Can anyone dethrone the Texas Longhorns? The 2026 Eddie Reese Texas Showdown is here, and the pressure is on! The University of Texas is hosting Louisville and Ohio State in a high-stakes swimming battle. Will the Longhorns live up to the hype, or will an underdog emerge victorious? Let's dive into the Session 1 recap and see who's making waves!
The Eddie Reese Texas Showdown: A Clash of Titans
- Date: January 23-24, 2026
- Time: Morning Sessions: 11:00 am EST / Evening Sessions: 7:00 PM EST
- Location: Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas (Hosted by the University of Texas)
- Format: Short Course Yards (SCY)
- Watch Live: SECN+
- Follow Results: Meet Mobile
The second edition of the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown promises fierce competition. We're talking about a head-to-head-to-head battle between three powerhouses, all ranked within the top 20 nationally for both men's and women's teams. Texas enters as the perceived favorite, with their men's team sitting pretty at No. 1 and the women claiming the No. 2 spot in the latest CCSCA polls. Louisville isn't far behind, boasting top-10 rankings for both their men (No. 8) and women (No. 6). Ohio State is nipping at their heels, with the men at No. 16 and the women at No. 14.
Relay Races Set the Stage
Before we jump into the individual events, let's take a look at the records to beat in the relay events:
Women's 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
- NCAA Record: 1:23.63 — Virginia (Jasmine Nocentini, Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Maxine Parker), 2024 ACC Championships
- U.S. Open Record: 1:23.63 — Virginia (Jasmine Nocentini, Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Maxine Parker), 2024 ACC Championships
Men's 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
- NCAA Record: 1:12.80 — Tennessee (J. Crooks, G. Caribe, L. Taylor, N. Blackman), 2025 SEC Championships
- U.S. Open Record: 1:12.80 — Tennessee (J. Crooks, G. Caribe, L. Taylor, N. Blackman), 2025 SEC Championships
Individual Event Highlights: Session 1
Important Note: The event results seem to be rolling in a bit out of order, but we're bringing you the highlights as they happen!
Women's 50 Yard Breaststroke
- 1st: Anna Ingaki (Louisville) – 28.91
- 2nd: Haley McDonald (Texas) – 29.16
- 3rd: Krista Marlin (Ohio State) – 29.48
With a small but mighty field of one swimmer from each team, Louisville's Anna Ingaki snagged the victory in the 50 breaststroke, clocking in at 28.91. Texas' Haley McDonald put up a good fight, finishing just behind in 29.16, and Ohio State's Krista Marlin rounded out the top three with a time of 29.48.
Men's 50 Yard Breaststroke
- 1st: Nate Germonprez (Texas) – 23.56
- 2nd: Campbell McKean (Texas) – 24.02
- 3rd: Finnley Conklin (Louisville) – 24.30
Texas flexed its breaststroke muscle in the men's event, securing a 1-2 finish. Nate Germonprez dominated, winning by a comfortable margin in 23.56. Campbell McKean followed closely behind, taking second place in 24.02. Louisville's Finnley Conklin secured a spot on the podium, finishing third in 24.30.
Women's 400 Yard IM
- NCAA Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin (Stanford), 2018 NCAA Championships
U.S. Open Record: 3:54.60 — Ella Eastin (Stanford), 2018 NCAA Championships
1st: Campbell Chase (Texas) – 4:08.09
2nd: Jessica Eden (Ohio State) – 4:13.81
3rd: Adair Shaw (Ohio State) – 4:15.94
Campbell Chase from Texas commanded the women's 400 IM, winning by a significant five-second lead with a time of 4:08.09. Ohio State made a strong showing, with Jessica Eden (4:13.81) and Adair Shaw (4:15.94) claiming the second and third spots, respectively. It's interesting that Ohio State had two swimmers on the podium for this event - shows some great team depth. Could this be a sign of things to come from the Buckeyes?
Women's 50 Yard Butterfly
- 1st: Julia Dennis (Louisville) – 23.78
- 2nd: Karoline Barrett (Louisville) – 24.24
- 3rd: Alexa Fulton (Texas) – 24.50
Louisville showcased their sprint prowess in the 50 butterfly, securing a dominant 1-2 finish. Julia Dennis led the charge with a time of 23.78, followed by teammate Karoline Barrett in 24.24. Texas' Alexa Fulton claimed the third spot on the podium with a time of 24.50.
Men's 50 Yard Butterfly
- 1st: Matthew Klinge (Ohio State) – 20.38
- 2nd: Garrett Gould (Texas) – 20.40
- 3rd: Aiden Musso (Louisville) / Rian Graham (Louisville) – 20.84 (Tie)
This event saw representation from all three schools on the podium. Ohio State's Matthew Klinge edged out a victory in 20.38, with Texas' Garrett Gould close behind in 20.40. Louisville celebrated a double podium finish with Aiden Musso and Rian Graham tying for third in 20.84. Did anyone expect Ohio State to take the top spot here, or were Texas and Louisville the anticipated frontrunners?
Men's 400 Yard IM
- NCAA Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand (Arizona State), 2023 NCAA Championships
U.S. Open Record: 3:28.82 — Leon Marchand (FRA/Arizona State), 2023 NCAA Championships
1st: Cooper Lucas (Texas) – 3:41.87
2nd: Spencer Aurnou-Rhees (Texas) – 3:43.63
3rd: Tommy Bried (Louisville) – 3:43.81
The men's 400 IM was a nail-biter! Cooper Lucas of Texas managed to hold onto the lead, finishing first in 3:41.87. His teammate, Spencer Aurnou-Rhees, secured second place in 3:43.63, narrowly fending off a late surge from Louisville's Tommy Bried, who finished just .18 seconds behind in 3:43.81. Talk about a photo finish! Does Texas's ability to secure 1-2 finishes in key events solidify their dominance, or is it just luck?
Women's 50 Yard Backstroke
- 1st: Kk LeBlanc (Ohio State) – 24.74
- 2nd: Abby Karl (Louisville) – 24.93
- 3rd: Sienna Schellenger (Texas) – 25.02
Once again, all three schools found their way onto the podium. Ohio State's Kk LeBlanc took the top spot in 24.74, with a comfortable .2 second lead. Louisville's Abby Karl secured second place in 24.93, and Texas' Sienna Schellenger finished third, just shy of breaking the 25-second barrier, in 25.02.
Men's 50 Yard Backstroke
- 1st: Filip Kosinski (Louisville) – 22.02
- 2nd: Kyle Peck (Texas) – 22.06
- 3rd: Nate Thomas (Louisville) – 22.69
The men's 50 backstroke was decided by a hair! Louisville's Filip Kosinski touched the wall first in 22.02, just .04 seconds ahead of Texas' Kyle Peck (22.06). Louisville also secured the third spot on the podium with Nate Thomas finishing in 22.69. Is the 50 backstroke now Louisville's event to own in this showdown?
Relay Races Conclude Session 1
To wrap up the session, here are the NCAA and U.S. Open records for the 400 Yard Medley Relay:
Women's 400 Yard Medley Relay
- NCAA Record: 3:19.58 — Virginia (Claire Curzan, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh, Anna Moesch), 2025 ACC Championships
- U.S. Open Record: 3:19.58 — Virginia (Claire Curzan, Alex Walsh, Gretchen Walsh, Anna Moesch), 2025 ACC Championships
Men's 400 Yard Medley Relay
- NCAA Record: 2:55.66 — Florida (Jonny Marshall, Julian Smith, Josh Liendo, Alex Painter), 2025 SEC Championships
- U.S. Open Record: 2:55.66 — Florida (Jonny Marshall, Julian Smith, Josh Liendo, Alex Painter), 2025 SEC Championships
Final Thoughts: Who Impressed You Most?
Session 1 of the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown delivered some thrilling races and unexpected results. While Texas is still the team to beat, Louisville and Ohio State proved they're ready to challenge for the top spot. Which performance stood out to you the most? Do you think Texas will maintain its lead throughout the meet, or will another team rise to the occasion? Share your predictions and thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author: Nicole Miller
Nicole Miller has been a valuable member of the SwimSwam team since April 2020, contributing as both a reporter and social media expert. Before joining SwimSwam, Nicole cultivated a successful Instagram platform, gaining over 20,000 followers. A graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Biotechnology...
