FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – The Florida State women’s swimming and diving team opened the NCAA Championships with the 200 medley relay on Wednesday night at the Weyerhauser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.
 
As the Seminoles placed 18th overall in the event, they were led by freshman backstroker Alice Velden, who swam the fastest 50-yard backstroke split in school history.
 
“We had a great relay that just fell short of scoring tonight,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said. “The highlight was Alice Velden, who smashed her own, as well as FSU’s best-ever, 50 backstroke split. It was an amazing time.”
 
FSU was 18th overall in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:35.53. Velden, senior Maddy Huggins, fifth-year Jenny Halden, and senior Gloria Muzito finished just shy of their seed time of 1:35.13.
 
Making her NCAA Championships debut, Velden led off the relay with a 50 backstroke time of 23.59. It was the sixth-fastest mark among all swimmers on Wednesday night and the best ever recorded by a Seminole. Velden topped her own record time of 23.96, set at the ACC Championships in February.
 
FSU has eight student-athletes competing at the national meet from March 19-22. Events resume on Thursday, with prelims at 1 p.m. ET. Huggins and senior Edith Jernstedt will both swim in the 200 individual medley, where the top 16 finishers advance to finals. Senior Samantha Vear will compete in the 1-meter at 3:15 p.m. ET. The top eight divers advance to finals, and those who finish ninth-16th compete in the consolation at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Seminoles will also race in the 200 freestyle relay in Thursday night’s finals session at 9 p.m. ET, led by freshman Maryn McDade, Halden, Jernstedt, and Muzito.
 
All sessions will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live results can be found at Meet Mobile and online here, and additional championships info is available here. Direct links and live updates can be found by following and connecting with the Seminoles on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook.
 
Thursday, March 20
1 p.m. ET – Prelims: 500 free, 200 IM (Maddy Huggins, Edith Jernstedt), 50 free
3:15 p.m. ET – Prelims: 1-meter trials (Samantha Vear)
8:15 p.m. ET – 1-meter consolation finals
9 p.m. ET – Finals: 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 200 free relay (Maryn McDade, Jenny Halden, Edith Jernstedt, Gloria Muzito), 1-meter finals
Watch Finals Day 2
 
Friday, March 21
1 p.m. ET – Prelims: 400 IM, 100 fly (Edith Jernstedt), 200 free, 100 breast (Maddy Huggins), 100 back
3:15 p.m. ET – Prelims: 3-meter trials (Samantha Vear, Kayleigh Clark)
8:15 p.m. ET – 3-meter consolation finals
9 p.m. ET – Finals: 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 400 medley relay (Alice Velden, Maddy Huggins, Edith Jernstedt, Gloria Muzito), 3-meter finals
Watch Finals Day 3

Saturday, March 22

1 p.m. ET – Prelims: 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast (Maddy Huggins), 200 fly (Edith Jernstedt)

3 p.m. ET – Prelims: Platform diving trials (Kayleigh Clark)

6:45 p.m. ET – Prelims: 1650 free

8:15 p.m. ET – Platform consolation finals

9 p.m. ET – Finals: 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform diving, 400 free relay

Watch Finals Day 4

 

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