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 bear in mind how a workforce appears to be like in the meanwhile, whereas retaining the tip of the season in thoughts via issues like a workforce’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 workforce’s rating, be happy 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.
Earlier Rankings:
It’s been nearly two months since our final Energy Rankings. And whereas we’ve seen loads of quick swimming already, there hasn’t been loads of motion in our prime 25 rankings. After the author ballots have been in, solely 9 groups had moved from their pre-season rating. Regardless of the quick occasions, it’s an odd time for packages as an entire–some faculties like LSU have raced quite a bit, whereas some, like USC, have barely raced earlier than the upcoming midseason invitations.
We anticipate these invitations to inform us extra about the place groups are at, so it’s attainable that extra motion will come after November. However whereas there wasn’t loads of change, particularly on the prime, extra faculties obtained votes this time round as South Carolina and Florida State earned nods for the primary time this season.
Honorable Mentions: Utah Utes, South Carolina Gamecocks, Miami (FL) Hurricanes, Florida State Seminoles, Northwestern Wildcats
#25: Virginia Tech Hokies — (Earlier Rank: 25)
Carmen Weiler Sastre has been nice to date this season, swimming lifetime bests in all three backstroke disciplines. -SK
#24: Arizona State Solar Devils + (Earlier Rank: NR)
Newcomers Miriam Sheehan, Julia Ullmann, and Caroline Bentz have teamed up with returner Iza Adame to interrupt the 200 medley relay program file twice already this season. Bentz broke the 100 freestyle college file — the newcomers have been enormous for the Solar Devils and injected life into their dash relays. -SK
#23: Minnesota Golden Gophers — (Earlier Rank: 23)
Diving’s going to be large for the Golden Gophers within the postseason however they’ve additionally been stable within the pool to date this season, solely dropping a single twin meet towards Wisconsin. -SK
#22: Alabama Crimson Tide — (Earlier Rank: 22)
The sprinters proceed to spice up the Alabama ladies. -SK
#21: UCLA Bruins — (Earlier Rank: 21)
UCLA has solely had one official twin meet to date this season (towards Arizona, which they gained). We’ll hopefully get a greater sense of the place they’re at on the Ohio State Invite in a pair weeks. -SK
#20: LSU Tigers — (Earlier Rank: 20)
LSU’s divers can be essential for the Tigers’ NCAA standing hopes, however their swimmers are greater than pulling their weight and look able to take a step ahead this season. -SK
#19: Purdue Boilermakers — (Earlier Rank: 19)
Established order for the Boilermakers because it’s the divers that can rating the majority of their NCAA factors and that’s why they’ve maintained their place in these rankings. -SK
#18: Auburn Tigers -1 (Earlier Rank: 17)
Auburn’s relays have come via for them early this season–not solely have they been quick, however they’ve been key for them in a number of twin meet wins. I nonetheless suppose that to push additional up the standings they’ll want extra particular person NCAA swims however this workforce appears to be like like one able to convert. They’ll get their first check on incomes second swims at mid-season. -SK
#17: UNC Tar Heels — (Earlier Rank: 17)
Aranza Vazquez Montano can be key for UNC come the postseason, that hasn’t modified. To date this common season, the Tar Heels dropped twin towards Auburn and Virginia, however managed to win towards cross-border rivals South Carolina.
#16: —
(Tie) #15: Ohio State Buckeyes -3 (Earlier Rank: 12)
Ohio State is one in all two groups that dropped three locations within the standings from pre-season to now. They misplaced loads of NCAA factors to commencement and different groups have made leaps to date this season that push the Buckeyes down. -SK
(Tie) #15: Duke Blue Devils +1 (Earlier Rank: 16)
Ali Pfaff proper on her lifetime finest within the 100 again in an October twin meet towards South Carolina? It’s shaping as much as be one other record-setting season for the Blue Devils in yr 2 underneath Brian Barnes, even after graduating their long-time chief Sarah Foley. -BK
#14: Texas A&M Aggies +1 (Earlier Rank: 15)
Texas A&M’s new head coach Blaire Anderson comes from Virginia, the place the ladies’s program far outpaced the lads’s. Maybe it’s unsurprising, then, that the ladies’s program has been the primary to react to the brand new coaching. The Aggies have put up some actually quick relay occasions to date this season which are larger than the sum of their components. -BK
#13: Georgia Bulldogs +1 (Earlier Rank: 14)
Georgia’s freestyle crew is harmful. They’re strongest within the 200 freestyle and above, however their dash group has proven sparks too via the early a part of the season. -SK
#12: USC Trojans -3 (Earlier Rank: 9)
The USC ladies gained the Trojan Invite in October, then beat Arizona in a twin meet final weekend. Their opponents to date haven’t been the principle competitors they’ll face within the postseason. It’s laborious to get a sign of the place they’re at this season and it’s laborious to maintain them in the identical placement whereas groups like Louisville and Wisconsin have appeared so sturdy. -SK
#11: Wisconsin Badgers +2 (Earlier Rank: 13)
The Wisconsin ladies are a workforce constructed higher for large invite meets than twin meets proper now, so don’t learn an excessive amount of into their lopsided loss to Michigan vis-a-vis NCAA Championship potential. Getting each Wanezek sisters peaking earlier than Phoebe Bacon graduated may imply new highs for the Badgers. They’ve had loads of good swimmers within the final 20 years, however it’s been uncommon to have this a lot of them overlap. -BK
#10: Michigan Wolverines — (Earlier Rank: 10)
I like what Michigan has proven to date of their first couple meets of the season. The return of Letitia Sim after her Olympic hole yr is already proving to be essential, and the Wolverines are exhibiting some actually stable depth throughout the opposite strokes. -SP
The Michigan ladies have proven their hand far more than the Michigan males early this season. I don’t know what to make of that but. -BK
#9: Louisville Cardinals +2 (Earlier Rank: 11)
Possibly a slightly-deeper Louisville workforce than final yr? In 2024, it appeared like they have been one in need of a prime 4 NCAA end. West Virginia switch Mia Cheatwood has already gone a finest time within the 100/200 breaststroke, making her an enormous under-the-radar addition for the Cardinals. -BK
Louisville has appeared glorious via the primary few meets. The addition of Israel’s Daria Golovaty appears to be like enormous, as she’s already been 4:38 within the 500 and 9:38 within the 1000 this season. -SP
#8: California Golden Bears — (Earlier Rank: 8)
This Cal roster is well-rounded and Isabelle Stadden is placing up nice occasions to date this fall. -SP
#7: NC State Wolfpack — (Earlier Rank: 7)
Erika Pelaez is making the early case that she’s essentially the most helpful freshman within the NCAA this season. 47.98 and 1:43.14 in her first collegiate meet, which not onyl exhibits that she’s going to be impactful individually, however that she’ll be a large increase to the Wolfpack relays. Leah Shackley and Kennedy Noble are an exceptional backstroke duo as nicely. -SP
#6: Indiana Hoosiers — (Earlier Rank: 6)
There’s quite a bit to be inspired by with this Indiana workforce at this early level of the season. Miranda Grana has been a godsend for the Hoosiers, already having gone 51.04 within the 100 again and 1:50.50 within the 200 again. It appears to be like like Indiana has actually nice depth in many of the strokes, however we’ll actually study quite a bit about this workforce and what they’re able to after they relaxation and go well with for the mid-season invite. -SP
#5: Tennessee Volunteers — (Earlier Rank: 5)
Tennessee is one other workforce we haven’t seen quite a bit from to date. The Vols have solely swum towards Louisville to date this season, and that’s the one meet on their schedule till the Tennessee Invite, which begins on November 19. That being mentioned, Tennessee confirmed of their twin towards Louisville that they’ve depth throughout all of the strokes. There have been some extremely encouraging swims out of Brooklyn Douthwright and Ella Jansen. Emelie Quick and McKenzie Siroky appear like they’ll be a formidable breaststroke duo as nicely. -SP
#4: Florida Gators — (Earlier Rank: 4)
We haven’t seen a ton out of this Florida workforce but, so there isn’t an excessive amount of to evaluate them on. They’ve appeared good total, however there are a pair areas they appear to be a bit of skinny, which is retaining them behind Virginia and Texas for me. The Gators are going to want some individuals to step up on the dash free finish of issues, in addition to breaststroke. -SP
#3: Stanford Cardinal — (Earlier Rank: 3)
We solely simply noticed Stanford of their first meet of the season, in order that’s actually all now we have to evaluate them off to date this season. That being mentioned, Stanford appeared very sturdy towards Cal and ASU, sufficient in order that I moved them forward of Florida on my poll versus the final spherical of rankings. -SP
#2: Texas Longhorns — (Earlier Rank: 2)
If Virginia didn’t exist, Texas could be far and away the perfect workforce on the market proper now. What the Longhorns have down this fall has been downright spectacular. Emma Sticklen, the back-to-back defending NCAA champion within the 200 fly, has already been sooner this season than she went to win the 200 fly at NCAAs both of the previous 2 years. Piper Enge was simply the shot within the arm this breaststroke group wanted after shedding Lydia Jacoby and Anna Elendt. Angie Coe is wanting incredible early on in her sophomore season. -SP
#1: Virginia Cavaliers — (Earlier Rank: 1)
There’s not a lot to say right here, actually. Gretchen Walsh has been unbelievable, even by her requirements, within the first few meets. The additions of Claire Curzan and Leah Hayes look to be as large as anticipated. Virginia stays the perfect workforce within the nation. -SP
