Sims and Weyant Deliver Second-Place Performances, Gators Post Five Podium Finishes on Day Three of NCAA Championships

Last Updated: March 22, 2025By


 
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Senior Emma Weyant and sophomore Bella Sims highlighted the Gators individual performances on Friday with a pair of national runner-up finishes, as Florida’s women’s swimming posted five podium finished and earned eight All-American honors on day three of the 2025 NCAA Division I Championships at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.

The Gators had a showing in all five swimming finals with Sims, Weyant, Olivia Peoples and Mabel Zavaros advancing to the Championship Final. Anita Bottazzo, Julie Brousseau and Lainy Kruger advanced to the Friday’s Consolation Final after placing in the top-16 of their respective event.

Sims recorded the program’s best 100-back finish since Sinead Russell in 2013. The Tokyo Olympian was neck-and-neck with Virginia’s Claire Curzan until the final second, touching the wall just 0.01 seconds after the Cavalier. The sophomore finished second with a 49.12 for the 13th fastest time in history, with her 48.97 from this year’s SEC Championships sitting third all-time and first in program history.

A two-time Olympic medalist in the 400 IM, Weyant made her move into second during the breaststroke leg and held steady to the wall. The Sarasota, Florida native posted a time of 3:59.05 to earn runners-up for the second-consecutive year and merit her third All-American honor in the event.

The 400 medley relay team of Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples and Micayla Cronk capped off the Gators strong final events showing with a third-place finish. It marks Florida’s best showing in the event as well as first top-three finish since 2010. Swimming her second 100 back of the night, Sims led off with a 49.54. Bottazzo followed with a 57.36 breast split and Peoples went 50.65 on fly. Cronk anchored the event with a 47.63 for an overall time of 3:25.18.

Additionally, two other Gators appeared in the 400 IM Final. Continuing her strong championships performance, Zavaros went a 4:01.68 in prelims to shave off over two seconds of her previous best and improve to No. 4 in program history. She was seeded second heading into the finals, where the Burlington, Ontario, Canadian finished sixth with a 4:03.99 for her first podium appearance this week and her third All-American honor in the event. Brousseau was one of five freshman who swam in the B Final. The Paris Olympian posted a 4:05.83 to place 13th overall and tally her second All-American honor of the week.

Peoples earned the Gators first All-American honor of the night in the 100 fly. The senior achieved her second-straight top-eight finish in the event after placing eighth with a time of 51.09. She concludes her collegiate career and championship competition with three All-American honors in the event as well as Florida’s record holder.

Making her first NCAA individual final of her career, Anita Bottazzo won the 100 breast B Final with a time of 57.84. The freshman dropped 0.60 seconds off her prelim time to be awarded her first All-American status. Kruger earned her first NCAA top-16 finish of her career as well, placing 14th in the 200 free with a 1:44.09. The sophomore clocked a 1:43.64 in morning prelims to move into the No. 6 spot of Florida’s top-10 times.

THREE-METER DIVING

Camyla Monroy represented Florida in the women’s three-meter springboard on Friday. The sophomore scored a 51.60 on her first dive to head into round two sitting 16th. Monroy delivered respectable second (41.50) and third (51.45) dives, but fell below the average score needed to place in the top-16. Although her sixth and final dive was a solid 57.00, she finished 32nd with a total score of 270.75. Monroy and Casey Greenberg will both look to score in tomorrow’s platform.

 

With one day of competition remaining, Florida sits in sixth place with 177 points. The Gators are 18 points behind Tennessee for the fifth-place spot and 17.5 points ahead Louisville.

 

UP NEXT

Saturday marks the final day of events, as the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly preliminary events kick off at 1 p.m. ET.  Diving will climb the tower for platform prelims starting at 3 p.m and the 1650 free trials following at 6:45 p.m. Day four finals kick off at 9 p.m. with the 400 free relay concluding 2025 Women’s NCAA Division I Championships.

 

Top 10 TEAM STANDINGS (Following day three)

  1. Virginia 383

  2. Stanford 292

  3. Texas 288

  4. Indiana 209

  5. Tennessee 195

  6. Florida 177

  7. Louisville 160.5

  8. California 139.5

  9. Michigan 121

  10. NC State 114

FLORIDA’S FULL TALLY
First-Team All-Americans

Second-Team All-Americans

Records

  • Program

    • 200 Medley Relay – Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk – 1:33.92

Program Top-10 Times

  • 200 Medley Relay – Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk – No. 1 (1:33.92)

  • 800 Free Relay – Sims, Brousseau, Weyant, Kruger – No. 2 (6:53.41)

  • 200 Free – Lainy Kruger – No. 6 (1:43.64)

  • 400 IM – Mabel Zavaros – No. 4 (4:01.68)

Friday’s Results:

HOW TO FOLLOW
All sessions will be televised live on ESPN+ for subscribers. Links for the live stream and live results can be found on Florida women’s swimming and diving schedule page on FloridaGators.com. Live results will be available to paid subscribers on Meet Mobile or fans can follow @GatorsSwimDV on socials. Tape-delayed coverage of the women’s championships will be on ESPNU at 7 p.m. Eastern time, Wednesday, March 27.

2025 DI WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS REMAINING SCHEDULE, DATES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)

  • Saturday, March 22 | Watch live on ESPN+

    • Day four prelims | 1 p.m.

    • Platform diving trials | 3 p.m.

    • Day four prelims – 1650 freestyle | 6:45 p.m.

    • Platform diving consolation finals | 8:15 p.m.

    • Day four finals | 9 p.m.

      • 1,650-yard freestyle

      • 200-yard backstroke

      • 100-yard freestyle

      • 200-yard breaststroke

      • 200-yard butterfly

      • Platform diving

      • 400-yard freestyle relay

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