Sports
Katie Ledecky Overcame Tough Competition to Cap Off Season
Katie Ledecky Overcame Unprecedented Competition to Cap Off Historic Season
Few swimmers have ever matched the magic Katie Ledecky brought to international competition in her first five years of major meets. A 15-year-old prodigy pulling a huge upset at the 2012 Olympics turned into three world titles and a pair of world records one year after that. By 2015, Ledecky had obliterated existing world records in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle, and she added 200-meter gold for an unprecedented sweep. Her peak performance came in 2016, her Rio Olympic performance personifying mastery and dominance.
The season Ledecky put together in 2025 has been her best one since, thanks to her first world record in the 800 free in nine years plus one of the hardest-fought victories of her career at the recent World Championships.
Katie Ledecky — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
That’s not to take anything away from the relentless winning of the past eight years. During that span, Ledecky was beaten exactly once in the 800 or 1500 free, and it was at a tune-up meet of little consequence last spring. Several years ago, she surrendered her dominance in the 400 free as Ariarne Titmus and then Summer McIntosh emerged as true rivals, but she has never missed the international podium in that event. She no longer races the 200 free internationally but has remained the vital cog for the American women in the 800 free relay.
But this year has stood out since Ledecky opened the Fort Lauderdale Pro Series meet with the second-fastest time ever in the 1500 free, behind only her world record set seven years earlier. Two days later, Ledecky pulled off another stunner in the 400 free, sling-shotting ahead of McIntosh to record her second-best time ever in that event, coming within tenths of her American record from the 2016 Games.
Those two swims were a precursor to her stunning 800-meter time of 8:04.12 on the meet’s final night. The performance earned Ledecky standing ovation as she embraced current and former teammates and coaches, with former Stanford coach and current USA Swimming National Team Director Greg Meehan calling her “beyond inspiring.”
But world titles had not yet been handed out, and the challenges were coming. First came McIntosh, who fired off a warning shot of 8:05.07 at Canadian Trials, quicker than Ledecky swam at her selection meet. That was followed shortly thereafter by a time of 8:10.84 from Lani Pallister at Australian Trials, quicker than the previous Aussie record set by Titmus en route to Olympic silver behind Ledecky last year.
So for the first time in her career, Ledecky went to Singapore as merely the co-favorite in the 800 free rather than the unequivocal No. 1. What transpired was a testament to both her greatness and her legacy.
The medal count shows that Ledecky expanded upon a résumé that was already the best in the history of the World Championships. Her two additional world titles in individual races brought her career to 18, three ahead of second-place Michael Phelps and four clear of next-best female Sarah Sjostrom. Including relays, Ledecky now owns 23 gold medals and 30 total medals, both second all-time to Phelps. And her win in the 800 free made her the first swimmer to capture seven world titles in a single event.
Look deeper, and you’ll see that Ledecky surpassed the fastest silver-medal-winning times ever. In the 1500, Ledecky won gold by five seconds, but Italy’s Simona Quadarella took silver in 15:31.79, chopping seven full seconds from the European record and annihilating her previous best time by nine.
Quadarella, whose already-sizeable international medal collection would include far more golds if not for Ledecky’s presence, broke up Ledecky’s stranglehold on the top-25 performances in history. She is now within 12 seconds of Ledecky’s world record in the 1500 free. It had been a decade since anyone had ever been that close.
Four days later in the 800 free final, Quadarella swam another huge personal best as she knocked off Rebecca Adlington’s continental standard in the 800 free. The time of 8:12.81 would have won a medal at every previous international competition. Not this time, not even close.
Lani Pallister, Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh on the 800 free podium — Photo Courtesy: Emily Cameron
Before Singapore, Ledecky was the only swimmer to ever break 8:10 at a major competition, and McIntosh was the only other swimmer to ever go below that barrier (on two prior occasions, both this year). This final, though, saw McIntosh and Pallister stick with Ledecky the entire distance. Only in the final meters could the American legend break away, but a championship record of 8:05.62 was required to edge Pallister by 0.36.
Yes, a championship record, quicker than any times Ledecky posted in her previous six title-winning swims. McIntosh was profoundly disappointed with her bronze-medal swim, but her time of 8:07.29 was still a tick quicker than Ledecky’s previous meet record of 8:07.39 from a decade earlier. The times by the top-three performers were the second, third and fourth-fastest times ever at a championship meet, trailing only Ledecky’s result from the 2016 Olympic final.
Though most of her previous wins in the 800 free have been in dominant fashion, Ledecky had faced tougher competition on occasion. Her most difficult win came at the 2019 World Championships, a meet where she battled illness all week and needed a late burst to hold off Quadarella. In the past two Olympic finals, Titmus has stayed close throughout. However, Ledecky was not close to her best form on any of those occasions.
This year, Ledecky took the best shot from all of her main rivals minus Titmus, who took the year away from competition. The 1500 was closer and the 800 down to the wire not because of Ledecky faltering but because of massive improvements from Pallister, McIntosh and Quadarella. None of these women would have dreamed of approaching these times if not for Ledecky showing them what was possible, but yet again, the distance queen came through.
Perhaps we have taken her greatness for granted when the races have been not so competitive, when the records have been out of reach. Not this time; this was maximum Ledecky, the greatest female swimmer ever somehow surpassing herself.
Updated Dec. 5, 2025, 11:15 p.m. MT
One step closer.
No. 2 seed Arizona State volleyball is back in the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons.
The Sun Devils defeated Utah State in four sets (25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Desert Financial Arena on Friday, Dec. 5.
“It was really special for me,” senior outside hitter Bailey Miller said. “I was one of the only ones last year when we got upset (in the second round), so I think going into it, all the girls just wanted to recognize all the girls who didn’t get to go to the Sweet 16 last year and took it seriously. It was really special.”
ASU’s return to the Sweet 16 offers a sweeter follow-up to last season’s second-round exit after the Sun Devils earned a hosting bid for the first two rounds. As painful as it was for coach JJ Van Niel, he chose not to let last year cloud the current success.
“I don’t reflect back,” Van Niel said. “That’s negative, but it’s just moving forward. Every year is a new shot, but last year was very painful. Mostly, because I didn’t think we played our best volleyball.”
With few players remaining from last year, Van Niel wasn’t sure how ASU’s season would go and if they’d repeat as Big 12 champions and NCAA Tournament hosts. But his team has done both and added more with a Sweet 16 berth.
“I really had no idea this year what we were going to look like,” Van Niel said. “It’s 100% a new lineup and I’m really proud of these kids because they’ve fought and they’ve scrapped. They’ve all gotten better through the year and they’ve earned this Sweet 16, it’s a really special group.”
What was key for ASU was their defense against a scrappy team that rarely went down in one swing. The Sun Devils were up to the task as they benefited from USU’s 21 attack errors.
USU’s strong offense forced ASU’s middle blockers to front the middle, exploiting their right-side players. While the middle blockers didn’t get as many kills as they did in the first round, it opened the floor for Miller, Noemie Glover and Tatum Parrott.
Miller led ASU with 18 kills on .471 hitting and two errors, a stark improvement from her first-round performance. Glover didn’t commit any errors and had 17 kills on .531 hitting. Parrott added 13 kills.
ASU was serving well again as the Aggies sided out 56.3% of the time, including less than half the time in the first set. Miller’s three aces helped ASU finish with a 7-5 advantage in service aces.
“They’re a great offensive team and their middle (blockers) were very active,” Miller said. “We haven’t really seen a lot of that, so it definitely took some adjusting. But in the end, that’s our bread and butter, being able to adjust and be ready.”
The Aggies got their first lead since early in the first set when they started with an 8-5 edge over ASU in the third set. Instead of putting them away like in the first two sets, ASU had trouble against USU’s attack.
As the third set neared the end, neither side scored twice for six consecutive points until USU got a 24-22 lead over ASU. The Aggies then scored off a bad set from ASU’s Sydney Henry.
The Aggies were strong to start the fourth set, but ASU’s 6-0 run midway through the set helped the Sun Devils gain the separation needed and eliminate them.
The Sun Devils will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, and play No. 3 Creighton in the regional hosted by No. 1 seed Kentucky, either Dec. 12 or 13.
ASU capped off an impressive season at home where it went 16-0, and only dropped eight sets in those games.
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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Olivia Babcock didn’t realize her performance during the first round of the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament gave her the Pitt record for most kills in a season. Babcock knew she met the previous record holder, Wendy Hatlestad, during alumni weekend.
Babcock recorded 13 kills during the Panthers’ 25-10, 25-17, 25-13 win Friday night at Petersen Events Center in front of a crowd of 4,240. Babcock now has 558 kills, going past the single-season record of 555 Hatlestad set in 2003.
“I was talking to her two weeks ago,” Babcock said. “That’s crazy I just met her. But I think it says a lot about how much my team trusts me to take those big rips, and it gives me the opportunity to score and get as many kills as I do.”
Everyone had a good night hitting for the top-seeded Panthers, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th straight season.
The Panthers committed only four attack errors against UMBC (13-12) and finished with a hitting percentage of .551.
“It’s really good to start out and to remind ourselves to maintain high standards,” Babcock said. “Obviously, all of these teams have made it into the tournament because they’re an amazing team, and everyone’s going to bring their best volleyball. I think we just need to make sure that we’re playing our best, too, because, especially in these matches, we don’t wanna slip up and give away a set or a match.”
Pitt (27-4) hasn’t dropped a set in the first round since it beat VCU, 3-1, in 2017 at Penn State.
The Retrievers qualified for the tournament after winning the America East Conference for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Pitt setter Brooke Mosher, who finished with 34 assists, said the Panthers got themselves in system thanks to their good passing.
Blaire Bayless was second for the Panthers with nine kills, and Abby Emch contributed eight.
“That made it really easy for me to spread the ball around and get the middles involved,” Mosher said. “Then, I trusted my teammates to be able to put the ball away.”
Pitt lost the first point of the match after UMBC delivered on a kill by Jalynn Brown. The Panthers responded by scoring the next three points, capping the surge with an ace by Izzy Masten.
UMBC struggled to find holes in Pitt’s defense. The Retrievers hit .129 and were led by seven kills from Hannah Dobbs.
UMBC coach Kasey Crider was happy with how they played.
“We don’t have an Olivia Babcock slayer, so, bummer,” Crider said. “I’ve been to this tournament a few times as a head coach and assistant coach, and I’ve never walked away from the tournament thinking we were the best at the end until today. It still hurts, but there were no regrets.”
Pitt will take on Michigan in the second round Saturday. The Wolverines advanced by beating Xavier. The Panthers are 3-6 all-time against the Wolverines.
Pitt’s only meeting with Michigan in the NCAA Tournament came in 2018, when the Wolverines upset Pitt in five sets at Petersen Events Center.
Mosher, who previously played in the NCAA Tournament with Illinois, said she doesn’t feel any extra pressure playing as the No. 1 seed.
“I think just being in the tournament has its own weight in itself,” Mosher said. “Every game your season is on the line, which is the same no matter who you are.”
Josh Rizzo is a freelance writer.
Dec. 6, 2025, 6:03 a.m. CT
Kansas State volleyball survived and advanced, and now it will take on the No. 1 team in the country in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers will face off at 7 p.m. in the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Watch K-State volleyball in NCAA Tournament
Nebraska enters the match 31-0, seeking its first championship since 2017. The Huskers cruised to a three-set win over Long Island.
K-State’s win over San Diego to advance was more dramatic. The Wildcats (18-9, 10-8 Big 12) pulled it off in five sets, while needing to win the fourth to make it possible.
What channel is Kansas State volleyball vs Nebraska on today?
- TV channel: None
- Stream:ESPN+
Kansas State volleyball vs. Nebraska will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Watch K-State volleyball in NCAA Tournament
Kansas State volleyball vs Nebraska time today
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 6
- Start time: 7 p.m. CT
Kansas State and Nebraska will begin at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women’s track and field team turned in 13 performances that ranked on its all-time performers’ list at the season-opening M City Classic on Friday at the University of Minnesota Fieldhouse.
First years accounted for 11 of the 13 performances that ranked on St. Olaf’s all-time list at the unscored meet, which included teams from the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and club levels. In addition to the top-10 list performances, senior Ella Landis posted St. Olaf’s lone first-place finish at the meet by winning the one-mile run in 5:17.28.
In her first collegiate meet, first year Evangeline Sappington broke onto the program’s all-time performers’ list in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Sappington was the top Division III finisher and was 10th overall in the 200-meter dash (26.84), while also taking second among Division III competitors and 16th overall in the 60-meter dash. Sappington’s time in the 60-meter dash ranks second on the Oles’ all-time list – just four one-hundredths of a second off the record – and her time in the 200-meter dash is fifth.
Sophomore Izzi Jaeckle clocked in with St. Olaf’s No. 4 time in the 60-meter dash by placing 17th (8.10), while first year Ellie Semple also broke onto the list in 10th with a time of 8.28 seconds to finish 27th. Sophomore Logan Paulsen moved up to seventh on the Oles’ list with a sixth-place performance in the shot put (12.48m, 40′ 11 ½”), while first year Abigal Frei cleared 3.26 meters (10′ 8 ¼”) for a No. 5 all-time result and an eighth-place finish.
First years Svea Frantzich and Claire Stein recorded St. Olaf’s No. 8 and No. 10 scores in the pentathlon by finishing seventh (3,005) and eighth (2,993), respectively. Frantzich tied for third in the long jump (5.44m, 17′ 10 ¼”) and was sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.47), which both ranked on St. Olaf’s all-time list. Stein also tied for third in the long jump (5.44m, 10′ 10 ¼”) to highlight her day. First year Annika Walsh was the runner-up in the high jump (1.62m, 5′ 3 ¾”) – fifth all-time – and was seventh in the 60-meter hurdles (9.48) – ninth all-time – as part of a ninth-place finish in the pentathlon (2,881).
St. Olaf will be back in action in 2026 at the Ole Opener at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Tostrud Center.
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BEREA, Ohio – Fans can follow or watch Saturday’s Baldwin Wallace University basketball and indoor track and field action via live results, statistics or video.
The men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams open the 2025-26 season when it travels to Cleveland to compete in the Spartan Alumni Holiday Classic hosted by Case Western Reserve University inside the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center at 11:00 a.m.
Live Results:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3MlDQcr
FloCollege On Demand Live Video:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3KFq6st
The men’s basketball team travels to New Concord for the first game of a men’s and women’s Ohio Athletic Conference and Hoops for Hunger Food Drive doubleheader against Muskingum University on Performance Court inside the Anne C. Steele Center at 1:00 p.m. Fans can receive free admission to the game with a donation of canned food, a non-perishable item, or a monetary contribution.
Tickets:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3WGuwll
Live Statistics:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/493Gehq
FloCollege On Demand Live Video:
https://flosports.link/47hSw2V
The No. 21 nationally ranked women’s basketball team travels to New Concord for the second game of a women’s and men’s Ohio Athletic Conference and Hoops for Hunger Food Drive doubleheader against Muskingum University on Performance Court inside the Anne C. Steele Center at 4:00 p.m. Fans can receive free admission to the game with a donation of canned food, a non-perishable item, or a monetary contribution.
Tickets:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/3WGuwll
Live Statistics:
https://bwyellowjackets.cc/49Ist7Q
FloCollege On Demand Live Video:
https://flosports.link/4qu1Fyr
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