The race to the 2026 NCAA Championships has officially begun, and the stakes are higher than ever. After just one week of Division I conference meets, nine athletes have already punched their tickets to the big show—five women and four men. But here's where it gets exciting: these swimmers aren't just qualifying; they're shattering expectations and rewriting their own records. Let's dive into the highlights and controversies that emerged from this thrilling first week.
The final night of the meets delivered some jaw-dropping performances. In the men’s 200-yard breaststroke, Grand Canyon’s Carter Dooling made waves by slicing over a second off his personal best, clocking in at 1:54.56. This wasn’t just a win—it was a statement, coming in four-tenths under the NCAA Auto Qualifier (AQ) standard of 1:54.95. But here’s where it gets controversial: is Dooling’s sudden surge a sign of peak training, or are we witnessing the early stages of a breakout star?
On the women’s side, UCSB’s Samantha Banos stole the show in the 200-yard butterfly, securing her NCAA spot with a winning time of 1:56.44. While this was more than six-tenths under the AQ standard of 1:57.11, it fell just shy of her lifetime best of 1:56.14 from November. And this is the part most people miss: Banos’ consistency in high-pressure meets could be her secret weapon come championship time.
Now, let’s talk about the swimmers who are already making waves in multiple events. Hawaii’s Karol Ostrowski added a third NCAA qualification to his resume with a 100-yard freestyle win in 42.41, a tenth under the AQ standard. Similarly, CSUB’s Vili Sivec dominated the 200-yard butterfly, touching the wall at 1:42.37—over a second under the NCAA standard and a new personal best. But here’s the kicker: since Ostrowski and Sivec had already qualified earlier, they’re only counted once in the official tally. Is this fair, or should multi-event qualifiers get more recognition?
Interestingly, the MAAC Championships, the only other Division I meet this weekend, produced no NCAA qualifiers. Does this highlight a gap in competitiveness, or is it simply a matter of timing and strategy?
Below is the full breakdown of the new and total qualifiers after Week One. Take a look, and let us know in the comments: Who’s your early pick for the NCAA Championships? And do you think the current qualification system needs an overhaul?
New Women’s Qualifiers
| Swimmer Name | School | Conference | Event | Time | 2025 Invite Time |
|--------------------|--------|------------|---------|--------|------------------|
| Samantha Banos | UCSB | Big West | 200 Fly | 1:56.44 | 1:55.82 |
New Men’s Qualifiers
| Swimmer Name | School | Conference | Event | Time | 2025 Invite Time |
|--------------------|--------------|------------|---------|--------|------------------|
| Carter Dooling | Grand Canyon | Big West | 200 Breast | 1:54.56 | 1:52.89 |
All Women’s Qualifiers After Week One
| Swimmer Name | School | Conference | Event | Time | 2025 Invite Time |
|--------------------|------------|------------|---------|--------|------------------|
| Eva Boehlke | UC San Diego | Big West | 200 IM | 1:57.43 | 1:56.69 |
| Holly Nelson | Hawaii | Big West | 50 Free | 22.28 | 22.01 |
| Asia Kozan | UC San Diego | Big West | 200 Free | 1:45.52 | 1:44.74 |
| Chloe Braun | UC San Diego | Big West | 100 Breast | 58.95 | 59.51 |
| Samantha Banos | UCSB | Big West | 200 Fly | 1:56.44 | 1:55.82 |
All Men’s Qualifiers After Week One
| Swimmer Name | School | Conference | Event | Time | 2025 Invite Time |
|--------------------|--------|------------|---------|--------|------------------|
| Tom Thalau | Hawaii | Big West | 200 IM | 1:43.93 | 1:42.65 |
| Karol Ostrowski | Hawaii | Big West | 50 Free | 19.13 | 19.02 |
| Vili Sivec | CSUB | Big West | 100 Fly | 45.91 | 45.12 |
| Carter Dooling | Grand Canyon | Big West | 200 Breast | 1:54.56 | 1:52.89 |
So, what’s your take? Are these early qualifiers the ones to beat, or is there still room for dark horses to emerge? Let the debate begin!
