The No. 6 California men's swimming & diving team is set to compete in its second-ever ACC Championships this week at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, GA.

 

The Golden Bears will look to defend last year's ACC Championship title. In arguably the toughest conference in the nation, the ACC has eight teams in the latest CSCAA Division I Men's Top 25 Poll.

 

*Start Times Subject to Change*

Tuesday, Feb. 17

200 Medley Relay | 800 Free Relay

Prelims – 10:45 AM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Finals – 2:41 PM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Wednesday, Feb. 18

500 Free | 200 IM | 50 Free | 200 Free Relay

Prelims – 7:10 AM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Finals – 2:43 PM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Thursday, Feb. 19

400 IM | 100 Fly | 200 Free

Prelims – 6:57 AM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Finals – 2:54 PM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Friday, Feb. 20

200 Fly | 100 Back | 100 Breast | 400 Medley Relay

Prelims – 6:45 AM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Finals – 2:47 PM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Saturday, Feb. 21

200 Back | 100 Free | 200 Breast | 1650 Free | 400 Free Relay

Prelims – 6:49 AM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

Finals – 1:41 PM PT | Live Stream: ACCNX

 

IN THE RANKINGS

In the latest CSCAA Top 25 Poll released earlier this month, the Bears dropped one spot to No. 6. Cal is second among ACC teams in the poll behind Stanford (No. 5), followed by NC State (No. 8), Louisville (No. 10), Florida State (No. 13), Virginia Tech (No. 21), North Carolina (No. 22) and Virginia (No. 25).

 

TOP TIMES: The Bears feature seven times that rank in the top 10 nationally this season, including two by sophomore Yamato Okadome (100-yard breaststroke, No. 3 – 50.48; 200 breaststroke, No. 4 – 1:50.04). Nathan Wiffen has the fourth-ranked time in the 1,650 freestyle (1:41.69), freshman Ryan Erisman is sixth in the 1,000 free (8:43.48), sophomore Lucca Battaglini is No. 7 in the 50 free (18.78) and senior Evan Petty ranks 10th in the 100 backstroke (44.83). Cal's 200 medley relay team of Battaglini, Okadome, Casper Puggaard and Nans Mazellier recorded the seventh-best time of the season at 1:22.33.

CLIMBING THE RANKS: In addition to putting up some of the best marks in the country this season, several Golden Bears have also made their mark on the program record book in 2025-26.

The new members of Cal's all-time top-10 list include:

• 50 free – Lucca Battaglini, No. 6 – 18.78
• 100 free – Lucca Battaglini, No. 6 – 41.56
• 500 free – Ryan Erisman, No. 8 – 4:12.78
• 1,000 free – Ryan Erisman, No. 1 – 8:43.48; Nathan Wiffen – No. 6, 8:50.30; Eduardo Moreas – No 9, 8:54.09
• 1,650 free – Nathan Wiffen, No. 6 – 1:41.69
• 100 back – Evan Petty, No. 6 – 44.83
• 100 breast – Yamato Okadome, No. 2 – 50.48; Luca Pusateri Gissendaner, No. 7 – 51.25
• 200 breast – Yamato Okadome, No. 4 – 1:50.04
• 100 butterly – Lucca Battaglini, No. 10 – 45.39
• 1-meter dive – Jack Clark, No. 5 – 324.40
• 200 medley relay – Lucca Battaglini, Yamato Okadome, Casper Puggaard, Nans Mazellier, No. 7 – 1:22.33 

 

BIG BAT: Sophomore Lucca Battaglini has emerged as one of the top sprint freestylers in the country this season, compiling top 11 times nationally in both the 50 free and 100 free. Battaglini registered both of his top times at the Minnesota Invitational in December, ripping off a blistering 18.78 in the 50 free - which is the seventh-fastest time in the country this season and No. 6 all time at Cal – as well as a 41.56 in the 100 free, good for No. 11 nationally in 2025-26 and also No. 6 in program history. Battaglini was also part of the Bears' 200 medley relay team that swam a blistering 1:22.33 in Minnesota, which is No. 7 this season and all time at Cal.

ODE TO OKADOME: Sophomore Yamato Okadome is following up on a stellar freshman season with a strong encore as a sophomore, having registered four national top-10 times and setting a pair of pool records at Spieker Aquatics Complex. In addition to clocking the third-fastest 100 breast (50.48) and fourth-fastest 200 breast (1:50.04) times in the NCAA this year at the Minnesota Invitational, the 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year posted a 50.89 in the 100 breast and a 1:51.66 in the 200 breast in the team's double-dual with Stanford and Arizona State to set new standards at Spieker.

RIGHT ON, RYAN: The Bears have another freshman of the year candidate in Ryan Erisman, who made an immediate impact on the program when he set the school record in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 8:43.48 during a tri-meet against Stanford and Arizona State. That's the sixth-best mark in the nation this season in the event. Erisman also registered the No. 8 all-time mark at Cal in the 500 free with a time of 4:12.78.

PERPETUAL EXCELLENCE: The Bears placed second at last year's NCAA Championships, marking a staggering 15th consecutive season they have finished either first or second nationally. Cal has won six national titles during that span.

REIGNING CONFERENCE KINGS
In its first season as a member of the ACC, Cal showcased its dominance throughout the 2024-25 season. The Bears won their first-ever ACC title in a wire-to-wire finish, which included six event crowns at the 2025 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships. Cal had nine student-athletes receive All-ACC honors in at least one event while in total the Bears finished among the top three in 12 different events. Cal also swept the conference's swimming awards – Lucas Henveaux and Yamato Okadome were tabbed the ACC Swimmer of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively, while David Durden walked away with ACC Coach of the Year honor.

U.S NATIONAL TEAM
Seven current and former Bears were named to the 2025-2026 U.S National Team roster, announced by USA Swimming. The roster includes Jack Alexy, Ryan Erisman, Gabriel Jett, Keaton Jones, Trenton Julian, Destin Lasco and Dare Rose.


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