In their first season competing in the Southeastern Conference, Texas women’s swim and dive captured their first SEC championship title.
That marked the team’s thirteenth conference title under head coach Carol Capitani, and now the Longhorns are in pursuit of adding a second this season.
The Longhorns have had a solid start to this season, with a current record of 2–0, and both swimmers and divers are placing consistently in A standard. Now, being in the second half of the season, the focus has shifted to taking a second SEC title back home to the Forty Acres.
“I think we’ve had some breakthroughs with a lot of kids, and so it’s just exciting to see them swim with that confidence,” Capitani said in an interview earlier this season.
The Longhorns lost five key scoring seniors after last season, including Emma Sticklen and Abby Arens. The two brought strength and steadiness to the team and contributed heavily in the SEC tournament, with Sticklen winning Female Swimmer of the Year.
“It was awesome having the leadership of that fifth year, but that’s gone now, right? And so there’s a freshness,” Capitani said.
Replacing these reliable swimmers is a challenge, but returners like sophomore Jillian Cox, who set an SEC meet record in 2025 and won SEC Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year, reveal the depth of the program.
Divers have gotten off to a strong start, too, with junior diver Bayleigh Cranford named SEC Diver of the Week earlier this season.
Alongside Cranford is senior diver Sarah Carruthers, who displayed her seniority during the Texas Diving Invitational this year, stepping in for the Longhorns to secure herself a second place.
However, key leaders on both the swimming and diving sides are not enough to secure a repeat title on their own. High-performing underclassmen are going to be crucial going into the SEC tournament.
For sophomore freestyle swimmer Kate Hurst, this is another opportunity to return to the pool where she scored her personal best in 2025. Alongside Hurst is sophomore diver Alejandra Estudillo Torres, who earned SEC Female Co-Diver of the Year and Female Freshman Diver of the Year last season.
“We can’t just rely on the people (who) have been here forever,” Capitani said in an interview. “Everybody needs to do their part. I think that’s where the opportunity comes from.”
This year, the SEC Championships will take place Feb. 16–21 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
With the TYR Pro Swim Series: Austin happening this week, the Longhorns have a chance to gain the last bit of momentum they need to succeed at the tournament. The Longhorns’ roster showcases depth and talent, making winning a 14th title a strong possibility.
