At the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships held from March 19 to 22 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way, Washington, Stanford's Caroline Bricker made a stunning splash by winning the women’s 400 individual medley (IM) on March 22, securing her victory with a time of 3:57.36.
Bricker's impressive performance not only marked a significant achievement for her but also a remarkable improvement from her fourth-place finish at last year’s championships. In a thrilling race, Bricker edged past competitors, including Olympic medalists Emma Weyant from Florida and Katie Grimes from Virginia.
Starting the race, Grimes held a commanding lead, extending her advantage during the early legs. However, when it came to the breaststroke segment, Bricker turned the tide. After trailing in fifth place at the halfway point, she executed a strategic split of 1:06.12, effectively eliminating the gap and propelling herself into the lead by the freestyle leg.
Ultimately, Bricker finished with a 1.69-second lead over Weyant, marking her as the seventh-fastest swimmer ever in the event. Weyant managed to secure second place, finishing with a time of 3:59.05. Meanwhile, Bricker's teammate, Lucy Bell, clinched third with a time of 4:00.24, replicating her performance from the previous year while cutting a second off her best time and entering the top 10 all-time list.
Bricker's journey to this title has been one marked by impressive improvement over her collegiate career. Initially starting with a personal best time of 4:09.57 at the 2023 Speedo Sectionals, Bricker has remarkably dropped her time by almost 12 seconds. In her first year of collegiate swimming, she made significant leaps in her performance, hitting 4:03.49 at the 2023 Texas Invite and 4:02.32 at the Pac-12s. Just before the championships, she dipped under the 4:00 mark for the first time at this year’s Texas Invite with a time of 3:59.88.
After a strong midseason where her confidence soared, Bricker continued to display remarkable progression, as seen during the championships where her time of 3:57.36 marked a personal record, improving significantly against her previous mark.
The race was undoubtedly electrifying, with the atmosphere filled with anticipation as competitors vied for the top position. Grimes entered the meet as one of the favorites, and though she led initially, she ultimately finished in fourth place with a time of 4:01.10, falling short of her personal best time of 3:57.02 set in 2022. Leah Hayes rounded out the top five for Virginia with a time of 4:01.62.
Bricker's triumph in the 400 IM was not just a personal victory. It also contributed significantly to Stanford's overall performance in the championships, where the team has shown renewed strength following a period of less competitive standing. Once a powerhouse in women’s swimming, Stanford has not finished in the top two nationally since 2019, but the resurgence of swimmers like Bricker, as well as Olympic gold medalist Torri Huske, signifies a promising future.
The Lady Cardinal demonstrated their strength as a team with solid performances throughout the meet, claiming victories and podium finishes in several events, including a decisive win in the 800 free relay earlier in the competition. This victory in the 400 IM also marked the second individual title for Stanford in the championships, reinforcing their presence as serious contenders.
Bricker’s remarkable journey and her outstanding performance in the NCAA final represent a landmark moment for her career and the future of the Stanford swim team.
As Bricker moves forward in her collegiate career with two years left, it's clear that her trajectory suggests the potential for even greater achievements, marking her as one to watch in future competitions.
