Claire Curzan Going For Double

College Swimming Reset (Women’s Backstroke and Breaststroke): Claire Curzan Going For Another Double

The faculty swimming season has entered its dwelling stretch. January options the ultimate twin meets of the season earlier than convention championships in February and the NCAA Championships in March. Prior to the vacation break, swimmers set themselves up for championship season with sturdy performances at numerous midseason invitationals. Here is a take a look at each ladies’s particular person occasion as of proper now, together with the data, the winners from the 2025 NCAA Championships, the highest returning swimmers, the highest occasions within the nation this season and the highest performances in historical past.

Below are the statistics for the ladies’s backstroke and breaststroke occasions. Claire Curzan is the defending champion in each backstroke occasions whereas Lucy Bell appears to proceed her profitable methods within the 200 breaststroke.

100 Backstroke

• U.S. Open Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
• American Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
• NCAA Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
• 2025 Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.11
• Top Returning Finisher: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.11

Current 2025-26 Rankings:

1. Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.12
2. Bella Sims, Michigan – 49.17
3. Miranda Grana, Indiana – 49.89
4. Maggie Wazenek, Wisconsin – 49.95
5. Leah Shackley, NC State – 50.09

All-Time Rankings (daring = at present in faculty):

1. Gretchen Walsh – 48.10
2. Katharine Berkoff – 48.55
3. Bella Sims – 48.97
4. Claire Curzan – 49.11
5. Regan Smith – 49.16
6. Beata Nelson – 49.18
7. Charlotte Crush – 49.46
8. Miranda Grana – 49.62
9. Mary-Ambre Moluh – 49.68
10. Ally Howe – 49.69

The 100 again was one of many prime races of final 12 months’s NCAA Championships as Curzan touched out Bella Sims by one hundredth. An encore efficiency may very well be within the playing cards for this season, though Sims might change out this occasion for one more of her specialty occasions. This race represents the most effective likelihood for versatile Indiana Hoosier Miranda Grana to proceed her sturdy season and problem for a title.

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200 Backstroke

• U.S. Open Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
• American Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
• NCAA Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
• 2025 Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:46.82
• Top Returning Finisher: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:46.82

Current 2025-26 Rankings:

1. Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:47.89
2. Maggie Wazenek, Wisconsin – 1:48.39
3. Miranda Grana, Indiana – 1:49.06
4. Erika Pelaez, NC State – 1:49.18
5. Leah Shackley, NC State – 1:49.67

All-Time Rankings (daring = at present in faculty):

1. Claire Curzan – 1:46.82
2. Bella Sims – 1:47.11
3. Regan Smith – 1:47.16
4. Beata Nelson – 1:47.24
5. Kathleen Baker – 1:47.30
6. Taylor Ruck – 1:47.59
7. Phoebe Bacon – 1:47.60
8. Elizabeth Pelton – 1:47.84
9. Missy Franklin – 1:47.91
10. Rhyan White – 1:48.06

A day after their tight end within the 100 again, one other ensued within the 200-yard occasion as Curzan broke her personal file within the occasion whereas Sims handed Regan Smith because the No. 2 performer in historical past. With Phoebe Bacon having completed her faculty profession after 5 consecutive top-three finishes within the occasion (together with two titles), the most definitely potential challenger is NC State’s Leah Shackley, coming off an enormous summer time that noticed her win gold within the 200-meter again on the World University Games and rank No. 4 on the earth within the occasion.

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100 Breaststroke

• U.S. Open Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
• American Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
• NCAA Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
• 2025 Champion: Alex Walsh, Virginia – 56.49
• Top Returning Finisher: McKenzie Siroky, Tennessee – 57.41

Current 2025-26 Rankings:

1. Anita Bottazzo, Florida – 56.87
2. Eneli Jefimova, NC State – 57.67
3. McKenzie Siroky, Tennessee – 57.78
4. Lucy Bell, Stanford – 57.88
5. Mackenzie Miller Lung, Fresno State – 57.92

All-Time Rankings (daring = at present in faculty):

1. Lilly King, 55.73
2. Jasmine Nocentini – 56.09
3. Alex Walsh – 56.49
4. Molly Hannis/Mona McSharry – 56.64
6. Kaitlyn Dobler – 56.67
7. Sophie Hansson – 56.72
8. Alexis Wenger – 56.76
9. Gretchen Walsh – 56.86
10. Anita Bottazzo – 56.87

The 100 breast is the most definitely of any ladies’s race to have a international swimmer win the nationwide title as Anita Bottazzo and Eneli Jefimova have clocked the nation’s top-two occasions this season. McKenzie Siroky appears to construct on her freshman marketing campaign as the highest returning finisher. This occasion additionally noticed quite a few high-profile graduations after final season with Alex Walsh, Mona McSharry and Kaitlyn Dobler all exhausting their eligibility.

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200 Breaststroke

• U.S. Open Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
• American Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
• NCAA Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
• 2025 Champion: Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.28
• Top Returning Finisher: Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.28

Current 2025-26 Rankings:

1. Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.69
2. Kaelyn Gridley, Duke – 2:05.25
3. Letitia Sim, Michigan – 2:06.52
4. Aimee Canny, Virginia – 2:06.77
5. Anita Bottazzo, Florida – 2:06.97

All-Time Rankings (daring = at present in faculty):

1. Kate Douglass – 2:01.29
2. Alex Walsh – 2:02.07
3. Lilly King – 2:02.60
4. Anna Elendt/Bethany Galat – 2:03.26
6. Kierra Smith – 2:03.55
7. Sydney Pickrem – 2:03.65
8. Sophie Hansson – 2:03.75
9. Mona McSharry – 2:03.84
10. Emma Reaney – 2:04.06

Not one of many top-10 performers in historical past stays within the faculty ranks, however at No. 11 is Bell, the Stanford junior who gained a nationwide title in 2025. Bell had by no means targeted on the 200 breast previous to final season, however her change from the 200 fly paid dividends. A repeat end appears possible this 12 months. Last 12 months’s No. 2 finisher, Mackenzie Miller Lung, has since transferred from BYU to Fresno State.