INDIANAPOLIS – The 2026 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships concluded on Saturday with the Trinity University men's and women's swimming & diving teams finished 23rd and 21st, respectively, marking a stellar ending to the 2025-26 season for the Tigers.

Day 4 Recap:
Luke Fender (Jackson, Miss. / St. Andrew's Episcopal) closed out his season in the 1650 freestyle, placing 9th overall with a lifetime best of 15:35.93. In the process, he broke his own school record by two seconds and picked up Second Team All-American recognition. It was an incredibly well-executed swim and a strong way to cap off his sophomore season.

First-year Jack Hester (Round Rock, Texas / Cedar Ridge) competed in the 200 backstroke prelims, qualifying for finals in 10th place with a time of 1:46.53. He returned in the evening session and finished 12th overall, capping off a strong performance on the national stage that also earned him All-American accolades. Fellow first-year Kaya Alvegaard-Struble (Kansas City, Mo. / Pembroke Hill) also raced the event, continuing to gain valuable experience and confidence against a deep national field in her first NCAA Championship appearance.

Senior captain Neely Burns (Phoenix, Ariz. / Thunderbird) returned to the pool in the 200 breaststroke, placing 14th in prelims to earn a spot in the B final. She went on to finish 15th overall for another All-American award, closing out her collegiate career with a strong and memorable final swim.

First-year Ava Easley (Allen, Texas / Lovejoy) competed in the 100 freestyle prelims, continuing to gain valuable experience in her first NCAA Championship appearance. She touched the wall just 0.10 off her best time, showing strong consistency on the national stage.

The women's 400 freestyle relay of junior Julia Carter (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs), Alvegaard-Struble, Burns, and junior Amy Benson (Newmarket, N.H. / Phillips Exeter Academy) delivered a solid performance, finishing 20th while swimming just off their conference-best time.