College Swimming Reset (Women’s Backstroke and Breaststroke): Claire Curzan Going For Another Double
The college swimming season has entered its home stretch. January features the final dual meets of the season before conference championships in February and the NCAA Championships in March. Prior to the holiday break, swimmers set themselves up for championship season with strong performances at various midseason invitationals. Here is a look at every women’s individual event as of right now, including the records, the winners from the 2025 NCAA Championships, the top returning swimmers, the top times in the country this season and the top performances in history.
Below are the statistics for the women’s backstroke and breaststroke events. Claire Curzan is the defending champion in both backstroke events while Lucy Bell looks to continue her winning ways in the 200 breaststroke.
100 Backstroke
- U.S. Open Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
- American Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
- NCAA Record: Gretchen Walsh – 48.10 (2024)
- 2025 Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.11
- Top Returning Finisher: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.11
Current 2025-26 Rankings:
- Claire Curzan, Virginia – 49.12
- Bella Sims, Michigan – 49.17
- Miranda Grana, Indiana – 49.89
- Maggie Wazenek, Wisconsin – 49.95
- Leah Shackley, NC State – 50.09
All-Time Rankings (bold = currently in college):
- Gretchen Walsh – 48.10
- Katharine Berkoff – 48.55
- Bella Sims – 48.97
- Claire Curzan – 49.11
- Regan Smith – 49.16
- Beata Nelson – 49.18
- Charlotte Crush – 49.46
- Miranda Grana – 49.62
- Mary-Ambre Moluh – 49.68
- Ally Howe – 49.69
The 100 back was one of the top races of last year’s NCAA Championships as Curzan touched out Bella Sims by one hundredth. An encore performance could be in the cards for this season, although Sims could switch out this event for another of her specialty events. This race represents the best chance for versatile Indiana Hoosier Miranda Grana to continue her strong season and challenge for a title.
200 Backstroke
- U.S. Open Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
- American Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
- NCAA Record: Claire Curzan – 1:46.82 (2025)
- 2025 Champion: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:46.82
- Top Returning Finisher: Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:46.82
Current 2025-26 Rankings:
- Claire Curzan, Virginia – 1:47.89
- Maggie Wazenek, Wisconsin – 1:48.39
- Miranda Grana, Indiana – 1:49.06
- Erika Pelaez, NC State – 1:49.18
- Leah Shackley, NC State – 1:49.67
All-Time Rankings (bold = currently in college):
- Claire Curzan – 1:46.82
- Bella Sims – 1:47.11
- Regan Smith – 1:47.16
- Beata Nelson – 1:47.24
- Kathleen Baker – 1:47.30
- Taylor Ruck – 1:47.59
- Phoebe Bacon – 1:47.60
- Elizabeth Pelton – 1:47.84
- Missy Franklin – 1:47.91
- Rhyan White – 1:48.06
A day after their tight finish in the 100 back, another ensued in the 200-yard event as Curzan broke her own record in the event while Sims passed Regan Smith as the No. 2 performer in history. With Phoebe Bacon having finished her college career after five consecutive top-three finishes in the event (including two titles), the most likely potential challenger is NC State’s Leah Shackley, coming off a huge summer that saw her win gold in the 200-meter back at the World University Games and rank No. 4 in the world in the event.
100 Breaststroke
- U.S. Open Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
- American Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
- NCAA Record: Lilly King – 55.73 (2019)
- 2025 Champion: Alex Walsh, Virginia – 56.49
- Top Returning Finisher: McKenzie Siroky, Tennessee – 57.41
Current 2025-26 Rankings:
- Anita Bottazzo, Florida – 56.87
- Eneli Jefimova, NC State – 57.67
- McKenzie Siroky, Tennessee – 57.78
- Lucy Bell, Stanford – 57.88
- Mackenzie Miller Lung, Fresno State – 57.92
All-Time Rankings (bold = currently in college):
- Lilly King, 55.73
- Jasmine Nocentini – 56.09
- Alex Walsh – 56.49
- Molly Hannis/Mona McSharry – 56.64
- Kaitlyn Dobler – 56.67
- Sophie Hansson – 56.72
- Alexis Wenger – 56.76
- Gretchen Walsh – 56.86
- Anita Bottazzo – 56.87
The 100 breast is the most likely of any women’s race to have a foreign swimmer win the national title as Anita Bottazzo and Eneli Jefimova have clocked the country’s top-two times this season. McKenzie Siroky looks to build on her freshman campaign as the top returning finisher. This event also saw numerous high-profile graduations after last season with Alex Walsh, Mona McSharry and Kaitlyn Dobler all exhausting their eligibility.
200 Breaststroke
- U.S. Open Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
- American Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
- NCAA Record: Kate Douglass – 2:01.29 (2023)
- 2025 Champion: Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.28
- Top Returning Finisher: Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.28
Current 2025-26 Rankings:
- Lucy Bell, Stanford – 2:04.69
- Kaelyn Gridley, Duke – 2:05.25
- Letitia Sim, Michigan – 2:06.52
- Aimee Canny, Virginia – 2:06.77
- Anita Bottazzo, Florida – 2:06.97
All-Time Rankings (bold = currently in college):
- Kate Douglass – 2:01.29
- Alex Walsh – 2:02.07
- Lilly King – 2:02.60
- Anna Elendt/Bethany Galat – 2:03.26
- Kierra Smith – 2:03.55
- Sydney Pickrem – 2:03.65
- Sophie Hansson – 2:03.75
- Mona McSharry – 2:03.84
- Emma Reaney – 2:04.06
Not one of the top-10 performers in history remains in the college ranks, but at No. 11 is Bell, the Stanford junior who won a national title in 2025. Bell had never focused on the 200 breast prior to last season, but her switch from the 200 fly paid dividends. A repeat finish looks likely this year. Last year’s No. 2 finisher, Mackenzie Miller Lung, has since transferred from BYU to Fresno State.