Two School Records and 16 Finalists Advance after Saturday Prelims at ACC Championships

Saturday, February 21

Atlanta, GA

Prelim 9:30 | Finals 5:30 ET

University of Louisville

ACC Championships

Nastiya Gorbenko is celebrated for her school record

Two School Records and 16 Finalists Advance after Saturday Prelims at ACC Championships

February 21, 2026 | Swimming & Diving

By: Nancy Worley

ATLANTA -- Two school records fell and 16 Cardinals advanced to the finals of the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming and Diving Championships Saturday morning at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech.

Xeniya Ignatova will be back tonight in the B-final of the 200 backstroke after stopping the clock at 1:53.35. Camille Murray will compete in the C-final after going 1:55.20 in her prelim heat. NC State's Erika Pelaez was the only swimmer under 1:50 and will be the top seed in the championship final after posting a 1:49.59 in prelims

In the men's 200 back, Jackson Millard made the A-final with a 1:39.90 joining of field where seven of the eight are sub-1:40 for the finals. Filip Kosinski boarded a 1:40.44 to earn a second swim and will compete in the B-final tonight. Stanford's Josh Zuchowski's 1:39.08 made him the favorite for tonight.

In the 100 freestyle, UofL's sprinters were out in force with eight Cardinals vying for a lane in the finals. Julia Dennis will swim in the A-final as the fourth seed after putting up a 47.03. Caroline Larsen (47.79) and Julie Mishler (48.21) made the B-final. Daria Golovaty will be the top seed in the C-final after checking in at 48.41. Virginia's Anna Moesch's 46.20 puts her on top of the leader board for tonight's finals.

Nikita Sheremet set a school record and qualified for the A-final after posting a time of 41.53 in the 100 freestyle. Guy Brooks earned a lane in the B-final with a time of 41.88. NC State's Quinton McCarty's 40.88 makes him the top seed going into tonight's session.

In the 200 breast, the Cardinals put three in the A-final led by Anastasia Gorbenko's school record prelim time of 2:06.40, putting her as the No. 2 seed tonight. Joining her in the championship final will be Mia Cheatwood (2:06.85) and Kim Herkle (2:07.45). Freshman Anna Inagaki boarded a 2:16.38 but did not advance. Stanford's Lucy Bell clocked in at 2:04.82 as the top seed.

For the men, Jake Eccleston made the A final in the 200 breast, with a time of 1:53.54. Finnley Conklin will swim in the B-final after posting a 1:53.62. Joining him in that heat will be Tommy Bried, who went 1:54.07. Virginia Tech's Eli Martin dropped 1.43 from his entry time to take the top spot in the finals.