Cardinals To Send 16 to ACC Championships Finals

Wednesday, February 18

Atlanta, GA

Prelim 9:30 | Finals 5:30 ET

University of Louisville

ACC Championships

Anastasia Gorbenko swims the breaststroke

February 18, 2026 | Swimming & Diving

By: Nancy Worley

ATLANTA -- On day two of the swimming portion of the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, the University of Louisville will send 16 Cardinals and two relays to the finals after Wednesday's preliminary session.

In the women's 500 freestyle, Louisville will send Thilda Hall (4:39.01) and Daria Golovaty (4:40.28) to the A-final this evening. Leticia Romao will swim in the B-final (4:43.92). Virginia's Katie Grimes will be the favorite tonight in the finals after clocking in at 4:36.49.

The Louisville men will send Oscar Isberg (4:16.58) to the A-final as the eighth seed in the 500 freestyle. Gregg Enoch made the B-final after posting a 4:18.52.  Max Hatcher turned in a 4:23.93 and Kayden Lancaster went 4:22.45 but neither advanced.  Cal's Ryan Erisman's  time of 4:11.17 was good enough to vault him into the No. 1 spot in the A-final.

In the 200-IM,  UofL's Anastasia Gorbenko tied Stanford's Olympic gold medalist Torri Huske for the top seed in the A with a time of 1:53.99. Emily Herkle earned a second swim with her time of 1:57.10 for the B-final. Summer Cardwell missed the finals by .26, turning in a 1:59.61. Freshman Kaitlyn Sallows boarded a 2:01.22 to wrap up the Cards' swimmers.

For the men's 200-IM, UofL's Jackson Millard set a school record of 1:42.21 and will be the No. 2 seed going into tonight's championships. Millard dropped 1.87 off his qualifying time. Aidan Paro advanced to the C-final with a 1:44.71. Jake Eccleston went 1:45.90 and Ryder Hicks turned in a 1:47.60 but neither will return this evening. NC State's Arsenio Bustos went 1:42.14, edging Millard by .07 for the top seed.

In the 50 free, Julia Dennis put up a 21.21 and will enter tonight's A-final as the No. 2 seed. Teammate Caroline Larsen was seventh overall with a 21.69 and will join Dennis.  Julie Mishler qualified tenth overall with a 21.84 and Ella Welch's 22.10 qualifies both of them for the B-final. Mia Cheatwood touched in 22.83, Karoline Barrett put up a 22.98 to round out the Cards' sprinters.

In the men's 50 free, Louisville freshman Nikita Sheremet will be the fourth seed tonight in the A-final after putting up a 18:84. Charlie Crush made the B-final with a 19.04 missing the A-final by .01 of a second. Aiden Musso made the C-final with a 19.36