\t\t\t\t\t2026 Horizon League Championships<\/p>\n
February 18-21, 2026
\nIU Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
\nSCY (25 yards)
\nStart Times: Prelims- 10 am ET, Finals- 5:30 pm ET<\/p>\n
Wednesday: Finals Only- 5:30 pm ET<\/p>\n
Defending Champions<\/p>\n
Women: Oakland (12x)
\nMen: Oakland (12x)<\/p>\n
Participating Teams: Cleveland State, Green Bay, IU Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Youngstown State Schedule:<\/p>\n Wednesday, Feb. 18<\/p>\n 200 Medley Relay Thursday, Feb. 19<\/p>\n 500 Freestyle Friday, Feb. 20<\/p>\n 100 Butterfly Saturday, Feb. 21<\/p>\n 1650 Freestyle 2025 Final Standings<\/p>\n Women:\u00a0<\/p>\n Oakland \u2013 830 Men:<\/p>\n Oakland \u2013 949 The Golden Grizzlies of Oakland secured their 12th straight Horizon League crown last season and are aiming to repeat as champions for the 13th time in 2026. With several key additions and losses for each team, the 2026 championships should be an exciting new chapter in the Horizon League history books.<\/p>\n Swimmers to Watch:<\/p>\n Women:\u00a0<\/p>\n Lydia Soldatke<\/a> \u2013 Freshman, Oakland<\/p>\n Lydia Soldatke<\/a> has burst onto the Horizon League scene this season. The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native currently holds the fastest 100 and 200 backstroke times in the conference by at least a full second in each. She notched career best times on both this season at the Golden Grizzly Classic in December, where she touched in 53.56 in the 100 back, and 1:56.03 in the 200 back. The way she has already separated herself so early in her career brings to mind Oakland great Susan LaGrand<\/a>, a five-time 200 back Horizon League champion in her own right and a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier.<\/p>\n The third event for Soldatke will likely come in the form of the 200 IM, where she holds the 4th fastest time in the conference this season in 2:04.16, just over a second off of her teammate Grace Albrecht<\/a>, who owns the top time in 2:03.39. This meet could be the launching pad for a dominant collegiate career for Soldatke. If we were to throw her into last season\u2019s championships with her current times, she would have won the 100 back by over half a second and dominated the 200 back, with two and a half seconds separating her from the rest of the field.<\/p>\n Olivia Sweetman<\/a> \u2013 Sophomore, Youngstown State<\/p>\n Olivia Sweetman<\/a> took on the role of filling some pretty major shoes left by former three-time HL champion and 2025 female swimmer of the meet Miriam Frass<\/a>, but in that time as the top distance swimmer in Youngstown, she has flourished. Even before Frass\u2019s departure, Sweetman put the League on notice by finishing runner-up in the 1650 free (16:53.07). Having already swum as fast as 16:58.62 earlier this season at the YSU Invitational, she appears to be well in form to get back to championship racing. In addition to her distance speed, Sweetman boasts the fastest 500 free in the conference this season in 4:52.89, only a second off her lifetime best from these championships last season in 4:51.75, where she finished 3rd. With Frass and IU Indy\u2019s Emmaleigh Zietlow<\/a> moving on to new chapters, the Horizon League will be looking for its new distance ace, and Sweetman is one of the first names that could step up to that role.<\/p>\n Sweetman is also relied heavily upon to produce on a number of Penguin relays, maybe none more important than the 800 free relay, which she swam 2nd on last season (1:48.96) to help earn the Penguins their first Women\u2019s 800 free relay conference title in school history. She also is the only returner from that relay this season, giving an extra load of responsibility to the New Zealand native. She did swim her fastest ever 200 free this season in 1:50.55; only Oakland\u2019s Mia Englender<\/a> has been faster (1:50.08), but if Sweetman gets down to that split that she had in the 800 free relay last season from a flat start, it could be really hard to pick against the Penguin sophomore.<\/p>\n Gracie Chelf<\/a> \u2013 Senior, Cleveland State<\/p>\n Gracie Chelf<\/a> is the two-time reigning champion in the 50 free, having won the league title as a sophomore and junior with times of 23.17 and 22.78, respectively. This season, she has set herself up to make similar noise, currently holding the top time in both the 50 and 100 freestyles in 22.70 and 50.33. Chelf currently sits more than three tenths ahead of anyone else in the Horizon League in the 50 free, but should have some tight competition in the 100 in Indianapolis this year.<\/p>\n She set that 50 free time at the Magnus Cup Invitational in November, a time that beats both HL winning times from the last two seasons, and also clocked her best-ever 100 free at that meet in 50.33, the fastest in the conference by just under a quarter of a second. Last season, Chelf was 4th in this event in 50.41, and looks poised to reach the top of the podium here. She also finished 4th last season in the 100 back, turning in the fastest swim of her career in 55.59. There is the question of that 3rd event, with Chelf also having thrown down a 1:52.61 in the 200 free, which stands as her lifetime best. Whatever Chelf swims, she will contend and be a threat on several Viking relays.<\/p>\n Men:<\/p>\n Logan Kelly<\/a> \u2013 Senior, IU Indianapolis<\/p>\n After a season away from collegiate swimming, Logan Kelly<\/a> is back and more dangerous than ever in the Horizon League. Kelly is not only one of the best, if not the best, breaststrokers in the Horizon League, but also one of the best in mid-major swimming and the NCAA as a whole. This season, Kelly has already notched a lifetime best of 51.56 at the first meet of IU Indy\u2019s season against HL foes Cleveland State, Green Bay, and Milwaukee, making him the 16th fastest 100 breaststroker in the country this season. Kelly\u2019s return will not only impact the 100 breast, but also the 200 breast, where he holds the HL championship meet record of 1:52.86 from 2023. This season, he has only been as fast as 1:54.28, a time he swam at a dual meet with Youngstown State in January.<\/p>\n Kelly should be the no-doubt favorite to pick up both breaststroke titles and will likely earn a trip to the NCAA Championships, a meet he also attended as a sophomore. But in the 200 IM, he is not nearly as much of a favorite as Oakland\u2019s Max Haney<\/a>, who finished 2nd last season and holds the top spot so far this season at 1:46.45. Kelly will likely break both breaststroke HL meet records and run away with those wins in the process, and this meet could be the perfect close to his decorated collegiate career.<\/p>\n Quinn Cynor<\/a> \u2013 Fifth Year, Youngstown State<\/p>\n Quinn Cynor<\/a> is potentially the highest-scoring male at this meet. Whatever he decides to swim, he will be a favorite. Based on the meet schedule, the likely three events he will compete in are the 200 free (1:34.71), 500 free (4:22.97), and 200 fly (1:45.86), in which he is the top performer in the conference in all three this season. An interesting note for Cynor is that, though he is the top time in all three of these races, none of them were lifetime bests this year. Prior to his time with the Penguins, Cynor was a WAC Champion with Wyoming, where he logged best times in both the 200 free in 2024 (1:34.34) and the 200 fly (1:44.30) in 2023. He also still sits about three and a half seconds off his best 500 time from 2023 of 4:19.55.<\/p>\n With the departure of Oakland\u2019s Jonas Cantrell<\/a>, who was a four-time 500 free champion and a one-time 200 free champion, the door has been opened for a new name to shine through. The 500 free will still be challenging with the likes of Oakland\u2019s Karel Subagyo, Milwaukee\u2019s Gunnar Seversen<\/a>, and IU Indy\u2019s Nathan Rariden<\/a>, just to name a few. Those same names will also be his competition in the 200 free, an event in which Rariden cracked the HL meet record with a 1:35.23 a year ago. His 200 fly will also be a very eye-catching race, as he leads fellow YSU teammate Valer Kennedy (2nd in HL this season in 1:46.61) in what could be a major points grab for Youngstown State.\u00a0 If Cynor can better those best times in Indianapolis, he may be walking away with numerous Horizon League event wins.<\/p>\n Sam Lorenz<\/a> \u2013 Sophomore, Milwaukee<\/p>\n Milwaukee made a major jump last season, finishing 4th at this meet, and will be looking to make another jump with Wisconsin transfer Sam Lorenz<\/a> potentially leading the charge for the Panthers. In his first season with Milwaukee, he has become the top performer in two events and sits less than a half-second off the top spot in another. Lorenz has positioned himself as the top guy in both the 50 free (19.68) and the 100 back (45.75). Both times would have won those races at last season\u2019s Horizon League Championships, and may be the first sign that he will do that this season.<\/p>\n We mentioned Cynor as a likely top individual scorer, but if Lorenz manages to touch first in a fast 200 back field, he could potentially tie or even surpass that with three wins of his own. He will have stiff competition throughout the meet, with reigning 100 back champion Harry Nicholson<\/a> of Oakland, Haney, Oakland\u2019s Charlie Brown<\/a>, and Micah Scheffer<\/a> all looking to keep Lorenz from conference titles. The road to three golds will not be without some obstacles, but Lorenz has extensive racing experience, and if there were ever a time to show it off, it would be here.<\/p>\n Showdowns:<\/p>\n Women:<\/p>\n 200 IM \u2013 The top three from a season ago are gone, and the top returner is Milwaukee\u2019s Ricky Thomas, who finished 4th in 2:04.33, but holds a career best of 2:03.41 that she swam this season at the House of Champions Invitational. That time is only the 3rd fastest this season, as Oakland\u2019s Grace Albrecht<\/a> (2:03.06) and Clarissa Bezuidenhout<\/a> (2:03.39) sit just ahead of Thomas. We mentioned Soldatke will likely have her name somewhere in the mix of this event, as the top four are separated by just over a second. Just outside of them is YSU\u2019s Hannah Murray, the Delta State transfer who also set a career best early in the season in 2:04.31. She is one solid timedrop from fully putting herself into contention in this 200 IM.<\/p>\n 100 Fly \u2013 This race is interesting for a few reasons, as the top three from a year ago are all gone, and the top time this season comes from a freshman in YSU\u2019s Orla MacInnes, who\u2019s 54.44 would have finished 2nd behind Oakland\u2019s Jordan Shipps last season. She sits about eight-tenths ahead of the rest of the conference with that time, but just behind her is Milwaukee\u2019s Maddi Hayashi, who is the highest returning finisher in this event, where she finished 4th in 55.04. The next two top times, from Ava McNamara<\/a> and Brooke Mahneke, are each tied at 55.80. All of these swimmers still have at least another year in the HL, and with six of the top eight from last season gone this season, 2026 will be the first look at a new wave of women\u2019s 100 fly in the conference.<\/p>\n 1650 Free \u2013 This event was loaded with seniors a season ago, with five of the top six having now graduated. But with Sweetman looking to make the jump up to the top, she will have a deep event field to contend against. The top time so far this season belongs to Oakland\u2019s freshman talent Megan Donnelly in 16:56.41. Behind her is Cleveland State\u2019s Bella Caraballo in 16:58.27, then Sweetman at 16:58.62. Then it\u2019s YSU\u2019s Derin Donmez and Oakland\u2019s Kelley Hassett at 17:01.21 and 17:04.22, respectively. All five of those times would have finished 4th or better last season. This race has also been won by sizable margins over the last few years, with 2026 shaping up to be a real start-to-finish battle. Just as Sweetman did a year ago, it could be Donnelly who makes her freshman statement with a big-time win in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n Men:\u00a0<\/p>\n 200 Freestyle \u2013 When the 2025 champion comes into the meet with the 6th fastest time on the season, the intrigue begins to rise a little bit. We mentioned Nathan Rariden<\/a>\u2019s meet-record performance a year ago, but that time could be in jeopardy from multiple competitors in 2026. Cynor is the immediate favorite, but Milwaukee\u2019s Gunnar Seversen<\/a>, who was the 2025 HL Newcomer of the Year, enters with a lifetime best of 1:37.05, Oakland\u2019s Karel Subagyo, the 4th place finisher in this event a year ago in 1:36.66, and Joey Countryman, who clocked a career best 1:36.42 earlier this season, should all make this an exciting race throughout. Though Cynor at first glance should take this 200 free crown.<\/p>\n 100 Butterfly \u2013 The top 10 performers in the conference this season are all separated by just over half a second, and have all clocked a time under 48 seconds. Leading the charge is Micah Scheffer<\/a>, who\u2019s 47.42 leads YSU\u2019s Lorenz Beck (47.45), and Cleveland State\u2019s Daniel Lyngaas (47.47) by less than a tenth of a second. Behind them, it\u2019s IU Indy\u2019s Yassin Abdelghany<\/a> in 47.53. It took 47.10 to win this event last season, and the top returner is YSU\u2019s Jacob Gramer<\/a>, a sophomore who was just three hundredths off of a win in this event last season (47.13) and has been 47.99 this season. We know that Gramer has the speed to win the event, but with a stacked field around him, it could be anybody\u2019s race at the touch.<\/p>\n 50 Freestyle \u2013 This race should be close at any meet of this magnitude, but here, the story is if Oakland\u2019s Charlie Brown<\/a> can repeat as 50 free champion with a deep event field around him. We mentioned that Sam Lorenz<\/a> holds the top time, but Brown touched in 19.59 in prelims last season, and anchored a pair of relays under 19 seconds for Oakland. Until proven otherwise, Brown is still the man to beat in the 50 free. Scheffer also pops his head into the mix with a 19.80 this season against Wayne State, making him the 3rd-fastest performer heading into these championships. Other names in the mix include Gramer in 20.13, Caleb Carlisle<\/a> of Milwaukee at 20.19, and Abdelghany, who also sits under 20 seconds in 19.99.<\/p>\n SwimSwam Picks (Top 3):<\/p>\n Women:<\/p>\n Oakland Men:\u00a0<\/p>\n Oakland The Swimulator likes Oakland to win its 13th consecutive women\u2019s and men\u2019s Horizon League title this season, and in looking at not only the depth, but the podium-level depth is something that has made Oakland one of the top mid-major programs in the country.<\/p>\n On the women\u2019s side, Milwaukee still shows plenty of potential with key relays and a number of solid scoring threats throughout the roster, while IU Indy leans a bit more on the success of individual swims and events. Oakland is still the team to beat, and we project it to be by a wide margin here.<\/p>\n The top two on the men\u2019s side remain the same, with Oakland and IU Indy consistently producing top relays and some of the best performers across multiple events. But the Penguins are slotted to finish with their highest-ever placement at the Horizon League Championships, in 3rd. The key will be performing in prelims to secure a high-scoring spot in the evening\u2019s finals. Among Milwaukee, Cleveland State, and Youngstown State, whoever accomplishes that will likely be the 3rd-place winner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2026 Horizon League Championships February 18-21, 2026 IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN SCY (25 yards) Start Times: Prelims- 10…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":164060,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[79351,79352,79353,79354,54424,79355,79356,79357,79358,79359,79360,79361,79362,79363,79364,79365,79366,79367,79368,79369,79370,79371,79372,79373,79374,79375,79376,79377,79378,143,145,144,79379,79380,79381,79382,79383,79384,79385,79386],"class_list":["post-164059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-ava-mcnamara","tag-bella-caraballo","tag-brooke-mahneke","tag-caleb-carlisle","tag-charlie-brown","tag-clarissa-bezuidenhout","tag-daniel-lyngaas","tag-derin-donmez","tag-emmaleigh-zietlow","tag-grace-albrecht","tag-gracie-chelf","tag-gunnar-seversen","tag-hannah-murray","tag-harry-nicholson","tag-jacob-gramer","tag-jonas-cantrell","tag-jordan-shipps","tag-karel-subagyo","tag-kelley-hassett","tag-logan-kelly","tag-lorenz-beck","tag-lydia-soldatke","tag-maddi-hayashi","tag-max-haney","tag-megan-donnelly","tag-mia-englender","tag-micah-scheffer","tag-miriam-frass","tag-nathan-rariden","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-olivia-sweetman","tag-orla-macinnes","tag-quinn-cynor","tag-ricky-thomas","tag-sam-lorenz","tag-susan-lagrand","tag-valer-kennedy","tag-yassin-abdelghany"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164059"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164059\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nPsych Sheets
\nChampionship Central<\/a>
\nWatch: ESPN+<\/p>\n
\nWomen\u2019s 3-meter Diving
\n800 Freestyle relay<\/p>\n
\n200 IM
\n50 Freestyle
\nMen\u2019s 1-meter Diving
\n200 Freestyle Relay<\/p>\n
\n400 IM
\n200 Freestyle
\n100 Breaststroke
\n100 Backstroke
\nWomen\u2019s 1-meter Diving
\n400 Medley Relay<\/p>\n
\n200 Backstroke
\n100 Freestyle
\n200 Breaststroke
\n200 Butterfly
\nMen\u2019s 3-meter Diving
\n400 Freestyle Relay<\/p>\n
\nMilwaukee \u2013 655
\nCleveland State \u2013 614.5
\nYoungstown State \u2013 483
\nIU Indianapolis \u2013 465.5
\nGreen Bay \u2013 227<\/p>\n
\nIU Indianapolis \u2013 624
\nCleveland State \u2013 491
\nMilwaukee \u2013 414
\nYoungstown State \u2013 410
\nGreen Bay \u2013 294
\nNorthern Kentucky \u2013 135<\/p>\n
\nMilwaukee
\nIU Indianapolis<\/p>\n
\nIU Indianapolis
\nYoungstown State<\/p>\n