Tennessee Makes History with Second Straight Top-5 NCAA Finish

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Thanks to an impressive week of performances, the Tennessee Lady Vols posted their second straight top-5 finish at the NCAA Championships for the first time ever, finishing fifth overall with 298 total points.

Tennessee earned its eighth straight top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships. The effort marked the fourth-best placement in program history behind the 2013 team, which took third, and the 1989 and 2024 squads that finished fourth.

For the week, Tennessee boasted 11 podium performances and 22 top-16 finishes—the latter of which marked the most in program history surpassing the 1989 and 2013 squads that had 18. Three of the five of the UT relays claimed a spot on the podium, led by silver medals in the 400 free and 400 medley relays.

The Big Orange won five total medals for the week with three silver and two bronze. Five Lady Vols brought garnered first team All-America honors in an individual event, with Josephine Fuller, Mona McSharry and Camille Spink doing so in multiple events. Throughout the meet, the team posted eight new top-10 times in school history and one program record.

Tennessee ended the meet with a bang, bringing home silver in the 400 free relay thanks to a school record time of 3:08.63. Spink led things off and was followed up by Fuller, Ella Jansen and Brooklyn Douthwright. The performance marked the best finish in the event in school history, surpassing fifth-place efforts in 1988, 2021 and 2024.

After finishing 10th in the event last year, Spink brought home the bronze medal in the 100 free thanks to a 46.68 performance. She became the first Lady Vol to medal in the event since 2008, when Christine Magnuson also won bronze. Spink enjoyed a strong week, adding a fourth-place finish in the 50 free and earning All-America honors on four different relays.

One of the greatest breaststrokers of all time, McSharry concluded her collegiate career with a fifth-place finish in the 200 breast, touching the wall in 2:06.08. She won silver in the 100 breast on Friday night, which marked her third straight year achieving the feat. Of her 10 times competing in the breaststrokes at NCAAs, McSharry finished inside the top five an impressive nine times. She ends her career as the SEC record holder in the 100 breast (56.64).

Swimming in the 200 breast consolation final, freshman McKenzie Siroky placed 10th behind a 2:07.56 effort. It marked her second individual All-America recognition of the week after winning bronze in the 100 breast on Friday night.

Fuller opened the night session with the 200 back championship final, where she recorded a top-6 finish in the event for a third straight season. Clocking a time of 1:49.73, she placed sixth in the field.

Two Lady Vols swam in the 200 fly consolation final. Sara Stotler recorded the best finish of her career in the event, winning the race with a time of 1:53.18 to place ninth. Freshman Emily Brown wasn't far behind, touching the wall in 1:53.99 to take 12th in the event.

Competing in the 200 back consolation final, Regan Rathwell posted her third career-best time of the meet, touching the wall in 1:51.29 to finish 12th overall. The effort moved her into third in school history and marked the first All-America recognition of her career.

Standings
1. Virginia 544
2. Stanford 417
3. Texas 394
4. Indiana 312
5. Tennessee 298
6. Florida 232
7. Louisville 209.5
8. California 202.5
9. Michigan 196
10. NC State 164

All-America Tracker (37)
Emily Brown (400 IM*, 200 Fly*)
Jillian Crooks (200 FR*)
Brooklyn Douthwright (800 FR, 200 Free, 400 FR)
Josephine Fuller (800 FR, 200 IM, 400 MR, 200 Back, 400 FR, 200 MR*, 100 Back*)
Ella Jansen (800 FR, 400 FR, 500 Free*, 400 IM*)
Mona McSharry (100 Breast, 400 MR, 200 Breast, 200 MR*, 200 FR*)
Amber Myers (200 FR*)
McKenzie Siroky (100 Breast, 200 MR*, 200 Breast*)
Camille Spink (800 FR, 400 MR, 50 Free, 100 Free, 400 FR, 200 FR*)
Sara Stotler (400 MR, 200 MR*, 200 IM*, 200 Fly*)
Regan Rathwell (200 Back*)

*Denotes Second Team

Podium Finishes (11)
2nd – 100 Breast – Mona McSharry (57.40)
2nd – 400 Free Relay – Camille Spink, Josephine Fuller, Ella Jansen, Brooklyn Douthwright (3:08.63)
2nd – 400 Medley Relay – Josephine Fuller, Mona McSharry, Sara Stotler, Camille Spink (3:24.99)
3rd – 100 Free – Camille Spink (46.68)
3rd – 100 Breast – McKenzie Siroky (57.41)
4th – 50 Free – Camille Spink (21.27)
5th – 200 Breast – Mona McSharry (2:06.08)
6th – 200 Back – Josephine Fuller (1:49.73)
6th – 800 Free Relay – Brooklyn Douthwright, Camille Spink, Ella Jansen, Josephine Fuller (6:53.87)
8th – 200 Free – Brooklyn Douthwright (1:44.03)
8th – 200 IM – Josephine Fuller (1:55.77)

Top-10 Times Tracker (8)
1st – 400 Free Relay – Camille Spink, Josephine Fuller, Ella Jansen, Brooklyn Douthwright (3:08.63)
2nd – 400 Medley Relay – Josephine Fuller, Mona McSharry, Sara Stotler, Camille Spink (3:24.99)
3rd – 200 Back – Regan Rathwell (1:51.29)
5th – 200 IM – Sara Stotler (1:54.28)
5th – 400 IM – Emily Brown (4:04.89)
5th – 200 Free Relay – Camille Spink, Mona McSharry, Jillian Crooks, Amber Myers (1:27.03)
5th – 800 Free Relay – Brooklyn Douthwright, Camille Spink, Ella Jansen, Josephine Fuller (6:53.87)
6th – 100 Back – Regan Rathwell (51.70)

University of Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Makes History with Second Straight Top-5 NCAA Finish

Players Mentioned

Emily Brown

Jillian Crooks

Brooklyn Douthwright

Josephine Fuller

Ella Jansen

Mona McSharry

Amber Myers

Regan Rathwell

McKenzie Siroky

Camille Spink

Sara Stotler

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