2026 American Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship Begins Wednesday; Rice Picked as Favourite

IRVING, Texas – The 2026 American Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship can be held Wednesday by way of Saturday (February 18-21) on the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is the second time the Championship has been held on the venue (2015). Rice has been chosen as the favourite within the Pre-Championship Coaches Poll.
 
Tickets can be found for buy at this link.
 
Live protection of the Championship can be accessible on ESPN+ for all eight classes. Preliminary classes will start at 10:30 a.m. Eastern every morning. Coverage of the finals will start at 6 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, 5 p.m. Eastern Thursday and Friday and 4:45 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
 
The 2025 meet will characteristic 9 groups together with East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, FIU, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall, North Texas, Rice and Tulane. Events can be scored by way of the highest 24 opponents in every occasion.
 
Rice captured its first American championship in 2025, whereas 2024 champion FIU was second, only one.5 factors behind the Owls. Tulane was third. All three particular person award winners from the 2025 Championship return, together with Most Outstanding Swimmer Nicole Frank of FIU and Most Outstanding Diver Kamryn Wong of North Texas. Rice’s Ava Portello was the Freshman of the Year in 2025.
 
FIU is the highest seed in three of the 5 relay occasions, together with the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays and the 200-yard medley relay. Rice is the highest seed within the 800-yard freestyle relay, whereas Liberty has the highest time this season within the 400-yard medley relay.
 
2026 American Women’s Swimming and Diving Pre-Championship Poll

First-place votes in parenthesis
 
Schedule of Events

Wednesday, February 18

Session 1 – 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | ESPN+
500-yard Freestyle
200-yard Individual Medley
50-yard Freestyle

Session 2 – 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+

200-yard Medley Relay

500-yard Freestyle

200-yard Individual Medley

50-yard Freestyle

Team Diving Event

Thursday, February 19

Session 3 – 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+

400-yard Individual Medley

100-yard Butterfly

200-yard Freestyle

1-meter Diving Prelims

Session 4 – 5 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+

1-meter Diving Consolations

200-yard Freestyle Relay

400-yard Individual Medley

100-yard Butterfly

200-yard Freestyle

1-meter Diving Finals

400-yard Medley Relay

Friday, February 20

Session 5 – 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+

100-yard Backstroke

100-yard Breaststroke

200-yard Butterfly

3-meter Diving Prelims

Session 6 – 5 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+

3-meter Diving Consolations

800-yard Freestyle Relay

3-meter Diving Finals

100-yard Backstroke

100-yard Breaststroke

200-yard Butterfly

Saturday, February 21

Session 7 – 10:30 a.m. (Swimming Prelims) | 11 a.m. (Diving Prelims) | ESPN+

100-yard Freestyle

200-yard Backstroke

200-yard Breaststroke

Platform Diving Prelims

Session 8 – 4:45 p.m. (Diving Consolations) | 5:40 p.m. (Senior Recognition) | 6 p.m. (Finals) | ESPN+

Platform Diving Consolations

1,650-yard Freestyle*

100-yard Freestyle

200-yard Backstroke

200-yard Breaststroke

Platform Diving Finals

400-yard Freestyle Relay

* The 1,650-yard Freestyle is a timed last occasion. The quickest warmth of scoring athletes can be swum in the beginning of finals. The remaining heats will start previous to the beginning of the finals session (backed up from a 5 p.m. warm-up time, relying on the variety of heats).