Day 1 at Louisville Last Chance Meet is in the Books

Friday, February 27

LOUISVILLE, KY

University of Louisville

Championship Qualifying Meet

February 27, 2026 | Swimming & Diving

Cards are vying to punch their tickets to the NCAAs

By: Nancy Worley

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville, along with swimmers from Notre Dame and Kentucky, continued to seek qualifying times for next month's NCAA Championships, Friday evening at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.

Oscar Isberg reset his freshman/pool record in the 500 free that he set in prelims when he went 4:14.90 to touch first. Owen Stevens was second (4:23.32) and Max Hatcher was third, going 4:23.53.

In the 100 breaststroke, Anna Inagaki turned in a 1:02.00.  In the men's race, Finnley Conklin knocked time off his prelim mark, going 51.94 for the win and an NCAA Cut. Kentucky's Cayden Pitzer was second (52.37) and Ryder Hicks touched in 54.30.

In the women's 200 backstroke, Notre Dame's Emily Hamill made an NCAA cut with a time of 1:53.15 and the win. Fellow Cat Fernanda De Goeij was second (1:54.34) and Xeniya Ignatova was third (1:54.49).

In the men's 200 backstroke, Filip Kosinski's time of 1:39.72 made an NCAA cut and set a new pool record. UK's Devin Naoroz was second (1:42.76), UofL's Nate Thomas touched third (1:43.82) and Drew Collins was fourth in 1:44.24. ND's Brady Calkins turned in a 1:45.67.

In the 100 freestyle, Bryan Lombardi put up a 43.67 for the win. AJ Terry of Kentucky was second (43.77) and teammate Justin Peresse went 44.85.

In the 200 fly, Kaitlyn Sallows turned in a 2:00.99 ahead of Sophia Rodriguez's 2:02.37.  In the men's 200 butterfly, ND's Sammy Sierra put up a 1:45.56 for the win.

In the 100 free time trial, Drew Collins turned in a 49.18. Maya Bezanson turned in a 1:48.66 in her time trial in the 200 freestyle. Rian Graham checked in at 44.93 for a pool record in his 100 butterfly time trial. Aiden Musso was seond (45.34), Aidan Paro was third at 45.47 and Thomas Powers-Hammond was fourth in 46.31. The top three spots made the NCAA cut. UK's Adomas Gatulis posted a 1:54.66 in his 200 breaststroke time trial. In the 50 free time trial, Shane Eckler went 19.02 with Charlie Crush touching in 19.12, followed by Ethan Chauliaguet (19.32) and Robert Ehrenborg's 19.99.

Preliminary Results
In the 200 IM, Drew Collins finished in 1:46.97 in the preliminary.

Summer Cardwell turned in a 1:43.72 in the 200 free to get an NCAA qualifying time.

In the men's 500 freestyle, Oscar Isberg set both a pool record and freshman record when he put up a 4:14.93 for an NCAA cut. Max Hatcher went 4:25.18 and Owen Stevens boarded a 4:27.98.

In the 100 breast, freshman Anna Inagaki turned in a 1:01.66.

In the men's 100 breaststroke, the top two finishers made NCAA cuts led by Kentucky's Cayden Pitzer's 51.97. Louisville freshman Finnley Conklin went 52.29 to make the cut. Ryder Hicks posted a 54.26 and Grant Gooding had a 1:07.54.

The top two spots in the women's 200 backstroke earned NCAA qualifications by Notre Dame's Emily Hamill (1:52.93) and Louisville's Xeniya Ignatova (1:53.42). Kentucky's Fernanda De Goeji put up a 1:57.90 and Cardinal Sadie Murphy went 2:00.35.

In the 200 backstroke, Filip Kosinski turned in a 1:41.20 to make a D1 cut as did Kentucky's  Devin Naoroz (1:42.04). ND's Brady Calkins (1:44.05) led the rest of the field, followed by Nate Thomas (1:44.29), Drew Collins (2:11.07) and Notre Dame's Marcus Reyes-Gentry (2:21.94)

In the 100 freestyle, Louisville freshman Bryan Lombardi was into the wall first with a 43.57. Kentucky's AJ Terry was second (44.08) with teammate Justin Peresse right behind him with a 44.43.

In the 200 butterfly, UofL's Kaitlyn Sallows touched first with a time of 2:00.79 and fellow freshman Sophia Rodriguez went 2:04.94.

In the men's 200 butterfly, ND's Sammy Sierra made a D1 cut with a time of 1:45.54.