The 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships are set to take place from Wednesday, March 18 to Saturday, March 21 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA. Defending champions Virginia are aiming for a sixth straight title. But here's where it gets controversial: University of Virginia redshirt junior Claire Curzan has decided to stick with the 100 fly, 100 back, and 200 back lineup for the NCAA Championships, despite having a different lineup at last year's ACC Championships. This is notable because Virginia's versatile star swimmers have a history of changing event lineups between conference and national championship meets. At last year's NCAA Championships, Curzan finished second in the 50 free, first in the 100 back, and first in the 200 back. Her choice of the backstroke races was a safe bet for repeat titles, especially after breaking the U.S. Open Record in the 200 at the ACC Championships. However, this year, four swimmers (Camille Spink, Torri Huske, Brady Kendall, and Sara Curtis) are seeded faster than Curzan's time from last year's NCAA Championships in the 100 fly. This sets up a showdown between Curzan and her former Stanford teammate Torri Huske in the 100 fly, with Huske seeded at 48.26 and Curzan at 48.47. Only three other swimmers are seeded under 49 seconds in that event. The new NCAA Championship schedule also influenced Curzan's lineup. 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, while the 50 free comes a few events after the 100 back. With the 400 medley relay on the same day, Curzan would have had to swim a triple if she had stuck with her original lineup. And this is the part most people miss: while Curzan's 21.11 from last year's NCAA Championships makes her the best returning performer from that race, the field is stronger this year with four swimmers seeded faster than that time. So, will Curzan's decision to stick with the same lineup pay off? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure: this year's NCAA Championships are set to be a thrilling showdown between some of the best swimmers in the country.
