Baylor Swim & Dive Sweeps All Three Titles at 2026 TISCA Championships held in Nashville, TN.
The Baylor Swim & Dive program delivered a commanding performance at the TISCA Championships, sweeping the men’s, women’s, and combined state titles while completing an undefeated season on both sides.
The men totaled 402 points and the women 316, securing Baylor’s place atop the podium in all three team races. The women finished undefeated for the second consecutive season, capturing back-to-back state championships, while the men completed a perfect campaign of their own.
Baylor’s championship weekend was defined by historic speed. The team broke seven school records and three state records, led by a standout series from Hayden Vicknair. Vicknair opened Friday finals by breaking the men’s 100 butterfly school record in 46.91, eclipsing the previous mark of 47.12 set in 2023. Later that night, he reset the 50 freestyle school record while leading off the 200 freestyle relay – first with a 19.72 in prelims, then a 19.65 in finals.
That relay – Vicknair, Ethan Gover, Luke Higgo, and Connor Hupman – followed with a 1:20.55 in finals, breaking both the school and state records. The swim edged the former state record of 1:20.57 and shattered Baylor’s previous best of 1:22.41.
Vicknair added another milestone earlier in the meet, breaking the school and state records in the 100 freestyle while leading off the 400 freestyle relay in prelims with a 43.14, surpassing the prior state record of 43.31 and Baylor’s school record of 43.87.
Saturday finals brought more history. Javier Diaz Lopez broke the men’s 100 breaststroke school record with a 54.97, and the men’s 400 freestyle relay – Vicknair, Gover, Diaz Lopez, and Hupman – closed the meet with a 2:58.56, lowering both the school and state marks set just one year earlier.
Baylor’s men captured four event wins, including individual victories from Vicknair in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, along with titles in the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. The women added a championship of their own in the 400 freestyle relay, powered by AB Curtis, Emmy Zimmer, Anara Summers, and Ava Sugden.
Across the meet, Baylor swimmers and divers produced 18 top-three finishes, 34 top-eight finishes, and 50 top-16 finishes. Curtis earned two individual podiums – third in the 50 freestyle and second in the 100 backstroke – while Gover finished runner-up in both the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Additional medal performances included Radford Walker (third, men’s 500 freestyle), Diaz Lopez (third, men’s 100 breaststroke), Norah Sunderland (third, women’s 100 breaststroke), and strong showings on the boards from Sarah Mac Watson (third, women’s springboard), Rayden Hawley (seventh, women’s springboard), Bryce Lau (third, men’s springboard), and Tate Phillips (seventh, men’s springboard).
Every Baylor relay finished in the top three, highlighted by second-place performances in the 200 medley relay on both the women’s and men’s sides and a runner-up finish for the women’s 200 freestyle relay.
By weekend’s end, Baylor Swim & Dive had not only secured three state championships, but also delivered one of the most dominant performances in program history – an undefeated season capped by record-setting speed and depth across the roster.
