U-M to Trek West for NCAA Championships in Washington

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team will travel to Federal Way, Wash., to compete in the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. The four-day meet will start on Wednesday (March 19) and conclude on Saturday (March 22). All sessions will be streamed on ESPN+.

Notes

• U-M qualified 13 student-athletes -- 12 swimmers and one diver -- to the national championships. The Wolverines were one of the most improved teams at the NCAA Championships in 2024, finishing 11 spots and 114.5 points ahead of their 2023 result.

• Stephanie Balduccini will lead the way for the Maize and Blue. The sophomore is coming off a strong performance at the Big Ten Championships, taking gold in the 200-yard freestyle and capturing Big Ten titles in the three freestyle relays. Balduccini ranks third in the nation in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:41.16.

• Senior Lindsay Flynn enters her final NCAA Championships with momentum after winning the 100-yard freestyle conference title in Columbus, Ohio, in February. Flynn also anchored the 200-yard medley and 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays that captured Big Ten wins.

• Hannah Bellard will look to add to a stellar sophomore season after winning the 200-yard butterfly at the Big Ten Championships. Bellard's winning time of 1:52.04 ranks fifth in the nation and leads all Big Ten swimmers.

• Letitia Sim is tied for the team lead with three event entries. The breaststroke specialist will battle in the 100 and 200-yard events along with the 200-yard IM. Sim finished second in the 100 breast and 200 IM at the Big Ten Championships.

• Brady Kendall returns to the national championships for the third year. In 2024, Kendall reached the championship final in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing sixth overall with a time of 21.69. Kendall will compete in the 50-yard freestyle along with the 100-yard butterfly.

• Freshman Rebecca Diaconescu will make her NCAA Championships debut in three events. Diaconescu qualified for the 200-, 500- and 1,650-yard freestyle events in her first season with the Wolverines.

• Kiarra Milligan will represent Michigan in diving after qualifying for the one-meter and three-meter dives. Last year, Milligan finished seventh overall to earn All-America distinction on the three-meter springboard.

• U-M qualified for all five relay events and captured four of the five event wins at the Big Ten Championships.