A Century of Progress: The Evolution of NCAA Swimming Records

One hundred years ago, Northwestern University’s Ralph Breyer won the 100-yard freestyle at the 1925 NCAA Championships in 55.0 seconds in a 20-yard pool. Nearly two decades later, Yale’s Alan Ford became the first man to break 50 seconds, swimming 49.70 in 1944. In 1973, Jonty Skinner of the University of Alabama became the first to dip below 45 seconds, clocking 43.92. Fast forward to 2018, and Caeleb Dressel of the University of Florida became the first swimmer to break 40 seconds, posting 39.90.

This year, Jordan Crooks of the University of Tennessee made history once again, breaking Dressel’s seven-year-old NCAA record with a blistering 39.83, making him the fastest man in history over the distance. His achievement underscores the continued evolution of speed in collegiate swimming and the increasing prominence of international athletes in these milestones.

The Tennessee Relay Team: A Historic Moment in NCAA Swimming

Perhaps the most striking example of the global nature of NCAA swimming came from the University of Tennessee’s championship-winning 200-yard freestyle relay team. Comprised of four swimmers from four different nations, Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands), Guilherme Caribe (Brazil), Nikoli Blackman (Trinidad and Tobago), and Lamar Taylor (Bahamas) set an NCAA Championship meet record, demonstrating the power of diversity in collegiate swimming.

“It shows that just because you are not from a country with a lot of swimming history or resources, you can still make it work – anybody can make it work,” said Crooks. “We fought for it. We couldn’t be more different, and we made it work.”

Their dominance extended to the final night of the championships, where they set NCAA, Championship, and U.S. Open records in the 400-yard freestyle relay. In the anchor leg, Crooks delivered the fastest split in NCAA history at 39.36, securing victory for Tennessee. It was a triumphant moment not just for their program, but also for the visibility of international student-athletes in the NCAA.

The Growing Presence of International Athletes in NCAA Swimming

The NCAA, a nonprofit organisation overseeing collegiate athletics in over 1,000 schools across the U.S. and Canada, has increasingly become a destination for top international talent. Across all sports, nearly 25,000 foreign athletes compete, with swimming and diving boasting one of the highest percentages of international representation. Approximately 15% of student-athletes in NCAA swimming come from outside the United States, with Canada, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Israel, South Africa, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Mexico among the most well-represented nations.

At the 2025 men’s NCAA Championships, more than 90 international swimmers competed in individual events among the 419 total participants—a figure that does not account for relay-only swimmers, meaning the actual number is likely higher. By comparison, at the 2025 women’s NCAA Championships held the week prior, no individual swimming titles were won by international student-athletes. However, on the men’s side, international swimmers claimed 7 of the 16 individual titles, emphasising their growing impact on the competition.

The NCAA as a Stepping Stone to International Success

For many international athletes, the NCAA offers a unique opportunity to balance academics and elite competition, a challenge often faced in their home countries. The structured collegiate system provides world-class training facilities, high-level coaching, and intense competition that prepares athletes for professional and Olympic aspirations. It is no surprise that top U.S. collegiate programs actively recruit international talent, recognising their potential to elevate team success.

“Three of us came from small countries in the Caribbean. It shows the kids back home that anything is possible,” said Blackman. “We are really close friends, and it shows how well we train together,” added Taylor.

International Standouts at the 2025 NCAA Championships

At the 2025 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, held from March 19-22 in Federal Way, no international student-athletes won individual swimming titles. However, this is in stark contrast to the impact that international swimmers had on the NCAA men’s championships, held from March 26-29 at the same venue. International swimmers significantly impacted this event one week later, winning seven of the 16 individual event titles.

International Champions

• Hubert Kos (Hungary, University of Texas) – Kos claimed three NCAA titles, including a victory as part of the 200-yard medley relay team. He was the only swimmer to achieve a perfect individual score, earning 60 points by winning three events—making him the meet’s top point scorer. Kos, who previously competed for Arizona State in 2024 and contributed to their national championship victory, represented Hungary at the Olympic Games.

• Josh Liendo (Canada, University of Florida) – Liendo secured two titles, winning the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard freestyle, while finishing second in the 50-yard freestyle. His 57-point total matched his performance from 2024, when he won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. Liendo is an Olympian for Canada.

• Zalan Sarkany (Hungary, Indiana University) – Sarkany successfully defended his title in the 1650-yard freestyle. Last year, his victory played a crucial role in Arizona State’s first-ever NCAA championship win before his transfer to Indiana. He represented Hungary at the Olympic Games.

• Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands, University of Tennessee) – Crooks won the 50-yard freestyle, finished second in the 100-yard freestyle, and placed sixth in the 200-yard freestyle, accumulating 49.5 points—fourth overall in individual scoring. Crooks represented the Cayman Islands at the Olympic Games.

American Champions

American swimmers and divers won the remaining nine individual titles:

• Rex Maurer (University of Texas) – Won the 500-yard freestyle and the 400-yard individual medley while finishing second in the 1650-yard freestyle. Maurer was the only American swimmer among the top four point scorers and the only one in that group who did not compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

• Carson Tyler (Indiana University) – Dominated the diving events, winning both the 3-meter and platform competitions while finishing ninth in the 1-meter event, scoring a total of 49 points. Tyler represented the U.S. at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

• Quentin Henninger (Indiana University) – Earned 49 points by winning the 1-meter diving event, finishing second in the 3-meter event, and placing seventh in platform diving. He did not compete at the Paris Olympics.

• Luke Hobson (University of Texas) – Won the 200-yard freestyle. Hobson was a member of Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

• Julian Smith (University of Florida) – Won the 100-yard backstroke. Smith did not compete at the Paris Olympics.

• Jassen Yep (Indiana University) – Claimed victory in the 100-yard breaststroke. Yep did not compete at the Paris Olympics.

• Gianluca Urlando (University of Georgia) – Took the title in the 200-yard butterfly. Urlando was a member of Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

A Global Influence on the NCAA Championships

The 2025 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships highlighted the continued rise of international student-athletes in collegiate swimming. With nearly half of the individual event titles won by swimmers from outside the U.S., their impact is undeniable. The competition showcased the NCAA’s increasing global appeal and the growing presence of world-class talent from around the world.

NCAA Event Winners & Paris 2024 Olympic Performances

Swimming Events

Relays

• 200-yard Medley Relay - The University of Texas relay team of Will Modglin, Nate Germonprez, Hubert Kos, and Chris Guiliano secured victory against strong competition from the University of Tennessee and the University of California, which finished second and third, respectively. Texas’ winning time of 1:20.28 was just .13 seconds slower than the 2024 NCAA and U.S. Open record set by the University of Florida. The University of Indiana relay set a new American record of 1:20.91 while finishing in fifth place.

• 800-yard Freestyle Relay - The University of California’s relay team of Jack Alexy, Gabriel Jett, Destin Lasco, and Lucas Henveaux shattered their 2024 record of 6:02.26 by 2.51 seconds, becoming the first relay to break the six-minute mark. Texas placed second, setting an American record with a time of 6:00.08.

• 200-yard Freestyle Relay - The University of Tennessee’s team of Jordan Crooks, Guilherme Caribe, Nikoli Blackman, and Lamar Taylor set a meet record of 1:12.84, just .04 seconds slower than their NCAA record time set at the SEC Championships. Arizona State finished second, fueled by Ilya Kharun’s lead-off split of 18.39 seconds.

Freestyle Events

• 500-yard Freestyle - Rex Maurer of Texas claimed his first NCAA title with a winning time of 4:05.35. His teammate Luke Hobson finished second, followed by California’s Lucas Henveaux in third.

• 200-yard Freestyle - Luke Hobson of Texas set a new NCAA record of 1:28.33, marking his third consecutive win in this event. Teammate Chris Guiliano finished second, followed by California’s Gabriel Jett.

Sprint Freestyle

• 50-yard Freestyle - Jordan Crooks of Tennessee won his second NCAA title in this event with a personal-best time of 17.91 seconds, ahead of Florida’s Josh Liendo and Tennessee’s Guilherme Caribe.

Butterfly Events

• 100-yard Butterfly - Florida’s Josh Liendo defended his title with a time of 43.06, finishing ahead of Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun and Georgia’s Gianluca Urlando.

Backstroke Events

• 100-yard Backstroke - Hubert Kos of Texas set an NCAA, meet, and U.S. Open record with a winning time of 43.20, significantly improving on his fourth-place finish from last year.

Breaststroke Events

• 100-yard Breaststroke - Julian Smith of Florida won in 49.55, just .04 seconds off his own NCAA and U.S. Open record. Louisville’s Denis Petrashov and Texas’ Nate Germonprez rounded out the podium.

Individual Medley

• 200-yard Individual Medley - Hubert Kos of Texas claimed victory with a time of 1:37.91, improving by 1.75 seconds from his third-place finish last year.

• 400-yard Individual Medley - Rex Maurer of Texas won his second title at the 2025 NCAA Championships with a time of 3:34.00, ahead of Ohio State’s Tristan Jankovics and California’s Lucas Henveaux.

Diving Events

• 1-meter Diving - Indiana’s Quentin Henninger won his first NCAA title with 434.65 points, improving on his runner-up finish from 2024. Stanford’s Jack Ryan finished second, while Germany’s Moritz Wesemann secured third.

Paris 2024 Olympic Performances

• Hubert Kos (Hungary) - Gold in the 200-meter backstroke.

• Luke Hobson (USA) - Bronze in the 200-meter freestyle, silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

• Chris Guiliano (USA) - Gold in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

• Josh Liendo (Canada) - Silver in the 100-meter butterfly, setting a national record.

• Ilya Kharun (Canada) - Bronze in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter butterfly.

• Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) - Eighth in the 50-meter freestyle, 13th in the 100-meter freestyle.

• Guilherme Caribe (Brazil) - 10th in the 100-meter freestyle, 33rd in the 50-meter freestyle.

• Moritz Wesemann (Germany) - 12th in the 3-meter springboard diving event.

NCAA Elite 90 Recognition

The NCAA Elite 90 award honors the student-athlete with the highest grade point average at each championship event, celebrating academic and athletic excellence. Arizona State’s Patrick Sammon is the 2025 recipient, earning recognition for his perfect 4.0 GPA while competing at an elite level.

A key contributor to ASU’s 2024 national championship team, Sammon has been a consistent point scorer across four NCAA Championships. In 2024, he helped secure victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay. At the 2025 championships, he won the consolation final of the 200-yard freestyle, placed 11th in the 100-yard freestyle, and finished 25th in the 50-yard freestyle. In relay events, he swam the third leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay that placed second and helped the Sun Devils secure another runner-up finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. He also led off the 800-yard freestyle relay, which finished ninth.

Beyond his athletic accomplishments, Sammon has excelled in the classroom, maintaining a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a degree in business finance with a specialization in real estate development. His dedication both in and out of the pool exemplifies the spirit of the NCAA Elite 90 award.