No. 6 Indiana Sets Sights on Big Ten Championships

Wednesday, February 18

Minneapolis

Indiana University

Big Ten Championships

No. 6 Indiana Sets Sights on Big Ten Championships

2/16/2026 8:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Live Results Watch

MINNEAPOLIS – It's championship season, and No. 6-ranked Indiana swimming and diving is once again ready to showcase top athletes and talented youngsters this week at the 2026 Big Ten Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, February 18-21, inside the Jane K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

The meet kicks off Wednesday (Feb. 18) at 5 p.m. ET with the 200-yard medley and 800-yard freestyle relays before three full days of action Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Preliminaries will begin each of the final three days at 11 a.m. ET, setting up for finals each evening at 6 p.m. Fans can watch the meet via the B1G+ digital platform.

Indiana is the second-highest ranked group in the conference after moving up from No. 9 to No. 6 in the latest CSCAA poll. They will go up against No. 4 Michigan, No. 11 Ohio State, No. 12 USC, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 22 UCLA, No. 25 Minnesota, RV Northwestern, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Rutgers.

After a walk-off championship in 2024, the Hoosiers dominated the medal table a year ago in a runner-up finish. This group of Hoosiers – a unique blend of elite returners and freshmen plus talented depth behind them – will look to at least accomplish the latter again this week.

Junior Miranda Grana – one of the NCAA's top swimmers in both backstroke and butterfly – leads the Hoosiers, boasting four individual times that rank top five in the conference; in the 100-yard backstroke (49.89), 200-yard backstroke (1:49.06), 100-yard butterfly (49.98) and 200-yard butterfly (1:53.25). The 2025 Big Ten 100 fly champ is favored to repeat, as her time in that event ranks No. 1 in the conference. She'll likely battle Michigan senior Bella Sims and Wisconsin sophomore Maggie Wanezek for the podium spots in both backstroke races.

Freshman Alex Shackell will join Grana in the butterfly events, producing top times in both events despite joining the program in January. Shackell ranks No. 3 in the 100 fly (50.98), giving IU two of the top three swimmers in the event. She also ranks No. 2 in the 200-yard event after setting the program record with a 1:52.98 in her debut meet, only behind Big Ten record holder and U-M senior Brady Kendall, coming in at 1:50.72. Shackell's personal best time from high school is 1:50.15.

Freshman Liberty Clark is a medal threat in the shorter freestyle events, ranking No. 1 in the 100-yard freestyle (46.36) – six tenths quicker than the rest of the conference – as well as No. 2 in the 50 free (21.48) and third in the 200 free (1:41.27).

The battle in the 50 free features the two fastest sprinters in program history with Clark and senior teammate Kristina Paegle (21.56), the 2025 Big Ten Champion in the event. Paegle's time ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten this season. Both will keep IU relays consistently on the podium.

The 200 free projects to be the event to watch at this year's meet, with Clark seeded only behind the two women that finished IU's Anna Peplowski at the 2025 NCAA Championships: USC junior Minna Abraham and Michigan junior Stephanie Balduccini. The IU freshman has raced and beaten both veterans in dual meets this season, but her first collegiate championship meet presents a new challenge.

Two veterans, junior Macky Hodges and senior Mya DeWitt, give Indiana championship-final-caliber depth in the backstroke events and added strength on relays. DeWitt ranks No. 5 in the Big Ten in the 100 back (51.07) and No. 6 in the 200 back (1:53.30), Hodges No. 5 in the 200 back (1:52.77). In the 400-yard IM, Hodges and senior Reese Tiltmann can potentially lift IU – Tiltmann ranks No. 7 in the events, Hodges No. 12, but both have career-best times better than their seed times coming into the week.

The high-scoring relays can highlight Indiana's greatest strengths, as the team projects to medal in all five events. Indiana is especially strong in the 400-yard freestyle relay, already tying the Big Ten record (3:08.07) and setting the No. 3 time in the nation this season. Paegle typically anchors the relay behind three freshmen: Clark, Shackell and Grace Hoeper – another Hoosier name to watch in the individual freestyle events.

As ever, diving can be a separating force for Indiana. The Hoosiers have All-American veterans in juniors Ella Roselli and Lily Witte, both medalists at past conference championships and have freshman Kaylee Bishop and sophomores Mary Kate Cavanaugh and James Jones in support.

MEET INFO
Wednesday, Feb. 18 – Saturday, Feb. 21 • 11 a.m. ET (prelims), 6 p.m. (finals)
Jane K. Freeman Aquatic Center • Minneapolis, Minn.
Live Results (Swimming): https://bit.ly/4tzAROR/Meet Mobile (App)
Live Results (Diving): divemeets.com
Live Stream: B1G+

OF NOTE…
PODIUM WATCH – HOOSIERS WITH TOP FIVE MARKS IN BIG TEN
Liberty Clark – 50 free (21.48), 100 free (46.36), 200 free (1:41.27), 100 fly (51.26), 200 IM (1:55.86)
Mya DeWitt – 100 back (51.07)
Miranda Grana – 100 back (49.89), 200 back (1:49.06), 100 fly (49.98), 200 fly (1:53.25)
Macky Hodges – 200 back (1:52.77)
Kristina Paegle – 50 free (21.56)
Ella Roselli – 3-meter (343.90), platform (300.60)
Alex Shackell – 100 fly (50.98), 200 fly (1:52.98)

BIG TEN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
Indiana won its seventh women's Big Ten Championship in 2024. Six have occurred during IU head swimming coach Ray Looze's tenure. The Hoosiers have finished in the top three in 19 consecutive seasons with 14 championship or runner-up finishes during that span.

IU athletes have combined for 146 Big Ten Championships including 81 swimming titles, 27 relay championships and 37 diving titles.

@IndianaSwimDive
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