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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sophomore Patton Graziano also moved into the top 10, sitting eighth all-time in the men's 100-yard backstroke (47.69).
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Meet Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 28
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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.
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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.
Â
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.
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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.
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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.
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Sophomore Patton Graziano also moved into the top 10, sitting eighth all-time in the men's 100-yard backstroke (47.69).
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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
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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
/ Women's Swimming & DivingTuesday, March 03
Saturday, January 31
Tuesday, October 07
Tuesday, September 23
