The 2026 Women's Big 12 Championship is set to be a thrilling event, with Arizona State (ASU) looking to forge a new legacy and Cincinnati climbing the ranks. The championship will take place from February 24 to 28 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, NC. Defending champions Arizona State women and men will be aiming to retain their titles, having won the 2025 championship with impressive scores.
Event Schedule
Tuesday, February 24:
- 200 medley relay
- Women's team diving
- 800 free relay
- Men's team diving
Wednesday, February 25:
- Women's 1-meter diving
- 500 freestyle
- 200 IM
- 50 freestyle
- Men's 3-meter diving
Thursday, February 26:
- Men's 1-meter diving
- 100 butterfly
- 400 IM
- 200 freestyle
- Women's 3-meter diving
- 400 medley relay
Friday, February 27:
- 200 butterfly
- 100 breaststroke
- 100 backstroke
- Men's platform diving
- 200 freestyle relay
Saturday, February 28:
- 200 backstroke
- 100 freestyle
- 1650 freestyle
- 200 breaststroke
- Women's platform diving
- 400 freestyle relay
2025 Final Standings
- Arizona State: 1695
- Arizona: 1240
- Houston: 1211.5
- TCU: 854
- Utah: 809.5
- Cincinnati: 800.5
- BYU: 761.5
- Kansas: 542
- West Virginia: 409
- Iowa State: 397
The conference shakeup in 2024 saw Texas and Oklahoma leave, while Arizona State, Arizona, and Utah joined from the Pac-12. This move allowed the newcomers to establish their legacies, with Arizona State women leading the way in the 2025 championship under new head coach Herbie Behm. Swimmers to watch include Eleni Gewalt of Arizona, who is a force in sprint breaststroke and freestyle, and Albane Cachot of Arizona State, who is making waves in the sprint group.
Showdowns
- 100 Breaststroke: Cincinnati's Joleigh Crye is the favorite to defend her title, but she'll face competition from Eleni Gewalt of Arizona, Evelyn Entrekin of Houston, and Lindi Worrell of Cincinnati.
- 500 Freestyle: Arizona State's Alex Reyna will be looking to defend her title against Deniz Ertan of Arizona State and Avery Dillon of TCU.
- 200 Medley Relay: A rematch of a close race from an earlier dual meet will take place, with Arizona and Arizona State battling it out for the top spot.
SwimSwam Picks
- Arizona State
- Arizona
- Houston
- Cincinnati
- Kansas
- TCU
- Utah
- BYU
- West Virginia
- Iowa State
ASU is the favorite to win, aiming to establish a new championship title streak. However, the Swimulator predicts that Arizona will close the gap slightly in Greensboro with its strong sprint group. Cincinnati and Kansas are also expected to make significant strides, with the Bearcats' breaststroke star power and the Jayhawks' strong showing at the Big 12 West Championships.
