University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Conor Dillon/UGAAA
Dobson Ready For a Busy Week At NCAAs
March 17, 2026 | The Frierson Files, Women's Swimming & Diving
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Kennedi Dobson heads into this week's NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at Georgia Tech in peak postseason form.
At last month's SEC Championships, she not only medaled in all three of her individual events — the 200-yard freestyle (bronze), 500 free (silver) and 1,650 free (silver) — she also set multiple personal bests and set a new program record in the 500.
"I think it just gave me confidence in that I know how to race," she said of what she took away from the SEC meet, "and I don't need to be nervous going up against girls who I've kind of looked up to in different ways; and just knowing that I'm there for a reason and I can race them."
Dobson not only knows how to race, she loves racing.
"Whenever I get the chance to race, I'm excited," said the freshman from Levittown, Pa., who won titles in the 200, 500 and 1,650 freestyle events at the 2024 U.S. Open, as well as in the 200 individual medley. She also placed fourth in the 200-meter freestyle and fifth in the 800 at the 2025 World Junior Championships last August in Romania.
Though Dobson has primarily raced freestyle events at Georgia so far, Bulldogs Tom Cousins Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach Stefanie Williams Moreno said she has the potential to do a lot more. That's something they will explore going forward.
"I think if I were to pick (her best event) right now, like today, I think she would probably say the 500, but she's a pretty good 200 backstroker, too," Williams Moreno said. "I think there are things that we're going to work on in the springtime, because she wants to be an all-around great swimmer, an elite swimmer, not just the 200, 500 and the mile. ...
"I think she's probably going to be like a little Swiss army knife who can do a lot of things really well. I think she's great at a lot of things, and my job is to continue to develop what she's already good at and what I think she can also be really good at, too."
Dobson will start her NCAA meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday with the 1,650-yard freestyle, an event in which she has the second-fastest time in the country this year at 15:43.72. She will also swim later in the day in the 800 free relay.
On Thursday, Dobson will compete in the 200 freestyle, an event in which she has the 10th-fastest time (1:42.19) but is less than a second away from ranking fourth, so a high finish is very possible. She will also be part of the Bulldogs' 200 free relay squad that day.
Dobson will race the 500 on Friday, and she will wrap up her meet Saturday with the 400 freestyle relay. It's a busy, full schedule of events at the NCAAs, but it's one that Dobson is eager to take on.Â
"I'm really competitive," she said. "I like to get on the block and just see what I can do."
"She does better the more she races," Williams Moreno said. "She gets better as the week goes on. It's just a testament to her training and being super competitive."
Her freshman year has gone by quickly, she said, and she's greatly enjoyed her team experience in and out of the pool.
"All of the girls are great training partners, and just really good friends," she said. "That makes practices more enjoyable to kind of get through those hard sets. You need people around you smiling and being positive, so it's definitely helpful."
Once Georgia's season is over, Dobson will still have plenty of big races ahead. She's a member of the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships Team and the USA Swimming National Team. The Pan Pacs, as they're called, will be in Irvine, Calif., in August, and Dobson is excited for the opportunity to race in such a big event. And she can't help but dream of competing for the U.S. in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
"I feel like it's a seesaw kind of thing. Sometimes I'll think about it, and then other times I'm like, there are still two more years of practices and other competitions that I have between now and trying to make the team," she said.
One thing Moreno Williams doesn't have to worry about is keeping Dobson motivated. Dobson likes the grind of each swimming practice, knowing that she's pushing herself hard to be better today and tomorrow than she was yesterday.
"I think I've always embraced it; I have a lot of fun," she said. "I think finishing a hard practice and being like, OK, I did that. It was hard, but we got through it. I think all of the girls here do that really well. Once you're done, you feel really accomplished, and that's a good feeling."
Staff Writer
Kennedi Dobson heads into this week's NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at Georgia Tech in peak postseason form.
At last month's SEC Championships, she not only medaled in all three of her individual events — the 200-yard freestyle (bronze), 500 free (silver) and 1,650 free (silver) — she also set multiple personal bests and set a new program record in the 500.
"I think it just gave me confidence in that I know how to race," she said of what she took away from the SEC meet, "and I don't need to be nervous going up against girls who I've kind of looked up to in different ways; and just knowing that I'm there for a reason and I can race them."
Dobson not only knows how to race, she loves racing.
"Whenever I get the chance to race, I'm excited," said the freshman from Levittown, Pa., who won titles in the 200, 500 and 1,650 freestyle events at the 2024 U.S. Open, as well as in the 200 individual medley. She also placed fourth in the 200-meter freestyle and fifth in the 800 at the 2025 World Junior Championships last August in Romania.
Though Dobson has primarily raced freestyle events at Georgia so far, Bulldogs Tom Cousins Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach Stefanie Williams Moreno said she has the potential to do a lot more. That's something they will explore going forward.
"I think if I were to pick (her best event) right now, like today, I think she would probably say the 500, but she's a pretty good 200 backstroker, too," Williams Moreno said. "I think there are things that we're going to work on in the springtime, because she wants to be an all-around great swimmer, an elite swimmer, not just the 200, 500 and the mile. ...
"I think she's probably going to be like a little Swiss army knife who can do a lot of things really well. I think she's great at a lot of things, and my job is to continue to develop what she's already good at and what I think she can also be really good at, too."
Dobson will start her NCAA meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday with the 1,650-yard freestyle, an event in which she has the second-fastest time in the country this year at 15:43.72. She will also swim later in the day in the 800 free relay.
On Thursday, Dobson will compete in the 200 freestyle, an event in which she has the 10th-fastest time (1:42.19) but is less than a second away from ranking fourth, so a high finish is very possible. She will also be part of the Bulldogs' 200 free relay squad that day.
Dobson will race the 500 on Friday, and she will wrap up her meet Saturday with the 400 freestyle relay. It's a busy, full schedule of events at the NCAAs, but it's one that Dobson is eager to take on.Â
"I'm really competitive," she said. "I like to get on the block and just see what I can do."
"She does better the more she races," Williams Moreno said. "She gets better as the week goes on. It's just a testament to her training and being super competitive."
Her freshman year has gone by quickly, she said, and she's greatly enjoyed her team experience in and out of the pool.
"All of the girls are great training partners, and just really good friends," she said. "That makes practices more enjoyable to kind of get through those hard sets. You need people around you smiling and being positive, so it's definitely helpful."
Once Georgia's season is over, Dobson will still have plenty of big races ahead. She's a member of the U.S. Pan Pacific Championships Team and the USA Swimming National Team. The Pan Pacs, as they're called, will be in Irvine, Calif., in August, and Dobson is excited for the opportunity to race in such a big event. And she can't help but dream of competing for the U.S. in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
"I feel like it's a seesaw kind of thing. Sometimes I'll think about it, and then other times I'm like, there are still two more years of practices and other competitions that I have between now and trying to make the team," she said.
One thing Moreno Williams doesn't have to worry about is keeping Dobson motivated. Dobson likes the grind of each swimming practice, knowing that she's pushing herself hard to be better today and tomorrow than she was yesterday.
"I think I've always embraced it; I have a lot of fun," she said. "I think finishing a hard practice and being like, OK, I did that. It was hard, but we got through it. I think all of the girls here do that really well. Once you're done, you feel really accomplished, and that's a good feeling."
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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