Liberty Clark Rips 1:39 200-Yard Freestyle, Third-Fastest All-Time

Wednesday, March 18

Atlanta, Ga.

10 a.m.

Indiana University

NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships - Prelims

Liberty Clark Rips 1:39 200-Yard Freestyle, Third-Fastest All-Time

3/18/2026 10:07:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving

Freshman Will Race Individual 200 Free Thursday

ATLANTA – It took less than a year for Anna Peplowski's NCAA Championship-winning 200-yard freestyle record to fall.

362 days later, Indiana freshman Liberty Clark – who hadn't been faster than 1:45.76 prior to college – swam the third-fastest 200 free in NCAA history, leading off IU's 800 freestyle relay with a 1:39.70 Wednesday (March 18) night at the 2026 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships inside the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta.

Clark became the fifth woman all-time to break the 1:40 barrier and passed Virginia sophomore Anna Moesch – the top seed in Thursday's individual 200 free event – who went 1:39.72 at the ACC Championships last month. Notably, Moesch anchored UVA's winning 800 free relay in 1:39.03 Wednesday night. Clark and Moesch were the only swimmers to split 1:39 in the relay.

The freshman's time also broke the 17-18 NAG record, coming in six tenths faster than Missy Franklin's 12-year old mark of 1:40.31 from 2014. Clark is the second Hoosier this season to break a 17-18 NAG record – Noah Cakir swam a 1:50.47 200-yard breaststroke at the Big Ten Championships last month.

Clark set the tone in Indiana's program-record breaking 800 freestyle relay that featured three freshmen. Clark, classmate Alex Shackell, junior Macky Hodges and freshman Grace Hoeper combined to throw down a 6:48.85, 2.26 seconds faster than their time from the Big Ten Championships. The quartet has trimmed 5.18 seconds off the previous program record (6:54.03) set at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Indiana finished fifth in the event, tying a program record finish in the event (2010 and 2024). Shackell followed Clark with a 1:41.47, as IU led halfway through the race. Hodges contributed a 1:44.59, and Hoeper anchored in 1:43.09.

IU ranks No. 8 in the team standings with 46 points after swimming two of three events on the first day of the national meet.

Indiana swam the 200-yard medley relay in the morning with the second-fastest heat, finishing second in that heat with a season-best 1:34.26. The Hoosier quartet would place ninth overall following the final heat in the evening. Junior Miranda Grana gave IU the lead after 50 yards with 23.77 backstroke split, and sophomore Jonette Laegreid followed with a 27.24 on the breaststroke leg. Freshman Alex Shackell split the second-fastest butterfly leg with 22.27, and senior Kristina Paegle anchored in 20.98; she was one of six swimmers under 21 seconds.

In both opening night relays, Indiana dropped time and moved up the rankings from its seeds coming into the meet. The 200 medley relay rose from 13th to ninth.

"A super positive first day for the Indiana Hoosiers, highlighted obviously by the 800 freestyle relay," IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said. "Liberty Clark, new program record leading off, the No. 3 time ever. Alex Shackell, awesome split, Macky did her job, and then Grace, awesome anchor. Three freshmen on that relay, new program record. Great start there, and the medley relay really moved up getting ninth. So, a solid first day. We did the best we possible could, moved up in every regard. Now it's time to be able to get them loosened up and rested mentally from an exciting first day so we can have a great Thursday."

RESULTS
200 MEDLEY RELAY
9. Miranda Grana, Jonette Laegreid, Alex Shackell, Kristina Paegle – 1:34.26 (Second-Team All-America)

800 FREESTYLE RELAY
5. Liberty Clark, Alex Shackell, Macky Hodges, Grace Hoeper – 6:48.85 (Program Record, First-Team All-America)

Liberty Clark (leadoff) – 1:37.90 (Big Ten Record, Program Record, 17-18 NAG Record, Personal Best)

UP NEXT
Indiana will compete in the 100-yard butterfly, 400-yard IM, 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay and 1-meter springboard events on day two of the NCAA Championships Thursday. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. ET, followed by finals at 6 p.m.

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