NCAA Championships Selection Announcement
 
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colorado School of Mines Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving teams had a record 12 individuals along with three relays invited to the 2026 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships.
 
It marks the largest Oredigger contingency ever slated to compete at the national meet which will be held at Deaconess Aquatic Center in Evansville, Ind., March 10-14. Mines also had two individuals listed as alternates. Bruno Albertoni, Vladislav Kazakin, Jakson Winn, and the 800-freestyle relay were the Oredigger men earning invitations. The list of invites for Mines' women included Anna Bream, Willow Coburn, Kaya Flaherty, Mary Flikkema, Julie Gill, Savannah Karas, Mikaela Khan, Ava LaBrose, Jordan Tierney, the 800-freestyle relay, and the 400-medley relay. Lucas Hoke appeared as the ninth men's alternate. Cameryn Schmidt was the top women's alternate. It's worth mentioning that Mines has had alternates selected for the national field multiple times in the past 10 years including last season.
 
Albertoni's invitation puts him in the field for the diving qualifier which takes place prior to the start of the championships. The official field for 1-meter and 3-meter diving will be filled from that qualifier. His national bid comes in the first year Mines brought diving back following a multi-year hiatus. Kazakin secured formal invitations in the 500-free, 1000-free, and 1650-free. It will be the sophomore's second consecutive trip to the NCAA event after he raced the 200-free, 500-free, and 1000-free as a true freshman with all-America finishes in the 500 and 1000. Winn claimed an official bid in the 100-back. The senior will return to the national pool after racing on the Orediggers' 200-medley relay as a true freshman in 2023. Mines' relay will feature multiple relay-only swimmers. Hoke's alternate listing is in the 1000-free. Kazakin and Winn also have the option to race any event in which they produced a NCAA-qualifying time during the season, as would Hoke if selected.
 
All but one of the nine Oredigger women will be making their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships. Bream was invited in the 400-IM, 200-IM, and 200-breast after winning RMAC titles in the first two. Coburn also earned an official bid in the 400-IM. Flaherty's invite was in the 100-fly with Flikkema claiming her berth in the 100-back. Gill looks to represent Mines in the 1000-free and Karas will do the same in the 200-fly. Khan and Labrose grabbed formal invites in the 200-fly and 200-free, respectively. Tierney's invitation was in the 100-breast and will make the senior a four-time NCAA qualifier after she finished as high as third in the nation in the 100-breast in 2024. The distance relay and 400-medley relay could include relay-only swimmers. However, with at least four individuals invited, the Oredigger women have the option to race in every relay with teams made up of invited swimmers. Schmidt's alternate listing was in the 100-breast. Just like the men, those invited also have the option to race any event in which they produced a NCAA-qualifying time during the season.
 
A full preview including live coverage information for the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships will be released at www.minesathletics.com the week of the event.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines swimming on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram at @MinesSwimming. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.