Get ready for a thrilling showdown in the pool! Claire Curzan is shaking things up for the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, sticking with her 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and 100 butterfly lineup—the same events she dominated at the ACC Championships. But here's where it gets intriguing: this isn’t just a repeat of her strategy from last year’s ACCs, and it’s a bold move for a swimmer known for her versatility, especially at a university like Virginia, where stars like Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass have famously switched up their event lineups between conference and national meets. Is Curzan playing it safe, or is she setting the stage for something bigger?
Scheduled from Wednesday, March 18, to Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA, this championship promises to be a spectacle. Defending champions Virginia are aiming for their 6th consecutive title, and Curzan’s lineup could be a strategic masterstroke. For the full scoop, check out Championship Central (https://www.ncaa.com/news/swimming-women/article/2026-02-25/2026-ncaa-di-womens-swimming-and-diving-championship-selection-info-schedule) or dive into the Pre-Selection Psych Sheets (https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-pre-selection-entry-list.pdf). Don’t miss the Live Results (https://swimmeetresults.tech/NCAA-Division-I-Women-2026/) or the Live Video coverage to catch every stroke.
Curzan’s decision to focus on backstroke events is no surprise—she’s the reigning champion in both the 100 and 200 back, and her U.S. Open Record-breaking performance in the 200 back at the ACC Championships (https://swimswam.com/claire-curzan-breaks-own-ncaa-american-records-with-146-09-200-backstroke/) solidifies her dominance. But is the competition really weaker this year? With Bella Sims (https://swimswam.com/bio/bella-sims/) opting out of the 200 back, the field seems less daunting, but don’t count out rising stars like Camille Spink, Brady Kendall, and Sara Curtis, who are all seeded faster than Curzan’s 21.11 from last year’s NCAA Championships.
And this is the part most people miss: the 100 fly is where the real drama unfolds. Curzan’s former Stanford teammate, Torri Huske (https://swimswam.com/bio/torri-huske/), is seeded just ahead of her at 48.26, compared to Curzan’s 48.47. Both swimmers dropped best times at the ACC Championships, with Huske taking the win. Can Curzan reclaim the top spot, or will Huske solidify her dominance? Only three other swimmers—Alex Shackell (49.95), Gigi Johnson (49.95), and Miranda Grana (49.98)—are seeded under 49 seconds, making this event a high-stakes battle for Virginia’s title chase.
The revised NCAA Championship schedule also plays into Curzan’s hands. Last year, the 50 free and 100 back were on separate days, while the 100 fly conflicted. This year, the 100 fly moves to day 2, and the 50 free follows shortly after the 100 back. With the 400 medley relay on the same day, sticking to her current lineup avoids a grueling triple.
But here’s the controversial question: Is Curzan’s lineup a strategic masterpiece or a missed opportunity? By skipping the 50 free, she avoids a head-to-head with faster-seeded swimmers but also gives up a chance to score big points in a sprint event. What do you think? Is she playing it smart, or should she have taken the risk? Let us know in the comments!
In this story, we’ve highlighted key swimmers like Bella Sims (https://swimswam.com/bio/bella-sims/), Claire Curzan (https://swimswam.com/bio/claire-curzan/), and Torri Huske (https://swimswam.com/bio/torri-huske/). For more insights, check out the work of Braden Keith (https://swimswam.com/bio/braden-keith/), Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of SwimSwam.com, whose expertise in the sport brings you the latest and greatest in swimming news.
