University of Delaware Athletics

Photo by: Kenny Dango
Men's Swimming & Diving's Namakonov and Snyder Qualify for 2026 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships; Delaware in Second Place after Day Three
2/20/2026 11:07:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
ORLANDO, Fla. – Men's swimming & diving's Matvei Namakonov and Kade Snyder qualified for the 2026 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships on day two of the Atlantic Sun Swimming & Diving Championships.
Namakonov, who recorded the standard in the 100-breast will make his second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, while Snyder, who won the 100-back, becomes the first underclassmen in program history to qualify.
After day three, the Fightin' Blue Hens are in second place with 557 points.
RESULTS
HISTORY MADE
Namakonov and Snyder mark the third and fourth time, respectively, that a Fightin' Blue Hen has qualified for the big dance. This is the third-consecutive season that a men's swimmer has advanced to the meet. Namakonov and Toni Sabev '25 are the two who have made it previously.
MEDAL COUNT
GOLD (ONE)
QUEENS (N.C.): 599.5
Delaware: 557
Florida Atlantic: 532.5
Old Dominion: 278
Gardner-Webb: 274
Bellarmine: 155
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware men's and women's swimming & diving, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
Namakonov, who recorded the standard in the 100-breast will make his second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, while Snyder, who won the 100-back, becomes the first underclassmen in program history to qualify.
After day three, the Fightin' Blue Hens are in second place with 557 points.
RESULTS
- In the 100-back, Snyder swam a 46.00, improving on his own program record set just one day prior in the first leg of the 400-medley relay.
- Namakonov picked up his sixth-career conference title by swimming the 100-breast in 51.51. The time punched his second trip to the NCAA Championships in as many years. The senior also picked up the championship meet record.
- A crew of underclassmen got the night started on the podium as Josh Donovan, James Haney, Denys Mialkovskyi, and Cody Lonsberry placed third with a time of 6:27.83.
- Emanuel Pitts kept things going for Delaware as he finished in third place with a score of 285.90
- In the morning preliminaries Will D'Orazio set the freshman record in the 200-fly at 1:47.52.
HISTORY MADE
Namakonov and Snyder mark the third and fourth time, respectively, that a Fightin' Blue Hen has qualified for the big dance. This is the third-consecutive season that a men's swimmer has advanced to the meet. Namakonov and Toni Sabev '25 are the two who have made it previously.
MEDAL COUNT
GOLD (ONE)
- 100-Fly - Snyder
- 100-Back - Snyder
- 100-Breast - Namakonov
- 200-medley relay - Max Moen, Namakonov, Snyder, Collins
- 50-free - Namakonov
- 400-IM - Smolders
- 400-medley relay - Snyder, Wilbur, Namakonov, Collins
- 200-IM - Wilbur
- 800-free relay - Donovan, Haney, Mialkovskyi, Lonsberry
- 1-Meter Dive - Pitts
QUEENS (N.C.): 599.5
Delaware: 557
Florida Atlantic: 532.5
Old Dominion: 278
Gardner-Webb: 274
Bellarmine: 155
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware men's and women's swimming & diving, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
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