By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
It’s that point of the 12 months once more. SwimSwam shall be previewing the highest 12 males’s and ladies’s groups (after which some) from the 2025 NCAA Championships. Comply with together with the Faculty Swimming Preview Channel. Need to learn much more? Take a look at the newest version of the SwimSwam journal.
Ladies’s #3: Texas Longhorns
Key Losses: Emma Sticklen (48 NCAA Factors, 4 NCAA relays), Hailey Hernandez (21 NCAA Factors), Abby Arens (13 NCAA Factors, 3 NCAA relays), Olivia Bray (2 NCAA Factors, 1 NCAA relay), Grace Cooper (2 NCAA relays), Ava Longi (2 NCAA relays)
Key Additions: #7 Haley McDonald (KY – again/IM), #20 Sarah Rodrigues (NJ–again/free), BOTR Avery Collins (TX – breast), Lucy Mehraban (Louisville Switch – free), Eva Okaro (Nice Britain – free), Inez Miller (Singapore – free), Nikolett Padar (Hungary – free)
GRADING CRITERIA
Over time, we’ve gone forwards and backwards on methods to challenge factors, starting from largely subjective rankings to extra data-based grading standards primarily based on ‘projected returning factors.’ We like being as goal as doable, however we’re going to stay with the strategy we’ve adopted post-Covid. The “stars” will rely closely on what swimmers truly did final 12 months, however we’ll additionally give credit score to returning swimmers or freshmen who’ve posted instances that might have scored final 12 months.
Since we solely profile the highest 12 groups on this format, our grades are designed with that vary in thoughts. Within the grand scheme of faculty swimming and in comparison with all different school packages, high 12 NCAA packages would just about all grade properly throughout the board. However within the curiosity of constructing these previews informative, our grading scale is hard – designed to point out the tiers between the nice stroke teams, the nice ones, and the 2015 Texas fly group varieties.
5 star (★★★★★) – a uncommon, elite NCAA group projected to attain 25+ factors per occasion
4 star (★★★★) – a really, superb NCAA group projected to attain 15-24 factors per occasion
3 star (★★★) – a superb NCAA group projected to attain 5-14 factors per occasion
2 star (★★) – a stable NCAA group projected to attain 1-4 factors per occasion
1 star (★) – an NCAA group that’s projected to attain no factors per occasion, although that doesn’t imply it’s with out potential scorers – they’ll simply must leapfrog some swimmers forward of them to do it
We’ll grade every occasion self-discipline: dash free (which we outline to incorporate all of the relay-distance freestyle occasions, so 50, 100 and 200), distance free, IM, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and diving. Use these grades as a jumping-off level for dialogue, fairly than a cause to be indignant.
Additionally, remember that we’re publishing many of those previews earlier than groups have posted finalized rosters. We’re making our assessments primarily based on the perfect data now we have out there on the time of publication, however we reserve the precise to make modifications after publication primarily based on any new data which will emerge relating to rosters. If that does occur, we’ll make sure to notice the change.
2024-25 Lookback
The Texas ladies had a robust 12 months, and so they made probably the most of their final season with a robust class of fifth-year swimmers.
They completed third on the 2025 NCAA Championships after incomes the runner-up spot three years in a row behind Virginia. Final 12 months, they fell to Virginia and Stanford, coming in simply over 20 factors behind the Cardinal, who had their highest end since 2019.
Graduate Scholar Emma Sticklen led the workforce in factors, bringing in 48 particular person factors along with her win (and NCAA report) within the 200 fly, third place end within the 100 fly, and seventh place end within the 200 IM.
She was adopted within the level totals by freshman diver Alejandra Estudillo Torres and sophomore Jillian Cox at 42 and 40 factors, respectively.
Estudillo Torres completed 1st within the 3-meter, sixth within the 1-meter, and Ninth within the platform occasions, and Cox received the five hundred and 1650 freestyles (the one occasions she swam).
Becoming a member of Cox within the Longhorns Sophomore Class have been diver Bayleigh Cranford (29 factors), Campbell Stoll (24 factors), and Erin Gemmell (12 factors). There was additionally a quartet of freshmen who got here in after Estudillo Torres in Piper Enge (14 factors) and Kate Hurst, Lillian Nesty, and Campbell Chase, who all scored seven factors.
Hailey Hernandez was the one senior particular person level scorer with 21 complete factors, and Abby Arens (13) and Olivia Bray (2) have been the ultimate Longhorn level scorers on the meet.
Texas additionally received its first SEC Championship, taking dwelling the trophy in its very first 12 months within the convention and dethroning the defending champions, Florida.
The scores at that meet have been additionally led by Sticklen, who scored 96 factors by successful all three of her occasions. Campbell Stoll scored the 2nd most at 83.
Dash Free: ★★★ ½
Final season, the Longhorns have been weak within the 50 and 100 occasions. Grace Cooper was the best finisher within the 50, touching in 18th at 21.91, and Erin Gemmell was the best 100 freestyle finisher, tying for sixteenth earlier than shedding the swim-off to Georgia’s Helena Jones for the final spot within the closing.
Their 200 freestyle was stronger, with Erin Gemmell bringing in 12 factors along with her seventh place end at 1:43.52, and Lillian Nesty scoring 7 factors after ending tenth in 1:42.86, her lifetime greatest. Gemmell added a few second within the 200 free closing, along with her greatest time coming in at 1:42.32 from the SEC Championships in February. That point would have been fifth ultimately 12 months’s Championships, which might have been 14 factors for the workforce.
Nesty is one other potential ‘A’ finalist if she will be able to have a stronger prelim swim. Final season, it took 1:43.24 out of prelims to qualify for the ‘A’ closing, and she or he touched tenth in 1:43.52.
Gemmell additionally added within the 100 freestyle. Her greatest time of 47.38 would have comfortably certified for the ‘A’ closing, the place she would have completed tenth for 7 factors.
This is likely to be the world the place Texas will see probably the most enchancment this 12 months, although. They’re bringing in a significant worldwide sprinter in Nice Britain’s Eva Okaro, the World Junior report holder within the SCM 50 freestyle. Her 50 free greatest time converts to 21.33, which might have completed fifth place, and her 100 free converts to 47.67, which might have been twelfth.
In addition they picked up Louisville switch Lucy Mehraban, who has greatest instances of twenty-two.05 and 47.81. She completed sixteenth within the 100 free ultimately 12 months’s Championships, and she’s going to assist enhance the 100 free factors for Texas.
Nikolett Padar can be coming in as a freshman from Hungary, and her 200 freestyle greatest time converts to 1:42.55, which might have certified for the ‘A’ closing final 12 months.
Distance Free: ★★★★★
Texas will return the reigning NCAA Champion in each distance occasions. Jillian Cox took dwelling each golds final 12 months, and she or he is likely one of the favorites to repeat that efficiency this 12 months.
She received the five hundred freestyle by greater than two seconds over two seniors, touching in 4:31.58. The quickest returning swimmer is Katie Grimes, who is available in at 4:34.25 after ending 4th total. The 1650 is an identical story, with Cox successful the occasion by practically seven seconds over Stanford’s Aurora Roghair.
Whereas she’s going to face a challenger within the type of Claire Weinstein, from Cal, it’s secure to say she is a straightforward prediction for the highest two a minimum of.
The Longhorns may even return Kate Hurst, who completed tenth within the 1650 and thirty second within the 500 free. She swam 15:54.37 within the mile at NCAAs, however her lifetime better of 15:47.93 from SECs a month prior would have been 4th total. She has an NCAA season and a double taper below her belt now, so she could possibly be a severe level menace within the mile.
Her 500 can be a possible level occasion, along with her greatest time of 4:37.59 placing her in ‘B’ finals place, the place she would have completed twelfth.
Erin Gemmell and Lillian Nesty even have lifetime greatest instances within the 500 that might make them potential finalists. Nesty completed thirtieth in 4:40.44, a four-second add from the 4:36.72 she swam at SECs. That point would have made her a snug ‘A’ finalist, the place she would have been seventh. Gemmell was thirty seventh at NCAAs in 4:41.74, a three-second add from her better of 4:38.21, which might make the ‘B’ closing.
Amongst incoming swimmers, they’ve Nikolett Padar, whose LC greatest converts to 4:37.95 within the 500 freestyle, one other potential ‘B’ finalist.
If all of the Texas items are on for NCAAs, they might simply find yourself with a number of top-eight finishers in each distance occasions, together with the champion in Cox.
Backstroke: ★★
Texas didn’t have any level scorers in both backstroke occasion final season. Berit Berglund is their high returning backstroker, along with her season greatest time sitting at 51.02 from the SEC Championships. She swam the occasion at NCAAs, ending forty third after a two-second add to the touch in 52.41, however her season greatest time would have been 14th total.
Berglund additionally swam the 200 backstroke, including two-and-a-half seconds from her better of 1:52.97 to swim 1:55.22. Her greatest nonetheless sits simply exterior of scoring place within the occasion, with 1:51.75 incomes the sixteenth place out of prelims.
Nesty was the quickest 200 backstroker for the Longhorns final season, coming in at 1:52.51, although she swam 1:53.47 at NCAAS to complete thirty first.
They’re bringing in two ranked backstrokers within the freshman class with our #7 recruit, Haley McDonald, and our #20 recruit, Sarah Rodrigues. McDonald’s 200 again better of 1:52.74 would sit simply exterior of scoring. She has been coping with damage, so it isn’t clear what sort of type she shall be in when she arrives in Austin, however she swam 2:13.17 within the lengthy course 200 backstroke in July, which is a robust indication that she is returning to high type.
Rodrigues can be higher on the 200, and her lifetime better of 1:51.14 would have been tenth final 12 months. Her 100 again greatest time sits at 51.89, which might have been thirtieth, about seven tenths exterior of scoring place.
Breaststroke: ★★ ½
The Longhorns solely had two athletes within the ladies’s 100 breaststroke final 12 months, Piper Enge and Abby Arens.
Enge shall be returning this 12 months after ending fifth within the 100 breast as a freshman. Their closing time of 58.19 was about 4 tenths off their greatest time of 57.69, which might have completed 4th within the occasion.
Within the 200 breast, Enge completed thirty second, touching in 2:10.60, about three seconds off the two:07.90 mark they set in January. That point would have comfortably been within the ‘B’ closing out of prelims, the place they might have completed thirteenth.
Texas additionally had Campbell Chase within the 200, the place she completed thirty third in 2:10.74, a brand new private greatest time.
They’re bringing in BOTR recruit Avery Collins, who has greatest instances of 1:00.47 and a couple of:10.42. These are over the NCAA cutlines of 59.51 and a couple of:09.58, however with slight drops, she could possibly be a convention scorer.
Butterfly: ★★½
Texas has had one of many high butterflyers within the NCAA the previous few years within the not too long ago graduated Emma Sticklen. Final 12 months, she was third within the 100 fly and 1st within the 200 fly, setting a brand new NCAA report within the course of.
On high of Sticklen, in addition they graduated NCAA scoring butterflyers in Abby Arens and Olivia Bray, shortly going from one of many high butterfly teams within the NCAA, incomes 5 stars on this rating final 12 months, to a struggling one.
The quickest returning butterflyer this season is junior Campbell Stoll, who holds greatest instances of 51.44 and 1:51.64. Stoll didn’t swim the 100 butterfly final season, choosing the 400 IM as an alternative, the place she was a finalist. It doesn’t appear seemingly that she’s going to flip that occasion selection this season, however she’s going to nonetheless be out there for the medley relays.
Stoll did swim the 200 butterfly, incomes a spot within the ‘A’ closing, ending seventh in 1:52.29. Her greatest time would have been 4th, simply forward of Virginia’s Tess Howley and behind two graduates.
The Longhorns are in a tough spot within the 100 fly individually. That they had 5 swimmers within the occasion at SECs final 12 months, and all 5 of them have graduated. Nesty (52.44), Angie Coe (53.06), Campbell Chase (53.54), and Emma Kern (53.78) are the following quickest flyers after Stoll, however all three swam different occasions final season. Solely Nesty is below the 52.92 mark it took to attain at SECs, and she or he seemingly won’t drop the 200 freestyle.
Eva Okaro is the one butterflyer Texas is bringing on this season. Her greatest time converts to 51.95, which is in scoring place at convention, however is seven tenths over the 51.35 it took within the prelims to attain.
IM: ★★★½
The Texas IM group shall be led by a pair of Campbells this season, with Campbell Stoll returning as the highest swimmer in each and Campbell Chase coming in simply behind her.
Whereas Stoll had the quicker instances final 12 months, Chase got here out on high within the 200 IM at NCAAs, ending tenth total in 1:53.90 to Stoll’s 1:54.78 for twelfth. Each ladies added a bit with Chase coming in one-hundredth behind the 1:53.89 mark she set on the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown, which might not have modified her occasion end.
Stoll added from the 1:53.37 she went on the SEC Championships. That point would have earned an ‘A’ finals swim, with the eighth place outing of prelims coming in at 1:53.72.
Angie Coe additionally swam the 200 IM, ending thirty eighth in 1:57.13. This was a three-second add from her better of 1:54.33, which might have been tenth out of prelims.
Within the 400 IM, Stoll was the one Longhorn level scorer, ending tenth in 4:04.55, a second-and-a-half add from her lifetime better of 4:03.11 from the SEC Championships. That point would have been sixth total.
Chase completed 18th in 4:07.36, a few second off her better of 4:06.57, which might have been comfortably within the ‘B’ closing.
Coe was twenty sixth in 4:10.35. Her better of 4:08.63 would have sat simply exterior of finals place at twenty first.
Haley McDonald is the highest IMer, coming in at 1:55.90 within the 200 and 4:12.26 within the 400. Her 200 IM time is greater than a second below the cutline, and she or he sits lower than half a second exterior the scoring place of 1:55.50.
Diving: ★★★★
The second-highest level scorer for the Longhorns at NCAAs was freshman diver Alejandra Estudillo Torres. She introduced in 42 factors with two top-eight finishes and one Ninth-place end, and she or he was solely a freshman. Twenty of her 42 factors got here within the type of an occasion win on the 3-meter springboard.
Texas additionally has present junior Bayleigh Cranford, who introduced in 29 factors on the boards, additionally scoring in all three. Her highest end was sixth on the platform.
Present sophomore Taylor Fox scored 51 factors at SECs and is one other potential convention level scorer.
Relays: ★★★★
Notice that the grading system doesn’t align completely for relays as double factors.
Relay grading system:
5 star (★★★★★) – 31+ factors per relay occasion
4 star (★★★★) – 22-30 relay factors per occasion
3 star (★★★) – 12-21 relay factors per occasion
2 star (★★) – 5-11 relay factors per occasion
1 star (★) – 0-4 relay factors per occasion
The relays shall be an attention-grabbing place for the Texas workforce. They graduated a number of their high relay swimmers, and so they have a number of room for enchancment from final 12 months. An enormous area for enchancment, although, will are available in replicating their relay swims when it issues. Texas added time in all however one relay from SECs to NCAAs, and the one relay they didn’t add in was disqualified on the SEC Championships.
Their highest end got here within the 800 freestyle relay, the place they completed 4th in 6:53.49. They are going to return three of the 4 athletes who swam on that relay ,with solely Ava Longi graduating. Their solely different top-five end got here within the 400 medley relay, the place they completed fifth in 3:26.11, and two of the 4 swimmers, Olivia Bray and Emma Sticklen, won’t return this season.
Their lowest end got here within the 200 freestyle relay, which positioned eighth and won’t return a single swimmer this 12 months.
Here’s a have a look at how the relays appeared final season:
Relay
NCAA End
Lineup
Losses
Potential Provides
Season Finest
200 FR
eighth (1:27.00)
Cooper, Sticklen, Arens, Longi
Cooper, Sticklen, Arens, Longi
Okaro, Mehraban, Miller
1:25.90 (identical lineup)
400 FR
seventh (3:10.47)
Gemmell, Sticklen, Nesty, Arens
Sticklen, Arens
Okaro, Mehraban
3:09.26 (identical lineup)
800 FR
4th (6:53.49)
Gemmell, Nesty, Chase, Longi
Longi
Padar
6:51.61 (identical lineup)
200 MR
sixth (1:34.00)
Sticklen, Enge, Arens, Cooper
Sticklen, Arens, Cooper
Okaro, Rodrigues, Mehraban
1:33.84 (identical lineup)
400 MR
fifth (3:26.11)
Bray, Enge, Sticklen, Nesty
Bray, Sticklen
Okaro, Rodrigues, Mehraban
Identical
The 200 freestyle relay will see a totally new workforce from final 12 months, and Eva Okaro shall be main the cost along with her time changing to the quickest 50 time on the workforce. She’s going to seemingly be joined by Lucy Mehraban, who will are available in with one other one of many high instances on the workforce. Different Longhorns who might step into relay positions embrace senior Sienna Schellenger, junior Alexa Fulton, and incoming freshman Inez Miller. With the addition of Okaro, it isn’t unlikely that the workforce does the identical, if not higher than final 12 months.
The 400 freestyle relay looks like will probably be a fairly primary swap of Sticklen and Arens for Okaro and Mehraban, which can seemingly make the relay quicker, and will propel it to a high 5 end.
Their greatest guess for a top-three end appears to be like just like the 800 freestyle relay proper now. Longi was their solely graduate from the relay, and it was already their highest end of the meet. Her leg on the relay will most likely go to Nikolett Padar, whose time converts to 1:42.55, which might be an enormous swim for the workforce, and could be a second-and-a-half quicker than the 1:44.08 that Longi swam on the relay final 12 months.
Some mixture of Okaro, Sarah Rodrigues, and Mehraban will seemingly take over the medley relay spots vacated by Sticklen, Arens, Grace Cooper, and Olivia Bray. There may be additionally an opportunity that Mehraban takes over the freestyle leg of the 400 medley relay from Lillian Nesty, relying on who is quicker. The one lock on the Texas medley proper now’s Piper Enge on the breaststroke.
Complete Stars: 27/40
2025-26 Outlook
Texas graduated a number of its high scoring swimmers, and a few enormous relay contributors – 90 factors, and a minimum of half of most of their relays are gone, leaving final 12 months’s freshmen and sophomores to guide the workforce since Texas had no juniors rating factors.
Jillian Cox is their highest returning level scorer, and her efficiency within the distance freestyle occasions shall be essential for the workforce, trying to keep their place or transfer up from final 12 months. The present junior class as an entire was the highest-scoring Texas class final 12 months, bringing in 105 factors for the workforce.
The brand new dash freestyle core will make or break the Longhorns and their level totals this 12 months. Eva Okaro and Lucy Mehraban shall be vital relay swimmers, and their particular person swims have the potential to fill Texas’ main hole final season.
Diving has buoyed the Texas level totals for years, and that doesn’t appear to be coming to a detailed this 12 months. With Virginia slicing their diving program solely, that is a superb place to choose up essential factors for the workforce, and so they have the expertise on the roster to do it.
Whereas they misplaced rather a lot, there are nonetheless a number of weapons on the Longhorn workforce, and so they might want to use all of them to their full potential in the event that they need to keep their top-three spot, and even problem for the title.
They appear to be in a secure spot within the SEC, successful final 12 months’s meet by virtually 300 factors, and we’re seemingly a minimum of a number of extra years of Texas’ reign within the convention.
WOMEN’S 2025-26 COLLEGE PREVIEW INDEX
RANK (2024)
TEAM
SPRINT FREE
DISTANCE FREE
BACK
BREAST
FLY
IM
DIVING
RELAY
TOTAL
1
Virginia Cavaliers
2
Stanford Cardinal
3
Texas Longhorns
★★★½
★★★★★
★★
★★½
★★½
★★★½
★★★★
★★★★
27/40
4
Indiana Hoosiers
★★★½
★
★★★★
★★
★★★★½
★★½
★★★
★★★★★
25.5/40
5
Tennessee Volunteers
★★★½
★★★
★★
★★★★★
★★★
★★★
★
★★★
23.5/40
6
Florida Gators
★
★★★
★★
★★★
★★
★★★½
★★★
★★★
20.5/40
7
Louisville Cardinals
★★★★
★★
★★½
★★★
★★★
★★★
★
★★★★
22.5/40
8
Cal Golden Bears
★★★½
★★★★
★★★½
★★★
★★★★
★★½
★
★★★★
25.5/40
9
Michigan Wolverines
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★
★★½
★
★★★★★
26.5/40
10
NC State Wolfpack
★★★
★
★★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★
★
★★★★
23/40
11
USC Trojans
★★★★
★★★
★
★½
★
★★★½
★★
★★★
19/40
12
Wisconsin Badgers
★★
★
★★½
★★
★
★
★
★★
12.5/40
Learn the total story on SwimSwam: 2026 Faculty Swimming Previews: #3 Texas Ladies Counting On New Faces To Prolong Prime-Three Run
