Kentucky swim and dive competed in the SEC Championship in Knoxville, Tenn., highlighted by a silver medal and a program record in the men’s 1650-yard freestyle.
Senior Levi Sandidge finished second in the 1650 free with a time of 14:30.04, setting a new program record for the Wildcats.
The silver medal marked Sandidge’s fourth career medal in the event at the SEC Championships, earning All-SEC honors in the 1650 free in each of his four seasons.
Junior Carson Hick added to Kentucky’s momentum with a fourth-place finish in the event, touching the wall at 14:39.87 to propel himself to the NCAA Championships.
Kentucky’s performance in the 1650 free contributed to a strong overall showing at the SEC Championships, as the Wildcats continued to make their mark among the conference’s elite.
Both athletes will be propelled into the 2026 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships. Hosted in Atlanta on Wednesday, March 25.
The Kentucky men’s swim and dive team placed 20th overall last season in the NCAA Championships.
Hick earned sixth place in the 1650 freestyle and 11th in the 500 freestyle. Sandidge also placed top 10 earning the eighth-place spot in the 1650 freestyle both athletes becoming first-team All-Americans.
Comparing these performances last year to the current SEC Championships titles put them in a good place for the NCAA Championships. The Wildcats appear in a position to place higher than last year.
However, this success has been consistent throughout both swimmers’ careers.
In 2024, Sandidge posted a 4:17.61 in the 400 individual medley (IM) at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, earning a spot on the 2023-24 U.S. National Team.
Sandidge ranks No. 1 in program history in the 1500, 1000 freestyle and 500 freestyle, solidifying his place among Kentucky’s top distance swimmers.
Since his freshman season, Sandidge has been a consistent postseason performer. He qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman and placed 12th in the 1650 freestyle.
As a sophomore, he earned a bronze medal in the 1650 free at the SEC Championships and again qualified for the NCAA Championships. This season, he added a silver medal in the 1650 free at the SEC meet, continuing his streak of conference success.
He has also built a name for himself as the first Kentucky male swimmer to earn an SEC championship since 2006.
Hick has also proven to be an extremely crucial part of the team.
Swimming a 1:33.61 200 freestyle in the SEC Championships and a 4:10.27 500. As well as placing top 10 last year in the NCAA Championships, naming himself the fastest 1650 swimmer in Kentucky history at that time, swimming a 14:30.35.
Hick was also a 2025-26 NCAA qualifier and a member of the 2025-26 USA Swimming National Team.
Some other accomplishments of his include being a two-time All-American in the 500 free and 1650 free, and in the summer of 2025, he was named to the USA Swimming National Team.
Both swimmers will compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, which began Wednesday, March 25, and will also mark Sandidge’s last meet with the Cats, ending his collegiate swim career.
