INDIANAPOLIS – With its largest-ever contingent on the national stage, the 20th-ranked Salisbury University women's swimming team didn't take long to produce its first All-American of the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships on Wednesday at the IU Natatorium.
Rowan O'Donoghue earned Second-Team All-America accolades by finishing 16th in the 500-yard freestyle. O'Donoghue (Fr. – Newark, Del.) posted a time of 4:58.26 in the morning's preliminaries, beating out her closest competitor by one hundredth of a second to place 16th and secure All-America status. In the evening's finals, she touched the wall in 5:06.33, officially becoming the second All-American in women's program history alongside
Sydney McCallie, who earned two All-America nods in 2025.
"Rowan has emerged as arguably the top freshman in the country," said Sea Gull head coach
Nate Parsley before the start of nationals. "She brings a level of fierceness to racing that simply can't be taught. To see her put together the season she has as a rookie has been incredible."
O'Donoghue's turn in the 500 free served as a high point for Salisbury across all four of its events on the morning. Joining O'Donoghue in the water for the 500 free was
Addi Wood, who placed 33rd in qualifying with a time of 5:04.02. The 200 individual medley saw
Maddie Powell (2:11.36) place 59th, while in the 50 free,
Lily Griffin (24.38) and
Libby Miyashita (24.73) slotted 60th and 66th, respectively.
In the first relay event of the championship meet – the 400 medley relay –
Isabelle Salvatore,
Mackenzie Gula, Griffin, and O'Donoghue posted a mark of 3:54.14, placing 24th.
Salisbury earned one point in the championship standings via O'Donoghue's 16th-place finish in the 500 free, giving the team a 25th-place standing after the first day of nationals.
The Sea Gulls will return to the IU Natatorium on Thursday for Day 2 of the NCAA Championships. Prelims for the 200 free, 100 fly, and 200 free relay will begin at 10 a.m. with finals set for 6 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 207 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
