By Will Baxley on SwimSwam
The NCAA has released the qualifying standards for the 2025 Division III Championships.
On the men’s side, the cut times got faster across the board compared to last year, particularly in the breaststroke. The women’s side also saw faster qualification times in nearly every event in the A-cut. The biggest changes coming from the 200 fly and other middle-distance events. Women’s B-cuts got slightly faster in butterfly, breaststroke, and IM events while remaining the same in freestyle and backstroke.
Men’s Cuts
| Event | 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut | 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut | 2024 Invite Time |
| 50 Free | 19.46 | 20.37 | 20.16 |
| 100 Free | 43.31 | 45.02 | 44.51 |
| 200 Free | 1:36.16 | 1:39.40 | 1:38.62 |
| 500 Free | 4:20.26 | 4:31.24 | 4:29.54 |
| 1650 Free | 15:02.59 | 15:50.88 | 15:43.03 |
| 100 Back | 46.29 | 49.28 | 48.62 |
| 200 Back | 1:42.02 | 1:49.01 | 1:47.52 |
| 100 Breast | 52.11 | 55.29 | 54.62 |
| 200 Breast | 1:53.85 | 2:01.06 | 1:59.78 |
| 100 Fly | 46.52 | 48.63 | 48.12 |
| 200 Fly | 1:43.96 | 1:49.88 | 1:48.62 |
| 200 IM | 1:44.94 | 1:50.25 | 1:49.24 |
| 400 IM | 3:47.19 | 3:58.93 | 3:56.33 |
| 200 FR-R | N/A | 1:21.55 | 1:21.20 |
| 400 FR-R | N/A | 3:01.31 | 3:00.30 |
| 800 FR-R | N/A | 6:40.49 | 6:37.94 |
| 200 MR-R | N/A | 1:29.60 | 1:28.93 |
| 400 MR-R | N/A | 3:18.26 | 3:16.80 |
Women’s Cuts
| Event | 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut | 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut | 2024 Invite Time |
| 50 Free | 22.65 | 23.57 | 23.53 |
| 100 Free | 49.31 | 51.42 | 51.28 |
| 200 Free | 1:47.13 | 1:52.17 | 1:51.64 |
| 500 Free | 4:45.33 | 5:00.37 | 4:58.57 |
| 1650 Free | 16:27.52 | 17:21.20 | 17:18.05 |
| 100 Back | 53.70 | 56.76 | 56.73 |
| 200 Back | 1:55.94 | 2:03.17 | 2:03.08 |
| 100 Breast | 59.84 | 1:04.25 | 1:03.99 |
| 200 Breast | 2:10.99 | 2:20.43 | 2:19.78 |
| 100 Fly | 52.92 | 55.96 | 55.74 |
| 200 Fly | 1:56.90 | 2:05.01 | 2:04.49 |
| 200 IM | 1:58.27 | 2:05.70 | 2:05.44 |
| 400 IM | 4:13.77 | 4:29.40 | 4:28.50 |
| 200 FR-R | N/A | 1:35.10 | 1:34.49 |
| 400 FR-R | N/A | 3:29.09 | 3:28.16 |
| 800 FR-R | N/A | 7:38.31 | 7:33.95 |
| 200 MR-R | N/A | 1:44.61 | 1:44.06 |
| 400 MR-R | N/A | 3:50.46 | 3:49.31 |
You can find the official documents here:
Comparing to last year’s standards
Men’s ‘A’ Cut Standards Comparison
| Event | 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut | 2023-24 ‘A’ Cut | Time Difference (s) | Percentage Difference |
| 50 Free | 19.46 | 19.49 | -0.03 | -0.15% |
| 100 Free | 43.31 | 43.33 | -0.02 | -0.05% |
| 200 Free | 1:36.16 | 1:36.16 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 500 Free | 4:20.26 | 4:22.06 | -1.80 | -0.69% |
| 1650 Free | 15:02.59 | 15:14.69 | -12.10 | -1.33% |
| 100 Back | 46.29 | 46.29 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 200 Back | 1:42.02 | 1:42.23 | -0.21 | -0.20% |
| 100 Breast | 52.11 | 52.99 | -0.88 | -1.66% |
| 200 Breast | 1:53.85 | 1:55.65 | -1.80 | -1.54% |
| 100 Fly | 46.52 | 46.73 | -0.21 | -0.45% |
| 200 Fly | 1:43.96 | 1:44.48 | -0.52 | -0.50% |
| 200 IM | 1:44.94 | 1:46.29 | -1.35 | -1.27% |
| 400 IM | 3:47.19 | 3:49.29 | -2.10 | -0.92% |
Men’s ‘B’ Cut Standards Comparison
| Event | 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut | 2023-24 ‘B’ Cut | Time Difference (s) | Percentage Difference |
| 50 Free | 20.37 | 20.43 | -0.06 | -0.29% |
| 100 Free | 45.02 | 45.11 | -0.09 | -0.20% |
| 200 Free | 1:39.40 | 1:39.71 | -0.31 | -0.31% |
| 500 Free | 4:31.24 | 4:31.63 | -0.39 | -0.14% |
| 1650 Free | 15:50.88 | 15:50.88 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 100 Back | 49.28 | 49.48 | -0.20 | -0.40% |
| 200 Back | 1:49.01 | 1:49.15 | -0.14 | -0.13% |
| 100 Breast | 55.29 | 55.55 | -0.26 | -0.47% |
| 200 Breast | 2:01.06 | 2:01.59 | -0.53 | -0.44% |
| 100 Fly | 48.63 | 48.76 | -0.13 | -0.27% |
| 200 Fly | 1:49.88 | 1:50.26 | -0.38 | -0.34% |
| 200 IM | 1:50.25 | 1:50.64 | -0.39 | -0.35% |
| 400 IM | 3:58.93 | 3:59.21 | -0.28 | -0.12% |
Women’s ‘A’ Cut Standards Comparison
| Event | 2024-25 ‘A’ Cut | 2023-24 ‘A’ Cut | Time Difference (s) | Percentage Difference |
| 50 Free | 22.65 | 22.75 | -0.10 | -0.44% |
| 100 Free | 49.31 | 49.52 | -0.21 | -0.42% |
| 200 Free | 1:47.13 | 1:47.87 | -0.74 | -0.69% |
| 500 Free | 4:45.33 | 4:49.75 | -4.42 | -1.52% |
| 1650 Free | 16:27.52 | 16:32.84 | -5.32 | -0.54% |
| 100 Back | 53.70 | 53.83 | -0.13 | -0.24% |
| 200 Back | 1:55.94 | 1:56.94 | -1.00 | -0.86% |
| 100 Breast | 59.84 | 1:00.11 | -0.27 | -0.45% |
| 200 Breast | 2:10.99 | 2:11.20 | -0.21 | -0.16% |
| 100 Fly | 52.92 | 53.81 | -0.89 | -1.65% |
| 200 Fly | 1:56.90 | 1:59.83 | -2.93 | -2.45% |
| 200 IM | 1:58.27 | 1:58.47 | -0.20 | -0.17% |
| 400 IM | 4:13.77 | 4:15.91 | -2.14 | -0.84% |
Women’s ‘B’ Cut Standards Comparison
| Event | 2024-25 ‘B’ Cut | 2023-24 ‘B’ Cut | Time Difference (s) | Percentage Difference |
| 50 Free | 23.57 | 23.57 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 100 Free | 51.42 | 51.46 | -0.04 | -0.08% |
| 200 Free | 1:52.17 | 1:52.15 | 0.02 | 0.02% |
| 500 Free | 5:00.37 | 5:00.37 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 1650 Free | 17:21.20 | 17:21.20 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 100 Back | 56.76 | 56.76 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 200 Back | 2:03.17 | 2:03.17 | 0.00 | 0.00% |
| 100 Breast | 1:04.25 | 1:04.39 | -0.14 | -0.22% |
| 200 Breast | 2:20.43 | 2:20.85 | -0.42 | -0.30% |
| 100 Fly | 55.96 | 56.06 | -0.10 | -0.18% |
| 200 Fly | 2:05.01 | 2:05.26 | -0.25 | -0.20% |
| 200 IM | 2:05.70 | 2:05.76 | -0.06 | -0.05% |
| 400 IM | 4:29.40 | 4:29.67 | -0.27 | -0.10% |
Meet Selection Process
First, the top 20 women and top 16 men in each individual event are selected. After that, members of the top 20 women’s and top 16 men’s relays receive invites. If the maximum invite of 319 women and 260 men is not yet met, swimmers are added one by one in individual events until the invite capacity is reached. There are 24 men’s and 29 women’s diving spots reserved out of the total invites from their respective meets. Invite selection for divers take place according to regional placements
The meet will take place from March 19-22, 2025 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Time Standards for 2025 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships Released