Torri Huske Hoping to Lead Stanford to Contention in Final College Season
Before Virginia began its current five-year run atop women’s college swimming, Stanford was the powerhouse program. Under head coach Greg Meehan, the Cardinal won national titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019 with Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel, Ella Eastin and Brooke Forde winning national titles while Lia Neal and Taylor Ruck, both Olympic medalists before arriving in Palo Alto, were key contributors.
After that run, though, the team would not earn another top-two finish on the national level until this past March, when Stanford held off Texas by 23 points for runnerup honors. Torri Huske, already an Olympic gold medalist, won her first individual national crown in the 200 IM while breakout performances from Caroline Bricker (400 IM) and Lucy Bell (200 breaststroke) resulted in further victories. Stanford was the only non-Virginia team to pick up a relay win as the team finished four seconds ahead of the Cavaliers in the 800 free relay.
Is it possible, if everything goes right, for Stanford to overtake Virginia? Sisters Gretchen and Alex Walsh are done with college swimming while Huske will be back for one final round with Stanford. But Stanford had its losses too; most notable was distance specialist Aurora Roghair, who finished second in the 500 and 1650 free at the national level last year while playing a key role on Stanford’s winning 800 free relay. Lillie Nordmann, another member of that relay who has been a consistent three-event scorer at the national level, also exhausted her eligibility.
And Meehan is also gone, having left the college ranks to direct the USA Swimming National Team. Taking his place is Chris Lindauer, the former head coach at Notre Dame, while Annie Lazor is the lead assistant coach after a stellar professional career in the breaststroke events and then coaching for two years at Florida.
This season, Huske is clearly the best female swimmer in the college ranks. In her first three years, she had to deal with both Walshes as well as UVA’s Kate Douglass, but not anymore. Huske will be the clear favorite to win national titles in all three of her individual events. She took down Alex Walsh in the 200 IM last season, but this time she could opt for either that race or the 50 free on day one of the national meet. Only Gretchen Walsh was better in the 100 free and 100 fly.
Caroline Bricker — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
This longshot bid at challenging Virginia depends on further improvements from Bricker and Bell. During the long course season, Bricker took an enormous step by winning the U.S. national title in the 200-meter fly, and she raced in the final of the event at the World Championships. Back for her junior year in college swimming, she should score even more points thanks to numerous big-name graduations. She is the top returning finisher in the college version of the 200 fly, and if Huske skips the 200 IM in favor of the 50 free this year, Bricker and Bell would be the only returning A-finalists in the event.
For Stanford to put a scare into Virginia or even return to the top-two at the NCAA Championships, it will need the supporting players to come through, as was the case last March. Kayla Wilson is the only other returning A-finalist, having finished sixth in the 200 free at the 2025 national meet, while the team’s returning B-finalists include Gigi Johnson, Natalie Mannion, Lucy Thomas and Emily Thompson. A further jump from anyone in this group will have Stanford in business.
With this loaded roster, Lindauer finds himself in an enviable situation for a first-year coach but also a tricky one as he takes over for one of the sport’s most accomplished leaders. If he can help some of Stanford’s depth pieces take further steps, the core of Huske, Bricker and Bell should make the Cardinal a tough out this spring.
