5 Returning Women’s Olympians Set to Star This NCAA Season
Following every Olympics, you can expect to see stars from the U.S. women’s team competing on the collegiate level in mere months. Think back eight years when the swimmers who accounted for five of the six individual golds the American women captured in Rio de Janeiro, Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel and Lilly King, were back in the caps of their respective universities winning NCAA titles. During the 2022 NCAA season, Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh and Torri Huske were among the medal-winners entering college.
For the 2024-25 season, it will be the same story, and thanks to redshirt seasons plus the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sporting calendar, including the delay of the Tokyo Olympics and the pandemic-inspired fifth-year waiver, some of the names are repeats from last time.
Gretchen Walsh, Virginia
A dominant college season followed by a long course breakout that included an individual world record and four Olympic medals — yes, it has been an incredible year for the younger Walsh sister as she finally brought her results in the 50-meter pool to the level of her 25-yard achievements. But with her unmatched underwater dolphin kicking abilities, Walsh remains better and more dominant in college than she is on the international level.
The last time she competed in short course yards competition, Walsh notched the fastest times in history in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly, her 100 fly mark coming in a full second ahead of what anyone else has ever done. She will be the enormous favorite to win three individual events and likely four relays once again at the college level. Walsh is one reason why most supporters of the University of Virginia swimming program are thinking five-peat.
Alex Walsh, Virginia
We cannot mention one Walsh sister without considering the accomplishments of the other. Alex also captured three individual NCAA titles last year, winning the 200 and 400 IM before claiming her first collegiate crown in the 200 breaststroke. Her second Olympics did not go as planned, with Walsh losing a bronze medal in the 200 IM thanks to a disqualification, but she was eager to return to college racing for a fifth year, with the sisters set to finish out their Cavalier careers together.
Alex again will be favored in her three individual events, although record chances look more far-fetched given the established standards in her best events. Alex did become the second-fastest woman ever in the 200-yard IM and 200-yard breast at last year’s NCAAs, and her versatility is such that she can handle several different medley relay legs while remaining a key member of UVA’s sprint relay lineups.
Torri Huske, Stanford
Torri Huske — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
If anyone is going to knock off a Walsh sister this year, it will surely be Huske. Huske already pulled off that feat on the sport’s biggest stage, running down Gretchen for Olympic gold in the 100 fly by four hundredths. Now, following her redshirt year to prepare for the Paris Games, the Stanford junior will be chasing her first individual NCAA title, likely to take on the 200 IM, 100 fly and 100 free on the national level.
Huske is also a powerful sprinter and underwater dolphin kicker, even if her short course results have never matched up to her long course abilities. She has previously finished second on four different occasions in individual events while leading the Cardinal to a title in the 800 free relay in 2022. With Huske absent, Stanford fell to fifth at last season’s NCAAs, so we’ll see if her return can mean a run toward the top-three.
Bella Sims, Florida
Unlike the three swimmers listed above, Sims did not qualify for the Paris Games, with the 19-year-old failing to make it out of prelims in any of her five events at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Her 17th-place finish in the 200 free, which left her two hundredths out of a spot in the semifinals, was most stunning as Sims had competed for the American women in the 800 free relay at the Tokyo Games and two consecutive World Championships, and her freshman campaign at the University of Florida had shown no signs of drop-off.
Now, Sims is back for year two with the Gators, and she is the clear star of a team that finished third last year, its highest in more than a decade. Sims won individual titles in the 200 and 500 free and finished second in the 200 back. She guided Florida to an upset victory in the 800 free relay. If Sims can bring that form to this collegiate season, Florida will be dangerous yet again.
Claire Curzan, Virginia
Here is another Tokyo Olympian who did not qualify for the Paris Games. Curzan swam in three finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials but finished a heartbreaking seven hundredths outside the top-two in the 200 back. This result came after a largely successful first year swimming at the University of Virginia, with Curzan sweeping the backstroke events at the lightly-attended World Championships in February 2024 and taking silver in the 100 fly.
Now, the rich get richer on the college level as Curzan officially represents the Cavaliers for the first time. Before transferring to UVA from Stanford, she won an NCAA title in the 200 back, and her versatility and short course speed makes her an ideal swimmer for the realities of NCAA competition. Whether or not she achieves best times this season, she will provide a third ace for Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo to play in both individual and relay action amid the chase for another national crown.
Emma Weyant a returning Olympian