Grace Nickell

Events:
IM/Mid-distance Free
Height:
5-4
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Knoxville, TN
High School:
L and N Stern Academy

TOP TIMES:
50 Free: 25.11 (Mountain West Championship, Feb. 18, 2026)
200 Free: 1:59.36 (at Grand Canyon, Nov. 8-9, 2024)
500 Free: 5:03.06 (Denver First Chance, Feb. 8, 2025)
1000 Free: 10:21.28 (Mountain West Championship, Feb. 21, 2026)
1650 Free: 17:52.17 (Mountain West Championship, Feb. 21, 2026)
5000 Free: 60:46.00 (CSCAA Open Water Championship, Dec. 14, 2025)
100 Back: 1:01.76 (Denver First Chance Invite, Feb. 6, 2026)
50 Breast: 34.14 (Denver First Chance Invite, Feb. 6, 2026)
100 Breast: 1:12.33 (Denver First Chance Invite, Feb. 6, 2026)
50 Fly: 27.98 (Colorado Sprint Championship, Jan. 31, 2026)
100 Fly: 59.22 (Phil Hansel Invitational, Nov. 20, 2025)
200 Fly: 2:04.66 (Mountain West Championship, Feb. 20, 2026)
200 IM: 2:11.22 (Air Force Sprint Eliminator, Feb. 1, 2025)
400 IM: 5:11.85 (Phil Hansel Invitational, Nov. 20, 2025)

SOPHOMORE | 2025-26: Competed in 13 meets…Tallied 11 personal bests…Totaled five top five placements…Earned a pair of bronze in both the 1000 free and 400 IM…Mountain West Academic All-Conference…CSC Academic All-District…Named to the Superintendent’s List…Completed Operation Air Force in Tucson and served as an NCO at Basic Cadet Training during the summer of 2026…Will serve as a Squadron Wing PEER and Flight Chief during her junior year.

FRESHMAN | 2023-24: Competed in 12 meets for the Falcons…Made her collegiate debut at the Front Range Invite…Collected five top five placements across the season…Highest finish was second in the 200 butterfly for a personal best at the Denver First Chance Invite…Swam at the CSCAA Open Water Championship…Named to the Commandant’s and Dean’s Lists…Will serve as a squadron peer supervisor during her sophomore year…Completed CST during the summer of 2025.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: L and N Stem Academy, Knoxville, Tennessee…Varsity swimming…State second place in 500 free…Two-time Teammate of the Year…Tennessee Aquatics.

PERSONAL: Member of cadet squadron 09… Parents are James and Jennifer Nickell…Has a brother, Alex…Major is Biochemistry…Top 10…Helped found women’s engineering club…4.6 GPA…Math modeling…Other interests are Poetry, baking, Harry Potter, fall, and coffee…Brother, Alex, made the Olympic trials and swam for the U.S. Naval Academy— is one of the toughest people she knows…Came to the Academy to serve her country, challenge herself, and meet amazing people.