Women’s Swimming & Diving in second after opening evening of 2026 NCAA Championships

ATLANTA, Ga. – Texas Women’s Swimming and Diving sits in second place (89 factors) behind Virginia (100 factors) after Wednesday’s opening evening of the four-day 2026 NCAA Championships on the McAuley Aquatic Center. The Longhorns had been led by a nationwide title from Jillian Cox within the 1,650-freestyle and an eighth-place end from Kate Hurst in the identical occasion. Texas additionally recorded a runner-up end within the 800-freestyle relay, a seventh-place end within the 200-medley relay. 

Jillian Cox set the tone for the night, delivering a dominant 15:32.26 within the 1,650-freestyle to safe her second consecutive NCAA title within the occasion. Cox surged within the again half, dropping into the 27-second vary over the ultimate 500 yards to overhaul California’s Claire Weinstein and draw back for the win. The sophomore trimmed 1.28 seconds off her successful time from final 12 months (15:33.54). 

Kate Hurst added an All-America efficiency within the 1,650-freestyle, putting eighth with a time of 15:53.09. Hurst held a constant tempo all through earlier than ending robust with a 27.97 break up over her closing 50, bettering on her seed time of 15:56.37 to safe the top-eight end.

To open the relay occasions, the quartet of Emma Kern, Piper Enge, Campbell Stoll and Eva Okaro earned All-America honors with a seventh-place end within the 200-medley relay, touching in 1:33.38. Texas was powered on the again half by a 22.73 butterfly break up from Stoll and a 20.78 freestyle anchor from Okaro.

In the ultimate occasion of the evening, the quartet of Nikolett Padar, Lillie Nesty, Campbell Chase and Erin Gemmell earned a runner-up end within the 800-freestyle relay with a time of 6:46.91. Texas was led by Padar’s program-record leadoff break up of 1:40.30, breaking her personal earlier mark of 1:41.36. 

The Longhorns proceed competitors on the NCAA Championships from Thursday, March 19 via Saturday, March 21 on the McAuley Aquatic Center. Thursday’s championship finals occasions embody the 100-butterfly, 400-individual medley, 1-meter diving finals, 200-freestyle, 100-breaststroke and the 200-freestyle relay. Prelims start at 9 a.m. CT, with finals classes scheduled to start out every day at 5 p.m. CT. All prelim and finals classes will likely be streamed stay on ESPN+.

Team Rankings (Through Event 3):

1. Virginia – 100
2. Texas – 89
3. Stanford – 59
   
   T-3. Louisville – 59
4. Michigan – 56
5. Tennessee – 52
6. California – 49
7. Indiana – 46
8. Ohio State – 39
9. Georgia – 34
10. Florida – 31
11. NC State – 28
12. Southern California – 24
13. Alabama – 22
14. Wisconsin – 16
15. Nebraska – 15
16. LSU – 14
17. Pittsburgh – 10
    
    T-19. Penn – 6
    
    T-19. Minnesota – 6
    
    T-19. Arizona State – 6
18. UCLA – 4
    
    T-22. South Carolina – 4
19. Duke – 2

Texas Longhorns National Champions:

Jillian Cox: 1,650-freestyle (15:32.26)

Texas Longhorns All-Americans:

Campbell Chase – 800 freestyle relay

Piper Enge – 200 medley relay

Erin Gemmell – 800 freestyle relay

Kate Hurst – 1,650 freestyle

Emma Kern – 200 medley relay

Lillie Nesty – 800 freestyle relay

Eva Okaro – 200 medley relay

Nikolett Padar – 800 freestyle relay

Campbell Stoll – 200 medley relay

Schedule of Events – Thursday, March 19, 2026

(Prelims: 9 a.m. CT / 10 a.m. ET; Diving Prelims 11:30 a.m. CT / 12:30 pm ET; Finals: 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET)

 

100-Butterfly

Campbell Stoll

Eva Okaro

400-Individual Medley

Angie Coe

Campbell Stoll

Campbell Chase

Haley McDonald

200-Freestyle

Nikolett Padar

Erin Gemmell

Lillie Nesty

Inez Miller

100-Breaststroke

Piper Enge

200-Freestyle Relay

Eva Okaro

Lillie Nesty

Lucy Mehraban

Erin Gemmell