University of Tennessee Athletics
November 03, 2026 | Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee will be well represented at the 2026 World Aquatics Short Course World Championships in Beijing, Dec. 1-6.
Four current Tennessee athletes have already earned their spots on international rosters for the competition, while two former athletes have also secured spots for their home nations. The group of current swimmers heading to the short course world championships includes Lilly Daley (Bermuda), Mizuki Hirai (Japan), Pedro Sansone (Brazil) and Mantas Kaušpedas. Former Tennessee swimmers Mona McSharry (Ireland) and Lamar Taylor (Bahamas) will suit up for their home countries at the world championships in December.
Hirai opened her 2026-27 season in Tennessee's second CSL match, where the sophomore got the win in the 100 IM and placed second in the 100 fly. During her freshman season, Hirai earned First Team All-SEC honors after securing three medals at the SEC Championships and Second Team All-America in the 100 fly after finishing seventh at the 2026 NCAA Championships. She has represented Japan at multiple events, including doing so at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This season, Daley has earned a pair of second place finishes in the dual meet against Carson-Newman. In her first season on Rocky Top, Daley posted multiple podium finishes, including a second place finish in the 50 Free against Arizona State in the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge. While representing Bermuda at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the junior finished top ten in three events, with her best finish being sixth place in the 50 freestyle.
Sansone enters his junior season this year this season, coming off a sophomore campaign that saw him earn All-SEC Third Team recognition. Sansone was a member of both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams at SECs that won bronze medals. Sansone also garnered All-America status last season after helping lead the 200 free relay team to a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships. At the 2026 Brazilian Short Course Championships, Sansone notched podium finishes in both the 50 freestyle (second) and 100 freestyle (third).
Kaušpedas is in his first season at UT. Kaušpedas got his first victory of his collegiate career, touching the wall in 47.15 in the 100 back to take first. At the 2026 Lithuanian Championships, Kaušpedas took first place in the 50 and 100 backstroke. He holds multiple Lithuanian records in the 50 SCM back, 50 LCM back, the 100 SCM back and the Mixed 4x100 medley relay. He also won the 50 back for Lithuania at the 2024 European Aquatics Junior Championships.
McSharry had a storied career at Tennessee. She captured 25 SEC medals across her five-year career, including eight gold medals. She was the national runner-up in the 100 breast at NCAAs in three consecutive seasons and got the silver medal in the 200 breast at the 2025 championships. McSharry has twice swam for Ireland at the Olympics and got the bronze medal in the 100 breast at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Taylor was part of both 200 free and 400 free relay teams won national titles for Tennessee at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Taylor also won a trio of relay gold medals at the 2025 SEC Championships. Taylor has competed for The Bahamas at the 2024 Olympics, and has also medaled for the nation in both the Pan American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games.
Four current Tennessee athletes have already earned their spots on international rosters for the competition, while two former athletes have also secured spots for their home nations. The group of current swimmers heading to the short course world championships includes Lilly Daley (Bermuda), Mizuki Hirai (Japan), Pedro Sansone (Brazil) and Mantas Kaušpedas. Former Tennessee swimmers Mona McSharry (Ireland) and Lamar Taylor (Bahamas) will suit up for their home countries at the world championships in December.
Hirai opened her 2026-27 season in Tennessee's second CSL match, where the sophomore got the win in the 100 IM and placed second in the 100 fly. During her freshman season, Hirai earned First Team All-SEC honors after securing three medals at the SEC Championships and Second Team All-America in the 100 fly after finishing seventh at the 2026 NCAA Championships. She has represented Japan at multiple events, including doing so at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This season, Daley has earned a pair of second place finishes in the dual meet against Carson-Newman. In her first season on Rocky Top, Daley posted multiple podium finishes, including a second place finish in the 50 Free against Arizona State in the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge. While representing Bermuda at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the junior finished top ten in three events, with her best finish being sixth place in the 50 freestyle.
Sansone enters his junior season this year this season, coming off a sophomore campaign that saw him earn All-SEC Third Team recognition. Sansone was a member of both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams at SECs that won bronze medals. Sansone also garnered All-America status last season after helping lead the 200 free relay team to a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships. At the 2026 Brazilian Short Course Championships, Sansone notched podium finishes in both the 50 freestyle (second) and 100 freestyle (third).
Kaušpedas is in his first season at UT. Kaušpedas got his first victory of his collegiate career, touching the wall in 47.15 in the 100 back to take first. At the 2026 Lithuanian Championships, Kaušpedas took first place in the 50 and 100 backstroke. He holds multiple Lithuanian records in the 50 SCM back, 50 LCM back, the 100 SCM back and the Mixed 4x100 medley relay. He also won the 50 back for Lithuania at the 2024 European Aquatics Junior Championships.
McSharry had a storied career at Tennessee. She captured 25 SEC medals across her five-year career, including eight gold medals. She was the national runner-up in the 100 breast at NCAAs in three consecutive seasons and got the silver medal in the 200 breast at the 2025 championships. McSharry has twice swam for Ireland at the Olympics and got the bronze medal in the 100 breast at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Taylor was part of both 200 free and 400 free relay teams won national titles for Tennessee at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Taylor also won a trio of relay gold medals at the 2025 SEC Championships. Taylor has competed for The Bahamas at the 2024 Olympics, and has also medaled for the nation in both the Pan American Games and Central American and Caribbean Games.
Players Mentioned
Breast
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Fly/Back/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Men's Swimming & DivingFriday, April 10
Friday, February 27
Friday, January 30
Thursday, May 01
