2026 Nebraska State Swimming and Diving Championships: BNFF Qualifiers, Results

We're tracking the results from every athlete and team from the BNFF squad competing at the state swimming and diving meet

February 26, 2026Updated: February 26, 2026
By Timothy Hackett

Congratulations to all of the athletes from the BNFF swim squad that have qualified to compete at the 2026 NSAA Swimming and Diving State Championships this week in Lincoln!

The combo squad representing student-athletes from four Southeast Nebraska schools (Beatrice, Norris, Fairbury and Freeman) had three swimmers automatically qualify for a total of five events at the state meet, while 12 swimmers met the secondary state qualifying times in a total of 22 events.

That means a total of 13 athletes from the squad will be competing for the state championship in a total of 12 events over the course of this week at the Devaney Natatorium. Competition begins on Thursday with the diving events - the girls competition begins at 10 AM with the boys to follow around 2:30.

The swimming events then take center stage over the final two days. Girls prelims begin at 10 AM Friday with the boys to follow at 3 PM; and then the championship races for all events start at noon on Saturday. All of Saturday's action will be televised by Nebraska Public Media.

The following is a list of every event an individual or a team from the BNFF squad will be competing in this week. This page will be updated with final results over the course of the week.

2026 NSAA Swimming and Diving State Championships

Diving

Boys:

JR Carter Mertz - 336.20 seed scored - Diver #9

Girls:

SO Clara Trantham - 341.70 seed score - Diver #13

Swimming

Girls 200 Medley Relay

FR Hayley Kuhlman - JR Sophia Meints - JR Savannah Bolli - SR Tabitha Crawford

Heat 2 - 2:03.50 seed time

Boys 200 Medley Relay

JR Dru Breeden - JR Tobias Kidder - SO Reid Novotny - SR Jarrett Guenther

Heat 2 - 1:47.76 seed time

Boys 200 IM

JR Dru Breeden - Heat 1 - 2:08.59 seed time

Boys 50 Freestyle

SO Reid Novotny - Heat 2 - 22.16 seed time

Girls 500 Freestyle

SR Tabitha Crawford - Heat 1 - 5:43.72 seed time

Girls 200 Freestyle Relay

JR Sophia Meints - FR Hayley Kuhlman - SO Alyse Bassett - SR Tabitha Crawford

Heat 3 - 1:47.46 seed time

Boys 200 Freestyle Relay

SR Jarrett Guenther - JR Tobias Kidder - JR Colton Shubert - SO James Given

Boys 100 Backstroke

SO Reid Novotny - Heat 3 - 54.39 seed time

JR Dru Breeden - Heat 1 - 57.25 seed time

Heat 1 - 1:36.37 seed time

Girls 400 Freestyle Relay

SO Alyse Bassett - JR Sophia Meints - JR Petra Van Cleave - SR Tabitha Crawford

Heat 2 - 4:04.00 seed time

Boys 400 Freestyle Relay

SO James Given - SR Jarrett Guenther - JR Dru Breeden - SO Reid Novotny

Heat 3 - 3:32.84 seed time