Indiana Swimming Gears Up for NCAA Championships: Format Changes and Title Contenders
ATLANTA – Coming off its fifth consecutive Big Ten Championship, No. 3-ranked Indiana will appear to perform its best this week at the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Atlanta. The four-day meet runs Wednesday (March 25) through Saturday (March 28) inside the McCauley Aquatic Center, with final sessions beginning at 6 p.m. ET each night.
Navigating the New Championship Format
This year’s NCAA Championships feature several key format changes impacting competition and scoring. Notably, ‘B’ finals have been eliminated. Athletes placing ninth through 16th from preliminaries will still earn second-team All-American status, but will not have a second swim, retaining their preliminary placement. Relay and 1,650-yard freestyle timed finals will now occur during the preliminary session, with only the fastest heats competing in the evening. Finally, diving championship finals will be split into two parts each evening, alternating between swimming events and diving rounds.
Hoosiers’ Largest Roster Ever
Indiana qualified a record 19 athletes – 16 swimmers and three divers – for the national meet. The Hoosiers will have representation in every event and multiple competitors in 20 of 22 events. Specifically, Indiana boasts six qualifications in the 400-yard IM, five in the 100-yard backstroke, and four apiece in the 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke, and 200-yard IM. Including relays, Hoosiers own 16 top 10 seeds and six top five seeds in their events.
Senior Stars Aiming for Glory
Senior Zalán Sárkány, a two-time reigning champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle, is the top seed in the meet’s opening event on Wednesday. He faces stiff competition from Florida’s Ahmed Jaouadi and Ahmed Hafnaoui, both long course world champions. Fellow senior Owen McDonald, an 11-time All-American and two-time NCAA medalist, seeks his first individual championship, entering the week as the top seed in the 200-yard IM.
Freshman Phenoms Make a Splash
Indiana’s highly-regarded freshman class is poised to make an immediate impact. Josh Bey turned heads with a Big Ten record and conference championship swim in the 400 IM, currently holding the No. 2 time in the country (3:34.90). He’s projected to score in all three of his events, ranking No. 6 in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:50.03) and 14th in the 200-yard IM (1:41.68). Classmate Noah Cakir mirrors Bey’s program, ranking seventh in the 200 breaststroke (1:50.47) and setting a 17-18 National Age Group record at the Big Ten Championships. Luke Ellis adds depth in the distance events, earning the No. 12 time nationally in the 1,650 freestyle (14:43.01). Bloomington native David Kovacs qualified from Indiana’s “Last Chance” meet, ranking No. 14 in the 200-yard backstroke (1:39.18).
Depth and Consistency: The “Glue Guys”
Depth is crucial for high-scoring teams, and Indiana delivers. Raekwon Noel, Aaron Shackell, Kai van Westering, Travis Gulledge, Alexei Avakov, Dylan Smiley, Toby Barnett, and Miroslav Knedla all rank within the top 20 in at least one event. Noel is No. 8 in the 200-yard butterfly (1:39.26), Barnett joins Bey and Cakir within the top 10 of the 200 breast (1:50.75), and Knedla ranks No. 17 in both the 100 back (44.67) and 200 back (1:39.28).
Diving Strength Continues
Indiana has consistently excelled in diving, scoring over 100 points in the discipline each of the last three seasons. Despite the graduation of national champions Carson Tyler and Quinn Henninger, the Hoosiers remain strong. Senior Maxwell Weinrich, a four-time All-American and 2024 national runner-up on platform, leads the diving contingent. He’ll compete in all three events, alongside sophomores Joshua Sollenberger (1-meter, 3-meter) and Aiden Sadler (3-meter).
Meet Information and Viewing Options
The meet runs from Wednesday, March 25, through Saturday, March 29, with preliminary heats at 10 a.m. ET and finals at 6 p.m. ET. Live results for swimming are available at https://bit.ly/4btUAsd, and diving results at divemeets.com. Fans can stream the competition live on ESPN+. Follow @IndianaSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest updates.
FAQ
Q: Where is the NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships being held?
A: The championships are being held at the McCauley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Ga.
Q: What are the key format changes for the 2026 championships?
A: The championships will not include ‘B’ finals, relay and 1,650-yard freestyle timed finals will occur during prelims, and diving finals will be split into two parts.
Q: How many athletes did Indiana qualify for the meet?
A: Indiana qualified 19 athletes – 16 swimmers and three divers.
Q: Who are some of Indiana’s top contenders?
A: Zalán Sárkány, Owen McDonald, Josh Bey, and Maxwell Weinrich are among Indiana’s key athletes.
Did you know? Indiana boasts the largest roster of any team competing at the NCAA Championships.
Stay tuned for updates throughout the championships and cheer on the Hoosiers!
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