Richmond Women, George Washington Men Secure A-10 Swimming Championships

The University of Richmond women’s swimming team clinched their 17th Atlantic 10 (A-10) Championship title, while the George Washington University men’s team secured their sixth consecutive conference championship. The 2026 A-10 Swimming & Diving Championships took place from Wednesday, February 18th to Saturday, February 21st at the Hampton Aquaplex in Hampton, Virginia.

Women’s Championship: Richmond’s Dominance

Richmond finished with a total of 600 points, edging out George Washington, who scored 572.5 points. Duquesne secured third place with 516.5 points, followed by La Salle (477), Fordham (371), St. Bonaventure (358), Rhode Island (234), George Mason (211), Davidson (169) and Saint Louis (142). SwimSwam and Swimming World Magazine both reported on Richmond’s victory, marking their first championship win since the 2020-2021 season.

Presley Baber of Richmond was a key performer, winning the 100 freestyle in 49.84 seconds. The Richmond team similarly excelled in the relays, setting a meet record in the 200 free relay and winning the 400 free relay in 3:19.87. Swimming World Magazine highlighted the Spiders’ strong performance in these events.

Men’s Championship: George Washington’s Continued Success

George Washington dominated the men’s competition, accumulating 784.83 points. George Mason finished second with 585.66 points, and St. Bonaventure took third place with 506.5 points. La Salle (437), Davidson (420), Saint Louis (325), and Fordham (286) rounded out the standings. SwimSwam reported that this win marks George Washington’s sixth consecutive A-10 men’s championship and their ninth title in the last ten years.

Ava Topolewski of George Washington led a 1-2 sweep in the 1650 freestyle, finishing in 16:23.28, with teammate Tayla Erdogan close behind in 16:25.53. Davidson freshman Henry Shoemaker won the men’s 1650 free in 15:09.61, narrowly defeating George Washington’s Daniel Choi (15:10.07). SwimSwam detailed these close finishes.

Key Performances and Results

• Women’s 200 Backstroke: Sierra Snow (Duquesne) – 1:55.15
• Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Shae Stratton (George Washington) – 1:43.53
• Women’s 100 Freestyle: Presley Baber (Richmond) – 49.84
• Men’s 50 Freestyle: Carter Perkins (La Salle) – 42.37 (Meet and Conference Record)
• Women’s 200 Butterfly: Hayley Clark (Fordham) – 1:58.19
• Men’s 200 Butterfly: Felix Jedbratt (La Salle) – 1:41.72 (A-10 Record)
• Women’s 1-meter Diving: Dhavgely Mendoza (St. Bonaventure) – 303.10

The championships showcased competitive races and impressive performances across all teams. The Richmond women and George Washington men demonstrated their strength and consistency throughout the competition, solidifying their positions as A-10 swimming powerhouses.