Rice University Athletics
Photo by: © 2025 Joshua Brown
Portello and Cole Set for NCAA Championships
3/17/2026 2:08:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
HOUSTON — Rice swimmers Reese Cole and Ava Portello are set to compete at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta, where they will represent the Owls in three events.
Portello opens competition Wednesday in the 1,650 freestyle, followed by Cole in the 400 individual medley on Thursday. Portello will wrap up the Owls' slate Friday in the 500 freestyle.
The NCAA Championships will be held March 18-21 at Georgia Tech's McAuley Aquatic Center, with preliminary sessions beginning at 9 a.m. CT and finals scheduled for 5 p.m. CT each day. All events will be streamed on ESPN+.
Rice returns to the NCAA Championships with individual qualifiers for the first time since 2024, as both Cole and Portello will be making their NCAA Championships debut.
Portello and Cole each earned automatic bids as conference champions, with Portello qualifying in the 1,650 and 500 freestyle and Cole in the 400 IM. Automatic berths are awarded to conference champions who meet NCAA qualifying standards.
At the American Athletic Conference Championships, Portello posted winning times of 16:23.84 in the 1,650 freestyle and 4:42.67 in the 500 freestyle, while Cole secured her title with a 4:12.61 in the 400 IM.
The Owls enter the meet following back-to-back American Conference championships, where they totaled 17 medals and five individual titles.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday March 18 – 1,650 Free
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Thursday March 19 – 400 IM
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Friday March 20 – 500 Free
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Portello opens competition Wednesday in the 1,650 freestyle, followed by Cole in the 400 individual medley on Thursday. Portello will wrap up the Owls' slate Friday in the 500 freestyle.
The NCAA Championships will be held March 18-21 at Georgia Tech's McAuley Aquatic Center, with preliminary sessions beginning at 9 a.m. CT and finals scheduled for 5 p.m. CT each day. All events will be streamed on ESPN+.
Rice returns to the NCAA Championships with individual qualifiers for the first time since 2024, as both Cole and Portello will be making their NCAA Championships debut.
Portello and Cole each earned automatic bids as conference champions, with Portello qualifying in the 1,650 and 500 freestyle and Cole in the 400 IM. Automatic berths are awarded to conference champions who meet NCAA qualifying standards.
At the American Athletic Conference Championships, Portello posted winning times of 16:23.84 in the 1,650 freestyle and 4:42.67 in the 500 freestyle, while Cole secured her title with a 4:12.61 in the 400 IM.
The Owls enter the meet following back-to-back American Conference championships, where they totaled 17 medals and five individual titles.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday March 18 – 1,650 Free
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Thursday March 19 – 400 IM
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Friday March 20 – 500 Free
Prelims | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Finals | 5 p.m. | ESPN+
Players Mentioned
IM/Fly/Breast
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