Kaitlyn Dobler (born February 15, 2002) is an American competitive swimmer. She is the 2022 NCAA Division I champion in the 100-yard breaststroke. She won the national title in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2022 US National Championships. At the 2019 World Junior Championships, she won the silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke and the bronze medal in the 50-meter breaststroke, in addition to winning a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay, swimming the breaststroke leg of the relay in the final.

Background Dobler was born February 15, 2002, in Portland, Oregon to Neil Dobler, an engineer at Intel, and Rebecca "Becky", a professor at George Fox University. She is the oldest of two siblings, her sister three years her junior."USC Women's Swimming & Diving: Kaitlyn Dobler". USC Trojans. Retrieved May 30, 2022. She graduated from Aloha High School in Aloha, Oregon, in 2020, where she competed as part of the school swim team. She started attending the University of Southern California and competing collegiately for the USC Trojans starting in the fall of 2020. In December 2022, she announced her intent to compete for the university through the end of her master's degree (through the 2024–2025 season), utilizing a fifth year of NCAA eligibility made available to NCAA student-athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Keith, Braden (December 9, 2022). "NCAA Champion Kaitlyn Dobler Announces She'll Stay at USC for her 5th Season". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 12, 2023. Her ability to compete in swimming has on occasion been impacted by her asthma, including at the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Career 2019 World Junior Championships

On the second day of competition at the 2019 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, held at Danube Arena in Budapest, Hungary in August, Dobler won a bronze medal in the 50-meter breaststroke with a time of 30.92 seconds, finishing less than three-tenths of a second behind gold medalist Benedetta Pilato of Italy and just one-hundredth of a second behind silver medalist Kayla van der Merwe of Great Britain.FINA (August 21, 2019). "7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019 Budapest (HUN): Women's 50m Breaststroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022. Two days later, she won the silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:06.97, swimming just four-hundredths of a second slower than the gold medalist Evgeniia Chikunova of Russia.FINA (August 23, 2019). "7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019 Budapest (HUN): Women's 100m Breaststroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022. The sixth and final day of competition, she won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay, splitting a 1:07.51 for the breaststroke leg of the relay in the final to help finish first in 3:59.13 alongside finals relay teammates Claire Curzan (backstroke), Torri Huske (butterfly), and Gretchen Walsh (freestyle).FINA (August 25, 2019). "7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019 Budapest (HUN): Women's 4x100m Medley Relay Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022.

2020–2022: National records, NCAA title, national title In February 2020, Dobler swam the fastest 100-yard breaststroke by a woman in the history of high school swimming in the United States, setting a new national high school record in the event at the 2020 Oregon 6A State Championships with her time of 58.35 seconds.Lepesant, Anne (February 22, 2020). "Kaitlyn Dobler Clips National High School Record In 100 Breast With 58.35". SwimSwam. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Brandes, Chandler (February 23, 2020). "Kaitlyn Dobler Blasts 58.35 100 Breast for New National High School Record". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Humburg, J.D. (February 28, 2020). "Kaitlyn Dobler: Aloha's swimming sensation celebrates national record, sets sights on Olympics". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 30, 2022. Her record marked the first time in approximately 30 years that an Oregonian set a national record.Ross, Andy (May 19, 2021). "Big Fish in Small Ponds: How Top Athletes Can Still Flourish in States Not Known For Major Swimming Success". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022. In December, she won the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 U.S. Open Swimming Championships held in Irvine, California, and placed sixth overall, with a time of 1:08.77.Albano, Dan (November 13, 2020). "USC Freshman Kaitlyn Dobler rediscovers love of racing with narrow win at U.S. Open". Orange County Register. Retrieved May 30, 2022. Two months later, she set a new National Age Group record in the 100-yard breaststroke for the girls 17–18 years old age group, with a time of 57.71 seconds in a collegiate dual meet against the UCLA Bruins that lowered the national mark by over three-tenths of a second from the former record of 58.10 seconds by Rebecca Soni from 2009.Ross, Andy (February 12, 2021). "Kaitlyn Dobler Throws Down 57.7 100 Breast in USC's Meet With UCLA". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022.

At the 2021 NCAA Division I Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, Dobler placed 11th overall, third in the consolation final, in the 50-yard freestyle with a personal best time of 21.92 seconds.Ross, Andy (March 18, 2021). "Kate Douglass Continues Virginia's Momentum With Narrow Win Over MacNeil in 50 Free". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022. The following day, she made the podium in her first ever event at an NCAA Division I Championships, winning the silver medal in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 57.46 seconds, which was just 0.23 seconds slower than the winning time of 57.23 seconds swum by Sophie Hansson."USC's Kaitlyn Dobler Finishes Second in 100y Breaststroke Final". USC Trojans. March 19, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Ross, Andy (March 19, 2021). "Sophie Hansson Moves to Third All-Time to Win First NCAA Individual Title in 100 Breaststroke". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Carter, Matt (March 19, 2021). "Three more NCAA titles for NC State women's swimming". TheWolfpackCentral. Retrieved May 30, 2022.

For the NCAA Championships her sophomore, second, year with the USC Trojans, the 2022 NCAA Division I Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, in March, Dobler won her first NCAA title in the 100-yard breaststroke with a Pac-12 Conference record and USC Trojans record time of 56.93 seconds."USC's Kaitlyn Dobler's School Record Wins 100y Breaststroke NCAA Title; Trojans Shatter 400y Medley Relay Record". USC Trojans. March 18, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022.D'Addona, Dan (March 18, 2022). "2022 NCAA Women's Championship: Kaitlyn Dobler on 100 Breaststroke Win: Waiting For This 'All Year'". Swimming World. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Newton, Matt (March 19, 2022). "Virginia Maintains Lead heading Into Final Day at NCAA Women's Swimming Championships". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Manley, John (March 24, 2022). "McSharry, Walshe earn All-America". Irish Echo. Retrieved May 30, 2022. She was the first woman from the USC Trojans's swim program to win an NCAA title in the 100-yard breaststroke since 2009, when Rebecca Soni won the NCAA title in the event. The time of 56.93 seconds also ranked Dobler as the sixth-fastest performer in the event in NCAA history, behind Lilly King, Molly Hannis, Sophie Hansson, Alexis Wenger, and Anna Elendt.Pelshaw, Anya (March 18, 2022). "USC's Kaitlyn Dobler Swims 56.93 100 Breaststroke; #6 All-Time". SwimSwam. Retrieved May 30, 2022.

The following month, at the 2022 USA Swimming International Team Trials in Greensboro, North Carolina, Dobler placed second in the 50-meter breaststroke with a personal best time of 30.34 seconds, finishing just one-hundredth of a second ahead of third-place finisher Lydia Jacoby.USA Swimming (April 28, 2022). "Phillips 66 International Team Trials: Women's 50m Breaststroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Woods, David (April 28, 2022). "Breaststroke queen Lilly King takes her second title of world swim trials". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved May 30, 2022.Sampl, Emily (April 29, 2022). "One World, Two American Records Fall in Greensboro". USA Swimming. Retrieved May 30, 2022. For the 100-meter breaststroke, she placed third with a personal best time of 1:06.19.USA Swimming (April 29, 2022). "Phillips 66 International Team Trials: Women's 100m Breaststroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022.OlympicTalk (April 29, 2022). "Lilly King sweeps breaststrokes at swimming trials; Lydia Jacoby edged out of worlds spot". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 30, 2022. Her top-two finish and FINA "A" cut time of 30.34 seconds in the 50-meter breaststroke were deemed not satisfactory in qualifying for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships by USA Swimming, instead selecting the second-place finisher in the 100-meter breaststroke, who did not compete in the 50-meter breaststroke event at the Team Trials, for the second roster spot in the 50-meter breaststroke.USA Swimming (April 30, 2022). "Phillips 66 International Team Trials: Results Book". Omega Timing. Retrieved May 30, 2022."FINA World Championships 2022: Qualification System". FINA. Retrieved May 30, 2022."2022 FINA World Championships Roster: Version 4". USA Swimming. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2022. A little over two months later, she was named to the 2022 Duel in the Pool roster for the United States."2022 Duel in the Pool - U.S. Roster". USA Swimming. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022. Ten days later, she won the gold medal and national title in the 100-meter breaststroke, with a time of 1:06.88, at the 2022 US National Championships, held in Irvine, California.USA Swimming (July 29, 2022). "2022 Phillips 66 National Championships: Women's 100m Breaststroke Final Results". Omega Timing. Retrieved July 29, 2022.

At the 2022 SMU Classic in October in Dallas, Texas, Dobler won the 100-yard breaststroke for the USC Trojans with a pool record time of 59.09 seconds."USC's Kaitlyn Dobler Sets Pool Record to Open SMU Classic". USC Trojans. October 7, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2023. The following month, she achieved a season best time (for the 2022–2023 NCAA season) of 56.94 seconds and first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 2022 Art Adamson Invitational.Zacharias, Sidney (November 17, 2022). "Hawke & Zhang Break 1:32 200 FR, Dobler Clocks 56.94 100 BR (Art Adamson Day 2 Recap)". SwimSwam. Retrieved February 13, 2023.

2023 In a dual meet against the UCLA Bruins on February 10, 2023, Dobler won the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 58.04 seconds and placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:09.58.D'Addona, Dan (February 10, 2023). "USC Women Swim Past Rival UCLA; USC Men Top Utah in Finale". Swimming World. Retrieved February 12, 2023.

2023 Pac-12 Championships