INDIANAPOLIS – Senior Madi Bodhidatta closed the book on an exceptional collegiate career this week, representing Cal Lutheran at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships inside the Indiana University Natatorium.

Competing among the nation's top swimmers for the third consecutive season, Bodhidatta once again proved herself on the national stage, taking part in three individual events across the four-day meet.

She opened competition on Wednesday in the 50 freestyle, finishing tied for 32nd with a time of 23.60. Bodhidatta returned to the pool Thursday for the 100 butterfly, where she turned in a strong performance, placing 34th in 56.51, just .24 seconds shy of her own program record set at last year's national championships.

On Saturday, Bodhidatta wrapped up her collegiate career in the 100 freestyle, touching in 52.21 to place 51st in the prelims.

While she did not advance to finals this year, Bodhidatta's presence at the national meet marked a fitting conclusion to one of the most accomplished careers in program history. A three-time NCAA qualifier and All-SCIAC performer, she leaves Cal Lutheran as a record-holder, leader, and cornerstone of the Regals' success in the pool.

"What I saw this week from Madi first of all was the best focus of anyone we've had on our team in years," said Head Coach Barry Schreifels. "She dialed in what she had to do, she prepared, she was physically ready, and when she is getting closer and closer to a race, you can see her focus narrowing and narrowing, and by the time the race starts, she is dead focused on going when the beep goes."

Schreifels also expressed that he saw Bodhidatta "carrying a culmination of her career" on the national stage.

"She's set more team records than anyone in the history of our school, and she's broken many of her own records over her career, so I was really proud of her for that," he said. "She was representing our school, representing our history, and she's very visible at these meets. Everybody cheers for her, certainly the teams that have competed against her in our conference, but also the teams around us. She's somebody that has brought a lot of really positive attention to our school and our program."

"Madi came here and started with good times but not NCAA times, and then she saw the rhythm in her first year and saw what NCAAs was with some of our people going, and she flipped a page," said Schreifels. "She said 'I'm gonna do that' and she came in the next year more prepared and just ready to make that next step. We've had boys go who took their whole career to make it and were very successful swimmers here, but Madi just said after that first year 'I'm going'. Again, her focus led her to do everything that helped her make it the last three years, and that is very impressive."

Schreifels also emphasized Bodhidatta's impact outside the pool.

"Out of the water, she's somebody that doesn't tolerate things that interfere with the purpose of what we're doing," he said. "She knows what she has to do and inspires other people to follow."

"Madi always has our young sprinters trailing her," Schreifels added. "They want her to rub off on them, and for her habits to become their habits. They've come to understand that she's pretty special. Her influence has affected our entire program over her years here."

Bodhidatta's impact extends far beyond her results in Indianapolis. From rewriting the record book to consistently competing among the best in the country, she helped elevate the standard for Cal Lutheran swimming and leaves a lasting legacy for future Regals to follow.