Michigan
Big Ten Championships
More Records Fall as Michigan Dominates Day Three of B1G Championships
2/20/2026 10:21:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Day 3 of 4)
U-M Team Result: 1st Place of 14 Teams (883 Points)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Feb. 21 -- at Big Ten Championships - Day Four (Minneapolis, Minn.), 10 a.m. CT/5:30 p.m. CT
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team won four of five swimming events and set multiple records to expand its lead on Friday (Feb.20) with 883 total points on the third day of the Big Ten Championships at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
It was another successful morning for the Maize and Blue as Bella Sims set a new meet record and earned the top seed in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 49.67 seconds. Letitia Sim earned the second spot in the 200-yard breaststroke, while Hannah Bellard took the third-best mark in the 500-yard freestyle. Brady Kendall closed the session strong with the best time in the 50-yard freestyle.
Sim got the winning started in the evening during the 200-yard breaststroke, posting a time of 2:05.24 to lower her own school record set earlier this season. She finished two seconds ahead of the closest swimmer. Sim's win marks the first by a Wolverine in the event since Justine Mueller in 2005.
Bellard followed up with an impressive effort in the 500-yard freestyle. The junior lowered her personal best with a mark of 4:34.60, outracing second place by nearly three seconds to capture her first conference title in the event and the second in three years for Michigan.
Kendall wrapped up the individual events with a showstopping swim in the 50-yard freestyle, clocking a 21.09 and setting a new school, Big Ten and championship record. Kendall's time bested Maggie MacNeil, who is also the most recent Michigan champion in the event from 2019-22.
Michigan landed its final blow in the 400-yard medley relay as the quartet of Sims, Sim, Kendall and Stephanie Balduccini shattered the program, conference and meet records with a time of 3:24.54. Michigan captured its first league title in the event since 2022.
Michigan will close out the Big Ten Championships on Saturday (Feb. 21) at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Preliminary heats will get started at 10 a.m. CT. Distance freestyle heats will commence at 3:30 p.m. CT, and finals will get underway at 5:30 p.m. CT.
Team Standings (After Day Three)
1. No. 4 Michigan 883 2. No. 11 Ohio State 714.5 3. No. 6 Indiana 694 4. No. 15 Wisconsin 650 5. No. 12 USC 489 6. No. 25 Minnesota 516.5 7. No. 22 UCLA 489 8. Purdue 301 9. Northwestern 295 10. Nebraska 277.5 11. Rutgers 265.5 12. Iowa 215 13. Penn State 162 14. Illinois 114.5
Players Mentioned
