Florida’s 200 medley relay set a school record, while the 800 free relay team finished third.
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – The Florida women’s swimming and diving team opened the 2025 NCAA Division I Championships with two strong relay performances on Wednesday at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.
In the opening event, the Gators 200 medley relay team of Bella Sims, Anita Bottazzo, Olivia Peoples and Micayla Cronk set a program record after posting a time of 1:33.92. The 800 free relay team of Sims, Julie Brousseau, Emma Weyant and Lainy Kruger capped off the night with a third-place finish.
Sophomore Bella Sims led off the 200 medley with a 23.25 back split. Freshman Anita Bottazzo’s 26.12 breast split, senior Olivia Peoples’ 22.62 fly split and senior Micayla Cronk’s 21.93 free split rounded out the relay’s 1:33.92. Originally seeded seventh, their time placed fifth overall and earned Florida’s first All-American honor of the week. The squad surpassed the program’s top time of 1:34.18 that was set in 2023 by Sims, Molly Mayne, Peoples and Isabel Ivey.
Reigning champions in the 800 free relay, Florida was in seventh place heading into the final leg. In the last 200 yards, sophomore Lainy Kruger split a 1:43.67 to propel the Gators to a third-place finish and the second-fastest time in program history, 6:53.41. Sims, freshman Julie Brousseau, senior Emma Weyant and Kruger earned First-Team All-American honors as well for their finish.
Florida heads into the second day of the meet in third place, 14 points behind Virginia and Stanford who are tied for first with 74 points.
Wednesday Results: https://floridagators.com/common/controls/doc_handler.aspx?doc=38684
Event
Athlete
Time
Place
200 Medley Relay
Bella Sims (23.25)
Anita Bottazzo (26.12)
Olivia Peoples (22.62)
Micayla Cronk (21.93)
1:33.92
5th place
800 Free Relay
Bella Sims (1:42.55)
Julie Brousseau (1:42.72)
Emma Weyant (1:44.47)
Lainy Kruger: 1:43.67
6:53.41
3rd place
UP NEXT
The 500-yard free, 200-yard IM and the 50-yard free kick off individual events tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the one-meter Springboard to close out morning prelims. Finals will begin at 9 p.m. ET with the 200-yard free relay concluding day two of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
TOP-10 TEAM STANDINGS (Following day one)
1. Stanford – 74
Virginia – 74
1. Florida – 60
2. Texas – 55
3. Michigan – 46
4. California – 44
5. Louisville – 42
6. Indiana – 36
7. Tennessee – 34
8. Wisconsin – 30
FLORIDA’S FULL TALLY
All-Americans
* 200 Medley Relay – Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk
* 800 Free Relay – Sims, Brousseau, Weyant, Kruger
Records
* Program
* 200 Medley Relay – Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk – 1:33.92
Program Top-10 Times
* 200 Medley Relay – Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk – No. 1
* 800 Free Relay – Sims, Brousseau, Weyant, Kruger – No. 2
HOW TO FOLLOW
All sessions will be televised live on ESPN+ for subscribers. Links for the live stream and live results can be found on Florida women’s swimming and diving schedule page<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-swimming-and-diving/schedule> on FloridaGators.com. Live results will be available to paid subscribers on Meet Mobile or fans can follow @GatorsSwimDV on socials. Tape-delayed coverage of the women’s championships will be on ESPNU at 7 p.m. Eastern time, Wednesday, March 27.
2025 DI WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS REMAINING SCHEDULE, DATES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
* Thursday, March 20 | Watch live on ESPN+<https://www.espn.com/espnplus/schedule/_/type/upcoming/categoryId/904ff2f3-3ce3-3b9e-bca9-3608ec5f616b/channel/ESPN_PLUS/startDate/20250320>
* Day two prelims | 1 p.m.
* One-meter diving trials| 3:15 p.m.
* One-meter diving consolation finals | 8:15 p.m.
* Day two finals | 9 p.m.
* 500-yard freestyle
* 200-yard individual medley
* 50-yard freestyle
* 200-yard freestyle relay
* One-meter diving
* Friday, March 21 | Watch live on ESPN+<https://www.espn.com/espnplus/schedule/_/type/upcoming/categoryId/904ff2f3-3ce3-3b9e-bca9-3608ec5f616b/channel/ESPN_PLUS/startDate/20250321>
* Day three prelims | 1 p.m.
* Three-meter diving trials | 3:15 p.m.
* Three-meter diving consolation finals | 8:15 p.m.
* Day three finals | 9 p.m.
* 400-yard individual medley
* 100-yard butterfly 10. 200-yard freestyle
* 100-yard breaststroke 12. 100-yard backstroke
* 400-yard medley relay
* Three-meter diving
* Saturday, March 22 | Watch live on ESPN+<https://www.espn.com/espnplus/schedule/_/type/upcoming/categoryId/904ff2f3-3ce3-3b9e-bca9-3608ec5f616b/channel/ESPN_PLUS/startDate/20250322>
* Day four prelims | 1 p.m.
* Platform diving trials | 3 p.m.
* Day four prelims – 1650 freestyle | 6:45 p.m.
* Platform diving consolation finals | 8:15 p.m.
* Day four finals | 9 p.m.
* 1,650-yard freestyle
* 200-yard backstroke
* 100-yard freestyle
* 200-yard breaststroke
* 200-yard butterfly
* Platform diving
* 400-yard freestyle relay
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