Maximus Williamson Wins 200 IM on Final Day of NCAA ChampionshipsMaximus Williamson Wins 200 IM on Final Day of NCAA Championships
Jack Spitser/Virginia Athletics

Maximus Williamson Wins 200 IM on Final Day of NCAA Championships

Freshman Maximus Williamson won his second NCAA title on Saturday. The Cavaliers finished in 9th place in the team rankings

ATLANTA – Virginia had a strong finish on the final day of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship, being held at the McAuley Aquatics Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Freshman Maximus Williamson opened the finals session by winning the 200 IM. Williamson, who was seeded second in the final, went 1:38.45, out-touching Indiana’s Owen McDonald by .09. McDonald had led most of the race until Williamson surged in the final 50 freestyle, splitting 23.72 to touch the wall in first place.

It was the second NCAA title of the meet for Williamson, who won the 200 Free on Thursday (March 26). He joins Ed Moses (2000) as the only UVA men’s swimmer to win two NCAA individual titles.

The Cavaliers finished in ninth place in the final team standings. This is the eighth time the program has logged a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships, and the placing ties the second-highest finish in program history.

The Cavaliers had three other individuals in addition to Williamson advance to the A Finals on Saturday (March 28), earning podium finishes and First Team All-America honors.

Freshman Thomas Heilman took silver in the 200 Fly, going 1:38.16.

Sophomore David King took the bronze in the 200 Backstroke (1:37.43). King and senior Jack Aikins had the second and third fastest times in prelims to both make the final. Aikins finished 8th in the final with a time of 1:40.69, closing out his collegiate career with an All-American swim.

Williamson, Heilman and King all broke their own program records for their events with their finals times.

NOTES

  • Virginia’s 192 points are the second-highest point total in program history, trailing only the 200 points by the 2011 squad that placed 8th that year which was also the highest ever finish for the Cavaliers
  • The 400 Free Relay of Thomas Heilman, Maximus Williamson, David King and Jack Aikins finished 9th (2:46.73) for Second Team All-America honors
  • In the 200 Back, Aikins dropped over a full second off his seed time (1:39.00) in prelims, turning in the second-fastest time in program history (1:37.90), second only to King’s time
  • Williamson dropped over 1.5 seconds off his morning prelim time to his finals time
  • Spencer Nicholas finished 20th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:42.99
  • Hayden Bellotti swam in prelims of the 200 Fly, finishing 23rd with a time of 1:41.35
  • Ed Moses won the 100 and 200 Breast at the 2000 NCAA Championship
  • The Cavaliers’ six appearances in individual events (non-relays) A Finals is the most in program history, passing the previous high of five that happened most recently in 2005
  • It was the fourth time in program history that four different Virginia swimmers made A Finals

Team Standings (Top 10)

  1. Texas 445.5
  2. Florida 416
  3. Indiana 351
  4. Arizona State 328
  5. Tennessee 272
  6. NC State 258.5
  7. Cal 231
  8. Michigan 220
  9. Virginia 192
  10. Stanford 136

NCAA Champions (2)
Maximus Williamson – 200 Free, 200 IM

First Team All-American Honors
Jack Aikins: 200 Back, 800 Free Relay
Matthew Heilman: 400 Medley Relay
Thomas Heilman: 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
David King: 200 Back, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay
Maximus Williamson: 200 Free, 200 IM, 800 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay

Second Team All-American Honors
Jack Aikins: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
Thomas Heilman: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay
David King: 200 Back, 400 Free Relay
Noah Powers: 200 Free Relay
Maximus Williamson: 200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay