By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships
Dates: Wednesday, March 25–Saturday, March 28 Location: McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA Defending Champions: Texas (1x) SwimSwam Preview Index Psych Sheets Preview Index Live Results Live VideoMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – BY THE NUMBERS
U.S. Open Record: 1:34.21 – Hubert Kos, Texas (2025) American Record: 1:35.37 – Destin Lasco, California (2024) NCAA Record:1:34.21 – Hubert Kos, Texas (2025) 2025 NCAA Champion: Hubert Kos, Texas – 1:34.21 Returning 2025 Finalists: 1st – Hubert Kos, 5th – Jonny Marshall, 7th – Ruard Van RenenThe new NCAA order, and the elimination of ‘B’ finals, forced swimmers to make a decision between the 200 back and the 200 IM, and two of last year’s 200 back finalists opted to swim the 200 IM instead, meaning only three swimmers will return from last year’s ‘A’ final.
Despite that, Texas senior Hubert Kos is the favorite to defend his title, and he has made it clear what his goal is, becoming the first person in history to drop under 1:34.
The Champion
Hubert Kos had a very strong 2025 calendar year. He won the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM at the 2025 NCAA Championships, setting a new NCAA record in the 200 backstroke of 1:34.21.
He followed that performance up with a World Championships gold medal in the 200 back, swimming 1:53.19, setting a new European Record time, becoming the 5th fastest performer in history in the event.
Hubert Kos (photo: Jack Spitser)
At the 2025 World Cup stop in Toronto, Kos broke the SCM World Record, swimming 1:45.12 to take half-a-second off Mitch Larkin’s 2015 record time of 1:45.63.
Kos took the fall semester off of his final NCAA season, but returned to SCY racing in January. At the SEC Championships in February, Kos took on a bold double, opting to race the 200 IM and 200 backstroke in the same session, about half-an-hour apart. He won the 200 IM, but got out behind the pack in the 200 backstroke and was not able to make up the ground on the final 100, touching 2nd in 1:36.80 behind Florida’s Jonny Marshall, who swam 1:36.38.
Kos actually finished 2nd to Marshall at the 2025 SECs as well, swimming 1:36.10 to come in three tenths back of Marshall’s 1:35.85.
Last year at NCAAs, Kos won the 200 back in 1:34, and told SwimSwam at the meet, “Obviously I wanted to go :33, but it’s fine… maybe next year.” Well, next year is here, and Kos chose not to swim the 200 IM this week so he is fresh for the 200 back. All eyes will be on him as he tries to drop under in what could be his final SCY 200 backstroke ever.
The SEC Threats
Florida’s Marshall is a junior this year, and he has qualified for the ‘A’ final in both of the last two years. In 2024, he finished 4th in 1:37.04, about four tenths off his lifetime best of 1:36.68 from the SEC Championships. Last year, he swam 1:37.00 to finish 5th, more than a second over his SEC winning time of 1:35.85.
Marshall was just off his lifetime best at this year’s SECs, swimming 1:36.38, and he didn’t set a single personal best time which lends to the idea that he was not fully rested for the meet, and that he could see a drop coming at NCAAs. He will likely not challenge Kos for the top spot, but a strong swim could earn him his first top-three finish.
Tommy Hagar (photo: Jack Spitser)
Alabama’s Tommy Hagar is the 3rd seed in 1:37.92, which he swam in the prelims of the SEC Championships to qualify 1st. In the final, he finished 3rd in 1:38.40, but he would have been 3rd even if he matched his prelims swim. In 2025, he swam a lifetime best at the NCAA Championships to finish 12th in the final, and a lifetime best this year would be huge in earning him his 1st ever ‘A’ final performance.
Georgia’s Ruard Van Renen is the only other returning finalist, after he swam 1:37.08 in the prelims to qualify 4th overall and 1:38.11 in the final to finish 7th. This season, he has been a little off that time, and didn’t even earn an NCAA Invite in the event. He is seeded 34th in 1:40.48, which he swam at a dual meet in January. He is only half-a-second off the 1:39.92 he swam to qualify for last year’s NCAA Championships when he swam 1:37. If he drops back into that 1:37.0 range, he will be a strong top-three threat with only one other 1:37 swimmer so far this season.
Aiden Norman of Florida is seeded 7th in 1:38.60. This was a personal best time by more than a second, and he finished 4th in the event at SECs. Norman set his prior PB of 1:39.69 at the 2025 NCAA Championships to finish 19th, just three spots out of a ‘B’ finals swim, since they still existed last year. Norman will need to be near perfect in prelims, and the Florida men have a tendency to underperform at NCAAs, which could hurt his finals chances.
ACC (coast-to-coast)
The ACC technically stands for Atlantic Coast Conference, but Cal and Stanford are both ACC teams with major 200 backstroke contenders.
Humberto Najera is the 4th seed with the 1:38.02 personal best he swam at a last chance meet at the end of February to earn a qualification. Before that swim, his season best was 1:39.93, which he swam at the Minnesota Invite and would not have earned an invite. Najera has the Cal taper ahead of him, but it seems he rested slightly for the last chance meet, which could impact the efficacy of the taper. Last season, Najera finished 13th, setting a personal best 1:39.30 in the prelims.
Humberto Najera (photo: Jack Spitser)
Virginia has a few major swimmers in the event. David King is seeded 5th in 1:38.14, which he swam to win the ACC Championships in February. This was a personal best for King, who dropped two tenths from the 1:38.36 he swam at the 2025 ACC Championships. King did not swim the event at last year’s NCAAs, but he will be a finals contender if he races the event this year.
The Cavaliers also have Jack Aikins, who is seeded 10th in 1:39.00 and could have a massive swim ahead of him. Aikins had a very strong performance this summer, swimming a massive personal best of 1:54.25 in the long course event at the USA Swimming National Championships in June. He got sick in Singapore, and finished 24th in prelims, but if he can find a way to match that speed in the SCY event, he could easily end up in the ‘A’ final.
Stanford’s Josh Zuchowski is coming into the meet seeded 8th overall with the 1:38.73 he swam to finish 2nd to King at the ACC Championships. Last year, Zuchowski swam a personal best 1:39.61 in prelims at the NCAA Championships to tie for 16th overall, requiring a swim-off. He ended up taking the top time in the swim-off, touching in 1:40.08 to earn a spot in the ‘B’ final. In his 3rd race of the day, he finished 16th in 1:40.46.
Notre Dame’s Tommy Janton is back this year seeded 9th, after the Fighting Irish were forced to sit a year following a gambling investigation. Janton finished 9th at ACCs in 1:38.98, after missing the ‘A’ final with his prelims swim of 1:40.53. In 2024, Janton set a personal best in the 200 backstroke prelims of 1:38.36 to qualify 8th for the final. He also set a personal best in the event at the 2023 Championships of 1:39.45. If he follows that trend this year, he will be a legitimate ‘A’ final threat.
Other Threats
There are a few other swimmers who could challenge for finals spots.
ASU has grad student Adam Chaney seeded 6th after he won the Big 12 Championships in 1:38.33. Chaney’s story in the event is incredibly interesting, as this will be his first time swimming it at NCAAs. In his first four years, Chaney, who was swimming for the University of Florida at the time, swam the 100 freestyle instead on the final day of competition. While at ASU, he switched to swim the 200 backstroke, where the Sun Devils needed points, and he is doing very well. This will be his first time racing it at NCAAs, which means that it is not clear what he will be capable of in the event, but if he matches his Big 12s swim, he will likely earn a finals spot.
Adam Chaney (photo: Jack Spitser)
Indiana’s Kai Van Westering won the Big Ten Championships in 1:39.19, and he is seeded 15th, just behind freshman teammate David Kovacs, who is seeded in 1:39.18. Van Westering was 9th in last year’s prelims, touching in a personal best 1:38.62 before he dropped to 1:38.37 in the final. This is his best event, and 1:38.3 would likely earn him a finals swim based on what we have seen this season. He has also dropped in this event both years he has raced at NCAAs, which is a good sign for him.
NC State’s Daniel Diehl is seeded 25th in 1:39.53, but he was 14th at last year’s NCAAs in 1:39.39. At ACCs, he finished 5th in 1:40.53 after setting the 1:39 mark in prelims. These were season best times for Diehl, whose lifetime best stands at 1:39.01 from March of 2024. He will need to drop if he wants to earn a finals swim, but it isn’t out of the question for the Junior.
The Verdict
It is hard to see anyone coming close to Hubert Kos for the top spot in the race or to Jonny Marshall for 2nd.
Behind them, it seems like it’s going to take 1:38 to earn a spot in the final, which is in-line with the 1:38.07 that qualified 8th last year. There are a number of swimmers who could move into the top eight spots in prelims.
Place Swimmer Team Season Best Lifetime Best 1 Hubert Kos Texas 1:36.80 1:34.21 2 Jonny Marshall Florida 1:36.38 1:35.85 3 Humberto Najera Cal 1:38.02 1:38.02 4 Tommy Hagar Alabama 1:37.92 1:37.92 5 David King Virginia 1:38.14 1:38.14 6 Adam Chaney ASU 1:38.33 1:38.33 7 Ruard Van Renen Georgia 1:40.48 1:37.08 8 Kai Van Westering Indiana 1:39.19 1:38.37Dark Horse: Keaton Jones (Cal) – Keaton Jones (who is entered in the meet with his legal name Jackson) did not earn an individual invite in the event, but he cannot be counted out. He is seeded 27th in 1:39.78, just two tenths out of an NCAA qualifying time of 1:39.53. Jones is one of a few swimmers who could have a massive swim under his belt. His lifetime best stands at 1:38.29, which he swam to finish 9th at last year’s NCAAs. Jones is very good at the event long course, and has a lifetime best of 1:54.61 from the 2024 Olympic Trials before he picked up a 5th place finish in the event. Jones has been a little off this season, but he is coming in a few hundredths faster than the 1:39.81 he swam at the 2025 ACC Championships before setting his lifetime best, and he has the Cal taper coming.
Jones’ biggest hurdle will be performing in prelims. At almost every major meet over the last few years, he has been at least a second slower in prelims than he swam in finals, and unless he is going to drop into the 1:37s, he does not have a second to spare while still qualifying for the final this week.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2026 M. NCAA Previews: “Maybe Next Year” is Here, Kos Aims For 1:33 200 Back At Final NCAAs
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