Lia Thomas reaches third final at NCAA swimming championships, to be No. 4 seed in 100-yard freestyle

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Lia Thomas will be the fourth seed in the 100 freestyle final after posting a season-best time in the morning prelims.

After the first 50, Thomas was in seventh place, but she moved up to second place in her heat behind Walsh.

Walsh will be the top seed, followed by Berkoff, who won her heat in 46.89 seconds. Berkoff set American and NCAA records while winning the 100 backstroke on Friday night.

Thomas, a fifth-year senior who is a trans woman, entered the 100 freestyle with the 10th-fastest time in the country, a mark she set at the Ivy League Championships in February. She wasn't considered a favorite in the event.

Iszac Henig swam a career-best 47.55 in the 100 freestyle on Saturday morning to reach the final. Henig is eligible for the women's championship because he hasn't started hormone therapy.

The 100 freestyle final will be the first time that Thomas and Henig will face off. They played at the Ivy League championship, where Thomas got the win.

Thomas became the first trans athlete to win a national championship when she won the 500 freestyle. She was fifth in the 200 freestyle.

There were protests outside of Georgia Tech's McAuley Aquatic Center and quiet inside where Thomas won the 500 freestyle. The pool's reception to Thomas continued to be subdued despite the protests outside.

Ice has begun to thaw throughout the championship meet, despite the fact that few members of the swimming community have gone on the record with their opinions about Thomas and the inclusion of trans women in women's sports.

The fact that Thomas has not won beyond the 500 does not affect the opinion of Shelley Hetzer, whose daughter Emily competes in the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyle for auburn.

I feel for her, but I think it is unfair for cis gender females.

There is some support mixed in with those who don't think Thomas should be included in the women's category. Sullivan published an opinion piece in Newsweek on Friday expressing her support for Thomas, writing "I can't sit silently by as I see a fellow swimmer's fundamental rights be put up for debate."

Thomas set the nation's fastest times in the 200 and 500 freestyle in December of last year. The swimming season was disrupted by her success at that meet. In December, the NCAA changed its policy for athletes with gender dysphoria, moving from a blanket requirement across all sports to a sport specific approach.

The NCAA delayed its implementation after USA Swimming released an updated policy that would have put Thomas' eligibility in jeopardy.

The final swim of Thomas' college career will take place Saturday night. The season has dominated headlines.