Bey, Avakov to Swim Again Thursday Night

Thursday, March 26

Atlanta, Ga.

10 a.m.

Indiana University

NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships - Prelims

3/26/2026 3:00:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

Results (PDF)

ATLANTA – Five Indiana swimmers and a relay clinched points Thursday (March 26) morning in day two of the 2026 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships inside the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta. Two Hoosiers advanced to finals, set to be contested Thursday night during the evening session.

Freshman Josh Bey placed fifth in the morning heats of the 400-yard IM, qualifying for what should be a competitive final. Six finalists all recorded morning times starting with 3:36. Bey's best time in the event is the Big Ten record 3:34.90 he set at the conference championship meet last month.

Despite returning none of its six breaststroke All-Americans from a year ago, IU will earn points from three different swimmers in the 100-yard breaststroke on Thursday (March 26). Sophomore Alexei Avakov set a personal best 50.89 to reach the championship final. Avakov, classmate Travis Gulledge (51.50) and junior Toby Barnett (51.53) all collected their first-career All-American honors with their performances in the morning.

Indiana's 200-yard freestyle relay guaranteed points pending results from the fastest heat Thursday night. The Hoosier quartet of juniors Mikkel Lee (18.93 split) and Dylan Smiley (18.65) and sophomores Travis Gulledge (19.03) and Miroslav Knedla (18.71) posted a 1:15.32 – the second-fastest time in program history – to record the fifth-best time in the morning, meaning Indiana can't finish lower than 13th in the event.

RESULTS
100 BUTTERFLY
31. Raekwon Noel – 45.55

400 IM
5. Josh Bey – 3:36.86 (Championship Final, First-Team All-America)
10. Zalán Sárkány – 3:38.54 (Personal Best, Second-Team All-America)
30. Luke Ellis – 3:44.35
DQ. Noah Cakir - Disqualified

200 FREESTYLE
17. Aaron Shackell – 1:31.76 (Personal Best)
19. Owen McDonald – 1:32.05

100 BREASTSTROKE
7. Alexei Avakov – 50.89 (Championship Final, Personal Best, First-Team All-America)
14. Travis Gulledge – 51.50 (Second-Team All-America)
t15. Toby Barnett – 51.53 (Personal Best, Second-Team All-America)

1-METER DIVING
17. Joshua Sollenberger – 319.45
22. Maxwell Weinrich – 313.95

UP NEXT
Bey will compete in 400 IM final at 6:15 p.m. ET, followed by Avakov in the 100 breaststroke final at 7:01 p.m.

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