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Lia Thomas

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Lia Thomas

Lia Catherine Thomas (born May 1999) is an American swimmer and the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship, having won the women's 500-yard freestyle event in 2022, before being barred from competing in women's events by World Aquatics. Thomas's career has been a part of the public debate about transgender women in women's sports. In July 2025, after the second Trump administration had previously cut the University of Pennsylvania's federal funding in March 2025, UPenn agreed to issue a public statement and update University swimming records based on the Trump administration's changed interpretation of Title IX, while still crediting Thomas with having set certain records in the 2021–2022 season in accordance with the eligibility guidelines at the time.

Infobox

Born
May 1999 (age 26)
Education
University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Known for
First openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I national championship
Height
6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Sport
Swimming
Strokes
FreestyleDistance
College team
University of Pennsylvania

Tables

· Swimming records › Personal bests
50 FR
50 FR
Event
50 FR
Time
22.78
Venue
Zippy Invite (W)
Date
December 3, 2021
Notes
Penn women's swim team
100 FR
100 FR
Event
100 FR
Time
47.15
Venue
College Station (M)
Date
February 4, 2017
Notes
Penn men's swim team
200 FR
200 FR
Event
200 FR
Time
1:39.31
Venue
Tennessee Invitational (M)
Date
November 30, 2018
500 FR
500 FR
Event
500 FR
Time
4:18.72
Venue
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
Date
February 28, 2019
1000 FR
1000 FR
Event
1000 FR
Time
8:55.75
Venue
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
Date
March 1, 2019
1650 FR
1650 FR
Event
1650 FR
Time
14:54.76
Venue
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
Date
March 2, 2019
200 IM
200 IM
Event
200 IM
Time
1:56.51
Venue
UPENN vs WCU Senior Meet
Date
January 27, 2019
Event
Time
Venue
Date
Notes
50 FR
22.78
Zippy Invite (W)
December 3, 2021
Penn women's swim team
100 FR
47.15
College Station (M)
February 4, 2017
Penn men's swim team
200 FR
1:39.31
Tennessee Invitational (M)
November 30, 2018
500 FR
4:18.72
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
February 28, 2019
1000 FR
8:55.75
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
March 1, 2019
1650 FR
14:54.76
2019 Ivy League Championships (M)
March 2, 2019
200 IM
1:56.51
UPENN vs WCU Senior Meet
January 27, 2019
· Swimming records › Penn men's swim team records
1000 FR
1000 FR
Event
1000 FR
Time
8:57.55
Date
2018
Notes
Ivy League Championships
1650 FR
1650 FR
Event
1650 FR
Time
14:59.19
Date
Ivy League Championships
500 FR
500 FR
Event
500 FR
Time
4:18.72
Date
2019
Notes
Ivy League Championships
1000 FR
1000 FR
Event
1000 FR
Time
8:55.75
Date
Ivy League Championships
1650 FR
1650 FR
Event
1650 FR
Time
14:54.76
Date
Ivy League Championships
Event
Time
Date
Notes
1000 FR
8:57.55
2018
Ivy League Championships
1650 FR
14:59.19
Ivy League Championships
500 FR
4:18.72
2019
Ivy League Championships
1000 FR
8:55.75
Ivy League Championships
1650 FR
14:54.76
Ivy League Championships
· Swimming records › Penn women's swim team records
100 FR
100 FR
Event
100 FR
Time
47.37
Date
2022
Notes
2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship
200 FR
200 FR
Event
200 FR
Time
1:41.93
Date
2021
Notes
Zippy Invite
500 FR
500 FR
Event
500 FR
Time
4:33.24
Date
2022
Notes
2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship
1000 FR
1000 FR
Event
1000 FR
Time
9:35.96
Date
2021
Notes
Zippy Invite
1650 FR
1650 FR
Event
1650 FR
Time
15:59.71
Date
2021
Notes
Zippy Invite
400 FR Relay
400 FR Relay
Event
400 FR Relay
Time
2:01.41
Date
2022
Notes
Thomas, Kaczorowski, Kannan, Carter
800 FR Relay
800 FR Relay
Event
800 FR Relay
Time
4:16.14
Date
2022
Notes
Thomas, Kaczorowski, Kannan, Carter
Event
Time
Date
Notes
100 FR
47.37
2022
2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship
200 FR
1:41.93
2021
Zippy Invite
500 FR
4:33.24
2022
2022 NCAA Division I Women's Championship
1000 FR
9:35.96
2021
Zippy Invite
1650 FR
15:59.71
2021
Zippy Invite
400 FR Relay
2:01.41
2022
Thomas, Kaczorowski, Kannan, Carter
800 FR Relay
4:16.14
2022
Thomas, Kaczorowski, Kannan, Carter

References

  1. According to the swimming data website Swimcloud, Thomas is ranked 36th among female college swimmers in the United Stat
  2. Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time.
  3. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/03/17/lia-thomas-ncaa-swimming-championships/
  4. Sports Illustrated
    https://www.si.com/college/2022/03/03/lia-thomas-penn-swimmer-transgender-woman-daily-cover
  5. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/sports/lia-thomas-transgender-swimmer.html
  6. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/22/us/lia-thomas-transgender-swimmer-ivy-league/index.html
  7. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2021/dec/13/swimming-trans-debate-starting-to-change
  8. Associated Press
    https://apnews.com/article/upenn-lia-thomas-swimmer-transgender-athletes-trump-71720ecbeb8493ddbed539dd61995076
  9. New York Times
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250704004428/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/penn-title-ix-transgender-swimmer-trump.html
  10. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/ncaa-establishes-new-policy-for-championship-ties-amid-2022-controversy/
  11. ABC News
    https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-speaks-backlash-future-plans/story?id=85068951
  12. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/quakers-get-treble-thomas-mccaghren-snyder-verbal-penn/
  13. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/31/lia-thomas-trans-swimmer-university-of-pennsylvania-ncaa-title
  14. NBC News
    https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/trans-swimmer-lia-thomas-speaks-scrutiny-controversy-rcna18503
  15. The Ivy League
    https://ivyleague.com/sports/2019/2/18/2019MSDChamp.aspx
  16. Penn Athletics
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  17. ESPN.com
    https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/30305855/ivy-league-cancels-winter-sports-season-delaying-spring-play-sources-say
  18. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/03/23/ron-desantis-transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas/
  19. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/sports/lia-thomas-transgender-swimmer.html
  20. Sports Illustrated
    https://www.si.com/college/2022/03/03/lia-thomas-penn-swimmer-transgender-woman-daily-cover
  21. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lia-thomas-trans-swimmer-ron-desantis-b2091218.html
  22. Swimcloud
    https://swimcloud.com/swimmer/314430
  23. "A Look At the Numbers and Times: No Denying the Advantages of Lia Thomas"
    https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/a-look-at-the-numbers-and-times-no-denying-the-advantages-of-lia-thomas/
  24. EssentiallySports
    https://www.essentiallysports.com/us-sports-ncaa-news-what-rank-did-lia-thomas-stand-at-while-competing-in-the-mens-swimming-division/
  25. Swimcloud
    https://www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/314430/rankings/
  26. NBC News
    https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/trans-athlete-debate-penns-lia-thomas-loses-trans-yale-swimmer-rcna11622
  27. ESPN
    https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/33529775/amid-protests-pennsylvania-swimmer-lia-thomas-becomes-first-known-transgender-athlete-win-division-national-championship
  28. BBC Sport
    https://www.bbc.com/sport/swimming/60792875
  29. Yahoo! Sports
    https://sports.yahoo.com/swimmer-lia-thomas-becomes-nca-as-first-transgender-d-i-champion-011654483.html
  30. Independent.co.uk
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lia-thomas-trans-swimmer-data-b2044949.html
  31. sports.yahoo.com
    https://sports.yahoo.com/swimmer-lia-thomas-becomes-nca-as-first-transgender-d-i-champion-011654483.html
  32. Outsports
    https://www.outsports.com/2022/3/17/22982977/lia-thomas-iszac-henig-transgender-swimmer-ncaa-championships-penn
  33. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/03/20/more-sports/swimming/lia-thomas-final-college-race/
  34. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/29/us/lia-thomas-women-sports.html
  35. SwimCloud
    https://www.swimcloud.com/country/usa/swimmers/?rank=5826386&gender=F&season_id=25&page=2
  36. ABC News
    https://goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-speaks-backlash-future-plans-85068951
  37. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tukcaqEpGYo
  38. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/19/transgender-swimmers-barred-from-female-competitions-after-fina-vote
  39. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/19/fina-transgender-swimming/
  40. Al Jazeera
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/19/world-swimming-body-adopts-new-policy-for-transgender-athletes
  41. New York Daily News
    https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/ny-fina-world-swimming-bans-transgender-athletes-elite-women-lia-thomas-20220619-hxjhhrmwaffapibcp3lnogy2hm-story.html
  42. ESPN
    https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/34116871/fina-votes-restrict-transgender-women-elite-competition
  43. Swimming World News
    https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/penn-parents-express-further-concerns-over-lia-thomas-competing-on-womens-team/
  44. Outsports
    https://www.outsports.com/trans/2021/12/9/22825418/lia-thomas-ncaa-swimming-fox-ivy-telfer-trans-athletes-post-mail-transphobes
  45. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/official-cynthia-millen-quits-protesting-lia-thomas-swimming-participation/
  46. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/01/10/lia-thomas-penn-transgender-swimmer/
  47. Fox News
    https://www.foxnews.com/sports/lia-thomas-success-hard-work-transgender-penn-law-groups
  48. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/04/us/lia-thomas-ncaa-transgender-policy-letter/index.html
  49. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/03/lia-thomas-penn-swimming-teammates/
  50. Outsports
    https://www.outsports.com/2022/2/16/22926059/lia-thomas-ivy-league-penn-swimming-championships-transphobia-equity-fairness
  51. Outsports
    https://www.outsports.com/2022/1/28/22905807/lia-thomas-shelton-draper-forde-harvard-oberlin-stanford-ncaa-transgender-swimming-inclusion
  52. Newsweek
    https://www.newsweek.com/why-im-proud-support-trans-athletes-like-lia-thomas-opinion-1689192
  53. Out
    https://www.out.com/sports/2022/1/19/michael-phelps-weighs-in-transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-u-penn-controversy
  54. Swimming World News
    https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/nancy-hogshead-makar-explains-problems-with-lia-thomas-situation/
  55. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2022/03/17/transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-winning-ncaa-title-should-spark-debate/7084917001/
  56. CBC News
    https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/lia-thomas-first-known-transgender-ncaa-swimming-championship-1.6388994
  57. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/protestors-against-lia-thomas-stand-outside-attend-womens-ncaa-championship/
  58. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/17th-place-finisher-in-500-reka-gyorgy-pens-letter-to-ncaa-on-transgender-rules/
  59. The Hill
    https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/599262-desantis-rejects-lia-thomas-ncaa-victory
  60. The Hill
    https://thehill.com/homenews/house/600359-boebert-fellow-gop-lawmakers-introduces-resolution-honoring-second-place
  61. HITC
    https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/05/06/caitlyn-jenner-womens-golf/
  62. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2022/03/24/caitlyn-jenner-trans-swimmer-lia-thomas-not-rightful-winner-ncaa/7154631001/
  63. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/21/us/eric-holcomb-transgender-sports.html
  64. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/us/politics/ketanji-brown-jackson-woman-definition.html
  65. The Hill
    https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/600373-trans-athletes-become-campaign-flashpoint-for-gop/
  66. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lia-thomas-trans-swim-champion-b2048393.html
  67. NPR
    https://www.npr.org/2025/03/20/nx-s1-5333675/university-pennsylvania-upenn-trump-suspends-funding-trans-student-athletes
  68. Associated Press
    https://apnews.com/article/upenn-lia-thomas-swimmer-transgender-athletes-trump-71720ecbeb8493ddbed539dd61995076
  69. New York Times
    https://web.archive.org/web/20250704004428/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/penn-title-ix-transgender-swimmer-trump.html
  70. UPenn
    https://penntoday.upenn.edu/announcements/penns-title-ix-resolution-us-department-education-office-civil-rights
  71. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/01/us/upenn-transgender-women-sports-lia-thomas
  72. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/26/us/lia-thomas-world-aquatics-transgender-athletes-swimming/index.html
  73. OutSports
    https://www.outsports.com/2024/1/26/24051831/lia-thomas-swimming-cas-arbitration-discrimination-world-aquatics-trans-inclusion/
  74. USA Today
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/06/12/transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-loses-legal-challenge/74071662007/
  75. Court of Arbitration for Sport
    https://www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/10000_Arbitral_Award__for_publ._.pdf
  76. University of Pennsylvania Athletics
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  77. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/01/us/upenn-transgender-women-sports-lia-thomas
  78. Men's Swim Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  79. Men's Swim Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  80. Men's Swim Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  81. Men's Swim Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  82. Men's Swim Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/mens-swim-top-times.aspx
  83. University of Pennsylvania Athletics
    https://pennathletics.com/documents/2022/2/28/WSWIM_records_by_event_2021_22.pdf
  84. University of Pennsylvania Athletics
    https://pennathletics.com/documents/2025/7/1/WSWIM_records_by_event.pdf
  85. Women's Swimming Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  86. Women's Swimming Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  87. Women's Swimming Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  88. Women's Swimming Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  89. Swimcloud
    https://www.swimcloud.com/results/203027/swimmer/314430/
  90. USA TODAY
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2025/07/02/penn-lia-thomas-records-transgender-athletes-trump-ncaa/84439739007/
  91. USA TODAY
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2025/07/01/penn-transgender-athletes-ban-lia-thomas-title-ix/84438014007/
  92. Women's Swimming Top Times
    https://pennathletics.com/sports/2019/11/14/womens-swimming-top-times.aspx
  93. SwimSwam
    https://swimswam.com/penns-lia-thomas-opts-for-100-free-over-1650-free-for-ncaa-championships/
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