3 Lady Flames Set to Compete at NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
3/17/2026 3:05:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty sophomore Aly Bozzuto, along with juniors Kamryn Cannings and Shannon Icard are set to compete in the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships.
The 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships will be hosted at the McAuley Aquatic Center, Wednesday through Saturday in Atlanta, Ga.
During Thursday's program, Cannings will contest the 100 fly and Bozzuto the 100 breaststroke. Both Bozzuto and Cannings will compete in the 50 free on Friday, with Bozzuto also contesting the 200 breaststroke that same day. On Saturday, Shannon Icard will compete on platform diving, while Cannings will swim in the 100 freestyle.
How to Follow the Lady Flames
All sessions of the 2026 NCAA Championships will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live results will also be available.
This is the 10th time in 16 years of the program's history that at least one Lady Flame has been selected to compete in the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. The Lady Flames have had two All-America honorable mention finishers, in Brye Ravettine (13th in 50 free, 2012) and Jess Reinhardt (10th in 100 fly, 2014). All competitors at the cancelled 2020 NCAA Championships were named All-Americans, so Payton Keiner received All-American honors in 2020.
Icard is the first Liberty diver to compete at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, after finishing fifth at the NCAA Division I Zone A Diving Championships on March 11.
The Lady Flames will send their most participants in individual events to nationals in program history, breaking the previous record of two (2014, 2018, 2025).
What's at Stake
Each of the final three days (Thursday through Saturday) of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships begins at 10 a.m. with preliminary heats. Finals sessions will begin at 6 p.m. each evening. Diving prelims start at noon each day.
The NCAA Championships will feature a four-day meet format. The top 16 times from each event in morning prelims qualify for evening finals, with the top eight swimming in the A Final. Those who complete races in the A Final earn All-America first team status, while B Finalists are named honorable mention All-Americans.
How They Got Here
Cannings earned automatic qualification in both the 100 fly (51.77) and 100 free (48.40) by winning both events in NCAA-qualifying time at the American Conference Championships. The junior's 22.28 from the 50 free met the NCAA qualifying standard, so she will swim that event as well. Her highest ranking in an event is 34th in the 100 fly.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Cannings won the 100 fly and 100 free at the 2026 American Conference Championships, while finishing second to Bozzuto in the 50 free.
Cannings is the program record holder in the 100 butterfly (51.26), 50 free (22.07), 100 free (48.40) and 200 free (1:44.10).
Bozzuto will contest the 50 free, while also competing in the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. She earned automatic berths in all three events at the American Championships, winning each race in NCAA-qualifying time. Her top seed is the 100 breaststroke, as her time of 59.57 is tied for 35th on the psych sheet.
Hailing from Jupiter, Fla., Bozzuto was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the American Championship. She won the 50 free, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke at the 2025 American Championship.
Bozzuto holds the program record in both the 100 breaststroke (59.17) and 200 breaststroke (2:09.47) while ranking second in the 50 free (22.09).
A native of Quitman, Ga., Icard competed in one-meter, three-meter and platform at the 2026 NCAA Division I Zone A Diving Championships. She earned her spot at nationals by placing fifth in the platform with a 10-dive score of 444.90.
Icard, the Most Outstanding Female Diver of the 2025 ASUN Championships, finished fifth on platform and sixth on one-meter at the 2026 American Conference Championship. She earned Zone-qualifying scores on all three boards at the TYR '85 Invite. The junior's top one-meter scoring (267.15) came at UNC Asheville on Jan. 16, while she scored season bests on both three-meter (282.40) and platform (242.45) at the American Championship.
Icard holds the program record on platform (261.00), while ranking second on three-meter (310.70).
Thursday, March 18
Thursday's program includes the 100 fly, 100 breaststroke, 400 IM, 200 free and one-meter diving. Bozzuto and Cannings will begin with their 100 yard stroke specialties.
100 Butterfly Preview
Cannings is seeded 34th with her time of 51.77 from the American Championships. She swam 51.45 in the prelims in 2024, finishing 19th overall while posting the fastest 100 fly time of any freshman in the field. Last year, she placed 22nd overall in 51.66. In 2025, it took 51.35 to make the B Final at the NCAA Championships, while 51.02 was the last A Finalist.
Although Virginia's Gretchen Walsh has graduated, there is still an Olympic Gold medalist at the top of the 100 fly field. Stanford's Torri Huske, the 2024 Olympic 100-meter butterfly champion, has the top seed at 48.26. Huske finished second to Walsh last year in the NCAA 100 fly. 2020 Olympian Claire Curzan of Virginia is seeded second (48.47), followed by Indiana's Alexandra Shackell and Stanford's Garlynd Johnson, who are tied for third at 49.95. Last year's fourth-place finisher, Miranda Grana of Indiana, is the fifth seed, 49.98.
This year's eighth seed is held by Leah Shackley of NC State (50.52), who placed ninth last year. Alabama's Gabrielle Van Brunt (51.01) has the 16th seed.
100 Breaststroke Preview
Bozzuto is seeded 36th in the 100 breaststroke with her 59.57 which she swam while winning the 2026 American Championship. Last year, Bozzuto tied for 40th in the NCAA 100 breaststroke in 1:00.12. In 2025, it took 58.93 to make the B Final at the NCAA Championships, while 58.30 was the last A Finalist.
Last year's 100 breaststroke champion (Virginia's Alex Walsh) and runner-up (Tennessee's Mona McSharry) have both graduated. NC State freshman Eneli Jefimova, the ACC champion, holds the top seed at 56.77, followed by 2025 NCAA ninth-place finisher and 2026 SEC champion Anita Bottazzo in 56.87. Louisville's Anastasia Gorbenko is seeded third at 57.03, while 2025 NCAA bronze medalist McKenzie Siroky of Tennessee is the fourth seed, 57.62. Emma Weber of Virginia (57.77) is seeded fifth, followed by Duke's Kaelyn Gridley (57.83).
This year's eighth seed is held by Mackenzie Lung of Fresno State (57.92). Stanford's Lucy Thomas (58.59) is seeded 16th after placing 11th last season.
Friday, March 20
Bozzuto and Cannings will both compete in the 50 freestyle on Friday. The two Lady Flames swam in the same heat of the 50 free last year. Bozzuto will have two events on Friday, the 50 free and 200 breaststroke.
200 Breaststroke Preview
Bozzuto swam a program-record 2:09.47 in the 200 breaststroke at the 2026 American Championships. The freshman is 40th in the 200 breaststroke listing. She competed in the 200 breaststroke last season. Last year, the last B Finalist swam 2:08.56, while it took 2:07.60 to make the A Final.
Defending NCAA 200 breaststroke champion Lucy Bell of Stanford is the top seed (2:02.67) after winning the ACC title in the event. Aimee Canny of Virginia is seeded second at 2:02.97 after finishing seventh at NCAA's last year. There is more than a two-second gap between Canny and third-seeded Anastasia Gorbenko of Louisville (2:05.02). 2026 Big Ten 200 breaststroke champion Letitia Sim of Michigan is fourth at 2:05.24, followed by Duke's Kaelyn Gridley (2:05.25), who placed fourth at nationals in 2025.
This year's eighth seed is held by Florida's Anita Bottazzo (2:06.97), who finished 20th in 2025. LSU's Grace Palmer (2:07.55) holds the 16th seed, after placing 23rd a year ago.
50 Freestyle Preview
Cannings (22.07) and Bozzuto (22.09) both swam lifetime-best NCAA B cut times in the 50 free at the 2025 ASUN Championships. Cannings tied for 58th in the NCAA 50 free last year (22.37), while Bozzuto tied for 62nd (22.46). This week, Bozzuto is seeded 53rd (22.26), while Cannings is tied for 54th (22.28). Last year, it took 21.63 to make the A Final at the NCAA Championships, while 21.89 was the last B Finalist.
Defending 50 free champion Gretchen Walsh of Virginia has graduated. This year's top seed (20.87) belongs to 2025 NCAA bronze medalist and back-to-back SEC 50 free champion Camille Spink of Tennessee. Olympian Torri Huske of Stanford is seeded second (21.01), followed by a tie for third (21.09) with Michigan's Brady Kendall and Virgina's Sara Curtis. Last year's NCAA runner-up, Julia Dennis of Louisville, is seeded fifth at 21.21.
This year's eighth seed is held by Annam Olasewere of Stanford (21.46). LSU's Michaela De Villiers, who placed 25th in 2025, is seeded 16th at 21.59.
Saturday, March 22
On Saturday, Icard will compete on platform diving, while Cannings will compete in the 100 freestyle.
Platform Diving Preview
Icard scored 444.90 on her 10-dive combined program at Zones to earn a spot at nationals. At nationals, prelim scores do not carry over to finals. Last year, the last B Finalist scored 269.80 in the five-dive prelims, while it took 289.00 to make the A Final.
Icard and East Carolina's Frida Zuniga Guzman are both competing on platform this week and are the only two American Conference divers to qualify for nationals.
A total of 36 divers qualified for the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships on platform. Only three out of last year's A Finalists in platform return, in Viviana Del Angel of Minnesota (3rd), Daryn Wright of Purdue (4th) and Bayleigh Cranford of Stanford (6th).
100 Freestyle Preview
Cannings swam a program-record 48.40 in the 100 freestyle, winning the American title in the event. The sophomore is 51st in the 100 free listing. Last year, the last B Finalist swam 47.88, while it took 47.37 to make the A Final.
Gretchen Walsh finished as a four-time 100 freestyle national champion last year. Six out of eight of the 2025 national A Finalists return. This week's top seed is Anna Moesch of Virginia (45.71), the ACC champion and last year's fourth-place finisher. Torri Huske of Stanford, the 2025 national runner-up, is the 2026 second seed (45.79). Tennessee's Camille Spink, back-to-back SEC 100 free champion and 2025 NCAA bronze medalist, holds the third seed (46.01). Seeds four through six belong to freshmen: Virginia's Sara Curtis (46.03), Indiana's Liberty Clark (46.22) and Texas' Eva Okaro (46.41).
This year's eighth seed is held by Caroline Larsen of Louisville, 46.82, who placed 19th a year ago. NC State's Olivia Nel, holds 16th in the 100 free (47.36) after tying for 36th in 2025.
The 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships will be hosted at the McAuley Aquatic Center, Wednesday through Saturday in Atlanta, Ga.
During Thursday's program, Cannings will contest the 100 fly and Bozzuto the 100 breaststroke. Both Bozzuto and Cannings will compete in the 50 free on Friday, with Bozzuto also contesting the 200 breaststroke that same day. On Saturday, Shannon Icard will compete on platform diving, while Cannings will swim in the 100 freestyle.
How to Follow the Lady Flames
All sessions of the 2026 NCAA Championships will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live results will also be available.
This is the 10th time in 16 years of the program's history that at least one Lady Flame has been selected to compete in the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. The Lady Flames have had two All-America honorable mention finishers, in Brye Ravettine (13th in 50 free, 2012) and Jess Reinhardt (10th in 100 fly, 2014). All competitors at the cancelled 2020 NCAA Championships were named All-Americans, so Payton Keiner received All-American honors in 2020.
Icard is the first Liberty diver to compete at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships, after finishing fifth at the NCAA Division I Zone A Diving Championships on March 11.
The Lady Flames will send their most participants in individual events to nationals in program history, breaking the previous record of two (2014, 2018, 2025).
What's at Stake
Each of the final three days (Thursday through Saturday) of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships begins at 10 a.m. with preliminary heats. Finals sessions will begin at 6 p.m. each evening. Diving prelims start at noon each day.
The NCAA Championships will feature a four-day meet format. The top 16 times from each event in morning prelims qualify for evening finals, with the top eight swimming in the A Final. Those who complete races in the A Final earn All-America first team status, while B Finalists are named honorable mention All-Americans.
How They Got Here
Cannings earned automatic qualification in both the 100 fly (51.77) and 100 free (48.40) by winning both events in NCAA-qualifying time at the American Conference Championships. The junior's 22.28 from the 50 free met the NCAA qualifying standard, so she will swim that event as well. Her highest ranking in an event is 34th in the 100 fly.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Cannings won the 100 fly and 100 free at the 2026 American Conference Championships, while finishing second to Bozzuto in the 50 free.
Cannings is the program record holder in the 100 butterfly (51.26), 50 free (22.07), 100 free (48.40) and 200 free (1:44.10).
Bozzuto will contest the 50 free, while also competing in the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. She earned automatic berths in all three events at the American Championships, winning each race in NCAA-qualifying time. Her top seed is the 100 breaststroke, as her time of 59.57 is tied for 35th on the psych sheet.
Hailing from Jupiter, Fla., Bozzuto was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the American Championship. She won the 50 free, 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke at the 2025 American Championship.
Bozzuto holds the program record in both the 100 breaststroke (59.17) and 200 breaststroke (2:09.47) while ranking second in the 50 free (22.09).
A native of Quitman, Ga., Icard competed in one-meter, three-meter and platform at the 2026 NCAA Division I Zone A Diving Championships. She earned her spot at nationals by placing fifth in the platform with a 10-dive score of 444.90.
Icard, the Most Outstanding Female Diver of the 2025 ASUN Championships, finished fifth on platform and sixth on one-meter at the 2026 American Conference Championship. She earned Zone-qualifying scores on all three boards at the TYR '85 Invite. The junior's top one-meter scoring (267.15) came at UNC Asheville on Jan. 16, while she scored season bests on both three-meter (282.40) and platform (242.45) at the American Championship.
Icard holds the program record on platform (261.00), while ranking second on three-meter (310.70).
Thursday, March 18
Thursday's program includes the 100 fly, 100 breaststroke, 400 IM, 200 free and one-meter diving. Bozzuto and Cannings will begin with their 100 yard stroke specialties.
100 Butterfly Preview
Cannings is seeded 34th with her time of 51.77 from the American Championships. She swam 51.45 in the prelims in 2024, finishing 19th overall while posting the fastest 100 fly time of any freshman in the field. Last year, she placed 22nd overall in 51.66. In 2025, it took 51.35 to make the B Final at the NCAA Championships, while 51.02 was the last A Finalist.
Although Virginia's Gretchen Walsh has graduated, there is still an Olympic Gold medalist at the top of the 100 fly field. Stanford's Torri Huske, the 2024 Olympic 100-meter butterfly champion, has the top seed at 48.26. Huske finished second to Walsh last year in the NCAA 100 fly. 2020 Olympian Claire Curzan of Virginia is seeded second (48.47), followed by Indiana's Alexandra Shackell and Stanford's Garlynd Johnson, who are tied for third at 49.95. Last year's fourth-place finisher, Miranda Grana of Indiana, is the fifth seed, 49.98.
This year's eighth seed is held by Leah Shackley of NC State (50.52), who placed ninth last year. Alabama's Gabrielle Van Brunt (51.01) has the 16th seed.
100 Breaststroke Preview
Bozzuto is seeded 36th in the 100 breaststroke with her 59.57 which she swam while winning the 2026 American Championship. Last year, Bozzuto tied for 40th in the NCAA 100 breaststroke in 1:00.12. In 2025, it took 58.93 to make the B Final at the NCAA Championships, while 58.30 was the last A Finalist.
Last year's 100 breaststroke champion (Virginia's Alex Walsh) and runner-up (Tennessee's Mona McSharry) have both graduated. NC State freshman Eneli Jefimova, the ACC champion, holds the top seed at 56.77, followed by 2025 NCAA ninth-place finisher and 2026 SEC champion Anita Bottazzo in 56.87. Louisville's Anastasia Gorbenko is seeded third at 57.03, while 2025 NCAA bronze medalist McKenzie Siroky of Tennessee is the fourth seed, 57.62. Emma Weber of Virginia (57.77) is seeded fifth, followed by Duke's Kaelyn Gridley (57.83).
This year's eighth seed is held by Mackenzie Lung of Fresno State (57.92). Stanford's Lucy Thomas (58.59) is seeded 16th after placing 11th last season.
Friday, March 20
Bozzuto and Cannings will both compete in the 50 freestyle on Friday. The two Lady Flames swam in the same heat of the 50 free last year. Bozzuto will have two events on Friday, the 50 free and 200 breaststroke.
200 Breaststroke Preview
Bozzuto swam a program-record 2:09.47 in the 200 breaststroke at the 2026 American Championships. The freshman is 40th in the 200 breaststroke listing. She competed in the 200 breaststroke last season. Last year, the last B Finalist swam 2:08.56, while it took 2:07.60 to make the A Final.
Defending NCAA 200 breaststroke champion Lucy Bell of Stanford is the top seed (2:02.67) after winning the ACC title in the event. Aimee Canny of Virginia is seeded second at 2:02.97 after finishing seventh at NCAA's last year. There is more than a two-second gap between Canny and third-seeded Anastasia Gorbenko of Louisville (2:05.02). 2026 Big Ten 200 breaststroke champion Letitia Sim of Michigan is fourth at 2:05.24, followed by Duke's Kaelyn Gridley (2:05.25), who placed fourth at nationals in 2025.
This year's eighth seed is held by Florida's Anita Bottazzo (2:06.97), who finished 20th in 2025. LSU's Grace Palmer (2:07.55) holds the 16th seed, after placing 23rd a year ago.
50 Freestyle Preview
Cannings (22.07) and Bozzuto (22.09) both swam lifetime-best NCAA B cut times in the 50 free at the 2025 ASUN Championships. Cannings tied for 58th in the NCAA 50 free last year (22.37), while Bozzuto tied for 62nd (22.46). This week, Bozzuto is seeded 53rd (22.26), while Cannings is tied for 54th (22.28). Last year, it took 21.63 to make the A Final at the NCAA Championships, while 21.89 was the last B Finalist.
Defending 50 free champion Gretchen Walsh of Virginia has graduated. This year's top seed (20.87) belongs to 2025 NCAA bronze medalist and back-to-back SEC 50 free champion Camille Spink of Tennessee. Olympian Torri Huske of Stanford is seeded second (21.01), followed by a tie for third (21.09) with Michigan's Brady Kendall and Virgina's Sara Curtis. Last year's NCAA runner-up, Julia Dennis of Louisville, is seeded fifth at 21.21.
This year's eighth seed is held by Annam Olasewere of Stanford (21.46). LSU's Michaela De Villiers, who placed 25th in 2025, is seeded 16th at 21.59.
Saturday, March 22
On Saturday, Icard will compete on platform diving, while Cannings will compete in the 100 freestyle.
Platform Diving Preview
Icard scored 444.90 on her 10-dive combined program at Zones to earn a spot at nationals. At nationals, prelim scores do not carry over to finals. Last year, the last B Finalist scored 269.80 in the five-dive prelims, while it took 289.00 to make the A Final.
Icard and East Carolina's Frida Zuniga Guzman are both competing on platform this week and are the only two American Conference divers to qualify for nationals.
A total of 36 divers qualified for the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships on platform. Only three out of last year's A Finalists in platform return, in Viviana Del Angel of Minnesota (3rd), Daryn Wright of Purdue (4th) and Bayleigh Cranford of Stanford (6th).
100 Freestyle Preview
Cannings swam a program-record 48.40 in the 100 freestyle, winning the American title in the event. The sophomore is 51st in the 100 free listing. Last year, the last B Finalist swam 47.88, while it took 47.37 to make the A Final.
Gretchen Walsh finished as a four-time 100 freestyle national champion last year. Six out of eight of the 2025 national A Finalists return. This week's top seed is Anna Moesch of Virginia (45.71), the ACC champion and last year's fourth-place finisher. Torri Huske of Stanford, the 2025 national runner-up, is the 2026 second seed (45.79). Tennessee's Camille Spink, back-to-back SEC 100 free champion and 2025 NCAA bronze medalist, holds the third seed (46.01). Seeds four through six belong to freshmen: Virginia's Sara Curtis (46.03), Indiana's Liberty Clark (46.22) and Texas' Eva Okaro (46.41).
This year's eighth seed is held by Caroline Larsen of Louisville, 46.82, who placed 19th a year ago. NC State's Olivia Nel, holds 16th in the 100 free (47.36) after tying for 36th in 2025.
Players Mentioned
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