LEXINGTON, Va. — The Washington and Lee University men's and women's swimming teams enter the 2026-27 season with a returning core of All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference performers, two returning men's NCAA qualifiers and 21 first-year swimmers as the Generals prepare to defend their conference championships.
W&L begins regular-season dual-meet competition Friday, Oct. 9, at Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, following team victories at the exhibition-style ODAC Relays and the annual Blue/White intrasquad meet.
"We are excited that the competitive season is underway," head coach
Kami Gardner said. "The team has been focused on technical details, daily consistency, and showing up for each other in every set. We return with strong core leadership and have a talented group of first-year swimmers who will make immediate contributions. The energy is high, and they are ready to start racing."
Schedule Outlook
Following the Mary Washington opener, W&L travels to Carnegie Mellon on Oct. 17 and Lynchburg on Oct. 31. The Generals host Southern Virginia on Nov. 5 before closing the fall schedule at the Randolph-Macon Invitational, Nov. 20-22 in Hampton, Virginia.
The winter schedule begins with a home meet against Bridgewater on Jan. 9, followed by a trip to Randolph-Macon on Jan. 16 and a home meet against VMI on Jan. 23.
The Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, will host both postseason championship meets. The ODAC championships run Feb. 10-13, followed by the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships for qualifying swimmers March 17-20.
Women's Team Preview
The Generals return 20 swimmers and welcome eight first-years to a 28-member roster after capturing the program's 35th ODAC championship last February.
Twelve swimmers return from the 2026 All-ODAC teams, including individual conference champions Celia Bredehoeft and Peighton Kruzel. Bredehoeft won the 500-yard freestyle, while Kruzel captured the 100 and 200 butterfly titles. Sophia Brame-Goldthwaite added a runner-up finish in the 400 individual medley.
Returning 2026 All-ODAC selections:
W&L also returns its entire conference-winning 400 freestyle relay. Adams, Fenton, Mortimer and Maloof combined to win the event in 3:31.37 at the 2026 championships.
Seniors Katelyn Crawford and Riley Moorman and junior Camlyn Belle bring additional All-ODAC experience from previous seasons. Crawford, Moorman, Maloof and Ruth Crane make up the senior class.
The returning group and newcomers contributed to nine victories in 10 scored events at the ODAC Relays. Mortimer and first-year Eliza Osada helped secure four wins apiece, while first-year Katelyn Giffen contributed to three victories.
Men's Team Preview
The men's roster features 26 swimmers, evenly split between 13 returners and 13 first-years. Seven returners earned All-ODAC honors in 2026, while Leighton Chapman and William Gordon return with NCAA championship experience.
Chapman and Gordon earned Second Team All-America honors on W&L's 400 freestyle relay, which finished 15th at the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships in 3:00.42. Chapman also helped the 800 freestyle relay place 13th nationally and competed individually in the 50 and 100 freestyle.
At the ODAC championships, Chapman won the 50 and 100 freestyle, while senior Zane Ross captured the 200 butterfly in an ODAC overall and championship record of 1:50.89. Junior Carter Whetstine added a runner-up finish in the 200 backstroke.
Returning 2026 All-ODAC selections:
Senior Hayden Stallings, a First Team selection in 2024, adds further all-conference experience to a seven-member senior class.
The Generals won seven of 10 scored events at the ODAC Relays. Chapman contributed to five victories, while Ross and first-years Ryan Smith and Elijah Koh each helped secure three wins. First-years Ben Blomgren and Luke Dinusson-Wiger also contributed to runner-up and third-place relay finishes.
Up Next
Washington and Lee opens regular-season dual-meet competition Friday, Oct. 9, at Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Fans can follow along via the UMW Stream and the SwimCloud Live Results.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
