As in earlier years, SwimSwam’s Energy Rankings are someplace between the CSCAA-style twin meet rankings and a pure prediction of NCAA end order. SwimSwam’s rankings take note of how a group seems to be in the mean time, whereas protecting the top of the season in thoughts by issues like a group’s earlier trajectory and NCAA scoring potential. These rankings are by nature subjective, and a jumping-off level for dialogue. In case you disagree with any group’s rating, be at liberty to make your case in our feedback part.
James Sutherland, Braden Keith, Spencer Penland, Robert Gibbs, Yanyan Li, and Anya Pelshaw contributed to this report.
It’s been a protracted, thrilling summer season however the pleasure by no means stops within the swimming world, as a result of fall means it’s time for one more NCAA season. Not like the ladies’s September energy rankings, the principle intrigue within the males’s rankings is the race on the prime. The reply to “how open is the race for the 2025 NCAA title” adjustments relying on who you ask, however the SwimSwam writers presently venture it to be a two-team race.
Different lingering questions are how briskly the Texas Longhorns will rebuild and the way effectively the Virginia Cavaliers can course-correct earlier than their high-powered recruiting class arrives on campus subsequent fall.
Whereas the author ballots on the ladies’s facet largely all had the identical 25 groups (in various order) there’s extra selection on the boys’s facet, particularly within the Twentieth by Twenty fifth-place vary. Extra parity in the place the boys’ highschool class of 2024 dedicated implies that there are extra applications combating for these spots, together with an rising variety of mid-major applications.
Honorable Mentions: SMU Mustangs, Harvard Crimson, Kentucky Wildcats
#25: LSU Tigers -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 24)
All of LSU’s NCAA qualifiers from final season return. The one upperclassmen on their NCAA roster final season had been Mitch Mason and Griffin Curtis, so will probably be attention-grabbing to see what the Tigers can do now they’ve gained that have. A couple of of their relays simply missed scoring in 2024, and Jere Hribar now has a yr of yards swimming within the financial institution. -SK
#24: Military West Level Black Knights + (2024 NCAA Rank: N/A)
Final season, Kohen Rankin was Military’s first swimmer to qualify for NCAAs since 1987. His 100 breast PB would’ve scored in 2024, and now this system provides Johnny Crush, arguably the very best recruit they’ve ever picked up. With him on the roster and Rankin now having managed that double taper, Military ought to double their NCAA qualifiers this season and take the subsequent step by placing factors on the board. -SK
#23: College of Pennsylvania Quakers +7 (2024 NCAA Rank: 30)
Penn’s pool is closed for reconstruction this season, forcing the group to apply elsewhere, however Matt Fallon alone might propel them again into the highest 25, they usually’ve obtained an intriguing recruiting class to observe. -SK
#22: Pittsburgh Panthers: +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 24)
Cameron Money is nice for factors on 3-meter and platform, which alone is sufficient to preserve Pitt within the prime 25. He was 18th on 1-meter final yr, so there’s a strong probability he might rating in all three disciplines this season. -SK
#21: Minnesota Golden Gophers -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 20)
There’s loads to love about the best way that Minnesota averted careening down the NCAA standings after Max McHugh’s commencement. After a Twentieth-place end, they’ve obtained a strong basis to construct on as they return each their particular person NCAA factors scorers and herald freshman Jacob Johnson at what seems like the proper time. -SK
#20: Purdue Boilermakers +3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 23)
Purdue’s divers will preserve them inside the highest 25 for one more season. -SK
#19: Florida State Seminoles +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 21)
Peter Varjasi‘s commencement hurts, however so long as Florida State does an affordable job changing his relay legs, these relays will preserve them ranked. -SK
#18: Alabama Crimson Tide +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 19)
Charlie Hawke and Kaique Alves stay key items to Alabama’s effort to climb again up the standings. Choosing up Toni Dragoja and Kyle Micallef ought to assist reinvigorate the dash freestyle relays too. -SK
#17: USC Trojans +5 (2024 NCAA Rank: 23)
Including simply Luke Maurer and Diggory Dillingham does loads for USC; they supply instant worth to the relays, which must be an space of focus for any group seeking to rapidly rise within the standings. The pair are a part of an attention-grabbing group of arrivals for USC that would assist them climb again into the highest 20. -SK
#16: Louisville Cardinals -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 15)
Louisville’s additionally introduced in a powerful recruiting class this season that may strengthen the group. The explanation I’ve obtained them falling a spot under their 2024 NCAA end is as a result of I believe Virginia course corrects extra dramatically, not as a result of I believe they’re a worse group than they had been final yr. -SK
#15: Ohio State Buckeyes -2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 13)
Ohio State is battling some massive losses this season, together with multi-time NCAA champion Lyle Yost’s commencement (although he’ll be on deck as a coach). Nevertheless, they return the remainder of their particular person NCAA scorers from final season and I’m to see what Alex Axon and Tristan Jankovics will do coming off making their first Olympic groups for Canada over the summer season.
#14: Michigan Wolverines – (2024 NCAA Rank: 14)
I’ve Michigan ranked a number of spots larger than everybody else, however I actually like the place the Wolverines are at this season. Firstly, they return all 10 members from their NCAAs group final yr, the place they completed 14th. Michigan constructed various momentum of their first season beneath head coach Matt Bowe and his employees, and there’s no purpose to suppose that momentum shouldn’t carry over into this season. Furthermore, they bring about in a strong freshman class, headlined by Canadian Olympian Lorne Wigginton, who ought to instantly make a huge impact in a variety of occasions. -SP
#13: —
(Tie) #12: Texas A&M Aggies +4 (2024 NCAA Rank: 16)
The Aggies strengths in IM, diving, and the 200 breaststroke ought to once more drive them this season–their first as a mixed program. How far these strengths will carry them is a giant matter of debate, they’re one of many groups with the widest vary in the place they had been ranked this time round. -SK
(Tie) #12: Auburn Tigers – (2024 NCAA Rank: 12)
Auburn graduated Aidan Stoffle, however are ranked to carry regular at twelfth largely because of their means to attain in all 5 relays. -SK
#11: Virginia Cavaliers +6 (2024 NCAA Rank: 17)
Virginia’s massive recruiting class remains to be a yr away, however including Spencer Nicholas and David King, together with getting Jack Aikins again kickstarts the Cavaliers momentum as they appear to climb again up the standings after falling to seventeenth final season.
#10: Georgia Bulldogs +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 11)
Luca Urlando will rating 50 factors for the Bulldogs individually, to not point out the impression he’ll have on the relays. Jake Magahey‘s again for a fifth yr, a few Olympic redshirts return, Drew Hitchock highlights the recruiting class–the door is extensive open for the Bulldogs to return to the highest 10. -SK
#9: Virginia Tech Hokies – (2024 NCAA Rank: 9)
The Hokies return basically the identical roster as final season; I’m going to go forward and pencil them in for a similar #9 end because the final two years. -RG
#8: Stanford Cardinal – (2024 NCAA Rank: 8)
Andrei Minakov, Jack Ryan, and Henry McFadden all returning assist staunch the lack of the Maurer brothers. -SK
#7: Arizona State Solar Devils -6 (2024 NCAA Rank: 1)
We’re going to seek out out early whether or not Herbie Behm can preserve the Solar Devils’ momentum going after all of the expertise misplaced to transfers. The star Ilya Kharun seemed actually good within the intrasquad, however this group’s massive problem will discovering these next-tier guys who can bounce into the highest tier. -BK
#6: Tennessee Volunteers – (2024 NCAA Rank: 6)
Tennessee didn’t swim an 800 free relay at NCAAs final yr, as a result of they didn’t qualify one – which is wild for a program of this caliber. They’ve a very good freshman class coming in, with some good 200 freestylers (particularly Koby Bujak-upton), however I’m undecided if it’s sufficient to actually get them right into a prime 8-10 place that they’d have to run Texas. -BK
#5 NC State Wolfpack – (2024 NCAA Rank: 5)
NC State has executed a masterful job of getting guys certified for NCAAs the previous few years, however as a way to crack the subsequent tier of groups, they’ve obtained to get extra guys into A-finals. -RG
#4: Florida Gators -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 4)
Florida dropping Macguire McDuff hurts them, however until Texas finds a prime European commit for mid-season, I believe Florida nonetheless has the sting. -BK
I initially had Florida simply forward of Texas, however the Macguire MacDuff information was simply sufficient to swap the 2 groups, for now. The Ksawery Masiuk information sealed the deal. -RG
#3: Texas Longhorns +4 (2024 NCAA Rank: 7)
Texas discovered a giant mid-season commit from Europe after I wrote my ideas on Florida. The 2-time World Championship bronze medalist within the 50 again Ksawery Masiuk flipped from NC State to Texas. Mixed with the McDuff departure from Florida, I believe that’s sufficient to bump Texas into the highest 3. -BK
Texas’ roster is considerably higher than final season, they usually simply gained a mid-season addition in Ksawery Masiuk, who will possible instantly be among the best backstrokers within the NCAA. -SP
Is Ksawery Masiuk gonna clear up the Texas sprinting drawback? We’ll see. -YL
#2: California Golden Bears – (2024 NCAA Rank: 2)
Because the season begins, this seems like a coin flip between Cal and Indiana. For the second, I’ll give the good thing about the doubt to the group that’s been a perennial title contender for the final 15 years. -RG (Ranked Cal #1)
Look — I get the Indiana hype. It is a group that has added loads of massive items this season, and it doesn’t have a weak point stroke-wise. However Cal has established stars and expertise getting it executed on the large stage, so I’m going to go along with the Golden Bears on prime proper now. -YL (Ranked Cal #1)
I believe this yr’s meet comes right down to the wire. Zachary Tan seems to be like a star. If Cal can work out Mewen Tomac‘s eligibility, I’d most likely flip this, as a result of he’s a 50-70 level impression by himself. -BK (Ranked Cal #2)
#1: Indiana Hoosiers +3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 4)
I agree that proper now it’s a coin flip between Cal and Indiana. Macguire McDuff‘s departure from Florida has an impact on this struggle as effectively as a result of it implies that each Florida and ASU–the groups that gained 4 of the 5 NCAA relays final season–are each lacking key relay items and in my view, Cal is in the very best place to capitalize. Cal’s a constant risk that’s not going away, however with Indiana assembling an extremely sturdy switch class that makes it clear they’re constructed to win *now*, I’m giving them the sting right here originally of the season. -SK
Author Ballots
| James | Braden | Robert | Spencer | Yanyan | Anya | Sophie | |
| #1 | Indiana | Indiana | Cal | Indiana | Cal | Indiana | Indiana |
| #2 | Cal | Cal | Indiana | Cal | Indiana | Cal | Cal |
| #3 | Florida | Texas | Texas | Texas | Florida | Texas | Texas |
| #4 | Texas | Florida | Florida | Florida | NC State | Florida | Florida |
| #5 | NC State | Tennessee | NC State | NC State | Texas | NC State | NC State |
| #6 | Tennessee | NC State | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| #7 | Stanford | Stanford | Arizona State | Arizona State | Arizona State | Virginia Tech | Arizona State |
| #8 | Arizona State | Arizona State | Stanford | Stanford | Stanford | Stanford | Stanford |
| #9 | Virginia Tech | Texas A&M | Virginia Tech | Virginia Tech | Virginia Tech | Arizona State | Georgia |
| #10 | Georgia | Virginia Tech | Georgia | Michigan | Georgia | Georgia | Virginia Tech |
| #11 | Texas A&M | Virginia | Auburn | Georgia | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | Virginia |
| #12 | Virginia | Auburn | Ohio State | Auburn | Virginia | Virginia | Auburn |
| #13 | Michigan | Michigan | Virginia | Virginia | Auburn | Auburn | Michigan |
| #14 | Auburn | Georgia | Michigan | Texas A&M | Michigan | Michigan | Ohio State |
| #15 | Ohio State | Ohio State | Louisville | Ohio State | Louisville | Louisville | Texas A&M |
| #16 | Louisville | USC | Texas A&M | Louisville | Ohio State | Ohio State | Louisville |
| #17 | Alabama | Louisville | Alabama | USC | USC | Florida State | Alabama |
| #18 | Florida State | Alabama | USC | Alabama | Alabama | USC | USC |
| #19 | USC | Minnesota | Minnesota | Florida State | Florida State | Alabama | Minnesota |
| #20 | Minnesota | Purdue | Florida State | Purdue | Purdue | Pitt | Florida State |
| #21 | Pitt | SMU | Purdue | SMU | Penn | Penn | Purdue |
| #22 | Purdue | Florida State | LSU | LSU | Minnesota | Purdue | Pitt |
| #23 | Penn | Military | Pitt | Military | LSU | Kentucky | Harvard |
| #24 | Military | Penn | Harvard | Pitt | Pitt | Military | Penn |
| #25 | Harvard | Pitt | Military | Minnesota | Harvard | Minnesota | Military |