Friday, February 27
Greensboro, N.C.
10 a.m. Prelims/6 p.m. Finals
West Virginia University
vs
Big 12 Championships
Whittall Places Seventh, Multiple Mountaineers Enter Program Top-10 at Big 12 Championships
February 27, 2026 08:52 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Redshirt senior Natasha Whittall had the best performance of her career, as she nearly broke the program record in the women's 100-yard backstroke to place seventh at the 2026 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Whittall finished just 0.08 seconds off the program record as she touched the wall at 53.49 to earn the highest individual finish for a women's swimmer at this year's championship so far. Whittall was the first Mountaineer on either team to qualify for the A final this week.
In the diving well, sophomore Levi Hellmann added to his already eventful week with a win in the B final of the men's platform event. He finished with 327.45 total points to lead the way.
Freshman Felix Vicknair improved his standing in the record books with his performance in the C final of the men's 200-yard butterfly. He finished second, touching the wall at 1:46.94 for the fifth-fastest time in school history.
During prelims, two Mountaineers posted top-10 program times in the men's 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Cas Verstegen qualified for the B final, recording the ninth-fastest time in program history (53.91), and freshman Rafael Mimoso qualified for the C final with a final time of 54.33. He would go on to improve that time in the finals, touching the wall at 54.11 for the 10th-fastest time.
In one of her final career swims, redshirt junior Sofia Deste moved into the top five in the women's 100-yard breaststroke. She ranks fifth all-time with a final time of 1:02.36.
Freshman Baylee Sloan recorded the 10th-fastest time in school history in the women's 200-yard butterfly (2:00.81), winning the C final.
Sophomore Patton Graziano also moved into the top 10, sitting eighth all-time in the men's 100-yard backstroke (47.69).
Meet Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 28
Whittall finished just 0.08 seconds off the program record as she touched the wall at 53.49 to earn the highest individual finish for a women's swimmer at this year's championship so far. Whittall was the first Mountaineer on either team to qualify for the A final this week.
Freshman Felix Vicknair improved his standing in the record books with his performance in the C final of the men's 200-yard butterfly. He finished second, touching the wall at 1:46.94 for the fifth-fastest time in school history.
During prelims, two Mountaineers posted top-10 program times in the men's 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Cas Verstegen qualified for the B final, recording the ninth-fastest time in program history (53.91), and freshman Rafael Mimoso qualified for the C final with a final time of 54.33. He would go on to improve that time in the finals, touching the wall at 54.11 for the 10th-fastest time.
In one of her final career swims, redshirt junior Sofia Deste moved into the top five in the women's 100-yard breaststroke. She ranks fifth all-time with a final time of 1:02.36.
Freshman Baylee Sloan recorded the 10th-fastest time in school history in the women's 200-yard butterfly (2:00.81), winning the C final.
Sophomore Patton Graziano also moved into the top 10, sitting eighth all-time in the men's 100-yard backstroke (47.69).
Meet Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 28
- 10 a.m. – Prelims
- 6 p.m. – Finals
- 200 backstroke
- 100 freestyle
- 1650 freestyle
- 200 breaststroke
- Women's platform diving
- 400 freestyle relay
Players Mentioned
Fly/Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Back/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Fly
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Back
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