The summer’s final U.S. national swim meet is nearly here, with the 2026 Toyota U.S. Swimming National Championships airing live from Tuesday through Saturday on Peacock and NBCSN.
It marks Team USA’s last chance to compete before the Pan Pacific Championships this August in Irvine, California – the first major international long-course meet on American soil since the 2010 Pan Pacs.
Several notable stars will be absent from nationals, including Katie Ledecky, Regan Smith and distance standout Bobby Finke as they focus on preparations for Pan Pacs, which begin 11 days after nationals conclude.
Here are the biggest names to know:
Caeleb Dressel
Dressel enters as the No. 3 seed in both the 50m fly (23.28) and 100m fly (51.26). The nine-time Olympic gold medalist continues his comeback after stepping away from the sport following the 2024 Paris Olympics. The three-time American record holder and world-record holder in the 100m butterfly has shown steady improvement in 2026, highlighted by a season-best 21.84 in the 50m free at the Indianapolis Pro Series—his fastest time since Paris.
Gretchen Walsh
Walsh is entered only in the 50m free, where she is the world-record holder and top attraction despite a limited schedule ahead of Pan Pacs. The four-time Olympic medalist and current world-record holder in the 50m free and 100m fly has continued her remarkable run this year, lowering her own world mark in the 100m fly to 54.33 and setting a new world record of 23.55 in the 50m free. She also owns the world’s fastest time this year in the 50m fly (24.51).
Gretchen C Walsh of United States shows the gold medal after competing in the 50m Butterfly Women Final during the 62nd Settecolli swimming meeting at Stadio del Nuoto in Rome (Italy), June 26th, 2026 (Photo by Giorgio Scala / DBM / Insidefoto via Getty Images)
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Kate Douglass
Douglass enters nationals as the No. 1 seed in the 100m breast (1:05.27) and the No. 2 seed in the 50m free (23.59). The five-time Olympic medalist and 18-time world champion has clocked eight of her personal bests within the past two seasons. She currently holds the American record and ranks second all-time in the 200m breast (2:18.50), along with a top-10 all-time mark in the 200m IM.
Douglass most recently set the 50m free world record at the TYR Pro Swim Series on June 19, clocking in at 23.59 – a mark Walsh would claim just days later. This season, Douglass has ranked among the top five in four different events: the 50m free, 200m breast, 200m IM and 50m fly.
Michael Andrew
- Top seed in the 50m breast (26.75)
- No. 2 seed in the 50m fly (23.08)
- No. 5 seed in the 50m free (21.78)
- No. 5 seed in the 100m breast (59.99)
Andrew was part of the gold medal-winning and world-record-setting U.S. 4x100 medley relay in Tokyo. After falling short of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Andrew moved back to Hawaii to train with his father as he targets a return to the Olympic stage at LA 2028, particularly with sprint events set to make their Olympic debut. This season, he ranks No. 12 in the world in the 50m breast, No. 20 in the 50m free and No. 21 in the 50m fly.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 17: Michael Andrew of the United States competes in the Men’s 50 Meter Breaststroke heats on Day 1 of the TYR Pro Swim Series Indianapolis at the Indiana University Natatorium on June 17, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Goddin/Getty Images)
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Katie Grimes
Grimes enters as the top seed in the 1500m free (16:04.20) and the No. 2 seed in the 400m IM (4:36.52). The 2024 Olympic silver medalist in the 400 IM ranks 12th in the world in the 1500 free (16:04.20) and 19th in the 400 IM (4:38.00). Grimes made history in Paris as the first U.S. woman to compete in both the pool and open water at the same Olympics. In Tokyo during the 2020 Games, she became the youngest U.S. Olympic swimmer since 1996, making the team at just 15 years old.
Jack Alexy
Alexy headlines as the top seed in the 100m free (46.81) and is also entered in the 200m free. The two-time Paris 2024 medalist broke Caeleb Dressel’s long-standing American record in the 100m free at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, clocking a 46.81 to win silver — the fifth-fastest performance in event history. At those same World Championships, Alexy delivered a 45.95 anchor split on the U.S. 4x100 free relay, the second-fastest relay leg in history.
Breakout Stars
Van Mathias is the fastest breaststroker in American history and the fourth-fastest performer all-time. At the TYR Pro Series, he set an American record in the 50m breast (26.30) - the 18th-fastest swim in history - and added another American record in the 100m breast (58.01). Mathias remains unbeaten in both events in 2026 and has set personal bests in four different events this calendar year.
Ilya Kharun is the top seed in both the 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly, while also competing in the 200m fly and 50m free. The 16-time All-American senior out of Arizona State is one of the world’s top butterfly swimmers, ranking in the top 10 this season in all three fly events, including No. 2 in the 50m fly (22.64) and No. 3 in the 100m fly (50.40). The two-time Olympic medalist will compete in his first U.S. Nationals since switching his sporting citizenship from Canada to the United States in January.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 20: Ilya Kharun of the United States reacts after breaking the U.S. Open record in the Men’s 50 Meter Butterfly finals on Day 4 of the TYR Pro Swim Series Indianapolis at the Indiana University Natatorium on June 20, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Bobby Goddin/Getty Images)
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Sprinter Quintin McCarty entered nationals as the No. 2 seed in the 50m free (21.70) but has since lowered his season best to 21.43 — the fastest American and third-fastest time in the world this year. The swim made him the seventh-fastest American performer and the 23rd-fastest swimmer in history. He also enters as the top seed in the 50m back (23.34), a personal best that earned him the 2025 national title. McCarty’s 2026 season best of 24.45 in the event ranks first among Americans and 11th in the world this year.
Luka Mijatovic is the top seed in the 1500m free (14:59.27) and is also slated to compete in eight other events. The 17-year-old Texas commit became the youngest American ever to break 15 minutes in the 1500m free with his 14:59.27 earlier this season. He also owns the 17-18 National Age Group record in the 400m free (3:45.20) and ranks No. 9 in the world this season in the 800m free (7:47.08).
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 05: Luka Mijatovic looks to the. timing board from the pool after a men’s 400 meter individual medley preliminary heat during day three of the Toyota US Open Championships at Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on December 5, 2025 in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Anna Moesch holds the top seed in both the women’s 100m and 200m free and is also entered in the 50m free, 100m fly and 200m IM. The Virginia standout clocked a 51.94 earlier this year, breaking the American record in the event. The Virginia standout has totaled eight NCAA titles and 13 All-American swims in just two seasons as a Cavalier.
Other top seeds of the meet include Isabelle Stadden, who leads the field in all three women’s backstroke events (50, 100 and 200), and Ryan Erisman as the No. 1 seed in the men’s 400 and 800 freestyle. Kieran Smith headlines the men’s 200 IM, with Leah Hayes in the women’s 400 IM and Bella Sims first in the women’s 400 free.
