National Champ Once Again; Morford Wins 100-yard Backstroke

(GREENSBORO, N.C.) - Sophomore Brayden Morford is a three-time NCAA Champion after Friday night's 2025 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. The national meet is being held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Morford won his second individual event on the third day of the four-day meet.

Morford had another incredible finals swim, this night in the 100-yard backstroke, as he topped his school record and nation's top time from earlier this year with a finish of 46.61.

This swim came after he helped the 200-yard medley relay finish third in the evening's first event to earn a trophy with a time of 1:27.22. The relay was comprised of junior Arnav Deshpande in the backstroke, senior Christian Lanuza in the breaststroke, Morford in the butterfly, and freshman Matthew Peitler in the freestyle.

Morford now has six NCAA trophies for the meet with the chance to earn a seventh on Saturday when he'll take to the water with his teammates in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Also competiting on Saturday in the final day of the championships will be Peitler and Deshpande in the 100-yard freestyle, freshman Matvey Malinovski in the 200-yard backstroke, and Lanuza in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Morford is the first Tartans to earn three national titles in the same meet and joins Chris Pearson (2005) and Brian Zimmerman (1991) as the only Tartans to win two individual titles at the same meet.

The Tartans are in sixth place with 157 points while Denison University continues to lead the meet with 298 points.