Moesch wins her 1st NCAA individual title as Virginia adds to team lead at swimming championships

By Canadian Press on March 19, 2026.

ATLANTA (AP) — Anna Moesch won the first NCAA individual title of her career in the 200-yard freestyle on Thursday night at the women’s swimming and diving championships to help Virginia added to its team lead.

Moesch’s time of 1:39.23 marked the second fastest performance in the event, just shy of Missy Franklin’s 11-year-old record.

Moesch also helped Virginia claim a third relay title in the competition with a 1:24.11 in the 200 freestyle. It was the fifth straight year Virginia won the event.

Virginia sits in first place with 249 points heading into the third day of the four-day competition. Texas is second with 183 points and Stanford third with 173.

Olympic gold medalist Torri Huske clocked a 48.49 to win the 100 butterfly for her third career national title. Huske edged Virginia’s Claire Curzan after finishing second last season. The top three swimmers finished under 50 seconds, with Huske’s Stanford teammate, Gigi Johnson, coming in fourth.

Bella Sims led wire-to-wire in the 400 IM for Michigan’s first individual NCAA title since Maggie MacNeil in 2021. It was also the first gold in the event by a Wolverine since Mindy Gehrs in 1993.

N.C. State’s Eneli Jefimova took the 100 breaststroke with the fastest time in program history.

Senior diver Chiara Pellacani defended her one-meter national title for Miami. Pellacani became the first diver to win multiple national titles in a Miami career since Brittany Viola (2008, 2011).

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The Associated Press

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