Rice University Rolls to American Conference Championship
Rice University won five events to clinch the 2026 American Conference Championship. Liberty University and Eastern Carolina University finished in second and third place, respectively. Here is a day-by-day review of the meet.
Wednesday
Florida International University started off the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay, as the team of Diana Santamaria, Frida Loebersli, Oumy Diop, and Tawannah Mclemore combined for a time of 1:36.24. The time was a new championship record for the American Conference. The Rice Owls made a statement next, as sophomores Ava Portello (4:42.67) and Reese Cole (1:58.28) earned wins in the 500 freestyle and 200 IM, respectively. Liberty’s Aly Bozzuto closed out the night with a victory in the 50 free, finishing in 22.27.
Thursday
James Madison kicked off Day Two with its first win of the meet, as the quartet of Alexandra Volk, Emory Hill, Madison Wimmer, and Jamie Cornwell went a time of 1:30.22 in the 200 freestyle relay. Rice’s Cole then earned her second win of the meet, taking the 400 IM in 4:12.61. Liberty junior Kamryn Cannings (51.77) took the 100 fly, while Tulsa sophomore Lise Coetzee (1:46.77) gave the Green Wave their first win in the 200 free. The Flames finished the night with a victory, as a team of Gwyn Frick, Bozzuto, Cannings and Dakota Howard combined for a time of 3:33.70 in the 400 medley relay. Eastern Carolina University’s Frida Zuniga earned the win in the 1-meter diving, with a score of 314.75. Zuniga’s score set a new conference record in the event.
Friday
Rice got out to a strong start on Day Three with a win in the 800 free relay, as the quartet of Portello, Avery Karacz, Ava Hamblett and Cole finished in 7:12.09. Liberty then put on a show in the 100s of stroke, as Frick (52.92) claimed her first individual win in the 100 back and Bozzuto (59.57) took the 100 breast. Marshall’s Lauren McNamara (1:58.16) finished the day with a win in the 200 Fly, a strong statement amid the announcement this week that their program would be cut. Zuniga placed first once again, this time in the 3-meter diving, accomplishing another conference record score of 378.45.
Saturday
Portello (16:23.85) began the meet’s last day with a crucial win in the 1650 free, pulling Rice far ahead in the points race. Cannings (48.40) then earned the first win of the night for Liberty, prevailing in the 100 freestyle. FAU senior Meg Drover-Smith took victory next in the 200 back, the Owls’ first win of the meet. Liberty finished the meet with back-to-back wins, earning it enough points for a second-place finish. Bozzuto (2:09.47) won the 200 breast, and a team of Natalie Colarossi, Howard, Bozzuto, and Cannings (3:16.84) finished first in the 400 free relay.
Liberty’s Bozzuto was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Swimmer, and Frick was Rookie of the Meet. Zuniga received honors as the meet’s Most Outstanding Diver. Rice’s Seth Huston was named Swim Coach of the Year, while North Texas’s Stephanie O’Callaghan and East Carolina’s Ryan McIntire were the Diving Coaches of the Year.
2026 American Conference Championship Final Scores
- Rice University – 1404.5
- Liberty University – 1250
- East Carolina University – 1009.5
- Florida International University – 990
- Tulane University – 905.5
- Florida Atlantic University – 814
- James Madison University – 787
- Marshall University – 707.5
- University of North Texas – 608
