Katharine Berkoff is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. She is a 2024 Olympian and NCAA Champion and 25x All-American for NC State. She is the daughter of Olympic gold medalist David Berkoff.
Berkoff was ranked #3 on SwimSwam’s Top 20 NCAA Recruits Class of 2019, topping the class in both the 100 (51.93) and 200 backstroke (1:51.40).
In November 2018, Berkoff committed to swim collegiately at NC State.
College (NC State)
2019-2020
Berkoff made an immediate impact her freshman season. At her first ACC Championships, she won the 100 back (51.64) and placed 2nd in the 200 back (1:52.36) behind teammate Emma Muzzy. She also placed 24th in the prelims of the 500 free before scratching the final. She also swam on NC State’s title-winning 400 medley relay as well as their 800 free and 200 medley relays, which both placed 2nd.
Before she got the chance to swim at the NCAA Championships, they were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2020-2021
After her freshman campaign was cut short, Berkoff made the most of her sophomore season. She defended her ACC title in the 100 back (50.45) and her runner-up finish in the 200 back (1:51.06), once again finishing behind her teammate Emma Muzzy. She also tied for 4th in the 50 free (22.08) and swam on NC State’s 2nd place 200 medley relay, 3rd place 800 free relay, 2nd place 200 free relay, and 2nd place 400 medley relay.
At her first NCAA Championships, Berkoff broke onto the scene in a big way. She scored her first NCAA title by touching first in a time of 49.74, her first time under the 50-second barrier. That wasn’t her only title though, as she helped NC State to a medley relay sweep, leading off both winning-200 and 400 medley relays. She also placed 6th in the 200 back (1:50.88), 8th in the 50 free (21.96), and swam on NCS’s 3rd place 200 free and 4th place 400 free relays.
2021-2022
Berkoff continued her success into her junior season. She 3-peated in the 100 back at the ACC Championships, swimming a PB and meet record of 49.41. She also tested the waters in the 100 free individually, placing 3rd in 46.89 and rounding out her individuals with a 4th place in the 50 free (21.66). She helped NC State to 2nd place finishes in the 200 and 400 free and medley relays.
At the NCAA Championships, Berkoff once again asserted her dominance, defending her 100 back national title in a massive 48.74, breaking the NCAA, US Open, and American records in the process. She also placed 7th in the 50 free (21.55) and 3rd in the 100 free (46.95). She helped NCS to 2nd in the 200 medley relay, 3rd in the 200 free relay, 2nd in the 400 medley relay, and a tie for 4th in the 400 free relay.
2022-2023
Berkoff continued her illustrious career her senior season. At ACCs, she defended her title in the 100 back (49.45) and placed 4th in the 50 free and 3rd in the 100 free. She also helped NC State to 2nd place finishes in the 200 and 400 medley relays as well as 3rd in the 200 and 400 free relays.
At NCAAs, Berkoff placed 2nd in the 100 back (49.13) and 5th in the 50 free (21.54) and 100 free (46.87). She also helped NC State to 2nd place finishes in the 200 and 400 medley relays and a 4th place finish in the 400 free relay.
2023-24
Berkoff opened her season against ASU, tallying 3 wins: 100 back (50.83), 50 free (22.34), and 100 free (48.24). She also clocked a swift 23.54 50 back leading off NC State’s 200 medley relay. The morning after their dual meet, ASU and NC State competed in an unscored LCM exhibition. Berkoff posted a head turning time in the 100 back, winning in 59.19.
At the NC State Invite, Berkoff threw down some impressive times. Leading off in the 200 free relay, Berkoff clocked a 21.63. Later in that session, she clipped .02 seconds off her 50 free PB with a 21.52. She followed that up with a 46.86 anchor in the 400 medley relay.
Berkoff continued her sprint-free hot streak the following night, anchoring NC State’s 200 medley relay in 21.08 instead of leading off on back, as she has done in the past. In 800 free relay, typically NC State’s weakest, Berkoff helped the Wolfpack achieve a ‘B’ cut, leading off in a new PB of 1:44.25. She opted not to race the 100 back final after posting a 50.03 in prelims, instead focusing on qualifying relays for NCAAs.
The next evening, Berkoff smoked the field with a 47.18 to win the 100 free by well over a body length. While 3-tenths short of her PB of 46.87, she was by 8-tenths the fastest she has even been at this point in the season. At the end of the night, Berkoff anchored the 400 free relay with a 46.86, the exact same split as she had to anchor the 400 medley relay earlier in the meet.
Against UVA and UNC, Berkoff was again in very solid form, taking 3rd in the 50 free with a 22.18 and 2nd in the 100 free with a 48.90. She also posted a 50.88 100 back in the 400 medley relay, and split 21.72 and 21.81 50 frees in the 200 medley and 200 free relays respectively.
Against Texas, Berkoff suited up. She kicked things off with a sizzling 20.70 50 free anchor to carry the Wolfpack from behind to the win by .16 seconds in 1:34.24, the #6 time in the nation. She followed that up by leading off in the 200 free relay with a 22.52. Berkoff’s big swim came in the 100 back where she posted a 49.82 to win by a country mile. That marked the #2 time in the nation.
While she may have dropped the 200 back from her championship lineup, Berkoff showed off her chops in the longer backstroke event against UNC Wilmington, winning in a 1:50.94.
At ACCs, the Wolfpack, as they had at midseasons, used Noble on back in the 200 medley relay. She got them out to an early lead but UVA put themselves well ahead by the 150. Berkoff dove in and ripped a 20.40 anchor leg but that still was not enough to catch the Cavaliers.
After that split, a PB was in store for Berkoff and that came the following morning. She ripped a 21.38 in prelims to qualify 3rd to Gretchen Walsh (20.77) and Jasmine Nocentini (21.30). She kicked off the finals session with another 50 free PB, leading off in 21.14, making her #6 all-time. She followed that up with a 21.23 in the individual final for 3rd.
On night 4, Berfoff achieved a rare feat: winning 5 straight conference titles. Berkoff won the 100 back in 48.70, which was a new Pool and ACC Championship Record, clearing the 49.25 that Gretchen Walsh did at this meet last year. That mark was lowered later in the session when Walsh unladed a 48.10 NCAA record leading off in a relay. Berkoff’s swim was also a new PB, undercutting her prior mark of 48.74 from 2022, and was the #2 time ever. Later that night, Berkoff anchored the 400 medley relay in 46.05.
Berkoff set another PB in the 100 free, unloading a 46.81 on the final night for 3rd. She later backed that up with a 46.91 leadoff in the 400 free relay.
Berkoff had an amazing final NCAA Championship, netting 54 points. She kicked things off on a sour note, splitting 20.35 to anchor the 200 medley relay but getting DQed for a -.17 reaction time.
She bounced back the next day, posting a 21.23 50 free for the 2nd seed into finals. There, she posted a new PB of 21.09 to keep seed and claim 17 points. Before that, Berkoff led off the Wolfpack’s 200 free relay in 21.32 as they placed 7th.
Without Gretchen Walsh contesting the 100 back, Berkoff’s path was clear to reclaim the title. This became all the more clear in prelims, where Berkoff posted a 49.23, the only sub-50-second swim. In the final, it was Berkoff wire-to-wire. She got off quickly, flipping in 23.55. Berkoff came home in 25.0 to set a new PB of 48.55 and win by nearly 2 seconds in the #2 time in history. She backed that up with a 49.01 100 back leading off in the 400 medley relay.
The following morning, Berkoff posted a new PB of 46.65 in the 100 free to qualify 2nd behind G. Walsh. Just like in the 50 free, Berkoff maintained seed and dropped time in the 100 free, scoring another PB of 46.23 for 2nd. Berkoff posted her 2nd fastest 100 free a little later, courtesy of a 46.64 leading off in the 400 free relay.
National/International Competition
2019 World University Games (Napoli, Italy)
At the World University Games, Berkoff won the 100 back with a meet record 59.29, snapping her own record (59.57) from the prelims, and finished fourth in the 50 back (28.57).
She also was a member of Team USA’s gold medal 4×100 medley relay team, swimming a 1:00.03 in the backstroke.
Coming off of a quick turnaround from WUG’s, Berkoff won the 200 free (2:03.o9) at the Mt. Hood Speedo Sectional meet in July 2019, swimming a personal best to win by just over a second.
2021 Short Course World Championships (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Berkoff won her first World Champs medal in Abu Dhabi, and then won 5 more. She earned individual bronze in the 100 back and was a key relay piece, swimming in prelims or finals of all 4 women’s relays that the USA medaled in. She also swam prelims of the mixed 200 medley relay, which earned silver.
2022 World Championship Trials
Coming off of a stellar NCAA performance, Berkoff carried her momentum into long course. On night 3 of the trials, she won the 50 back, breaking an American record in a time of 27.12 and placing her on her first world champs team.
2022 World Championships
Only swimming the 50 back, Berkoff made the most of her opportunity, moving through to the final and ultimately placing 2nd (27.39) in a very tight heat, just .08 behind 1st and .01 ahead of 3rd.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
In the 50 back, it was the American Record holder Berkoff who led the prelims with a world-leading 27.27 while Regan Smith sat 2nd with a 27.44. They both were near their best times of 27.12 and 27.25 from the last edition of Trials. In the final, the two did not disappoint as they very nearly tied for first but Berkoff (27.13) was able to edge Smith (27.14) by just .01 seconds as she missed the American Record by just .01 seconds. The swim qualifies Berkoff for Worlds as she missed the A final in her 100 free with a 54.27.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
In the 50 back, it was the American Record holder Berkoff who led the prelims with a world-leading 27.27 while Regan Smith sat 2nd with a 27.44. They both were near their best times of 27.12 and 27.25 from the last edition of Trials. In the final, the two did not disappoint as they very nearly tied for first but Berkoff (27.13) was able to edge Smith (27.14) by just .01 seconds as she missed the American Record by just .01 seconds. The swim qualifies Berkoff for Worlds as she missed the A final in her 100 free with a 54.27.
In the 100 back, Berkoff went after it in the 100 back prelims with a 58.39 for 2nd and a personal best, under the 58.61 from the last edition of trials. In the final, she posted a 58.01 for 2nd behind Regan Smith’s U.S. Open Record. The swim makes her the 3rd fastest American ever behind Smith and Kathleen Baker and 5th in history.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
Berkoff opened her meet with the 100 back. She had a solid 59.04 in prelims for 3rd. In the semis, she was out slower but came back faster for a 58.60 for 3rd into finals. In the final, Berkoff was 3rd at the 50 in 28.13, only .1 behind McKeown and .18 behind Smith. She couldn’t quite keep up down the stretch as she put up a 30.12 but the time was solid: 58.25, and it earned bronze.
In the 50 back, Berkoff was a little off form with a 27.56 in prelims and a 27.49 in semis but she still made the final. In the final, Berkoff was better than her previous rounds with a 27.38 but that left her in 5th. As America’s #2 100 backstroker, Berkoff also took on prelims relay duties. In the mixed 400 medley, she was a 59.12 before the finals squad took bronze. On the 400 medley relay lead-off, Berkoff was an excellent 58.56 and the finals squad netted gold.
2023 US Open Championships (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Berkoff took the chance to get some quality long-course reps close to home. In the 100 back, Berkoff put up a strong 58.61 in the final for 3rd behind Regan Smith (58.16) and Claire Curzan (58.35).
2024 Pro Swim Series–San Antonio
Fresh off a killer NCAAs, Berkoff returned to the long pool, posting a swift 58.77 100 back. That was good for 2nd behind Regan Smith (57.74).
2023 US Open Championships (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Berkoff took the chance to get some quality long-course reps close to home. In the 100 back, Berkoff put up a strong 58.61 in the final for 3rd behind Regan Smith (58.16) and Claire Curzan (58.35).
2024 Pro Swim Series–San Antonio
Fresh off a killer NCAAs, Berkoff returned to the long pool, posting a swift 58.77 100 back. That was good for 2nd behind Regan Smith (57.74).
2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
In the 100 back prelims, berkoff was just off her PB with 58.09. She was truly amazing in semis, becoming just the 5th woman ever under 58 seconds with a stunning 57.83 for 2nd behind Regan Smith’s American Record of 57.47. Following in her father’s legendary footsteps, Berkoff qualified for her first Olympics in the final. She was out quickly, just .07 seconds back of Regan Smith at the turn with a 28.01. Smith Created major separation coming home but Berkoff widened her margin over the rest of the field with a 29.90 to touch 2nd behind Smith’s new World Record of 57.13 in a 57.91.
