UNC Swimming & Diving Wins 24 Summer Medals
UNC swimming and diving athletes won 24 medals, including nine golds, across five major international competitions this summer.
The University of North Carolina swimming and diving program concluded its summer competition schedule by winning 24 medals. The haul included nine gold medals earned across five major international meets. Fans can track the team's upcoming meets on the fixtures page.
Tar Heel athletes stood on podiums at the FISU American Games, the Central American and Caribbean Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the U.S. Championships. The performances spanned both current team members and alumni representing various nations.
FISU American Games Success
Four Tar Heels competed at the FISU American Games. Sean Setzer led the contingent with four gold medals, winning the 50 free, 100 free, 400 free relay, and the mixed 400 free relay. Teammate Sam Huggins added two golds in the 200 free and 800 free relay, alongside a silver in the 400 free relay and a bronze in the 400 free. Carter Freudenstein secured a gold in the 200 breast and a bronze in the 400 IM. Mary Macaulay earned two silvers in the 200 IM and 400 IM, plus a bronze in the 200 fly and a silver as part of the 800 free relay.
International Medal Haul
Xavier Ruiz delivered a strong performance for Puerto Rico at the Central American and Caribbean Games. He secured two gold medals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Ruiz also added a silver and two bronze medals in the 400 IM and the 400 medley and mixed medley relays.
At the European Championships, Tom Mienes and Martin Kartavi competed for Israel. Mienes set a new long course school record in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:11.07. This bettered the previous mark of 2:11.30 set by Sophie Lindner in 2022.
Alumna Georgia Nel helped South Africa to multiple relay medals at the Commonwealth Games. The team won a silver in the 400 mixed medley relay and bronze medals in the 400 medley and 400 free relays. They also finished sixth in the 800 free relay.
Championship Performances
Skyler Smith broke a significant barrier at the Pan Pacific Championships. She swam under 30 seconds to set a personal best of 29.90 in the 50 breaststroke, earning a bronze medal. The university's report states this performance ranks her 14th all-time in the event and as the fourth-fastest swimmer in the world this year. More details on such record-breaking performances can be found in the team's stats.
David Melnychuk capped his first year as a Tar Heel with a record-breaking swim at the U.S. Championships. He finished second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:57.56. This broke the UNC long course record of 2:00.51, which had been set by Chris Thames in 2019.
In diving, newcomer Emma Kelly represented Ireland at the World Aquatics Junior Championships. She finished in the Top 25 in both the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions.
The team is now back on campus preparing for the 2026-27 season. Their schedule begins with a meet at Queens at the end of September.
