:10.70 | Tennessee, 3:11.01 |
| 800 free relay | Cal, 6:55.18 | Stanford, 6:57.69 | Louisville, 7:04.74 |
| 200 medley relay | Virginia, 1:33.62 | Louisville, 1:34.21 | Alabama, 1:34.59 |
| 400 medley relay | Virginia, 3:25.91 | Michigan, 3:26.82 | Florida, 3:28.67 |
This year's times are faster than last year's in almost every event! But here's where it gets controversial... the 50 free, 100 fly, 200 fly, and 200 IM still have some holdovers from last year. This season, the third-fastest times are also outperforming last year's in most events, showing the increased depth in the competition.
One thing is clear: Virginia is a force to be reckoned with. They've snagged 11 of the 42 available spots in individual events, making up over 25% of the top swimmers. Stanford follows with six spots, and Texas with four.
Let's spotlight some individual stars. Virginia's Aimee Canny is a powerhouse, appearing four times on the list: 200 free, 500 free, 200 breast, and 200 IM. She leads the nation in the 200 IM with a time of 1:55.03, just a hair ahead of teammate Leah Hayes. Canny also holds the 3rd spot in the 200 free, 500 free, and 200 breast.
Stanford's Torri Huske also shines, with three top-three spots, including a leading time of 4:04.21 in the 400 IM. She's also 2nd in the 100 fly and 3rd in the 200 IM.
Claire Curzan, another Virginian, is making waves with her leading times in the 200 back (1:47.89) and 100 fly (50.06), as well as a 2nd place in the 100 back (50.08).
Anna Moesch from Virginia leads the nation in the 100 free (46.53) and the 200 free (1:41.42), making her another multi-event standout.
And it's not just the veterans dominating! Freshmen are making a splash too. Virginia's Sara Curtis leads the 50 free with 21.18, while Texas's Eva Okaro is 3rd in the 100 free.
Kennedi Dobson, a freshman from Georgia, tops the 500 freestyle with 4:33.61, outperforming reigning NCAA Champion Jillian Cox in the event.
NC State's Eneli Jefimova is making a big impact with her top times in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. The Wolfpack's sophomores, Erika Pelaez and Leah Shackley, are also making their mark, taking 3rd in the 200 back and 100 fly, respectively.
Virginia is also leading in three relays: the 200 free, 200 medley, and 400 medley. Louisville leads the 400 free relay, and Cal leads the 800 free relay.
What do you think? Are you surprised by any of these times or athletes? Who do you think will make a splash at the midseason invitationals? Let us know in the comments!
