Former BYU Athlete Reveals Competing While Being Pregnant During NCAA Championships

The NCAA Championships demanded everything Mackenzie Miller Lung had left in the tank. She delivered, finishing 15th in the 100 breaststroke and earning another All-American honor. But months later, an unexpected revelation has made that performance mean so much more.

The former BYU star was pregnant when she stepped onto the blocks at the 2026 NCAA Championships, according to Swim Updates. While the swimming world watched her race, Miller Lung was quietly navigating a challenge far beyond the pool.

Miller Lung’s story has always carried a strong personal element. The California native married Tanner in 2023, when she was just 19. The two had known each other since high school before beginning a relationship after she graduated in 2022.

Marriage arrived while she was still navigating the demanding routine of a college athlete. Practices, classes, travel, and long commutes left little room for the couple, forcing them to learn how to make their limited time together count.

“We were like, ‘How do we find intentional time to spend with each other? How can we make the most of this small period of time we have together?'” Miller Lung recalled in April 2026.

That balancing act became part of her growth away from the pool, too. She credited Tanner with pushing her academically and helping her become more responsible with money. More importantly, he became someone she could lean on when swimming itself started to feel overwhelming. That support mattered because Miller Lung had once been ready to walk away from the sport.

After her first two seasons at BYU, she struggled with the pressure surrounding college swimming and seriously considered making her junior season her last. A coaching change, however, convinced her to give herself one more opportunity.
The decision changed everything.

During her junior season, Miller Lung exploded onto the national scene. She dropped significant time in both breaststroke events, won the Big 12 200 breaststroke title, and reached two NCAA championship finals. At the 2025 NCAA Championships, she finished second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:05.03 and seventh in the 100 breaststroke in 58.39, earning two All-American honors.
Suddenly, retirement was no longer the obvious next step.

Instead, Miller Lung transferred to Fresno State for her final collegiate season, returning closer to her Central Valley home and family. The move worked almost immediately. She won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the 2026 Mountain West Championships, setting a conference championship record in the 100.
Then came another trip to the NCAA Championships.

This time, she placed 15th in the 100 breaststroke with a 58.89, earning All-American Second Team honors. She also competed in the 200 breaststroke, finishing 29th. And now, that performance carries an extraordinary piece of context.

Mackenzie Miller Lung reveals how her husband kept her going

For Miller Lung, Tanner’s role in her swimming career has never been limited to cheering from the stands. When she first considered stepping away from swimming, he was one of the people who encouraged her to keep going. He believed she had more to give, even when she struggled to see it herself.

“When we first got married, I was struggling really bad with loving my sport again, and I didn’t really want to do it anymore,” Miller Lung said. “He was kind of the person that pushed me, saying, ‘No, you need to keep going. I see your potential, and I know that you can be an amazing athlete.'”

He stayed involved when she entered the transfer process, joining calls and supporting the move to Fresno State. Even when performances did not match her own expectations, Tanner helped her keep perspective. “I can do all the nitty-gritty and put in all the work, but I need him to help me mentally,” she explained. Now, that partnership has taken on an even more meaningful dimension.

Miller Lung’s NCAA season was already a remarkable chapter in a career filled with unexpected turns. She returned when she thought she was done, transferred home, continued competing at the highest collegiate level, and earned another All-American honor. She did all of that while pregnant.

For years, Miller Lung dreamed of becoming an Olympic swimmer. Her journey has since become about much more than chasing a time on the clock. The latest revelation makes her 2026 season not just a story of athletic resilience but one of balancing ambition, marriage, and a life-changing new chapter.

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