Cummings earns CSCAA All-American honors; Finishes fifteenth within the 1650-yard Freestyle

ATLANTA, Ga. – Indiana State’s Grace Cummings made her NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships debut one to recollect because the freshman distance freestyle swimmer set new Missouri Valley and Indiana State marks on the best way to successful her warmth within the 1650-yard Freestyle occasion and putting fifteenth total within the occasion subject.
 
Cummings went out in 16:08.21 on her approach to establishing a brand new normal within the Indiana State report books and shattering the oldest standing swimming report within the MVC report books within the first warmth of the 2026 NCAA Championships held on the McAuley Aquatic Center.
 
“The race went to plan,” Cummings stated following the morning classes. “I am so grateful with how this year has progressed and I’m excited to see what the next year holds!”
 

Cummings’ prime 16 end garnered her this system’s first-ever College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association All-American Honorable Mention honors as acknowledged by the group following the conclusion of the occasion.
 
“Showing up at this meet and swimming fast is a big challenge, especially as a freshman,” Josh Christensen, Indiana State head swimming & diving coach stated. “I’m really proud of how Grace handled not only the swim today, but the time we had between conference and the meet.”
 
“This was a historic day for our program,” Christensen continued. “As I said before the meet, this was a full team effort in getting an athlete to this level. All current Sycamores and alumnae have a lot to be proud of. ROLL TREES!”
 
Cummings’ time broke the earlier mark of 16:15.49 set by SIU’s Kirsten Groome on February 13, 2010. The Kent, England native additionally broke her personal previous-best time of 16:17.25 set on February 28, 2026, on the 2026 MVC Championships.
 
Cummings additionally set a brand new Indiana State and MVC report within the 1000-yard Freestyle as her break up of 9:44.85 broke the earlier mark set by teammate Claire Parsons (9:46.34) final yr in a twin meet towards Toledo on February 7, 2025.
 
In the primary NCAA look by an Indiana State swimmer in program historical past, Cummings got here off the blocks quick going 26.54 over the opening 50 yards to safe an early lead. The Sycamore freshman posted a time of 4:50.43 at her 500-yard break up and held a lead of almost three seconds on the flip.
 
She constantly posted 50-yard splits hovering between 29.63 and 29.40 for a majority of the race earlier than ending sturdy down the stretch to win her warmth by 9.64 seconds over Harvard’s Alexandra Bastone.
 
Her victory within the opening warmth of the day marked Indiana State’s first-ever warmth win on the NCAA Championships and put her seventh within the subject following the morning classes.
 
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