NC State Women's Swimming
The NC State women's swimming team is ranked #9 and is boosted by a young core and strong recruiting class
The NC State women's swimming team is looking to build on their 9th place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2026. According to SwimSwam, the team has a very young group of athletes and a strong sophomore class. The team's biggest addition last year was freshman breaststroker Eneli Jefimova, who became the NCAA Champion in the 100 breast.
Key Losses and Additions
The team has lost several key swimmers, including Kennedy Noble, Cassie Moses, Olivia Nel, Katherine Helms, Emma Hastings, and Lisa Nystrand. However, they have also added several strong recruits, including #7 Emerson Callis, #10 Zoe Smith, #12 Emma Cigna, BOTR Vera Conic, and Sydney Gring, a transfer from Pittsburgh.
Grading Criteria
SwimSwam uses a grading system to evaluate the team's performance, with 5 stars being the highest rating. The system is based on the team's projected returning points and takes into account the times swum by returning swimmers and freshmen. The grading scale is tough, with 5 stars being reserved for elite NCAA groups that are projected to score 25+ points per event.
Event Disciplines
The team's performance is evaluated in several event disciplines, including sprint free, distance free, IM, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and diving. The team's backstroke group is particularly strong, with three athletes who scored in the 100 back at the 2026 NCAA Championships and two who scored in the 200 backstroke.
Sprint Free and Distance Free
The team's sprint free group is led by junior Lily Christianson, who finished 11th in the 50 free at the NCAA Championships. The team also has several other strong sprint freestylers, including Zoe Smith and Sydney Gring. In distance free, the team is looking to rebuild after graduating several key swimmers. Kathleen Turano is the top returning distance swimmer, but will need to see significant drops in her times to reach the NCAA cutlines.
The team's backstroke group is one of the top stroke-specific groups in the NCAA, with Leah Shackley and Erika Pelaez being two of the best backstrokers in the country. The team's freshmen recruits, including Emma Cigna, Zoe Smith, Vera Conic, and Emerson Callis, are all potential backstroke scorers if the team can develop them. With their strong backstroke group and talented young core, the NC State women's swimming team is looking to make a splash at the NCAA Championships in 2027.
