LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s swimming and diving team is ready for the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships, with nine swimmers earning invitations to the prestigious event where the Wildcats finished 20th a season ago. The Championships will be hosted by Georgia Tech on March 25-28 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Ga.
Last year, the men’s squad had just four participants at the NCAA Championship: Carson Hick, Sam Duncan, Ryan Merani, and Levi Sandidge. Finishing 20th, this was the men’s squad’s highest finish in 15 years. With more than double the number of participants in this years championship, the squad hopes to do even better.
The selected men to represent the Wildcats include: sophomore Adomas Gatulis, junior Carson Hick, sophomore Javier Lopez Guillen, freshman Dziugas Miskinis, freshman Lysander Osman, junior Justin Peresse, senior Levi Sandidge, junior AJ Terry, and freshman Falemana Tuufui.
To start competition on Wednesday, the veteran milers will take the pool first. Returning to NCAAs, Sandidge and Hick will lead the way, guiding another miler newcomer in Miskinis. Sandidge and Hick both finished top eight last year and look to score some points for the Cats on day one.
Following the mile for the Wildcats on Wednesday will be the 200 medley relay squad of Gatulis, Lopez Guillen, Osman, and Tuufui.
Moving onto Thursday, Sandidge will compete once again to start the day, but this time in the 400 IM. Gatulis will compete in the 100 breaststroke, his first individual event of the week. Wrapping the second day will be the 200 free relay of Osman, Peresse, Terry, and Tuufui.
Friday will feature Osman in two individual events with the 100 back and the 50 free. Sandidge and Hick will compete in the 500 free, and Gatulis the 200 breast. The 400-medley relay of Gatulis, Lopez Guillen, Osman, and Tuufui will finish competition on Friday once again.
Onto the last day of NCAA competition, Osman will take the pool once again for the 100 free. The entire swim championship will wrap with the 400 free relay where Osman, Peresse, Terry, and Tuufui will represent the blue and white one final time to wrap up the 2025-26 collegiate season.
Already full of record-breaking performances so far this season, the men’s squad hopes to break some more in Atlanta. The team is looking forward to a great next few days of competition, brought with some fast swims and times.
Prelims for each day will begin at 10 a.m. ET, with finals at 6 p.m. ET. Each session will be available for streaming on ESPN+, with live results on MeetMobile. For more information on the 2026 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, click here.
For the latest on UK Swim & Dive, follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram at @UKSwimDive, and on Facebook at Kentucky Swimming and Diving.
Qualifiers:
Adomas Gatulis: 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Carson Hick: 1650 free, 500 free
Javier Lopez: 200 Medley relay, 400 Medley relay
Dziugas Miskinis: 1650 free
Lysander Osman: 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free relay, 100 back, 50 free, 400 Medley relay, 100 free, 400 Free relay
Justin Peresse: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
Levi Sandidge: 1650 free, 400 IM, 500 free
AJ Terry: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
Falemana Tuufui: 200 Medley Relay, 200 Free relay, 400 Medley relay, 400 Free relay
Championship Schedule:
- Wednesday, March 25
- 1650-yard freestyle
- 200-yard medley relay
- 800-yard freestyle relay
- Thursday, March 26
- 100-yard butterfly
- 400-yard individual medley
- 200-yard freestyle
- 100-yard breaststroke
- 200-yard freestyle relay
- One-meter diving
- Friday, March 27
- 100-yard backstroke
- 200-yard breaststroke
- 500-yard freestyle
- 50-yard freestyle
- 400-yard medley relay
- Three-meter diving
- Saturday, March 28
- 200-yard individual medley
- 100-yard freestyle
- 200-yard butterfly
- 200-yard backstroke
- 400-yard freestyle relay
- Platform diving
