A historic day in collegiate swimming as North Carolina State’s teams deliver an unprecedented sweep at the Koury Natatorium, setting six new pool records and securing commanding victories over rival UNC. But here’s where it gets controversial: with such dominance, questions arise about the current state of competition—are we witnessing a true leap in athlete performance, or is there another factor at play?
On January 16, 2026, in Chapel Hill, the Wolfpack’s women's and men's teams demonstrated their strength by overpowering their UNC opponents, pushing the boundaries with six record-breaking swims in the process. This dual victory has seen NC State's overall record improve to 44 wins against 48 losses on the men's side and 16 wins to 39 defeats on the women’s side, marking a significant milestone in their swimming history.
Women’s Meet Highlights
Kicking off with a splash, NC State’s women’s relay teams swept nearly every event, starting with a dominant performance in the 200 medley relay. Leah Shackley, Eneli Jefimova, Erika Pelaez, and Olivia Nel combined to clock an impressive 1:34.72—more than two seconds faster than their ‘B’ relay and comfortably ahead of UNC’s ‘A’ relay, which finished in 1:38.32.
In the 400 freestyle relay, the Wolfpack again rose to the top, with their ‘A’ team—featuring Pelaez, Cassie Moses, Lily King, and Nel—swimming a swift 3:11.21, breaking the pool record and beating their ‘B’ team’s time by an eye-catching margin.
Throughout the meet, four NC State swimmers emerged with double victories, showcasing versatility and depth. Kennedy Noble shone brightest in the backstroke and IM, setting a season-best 51.52 in the 100 back and 1:57.06 in the 200 IM. Similarly, Eneli Jefimova dominated the breaststroke events, diving under 1 minute in the 100 breast with 58.65 and finishing the 200 breaststroke in 2:10.05—over a second faster than UNC’s Mary Macaulay.
In sprinting, Cassie Moses set a new pool record in the 100 free with 48.07, and narrowly missed her own personal best in the 50 free, tying with Lily Christianson at 22.07.
Leah Shackley made a notable impact, capturing victories in the 200 backstroke (1:51.45) and 100 butterfly (51.85), leading the Wolfpack to a sweep of the top four positions in the latter. Lily Christianson also secured a runner-up spot in that event, setting a season record.
Other individual wins included Katherine Helms setting a personal best in the 1000 freestyle (9:41.55) and Erika Pelaez leading a clean sweep of the top three spots in the 200 free, swimming a season-best 1:44.03.
While NC State dominated, UNC posted notable wins in two individual events—Taylor Bloom’s personal best in the 200 butterfly (1:55.19) and Maren Conze’s impressive time in the 500 free (4:44.82). The Tar Heels also excelled in diving, with Sofia Knight achieving personal bests on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.
Men’s Meet Highlights
The men’s competition was electric, witnessing four new pool records—each set by NC State. The medley relay team, consisting of McCarty, Kozhakhmetov, Hayes, and Salls, blazed through their race in 1:23.71, beating their previous record. Not far behind, Max Carlsen broke the school and pool records in the 1000 freestyle with an impressive 8:42.38, placing him fifth nationally this season.
Carlsen also nailed the 500 free with a time of 4:15.00, closely trailing his season-best. Quintin McCarty’s stellar day continued as he set a new pool record in the 50 free at 19.02, and anchored the Wolfpack’s record-breaking 400 freestyle relay.
Winkler led a sweep in the middle-distance events, winning both the 200 free (1:33.62) and 100 fly (45.99). Jerry Fox’s victory in the 100 free and Hudson Williams’ win in the 100 back further underscored NC State’s dominance.
Other individual triumphs included Keogh’s best performance in the 200 back (1:42.00) and Daniel Diehl’s standout in the 200 IM (1:43.89).
UNC also showcased their strength, claiming wins in three individual events. Ben Delmar achieved victory in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, while Seb Lunak topped the 200 fly standings. The Tar Heels displayed prowess in diving as well, with Carter Loftin’s high scores on both boards.
What's Next?
Looking ahead, UNC prepares for their Invitational in early February, while NC State is set to host UVA on January 24th. These upcoming meets promise further exciting battles—not to mention, potential record-breakers.
And this is the part most people miss: Are these record-breaking performances genuine heralds of a new era of excellence, or do they reflect deeper trends such as training advancements or competitive imbalance? How do you see the future of collegiate swimming unfolding after such an emphatic day of records and rivalry? Share your thoughts and join the discussion!
