2026: Season In Review

STANFORD, Calif. - Fueled by two event victories on the final day of competition, Stanford claimed the 2026 USA Artistic Swimming Collegiate National Championship title to repeat as national champions.

Capturing event crowns in trio and team during a second-day surge, Stanford secured back-to-back national championships for the first time since a four-peat stretch from 2005-08 and won its 11th title in school history. Stanford totaled 98 points, leading the field ahead of runner-up Incarnate Word (83) and third-place Ohio State (82).

This year’s victory was especially memorable, as the Cardinal prevailed in its home pool at Avery Aquatic Center. It’s the fifth time Stanford has won the national championship while hosting, having also accomplished the feat in 2021, 2013, 2006 and 1999.

Yara Elian, Audrey Kwon and Calista Liu combined to win the trio event crown, posting a score of 239.7192. In the team event, Stanford’s top squad of Miko Begossi, Ivy Davis, Elian, Megumi Field, Kwon, Liu, Dalia Ovadia and Karen Xue led the field with a score of 234.920. Field was named the meet’s High Point Athlete while Elvira Khasyanova was honored as the Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm.

Artistic Swimming is one of seven programs on The Farm to have won at least 10 national championships, joining women’s tennis (21), men’s tennis (18), men’s water polo (12), women’s swimming and diving (12), men’s gymnastics (11) and women’s water polo (10).

Stanford swept all five event titles at the Western Regionals meet, which served as Senior Day for Miko Begossi, Yujin Chang, Ivy Davis, Emily Ding, Yara Elian and Atira O’Neil.

Stanford claimed its fifth straight MPSF Championship title on Feb. 14-15, remaining the only team champion since the MPSF started sponsoring the sport in 2022, totaling 101 points. Audrey Kwon and Calista Liu won the duet title with a score of 241.0250. Megumi Field, Dalia Ovadia and Karen Xue won the trio with a score of 224.8996. Taking first-place honors in the team competition were Elisa Brunel, Yujin Chang, Emily Ding, Atira O’Neil, Manu Pindi, Simone Radom, Ella Rau and Yanna Hauck, achieving a score of 206.5058.

The Cardinal was also well-represented among the conference's individual awards. Dalia Ovadia was named MPSF Swimmer of the Meet, Karen Xue was tabbed the MPSF Freshman of the Meet and Elvira Khasyanova was awarded the MPSF Coach of the Meet. Stanford also placed an MPSF-best nine student-athletes on the 20-member all-conference team.

Head coach Elvira Khasyanova completed her first season after serving as assistant coach for the previous seven seasons since her arrival in September 2018. A 2021 International Swimming Hall of Fame inductee, Khasyanova's decorated professional career includes her time as a member of the Russian Senior National Team (1999-2012) and a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the team competition (2004, 2008, 2012).