Cal lost 24 points there due to DQ in 200m medley relay. Bears also are not listed in the 800 free style relay results. Did they get another DQ? If so, I'm outta here. OMG.
2025-2026 Swimming
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Last: 2 hrs ago by OBear073akaSMFan
Bounce back in the 800 free relay. Down goes that school record.
West (1:42.3), Weinstein (1:41.4), O'Dell (1:41.2) and Cosgrove (1:42.6) combine for a 6:47.48 and take 3rd overall.
DQ from the earlier event hurts, but the Bears are here to play.
West (1:42.3), Weinstein (1:41.4), O'Dell (1:41.2) and Cosgrove (1:42.6) combine for a 6:47.48 and take 3rd overall.
DQ from the earlier event hurts, but the Bears are here to play.
Schroeder71 said:
Cal lost 24 points there due to DQ in 200m medley relay. Bears also are not listed in the 800 free style relay results. Did they get another DQ? If so, I'm outta here. OMG.
Bye bye
swimmer19 said:
Bounce back in the 800 free relay. Down goes that school record.
West (1:42.3), Weinstein (1:41.4), O'Dell (1:41.2) and Cosgrove (1:42.6) combine for a 6:47.48 and take 3rd overall.
DQ from the earlier event hurts, but the Bears are here to play.
Yep..Would had gotten 5th place if not dq'ed. Furds almost dq'ed too. Lucy Bell rt.0000!
Cal 49 pts im 7th place after day 1. Dq cost them 3rd place but only 1st day and Bears have done well in the other two races.
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The Morning/Evening Relay Dichotomy Is Real, And Cal's Taper Is Scary (Day 1 Finals Overreactions)
Speaking of Cal, the Golden Bears showed once again why we should never, ever take them at face value during the season. Claire Weinstein dropped 16 seconds from her season best in the mile to go 15:36.52, placing 2nd after coming in as the #8 seed, and both relays (yes, even though the 200 medley was DQed) were faster than at ACCs. Mary-Ambre Moluh will be one to watch after moving up to #6 all-time in the 50 back with a 23.04.
Spieker Pool Lap Swimmer: " It's hard to argue against a personal and season best, but I can't help but wonder: if Weinstein had paced that mile differently could she have won? "
Cassandra : " im guessing maybe she was trying to pace to a sub 15:30 which is what the coaches assumed would take to beat jillian and then she discovered a bit too late in the race she was too aggressive/couldnt hold it? "
Swimfan27 : " That is still one of the craziest swims I have EVER seen. "
Swimfan27 : " Teagan O'Dell primed for a big week. 1:41.2 in what is probably her 5th or 6th best event is awesome "
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2026 Women's NCAAs: Day 1 800 Free Relay Analysis Not One But Two 1:39s
Cal had three splits in the top 13, with Teagan O'Dell's 1:41.27 the best of the bunch for them.
Alex Shackell, Claire Weinstein, and Madi Mintenko swam 1:41.4s at their first NCAAs
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Women's NCAAs Day 1 Scoring Analysis: Texas, Indiana, and Florida Among the Biggest Winners
From the biggest winner to the biggest loser, Cal was the biggest underperformer of the day, going -20 versus their seed. That was due to their DQ in the 200 medley relay, which has put them in a hole. Cal was seeded to finish 5th in this meet, but with the DQ, they're going to have to swim very well, especially in prelims, to contend for a top 5 finish.
Justin Pollard : " I think we normally look at "performance vs seed" as a measure of "how well did this team prepare for NCAAs vs other teams". With Cal's DQ, this measurement is misleading. They swam fast enough to take say 6th in the 200MR, which would add 26 points and put them at +6 which would put them near the top in point differential. I think they came prepared and can swim out of this hole. "
Spencer Penland (Author) : " For the record, I completely agree with you. Cal swam great yesterday, including on the medley relay if not for the DQ. I think to me the point isn't that they can't dig themselves out of this hole, it's the fact that they're now in a hole they have to dig themselves out of. "
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The Morning/Evening Relay Dichotomy Is Real, And Cal's Taper Is Scary (Day 1 Finals Overreactions)
Speaking of Cal, the Golden Bears showed once again why we should never, ever take them at face value during the season. Claire Weinstein dropped 16 seconds from her season best in the mile to go 15:36.52, placing 2nd after coming in as the #8 seed, and both relays (yes, even though the 200 medley was DQed) were faster than at ACCs. Mary-Ambre Moluh will be one to watch after moving up to #6 all-time in the 50 back with a 23.04.
Spieker Pool Lap Swimmer: " It's hard to argue against a personal and season best, but I can't help but wonder: if Weinstein had paced that mile differently could she have won? "
Cassandra : " im guessing maybe she was trying to pace to a sub 15:30 which is what the coaches assumed would take to beat jillian and then she discovered a bit too late in the race she was too aggressive/couldnt hold it? "
Swimfan27 : " That is still one of the craziest swims I have EVER seen. "
Swimfan27 : " Teagan O'Dell primed for a big week. 1:41.2 in what is probably her 5th or 6th best event is awesome "
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2026 Women's NCAAs: Day 1 800 Free Relay Analysis Not One But Two 1:39s
Cal had three splits in the top 13, with Teagan O'Dell's 1:41.27 the best of the bunch for them.
Alex Shackell, Claire Weinstein, and Madi Mintenko swam 1:41.4s at their first NCAAs
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Women's NCAAs Day 1 Scoring Analysis: Texas, Indiana, and Florida Among the Biggest Winners
From the biggest winner to the biggest loser, Cal was the biggest underperformer of the day, going -20 versus their seed. That was due to their DQ in the 200 medley relay, which has put them in a hole. Cal was seeded to finish 5th in this meet, but with the DQ, they're going to have to swim very well, especially in prelims, to contend for a top 5 finish.
Justin Pollard : " I think we normally look at "performance vs seed" as a measure of "how well did this team prepare for NCAAs vs other teams". With Cal's DQ, this measurement is misleading. They swam fast enough to take say 6th in the 200MR, which would add 26 points and put them at +6 which would put them near the top in point differential. I think they came prepared and can swim out of this hole. "
Spencer Penland (Author) : " For the record, I completely agree with you. Cal swam great yesterday, including on the medley relay if not for the DQ. I think to me the point isn't that they can't dig themselves out of this hole, it's the fact that they're now in a hole they have to dig themselves out of. "
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1650-YARD FREESTYLE
*NEW School Record*, 2026 = 15:36.52 Claire Weinstein
*OLD School record*, 2015 = 15:40.17 Cierra Runge
2026 NCAA Women's Division I 1650 Free Finals: Jillian Cox Passes Claire Weinstein Late for Win
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200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY
*DQ*, 2026 NCAAs = 1:33.29 Mary-Ambre Moluh (23.04), Silje Slyngstadli (26.51), Annie Jia (22.71), Mia West (20.78)
School Record, 2025 = 1:33.54 Isabelle Stadden (23.67), Leah Polonsky (26.01), McKenna Stone (22.81), Mary-Ambre Moluh (21.05)
(Following article published before the 800 Free Relay)
How Will Cal's DQ in the 200 Medley Relay Affect Their Chances in the Team Battle?
Cal - Disqualified
The Cal Golden Bears got off to a hot start tonight at the Women's NCAA Championships, seeing freshman Claire Weinstein rip a huge new career best by 15 seconds to finish 2nd in the 1650 free. Weinstein clocked a 15:36.52, taking 2nd and earning Cal 17 critical points for the team standings. She was seeded 8th, which means her performance netted the Golden Bears +6 points versus their seed in the event.
Cal's momentum was, however, halted in the next event. After finishing 5th in the 200 medley relay, Cal was disqualified for an early take-off on swimmer no. 4. The call was confirmed, as the results showed that anchor Mia West had a -0.05 reaction time, which is outside the permitted range.
The DQ cost Cal 28 points, which could become a key factor in the overall standings at the end of the meet. Instead of being in a tie for 3rd with Louisville after the medley relay, Cal is now sitting in 12th. Of course, they'll climb in the standings before the night is over, but that DQ could cost them a place, or even a few by the end.
Points versus seed becomes very important as teams jockey for positioning at a meet like this, and Cal is now in a hole after a very good first event.
As the table shows, Cal is now -20 on their actual score versus seeded score. We'll see if they can earn some of that back in the 800 free relay to conclude today's session, but one thing is clear: Cal is going to have to swim very well, particularly in prelims, to make up for that DQ tonight.
Justin Pollard : " That's such a tough circumstance, but given how most of the Cal women swam tonight, I think the prospects for the meet are still looking really good! "
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800-YARD FREE RELAY
*NEW School Record*, 2026 = 6:47.68 Mia West (1:42.31), Claire Weinstein (1:41.44), Teagan O'Dell (1:41.27), Ella Cosgrove (1:42.66)
*OLD School record*, 2019 = 6:50.12 Robin Neumann (1:42.94), Isabel Ivey (1:43.33), Katie McLaughlin (1:41.92), Amy Bilquist (1:41.93)
NCAA Women's Championships: Anna Moesch Pulls Off Anchor-Leg Comeback to Give Virginia 800 Free Relay Title
Third place went to California in 6:47.68. Claire Weinstein, the World Championships silver medalist in the 200-meter free, swam the second leg for Cal in 1:41.44, hardly a poor performance considering she had thrown down a huge best time for second place in the 1650 free earlier in the session. Mia West, Teagan O'Dell and Ella Cosgrove also competed for Cal.
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1650-YARD FREESTYLE
*NEW School Record*, 2026 = 15:36.52 Claire Weinstein
*OLD School record*, 2015 = 15:40.17 Cierra Runge
2026 NCAA Women's Division I 1650 Free Finals: Jillian Cox Passes Claire Weinstein Late for Win
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200-YARD MEDLEY RELAY
*DQ*, 2026 NCAAs = 1:33.29 Mary-Ambre Moluh (23.04), Silje Slyngstadli (26.51), Annie Jia (22.71), Mia West (20.78)
School Record, 2025 = 1:33.54 Isabelle Stadden (23.67), Leah Polonsky (26.01), McKenna Stone (22.81), Mary-Ambre Moluh (21.05)
(Following article published before the 800 Free Relay)
How Will Cal's DQ in the 200 Medley Relay Affect Their Chances in the Team Battle?
Cal - Disqualified
The Cal Golden Bears got off to a hot start tonight at the Women's NCAA Championships, seeing freshman Claire Weinstein rip a huge new career best by 15 seconds to finish 2nd in the 1650 free. Weinstein clocked a 15:36.52, taking 2nd and earning Cal 17 critical points for the team standings. She was seeded 8th, which means her performance netted the Golden Bears +6 points versus their seed in the event.
Cal's momentum was, however, halted in the next event. After finishing 5th in the 200 medley relay, Cal was disqualified for an early take-off on swimmer no. 4. The call was confirmed, as the results showed that anchor Mia West had a -0.05 reaction time, which is outside the permitted range.
The DQ cost Cal 28 points, which could become a key factor in the overall standings at the end of the meet. Instead of being in a tie for 3rd with Louisville after the medley relay, Cal is now sitting in 12th. Of course, they'll climb in the standings before the night is over, but that DQ could cost them a place, or even a few by the end.
Points versus seed becomes very important as teams jockey for positioning at a meet like this, and Cal is now in a hole after a very good first event.
As the table shows, Cal is now -20 on their actual score versus seeded score. We'll see if they can earn some of that back in the 800 free relay to conclude today's session, but one thing is clear: Cal is going to have to swim very well, particularly in prelims, to make up for that DQ tonight.
Justin Pollard : " That's such a tough circumstance, but given how most of the Cal women swam tonight, I think the prospects for the meet are still looking really good! "
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800-YARD FREE RELAY
*NEW School Record*, 2026 = 6:47.68 Mia West (1:42.31), Claire Weinstein (1:41.44), Teagan O'Dell (1:41.27), Ella Cosgrove (1:42.66)
*OLD School record*, 2019 = 6:50.12 Robin Neumann (1:42.94), Isabel Ivey (1:43.33), Katie McLaughlin (1:41.92), Amy Bilquist (1:41.93)
NCAA Women's Championships: Anna Moesch Pulls Off Anchor-Leg Comeback to Give Virginia 800 Free Relay Title
Third place went to California in 6:47.68. Claire Weinstein, the World Championships silver medalist in the 200-meter free, swam the second leg for Cal in 1:41.44, hardly a poor performance considering she had thrown down a huge best time for second place in the 1650 free earlier in the session. Mia West, Teagan O'Dell and Ella Cosgrove also competed for Cal.
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Bears Break 2 Program Records To Start NCAA Championships
Cal Finds 2 Podiums On Day 1
2026 NCAA Championships Day 1 Results
ATLANTA Two program records were broken, and two medals were won by the No. 5 California women's swimming & diving team Wednesday, the first day of the 2026 NCAA Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Golden Bears qualified for the A Final of all three day-one events thanks to their times during the regular season, including freshman Claire Weinstein who earned the eighth and final seed of the 1,650-yard freestyle event.
Weinstein looked like anything but the bottom seed in the first NCAA Championship event of her career as she burst out of the blocks to take a commanding lead from the sound of the horn. The freshman used an aggressive strategy and led for roughly the first 1,200 yards before finishing in second place with a school-record time of 15:36.52, over 14 seconds faster than her previous collegiate best and over three seconds faster than the 11-year old Cal record set by Cierra Runge (15:40.17). Weinstein tied Runge for the highest national finish in program history in that event enroute to a CSCAA First Team All-America award.
Weinstein's night wasn't done there. She along with fellow underclassmen Mia West, Teagan O'Dell, and Ella Cosgrove etched their names into Cal history by breaking the school record in the 800 freestyle relay. The Bear quartet posted a time of 6:47.91 to take third place and earn First Team All-America standing.
Cal was disqualified from the 200 medley relay for leaving the blocks early.
The Bears will head into day two of the NCAA Championships in seventh place with 49 points. Tomorrow's events include the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breast, and 200 freestyle relay. Eleven different Bears will be competing in the prelims which begin at 7 a.m. PT with the finals following later at 3 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
There 800 relay made up of 3 freshmen & 1 soph. Next year they will get Rylee Erisman.
Day 2 good start in 100fly prelim, Anne Jia 8th and lilou 14th.
O'Dell keeps the momentum going, 4th into tonight's 400 IM final
Bears are on a roll - West and Weinstein qualify 4th and 5th into the 200 free final
Elle Scott (18th, 59.08) and Silje Slyngstadli (20th, 59.21) add to their entry times and won't score in the 100 breast. Curious to see who gets the nod on the medley relay tmrw night
swimmer19 said:
Bears are on a roll - West and Weinstein qualify 4th and 5th into the 200 free final
congrats on their big splash, and fair thee swells.
sighned, not dead yet # funk trunk
Annie Jia finishes 5th in the 100 fly final, posting a 50.34 that stands as 4th all time at Cal and narrowly beats out her former best time of 50.35 from the 2024 Junior National meet. Way to go!
Teagan O'Dell demolishes her previous best time of 4:04.39 to finish 3rd in a 3:59.43, first time under 4:00 and cements her as 2nd all time at Cal
Mia West and Claire Weinstein couldn't quite hold on to the morning's pace, rounding out the A final in 1:42.00 and 1:42.59.
Individual swims went well today overall, looking forward to the upcoming sprint relay
Individual swims went well today overall, looking forward to the upcoming sprint relay
Claire Weinstein did not look happy prior to the 200 final. I hope this does not have any significance in how she feels about Cal.
Cal 5th in the 200fr relay. End of day 2 Cal's team score in 5th place with 133 pt. Even if they weren't dq'ed in the 200 med. relay they would only be in 4th place. Hoping Cal will be well rested for day #3.
If one adds 24 points for the DQ, Cal would be tied with Tennessee. Bears failed to score in the breaststroke.
coachdeke-is Claire Weinstein supposedly unhappy with Cal? Why else would you say that...
coachdeke-is Claire Weinstein supposedly unhappy with Cal? Why else would you say that...
I think Weinstein is fine. Likely just trying to stay serious and calm before the race.
She has a similar demeanor to that of Torri Huske, who is pretty serious and emotionless behind the blocks for every race. Not everyone needs to show an excessive amount of excitement.
She has a similar demeanor to that of Torri Huske, who is pretty serious and emotionless behind the blocks for every race. Not everyone needs to show an excessive amount of excitement.
Annie Jia was one of 4 Bears to qualify for a final on Day 2 of the NCAA Championships.
Cal Gets 4 Qualifiers On Day 2 Of NCAA Championships
Underclassmen Impress; Bears Climb To 5th Place
ATLANTA - The No. 5 California women's swimming & diving team saw four individuals qualify for finals on day two of the 2026 NCAA Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The Golden Bears climbed from 7th place into 5th with 133 points after earning five First Team All-America times Thursday.
Cal had 11 different competitors in its first morning prelims of the week, which began with the 100-yard butterfly event. Freshman Annie Jia (50.77) used the eighth-fastest time in program history to earn the final spot in her first individual collegiate final. Lilou Ressencourt (51.30) earned Second Team All-America status in her final NCAA Championships by placing 14th in the field of 45.
Eighth-seeded Jia looked like anything but the final competitor to make it to the evening session as she recorded a time of 50.34, the fourth-fastest by a Bear, to take fifth place and earn First Team All-America status.
Freshman Teagan O'Dell qualified for her first individual final touching the wall at 4:01.78 in the 400 IM, which was the second-fastest time in Cal history for about eight hours, before she returned to pool later in the evening and posted a 3:59.43 to take third place. It was just the second sub-four minute time ever recorded by a Bear and just 1.55 seconds off Caitlin Leverenz's record from 2012.
O'Dell is now a two-time First Team All-American and bronze medalist having placed third in the 800 freestyle relay last night.
Mia West and Claire Weinstein both moved up on Cal's all-time 200 freestyle list in the prelims and punched their tickets to the final with West collecting the Bears' fourth-fastest time at 1:41.57 and Weinstein finishing 0.02 seconds behind her for the fifth-fastest mark. West (1:42.00) and Weinstein (1:42.59) went on to take seventh and eighth in the final to add another First Team All-America honor to their resumes.
The finals ended with the Bears picking up some key points in the 200 freestyle relay. The quartet of Mary-Ambre Moluh, West, O'Dell, and Griscavage clocked a 1:26.10, Cal's fourth-fastest time, to place fifth.
Alexa McDevitt (4:08.27) finished 21st in the 400 IM followed by Kathryn Hazle (4:10.74) in 27th. Ava Chavez (1:43.73) came in 19th in the 200 freestyle with Ella Cosgrove (1:43.99) right behind her in 24th and freshmen Elle Scott (59.08) and Silje Slyngstadli (59.08) finished 18th and 20th in the 100 breaststroke.
The meet continues tomorrow with the 100 backstroke, 200 breast, 500 freestyle, 50 freestyle, three-meter diving and 400 medley relay taking place. Ten different Bears will be competing in the prelims which begin at 7 a.m. PT with the finals following later at 3 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
Day 3 Prelims. 100 back Mary-Ambre 2nd , West 22nd
200br shutout Silje 25th and Scott 43rd
500 free Weinstein 6th and Cosgrove 16th
50 fr Mary-Ambre 12th
medley 400 tonight and as mentioned early who will swim the breast leg.
200br shutout Silje 25th and Scott 43rd
500 free Weinstein 6th and Cosgrove 16th
50 fr Mary-Ambre 12th
medley 400 tonight and as mentioned early who will swim the breast leg.
Good morning for the Bears.
100 back - Moluh returns for a second swim tonight as the 2nd seed (50.02). West adds a bit of time (51.51) and won't score in 22nd.
200 breast - Bears strike out in scoring; Herscu finishes 23rd (2:09.53), Slyngstadli right behind in 2:09.60 for 25th. Scott (43rd, 2:11.16) and Hazle (51st, 2:12.61) round out the breaststroke squad's swims.
500 free - Weinstein gets a second swim, coming in 6th this morning (4:36.66). Cosgrove gets in scoring position for a point (16th, 4:39.19). Henveaux adds a bit of time and finishes 31st (4:42.92), and McDevitt goes another best time in this event this year (4:43.17 for 33rd). Hazle swam this event immediately following her 200 breast and added a second to seed (4:44.77, 42nd)
50 free - Moluh also had to double her swims this morning, but goes her 3rd fastest time ever to score (21.59, tied for 12th)
West seems to be a bit off this meet, which is insane to say given the incredible season she's had thus far (potentially impacted by her relay DQ at the start of the meet?). The new event schedule also doesn't seem to favor some of our athletes, given the doubling up today by Moluh and Hazle, and West swimming the 100 back instead of an event she's more likely to score A final points in.
100 back - Moluh returns for a second swim tonight as the 2nd seed (50.02). West adds a bit of time (51.51) and won't score in 22nd.
200 breast - Bears strike out in scoring; Herscu finishes 23rd (2:09.53), Slyngstadli right behind in 2:09.60 for 25th. Scott (43rd, 2:11.16) and Hazle (51st, 2:12.61) round out the breaststroke squad's swims.
500 free - Weinstein gets a second swim, coming in 6th this morning (4:36.66). Cosgrove gets in scoring position for a point (16th, 4:39.19). Henveaux adds a bit of time and finishes 31st (4:42.92), and McDevitt goes another best time in this event this year (4:43.17 for 33rd). Hazle swam this event immediately following her 200 breast and added a second to seed (4:44.77, 42nd)
50 free - Moluh also had to double her swims this morning, but goes her 3rd fastest time ever to score (21.59, tied for 12th)
West seems to be a bit off this meet, which is insane to say given the incredible season she's had thus far (potentially impacted by her relay DQ at the start of the meet?). The new event schedule also doesn't seem to favor some of our athletes, given the doubling up today by Moluh and Hazle, and West swimming the 100 back instead of an event she's more likely to score A final points in.
Relay lineup for tonight:
Mary-Ambre, Elle Scott, Annie Jia, Teagan O'Dell. Solid switch for leadoff/anchor legs.
Mary-Ambre, Elle Scott, Annie Jia, Teagan O'Dell. Solid switch for leadoff/anchor legs.
Thanks for all of your details reports. With the rest of the night off, hope Mia will feel better tomorrow's 200im.
Claire Weinsten Wins 500!! First win for the Bears!
NCAA Division I Championship Meet^ 3/20/2026 - 6:56 PM
2026 NCAA Division I Women's
Swimming & Diving Championships
Event 13 Women 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
NCAA: N 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
Meet: M 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
American: A 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
US Open: O 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
Pool: P 4:30.81 3/17/2016 Leah Smith, Virginia
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Weinstein, Claire FR California 4:36.66 4:30.09P 20
r:+0.73 24.67 51.66 (26.99)
1:19.29 (27.63) 1:47.03 (27.74)
2:14.81 (27.78) 2:42.34 (27.53)
3:09.81 (27.47) 3:37.04 (27.23)
4:03.94 (26.90) 4:30.09 (26.15)
2 Cox, Jillian SO Texas 4:33.89 4:31.56 17
r:+0.61 25.42 52.58 (27.16)
1:20.12 (27.54) 1:47.72 (27.60)
2:15.24 (27.52) 2:42.74 (27.50)
3:10.42 (27.68) 3:37.50 (27.08)
4:04.66 (27.16) 4:31.56 (26.90)
3 Dobson, Kennedi FR Georgia 4:34.73 4:32.24 16
r:+0.72 25.22 52.39 (27.17)
1:20.02 (27.63) 1:47.80 (27.78)
2:15.38 (27.58) 2:42.88 (27.50)
3:10.41 (27.53) 3:37.71 (27.30)
4:05.18 (27.47) 4:32.24 (27.06)
4 Jansen, Ella SO Tennessee 4:34.13 4:32.82 15
r:+0.74 24.97 52.26 (27.29)
1:19.85 (27.59) 1:47.50 (27.65)
2:15.25 (27.75) 2:42.99 (27.74)
3:10.62 (27.63) 3:38.38 (27.76)
4:05.91 (27.53) 4:32.82 (26.91)
5 Brousseau, Julie SO Florida 4:35.79 4:34.63 14
r:+0.76 25.55 52.67 (27.12)
1:20.00 (27.33) 1:47.62 (27.62)
2:15.43 (27.81) 2:43.43 (28.00)
3:11.24 (27.81) 3:39.11 (27.87)
4:07.10 (27.99) 4:34.63 (27.53)
6 Gormsen, Cavan JR Virginia 4:35.36 4:35.11 13
r:+0.74 25.33 52.88 (27.55)
1:20.57 (27.69) 1:48.37 (27.80)
2:16.29 (27.92) 2:44.03 (27.74)
3:11.87 (27.84) 3:39.81 (27.94)
4:07.80 (27.99) 4:35.11 (27.31)
7 Bellard, Hannah JR Michigan 4:37.00 4:35.80 12
r:+0.76 25.44 52.76 (27.32)
1:20.25 (27.49) 1:48.21 (27.96)
2:16.09 (27.88) 2:44.20 (28.11)
3:12.48 (28.28) 3:40.54 (28.06)
4:08.51 (27.97) 4:35.80 (27.29)
8 Mintenko, Madi FR Virginia 4:37.43 4:36.68 11
r:+0.73 24.80 52.08 (27.28)
1:19.89 (27.81) 1:48.07 (28.18)
2:16.27 (28.20) 2:44.54 (28.27)
3:13.12 (28.58) 3:41.80 (28.68)
4:09.81 (28.01) 4:36.68 (26.87)
NCAA Division I Championship Meet^ 3/20/2026 - 6:56 PM
2026 NCAA Division I Women's
Swimming & Diving Championships
Event 13 Women 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
NCAA: N 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
Meet: M 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
American: A 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
US Open: O 4:24.06 3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
Pool: P 4:30.81 3/17/2016 Leah Smith, Virginia
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Weinstein, Claire FR California 4:36.66 4:30.09P 20
r:+0.73 24.67 51.66 (26.99)
1:19.29 (27.63) 1:47.03 (27.74)
2:14.81 (27.78) 2:42.34 (27.53)
3:09.81 (27.47) 3:37.04 (27.23)
4:03.94 (26.90) 4:30.09 (26.15)
2 Cox, Jillian SO Texas 4:33.89 4:31.56 17
r:+0.61 25.42 52.58 (27.16)
1:20.12 (27.54) 1:47.72 (27.60)
2:15.24 (27.52) 2:42.74 (27.50)
3:10.42 (27.68) 3:37.50 (27.08)
4:04.66 (27.16) 4:31.56 (26.90)
3 Dobson, Kennedi FR Georgia 4:34.73 4:32.24 16
r:+0.72 25.22 52.39 (27.17)
1:20.02 (27.63) 1:47.80 (27.78)
2:15.38 (27.58) 2:42.88 (27.50)
3:10.41 (27.53) 3:37.71 (27.30)
4:05.18 (27.47) 4:32.24 (27.06)
4 Jansen, Ella SO Tennessee 4:34.13 4:32.82 15
r:+0.74 24.97 52.26 (27.29)
1:19.85 (27.59) 1:47.50 (27.65)
2:15.25 (27.75) 2:42.99 (27.74)
3:10.62 (27.63) 3:38.38 (27.76)
4:05.91 (27.53) 4:32.82 (26.91)
5 Brousseau, Julie SO Florida 4:35.79 4:34.63 14
r:+0.76 25.55 52.67 (27.12)
1:20.00 (27.33) 1:47.62 (27.62)
2:15.43 (27.81) 2:43.43 (28.00)
3:11.24 (27.81) 3:39.11 (27.87)
4:07.10 (27.99) 4:34.63 (27.53)
6 Gormsen, Cavan JR Virginia 4:35.36 4:35.11 13
r:+0.74 25.33 52.88 (27.55)
1:20.57 (27.69) 1:48.37 (27.80)
2:16.29 (27.92) 2:44.03 (27.74)
3:11.87 (27.84) 3:39.81 (27.94)
4:07.80 (27.99) 4:35.11 (27.31)
7 Bellard, Hannah JR Michigan 4:37.00 4:35.80 12
r:+0.76 25.44 52.76 (27.32)
1:20.25 (27.49) 1:48.21 (27.96)
2:16.09 (27.88) 2:44.20 (28.11)
3:12.48 (28.28) 3:40.54 (28.06)
4:08.51 (27.97) 4:35.80 (27.29)
8 Mintenko, Madi FR Virginia 4:37.43 4:36.68 11
r:+0.73 24.80 52.08 (27.28)
1:19.89 (27.81) 1:48.07 (28.18)
2:16.27 (28.20) 2:44.54 (28.27)
3:13.12 (28.58) 3:41.80 (28.68)
4:09.81 (28.01) 4:36.68 (26.87)
A race we will NEVER forget! 🏆🥇#GoBears pic.twitter.com/QxQSyscbSp
— Cal Women’s Swim & Dive (@CalWSwim) March 20, 2026
Last race of the day, Cal 6th in the 400MR.
Score after day3 , Cal in 6th place. Lack of diving hurting us too (besides the DQ), as Tennessee has scored heavily there 31pt., Mich 13pts.
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15
1. Virginia 437.5 2. Texas 272
3. Stanford 242.5 4. Tennessee 240.5
5. Michigan 228 6. California 199
7. Indiana 176 8. Louisville 144.5
9. NC State 141.5 10. Florida 113.5
11. Alabama 74.5 12. Ohio St 65
13. Georgia 54 14. Southern California 53
15. Miami (Fl) 48 16. Wisconsin 47.5
17. South Carolina 41 18. Minnesota 40
Score after day3 , Cal in 6th place. Lack of diving hurting us too (besides the DQ), as Tennessee has scored heavily there 31pt., Mich 13pts.
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15
1. Virginia 437.5 2. Texas 272
3. Stanford 242.5 4. Tennessee 240.5
5. Michigan 228 6. California 199
7. Indiana 176 8. Louisville 144.5
9. NC State 141.5 10. Florida 113.5
11. Alabama 74.5 12. Ohio St 65
13. Georgia 54 14. Southern California 53
15. Miami (Fl) 48 16. Wisconsin 47.5
17. South Carolina 41 18. Minnesota 40
It's certainly heart-warming that Weinstein won the 500 race. It has been a long time. The last time the Bears won an event at the women's NC was way back in 2021, when Isabel Ivey led her teammates to beat the superstar team of Kate Douglass + Alex Walsh in the 200 relay.
Weinstein led wire to wire and won by more than a body length. Hopefully, her dominating win is a sign of many wins to come, and the Bears will get to be on top once again.
Weinstein led wire to wire and won by more than a body length. Hopefully, her dominating win is a sign of many wins to come, and the Bears will get to be on top once again.
Weinstein Wins First National Championship
Freshman Breaks School Record To Claim 500 Free NCAA Title
2026 NCAA Championships Day 3 Results
ATLANTA - From the Olympics as a teenager, to a national championship as a freshman, Claire Weinstein headlined an unforgettable Friday for the No. 5 California Women's Swimming & Diving team. Weinstein won the 500-yard freestyle to claim the Golden Bears' first individual title in seven years and broke the program record on day three of the 2026 NCAA Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
"The last 75 yards of that race I was just replaying all of the special moments from this season," Weinstein said. "I never wanted something so bad, so I dug deep, and thought about all the people that came before me, all the women that made Cal swimming what it is. Now this team is moving in that direction."
The Team USA member and Paris Olympian posted a time of 4:36.66 in this morning's prelims to earn the sixth seed and qualify for a final for the third straight night. She was clearly saving her best for last as she dropped over six seconds off that time touching the wall at 4:30.09 which is a Cal program record, a McAuley Aquatic Center pool record, and the fastest time in the NCAA this season. Weinstein became Cal's first individual National Champion since Abbey Weitzeil won the 50 freestyle in 2019.
"Night one was really hard, Weinstein said. "The mile and the [200 freestyle] really beat me down so I have been trying to recover from that, but I just wanted to passionately swim this one and do it for my teammates and it worked out. I love these girls so much, they make going to practice worth it and swimming for your team is a different feeling, so I do it all for them."
Weinstein's swim of a lifetime was not the only program record broken Friday as the 400 IM quartet of Mary-Ambre Moluh, Annie Jia, Elle Scott, and Teagan O'Dell clocked a 3:25.09 to take sixth place and earn First Team All-America honors.
Moluh earned All-America honors as an individual earlier in the day as well earning a tie for fourth in the 100 backstroke at 49.95 and placing 12th in the 50 free with a time of 21.59.
Freshman Ella Cosrgrove picked up Second Team All-American honors placing 16th in the 500 free with a time of 4:39.19. Camille Henveaux (4:42.92) placed 31st, Alexa McDevitt (4:43.17) took 33rd, and Kathryn Hazle (4:44.77) finished 42nd.
Cal had four competitors in the 200 breaststroke as well led by Abby Herscu who completed her final collegiate race in 23rd with a time of 2:09.53 and was followed by Silje Slyngstadli (2:09.60) in 25th, Elle Scott (2:11.16) in 43rd, and Hazle (2:12.61) in 51st.
The meet concludes tomorrow with the 200 IM, 100 free, 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, and 400 free relay taking place on the final day of the season. Cal currently sits in 6th place with 199 points and will be looking for its highest finish since it was the national runner-up in 2019.
Ten different Bears will be competing in the prelims which begin at 7 a.m. PT with the finals following later at 3 p.m. PT on ESPN+
Thank you for posting and highlighting her comments about her love for the team & Cal. Don't need to start rumors of her unhappiness at Cal.
OBear073akaSMFan said:
Thank you for posting and highlighting her comments about her love for the team & Cal. Don't need to start rumors of her unhappiness at Cal.
It's my pleasure, I had felt that those comments from Claire Weinstein ought to be more in the limelight!
Cal Athletics said:
Weinstein won the 500-yard freestyle to claim the Golden Bears' first individual title in seven years and broke the program record on day three of the 2026 NCAA Championships at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Claire's 4:30.09 to win the 500 Free puts her ahead of Missy's 4:32.66 (2014), and Cierra's 4:31.90 (2015) !
Cal Athletics said:
Weinstein's swim of a lifetime was not the only program record broken Friday as the 400 IM quartet of Mary-Ambre Moluh, Annie Jia, Elle Scott, and Teagan O'Dell clocked a 3:25.09 to take sixth place and earn First Team All-America honors.
Mary-Ambre Moluh (49.76), Elle Scott (58.52), Annie Jia (49.76), Teagan O' Dell (47.05) = 3:25.09 (2026)
Previous program record for the 400-YARD MEDLEY RELAY was accomplished by the potent quartet of:
Amy Bilquist (50.84), Ema Rajic (58.53), Katie McLaughlin (50.00), Abbey Weitzeil (45.87) = 3:25.24 (2019)
Added:
2026 Women's NCAA Division I Championships: Day 3 Relay Analysis (400 Medley)
Looks like Mary-Ambre Moluh (49.76) has the 2nd fastest leadoff on back, and Annie Jia (49.76) had the 3rd fastest fly split. Well done!
Only 2 swimmers in the field went faster than Jia - Claire Curzan (48.82), and Alex Shackell (49.68), the #1 recruit for 2025 who had decommitted from Cal.
Cal Athletics said:
Moluh earned All-America honors as an individual earlier in the day as well earning a tie for fourth in the 100 backstroke at 49.95
Mary-Ambre currently occupies the #1 slot in program history for "Backstroke U", with her 49.68 (2024):
Cal's Mary-Ambre Moluh Posts 49.68 100 BK, #4 Freshman Ever; Yamato Okadome Shines In 100 BR
That's faster than the illustrious likes of Kathleen Baker's 49.80 (2017), Natalie Coughlin's 49.97 (2002), Rachel Bootsma 's 50.03 (2015), Amy Bilquist's 50.05 (2019), Isabelle Stadden's 50.26 (2023), Cindy Tran's 50.31 (2012), Isabel Ivey 's 50.42 (2019), Liz Pelton's 51.26 (2013) ...
Fellow Soph Mia West sits at #9 with her 50.78 (2026), from the 2026 ACC Championships.
Complete 500 race.
This morning will be so important for the Bears to potentially bring back a trophy, and the 200 IMers are answering the call.
West (1:52.40) and O'Dell (1:53.68) headline tonight's A final. Chavez starts off the first of her 2 swims this morning off with a best time 1:55.79 to finish 13th and get crucial morning points. Scott added about a second and won't score (22nd, 1:57.15)
West (1:52.40) and O'Dell (1:53.68) headline tonight's A final. Chavez starts off the first of her 2 swims this morning off with a best time 1:55.79 to finish 13th and get crucial morning points. Scott added about a second and won't score (22nd, 1:57.15)
Moluh gets it done. After missing scoring last year, she posts a 46.85 to make the A final in 7th. Keep it rolling
Ressencourt gets into the A final in 8th, matching her season best of 1:53.24. Jia added about 3 seconds and won't score, same with Chavez adding about a second shortly after scoring in the 200 IM.
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