NCAA Women’s Championships: Anna Moesch Claims 200 Free in No. 2 All-Time 1:39.23
The quest all year in the women’s 200 freestyle has been aimed at 1:39.10, the NCAA record of Missy Franklin from 2015.
Anna Moesch came closer to it than anybody has.
Moesch went 1:39.23, brushing up against Franklin’s mark and claiming the NCAA title Thursday night at Georgia Tech’s McAuley Natatorium.
Liberty Clark was second in 1:39.88, her second sub-1:40 swim in as many days. Clark and Moesch are the only two swimmers to break that round number twice in their careers.
Moesch broke 1:40 at ACCs for the first time. Clark did it off the front of the 800 free relay on Wednesday in 1:39.70. Even a repeat of that wouldn’t have been able to match Moesch, who led at every wall.
Third was Nikolett Padar of Texas in 1:40.78. Minna Abraham was fourth for USC in 1:41.66, edging Virginia’s Madi Mintenko in fifth. Camille Spink of Tennessee and Cal’s Mia West and Claire Weinstein rounded out the top eight.
Moesch’s focus Thursday was on herself and nothing else, knowing the field around her would be so daunting.
“I think it was definitely the most nervous I’ve ever been for a race,” she said. “I kind of had to remove my thoughts from my feelings, and I knew that it was such a fast field that just racing was going to be really good for me. I think it was a lot of fun, and I’m super happy with the result.”
Was one of those contributing factors maybe with Clark did Tuesday night, jumping past Moesch into the third-fastest performer all-time? Not directly, but …
“I think she’s an incredible swimmer, and I knew it was just going to be a super fun race and a lot of competition,” Moesch said. “I think I was just super excited to get to race everyone.”
Moesch was first at every wall, tied with Padar after the first 50. Spink went out fast and tried to hold it, which she did in fourth until the final 50. West moved up to fourth at 150, but the separation had been made. Coming home, it was just Moesch and Clark. Moesch found an extra tenth in the end to set the pool record, taking it back from Clark.
Only two swimmers in the A final made the top 16 last year: Abraham was second, Moesch fifth. Spink had been 17th. Abraham was third with Spink false-starting in the A final in 2024.
Virginia got a third scorer with Cavan Gormsen in 16th. Texas had two additional scorers in Erin Gemmell in 12th and Lillian Nesty in 15th.
For Moesch, the feeling of being the No. 2 performer all-time is new. It doesn’t bring any disappointment, given where she started this year, that Franklin’s record remains out there.
“I’m still super happy with the race as a whole,” Moesch said. “I think in the beginning of the season, I don’t really think I expected to go under 1:40 at all, so I’m so excited about it. I think I have a lot more to learn about race strategy and training and everything like that. So I’m super excited for the next two years, but I’m really excited to have that race under my belt, and I’m super happy with how tonight went.”
Sub-1:40 NCAA Women’s 200 Freestyles
- 1:39.10 – Missy Franklin, California, 2015
- 1:39.23 – Anna Moesch, Virginia, 2026
- 1:39.34 – Gretchen Walsh, Virginia, 2025
- 1:39.70 – Liberty Clark, Indiana, 2026
- 1:39.72 – Anna Moesch, Virginia, 2026
- 1:39.80 – Mallory Comerford, Louisville, 2018
- 1:39.88 – Liberty Clark, Indiana, 2026
Event 7 Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
NCAA: N 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
Meet: M 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
American: A 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
US Open: O 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
Pool: P 1:39.70 3/18/2026 Liberty Clark, Indiana
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== Championship Final ===
1 Moesch, Anna SO Virginia 1:41.05 1:39.23P 20
r:+0.69 23.49 49.01 (25.52)
1:14.26 (25.25) 1:39.23 (24.97)
2 Clark, Liberty FR Indiana 1:41.29 1:39.88 17
r:+0.63 23.52 49.47 (25.95)
1:14.81 (25.34) 1:39.88 (25.07)
3 Padar, Nikolett FR Texas 1:41.00 1:40.78 16
r:+0.69 23.49 49.30 (25.81)
1:15.02 (25.72) 1:40.78 (25.76)
4 Abraham, Minna JR USC 1:42.22 1:41.66 15
r:+0.70 23.81 49.46 (25.65)
1:15.63 (26.17) 1:41.66 (26.03)
5 Mintenko, Madi FR Virginia 1:41.61 1:41.67 14
r:+0.68 23.88 49.57 (25.69)
1:15.85 (26.28) 1:41.67 (25.82)
6 Spink, Camille JR Tennessee 1:42.28 1:41.72 13
r:+0.66 23.50 49.32 (25.82)
1:15.58 (26.26) 1:41.72 (26.14)
7 West, Mia SO California 1:41.57 1:42.00 12
r:+0.69 23.79 49.45 (25.66)
1:15.74 (26.29) 1:42.00 (26.26)
8 Weinstein, Claire FR California 1:41.59 1:42.59 11
r:+0.75 23.95 49.87 (25.92)
1:16.12 (26.25) 1:42.59 (26.47)
=== Preliminaries ===
9 Balduccini, Stephanie JR Michigan 1:42.44 9
r:0.66 23.91 49.76 (25.85)
1:15.91 (26.15) 1:42.44 (26.53)
10 Maier, Nicole 5Y USC 1:42.87 7
r:0.66 24.16 50.43 (26.27)
1:16.82 (26.39) 1:42.87 (26.05)
11 Weiler Sastre, Carmen SR VT 1:42.91 6
r:0.69 23.87 49.66 (25.79)
1:16.22 (26.56) 1:42.91 (26.69)
12 Gemmell, Erin JR Texas 1:42.92 5
r:0.78 23.86 49.92 (26.06)
1:16.38 (26.46) 1:42.92 (26.54)
13 Dobson, Kennedi FR Georgia 1:42.97 4
r:0.69 24.21 50.33 (26.12)
1:16.49 (26.16) 1:42.97 (26.48)
14 Johnson, Gigi SR Stanford 1:43.24 3
r:0.64 24.12 50.53 (26.41)
1:16.62 (26.09) 1:43.24 (26.62)
15 Nesty, Lillian SO Texas 1:43.31 2
r:0.74 24.06 50.01 (25.95)
1:16.44 (26.43) 1:43.31 (26.87)
16 Gormsen, Cavan JR Virginia 1:43.46 1
r:0.69 24.14 50.19 (26.05)
1:16.93 (26.74) 1:43.46 (26.53)
