2024-25 NCAA Males’s Energy Rankings: Pre-Conferences Version

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 keep in mind how a workforce appears to be like for the time being, whereas holding the tip of the season in thoughts by way of issues like a workforce’s earlier trajectory and NCAA scoring potential. These rankings are by nature subjective, and a jumping-off level for dialogue. When you disagree with any workforce’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. 

The 2024-25 NCAA season is winding down. Loads of groups have raced their final common season meet, and there are a handful of “First Likelihood” Invitationals within the subsequent two weeks, however then, it’s convention championship season.

There have been lots of shake ups on the boys’s NCAA scene since we did our final spherical of Energy Rankings, which was earlier than Caspar Corbeau introduced his dedication to the Indiana Hoosiers. However Corbeau isn’t the one roster transfer that we’ve seen; Indiana, Texas, and Cal have all made high-powered additions as they gear up for the battle at NCAA Championships. In the meantime, groups like Florida, Virginia, and NC State have all suffered losses.

There hasn’t been lots of motion inside our high 10, although the hole between Indiana and Texas has narrowed because the Hoosiers including Corbeau, Matt King, and Rafael Miroslaw has satisfied some writers to flip Indiana again into the #1 place.

And whereas no new groups entered our high 25 rankings from our final spherical of rankings, we nonetheless have a handful of honorable point out groups, which all earned votes however didn’t fairly crack the highest 25.

Earlier Rankings: 

Honorable Mentions: Minnesota, Yale, Penn, Kentucky, Georgia Tech

#25: Military Black Knights -1 (Earlier Rank: 24)

The underside of those rankings really feel extra crowded than ever as we strategy the tip of the common season. Military rose above the fray to keep up a spot within the high 25, aided by the rising chance that Johnny Crush scores in not less than one NCAA occasion. The Black Knights even have NCAA qualifier Kohen Rankin and are .23 seconds from qualifying their 200 medley relay for NCAAs. All these components are in Military’s favor, although in the event that they go all-in for the Patriot League Championships, that can depart the door vast open for different groups to beat them for a high 25 spot at NCAAs. -SK

#24: Florida State Seminoles +1 (Earlier Rank: 25)

Florida State and Military have swapped locations from our post-Invite rankings. As I discussed, it’s fairly tight on the backside of those rankings as one ‘A’ ultimate swim may very well be what ensures a high 25 end. Provided that, Florida State’s relays and their three NCAA ‘A’ cuts standout from the opposite groups on this tier of the rankings. -SK 

#23: North Carolina Tar Heels — (Earlier Rank: 23)

There are some differing opinions about UNC’s NCAA possibilities–some writers have them ranked inside the highest 20, others don’t have them ranked in any respect. I’ve acquired them proper at #20, their relays have impressed me and so they’ve acquired a number of swimmers who might win a contact in prelims and earn a second swim. -SK

#22: SMU Mustangs — (Earlier Rank: 22)

SMU is a stable high 25 workforce for me. Jack Hoagland is in a stable place for this level within the season and will reliably rating. The workforce’s 800 freestyle relay ranks ninth within the NCAA with a 6:14.62. -SK 

#21: USC Trojans -2 (Earlier Rank: 19)

There weren’t any dramatic shifts in our rankings this month; the largest swing is a +2 or a -2. USC is likely one of the groups that has slipped by two spots in these rankings as different groups, together with an inflow of mid-major groups receiving votes, have seemingly caught up with the Trojans. -SK

#20: Purdue Boilermakers — (Earlier Rank: 20)

Purdue’s power stays its diving crew, which ought to put the Boilermakers safely inside the high 25 no matter how the workforce does within the swimming occasions. However, Brady Samuels, who’s having a superb 12 months, is a darkish horse so as to add some factors within the pool, which Purdue will surely be enthusiastic about. -SK

#19: Arizona Wildcats +2 (Earlier Rank: 21)

Primarily based on the instances swum by January twenty fifth (and never together with diving), the Swimulator predicts that the Arizona Wildcats will end sixteenth on the 2025 NCAA Championships. That feels a bit excessive, however perhaps not by a lot. This can be a workforce to look at heading into the championship season. -SK

#18: LSU Tigers -1 (Earlier Rank: 17)

After invitations final season, the LSU males didn’t have a single relay ‘A’ lower. This 12 months, they’ve acquired 4, with Jere Hribar and Stepan Goncharov factoring on all of them, which is a powerful signal for the Tigers. -SK

#17: Alabama Crimson Tide +1 (Earlier Rank: 18)

Regardless that the workforce boasts a stable 200 freestyle duo in Charlie Hawke and Kaique Alves, the Crimson Tide bypassed the 800 freestyle relay at their midseason invite. That’s suppressing the workforce’s projected level totals within the Swimulator; final season, the workforce completed eleventh at NCAAs (6:10.72). Additionally, the Alabama ladies’s dash group has been firing this 12 months, will probably be attention-grabbing to see if the boys’s group could make a push at conferences. -SK

#16: Texas A&M Aggies -2 (Earlier Rank: 14)

The Aggies have been stable this season, however haven’t proven any playing cards but this season. The championship season might be their massive check as we wait to see what, if something, they’ve acquired sitting of their hand. -SK 

#15: Ohio State Buckeyes +1 (Earlier Rank: 16)

Tomas Navikonis, Tristan Jankovics, and Alex Axon are a stable base for the Buckeyes to construct on, because the trio all sit inside “scoring place” in not less than one occasion within the NCAA this season. Ohio State hasn’t hit any relay ‘A’ cuts but, which is one thing to regulate at Huge Tens. -SK

#14: Auburn Tigers +1 (Earlier Rank: 15)

Auburn has been fairly quiet up to now this season; it seems like a longshot for them to earn a third straight runner-up end at SECs, however the place they place amongst these more and more aggressive convention groups will reveal quite a bit about what this workforce has to offer in a championship setting. Graduating Aidan Stoffle has been a loss, search for them to depend on their relays, which have been a spotlight for them all through their rebuild. -SK

#13: Virginia Cavaliers -2 (Earlier Rank: 11)

The Virginia Cavaliers had been one of many greatest factors of dissent in these rankings. The purpose of competition facilities round how this workforce will fare with out Noah Nichols and Tim Connery, who weren’t on the roster anymore because the second time period began. It’s a tricky blow for the Cavaliers, who had been seeking to make headway up the rankings forward of their monster recruiting class arriving this fall. Each had been NCAA scorers and college document holders, and Nichols performed an important function on the medley relays, together with the 400 medley relay, which simply missed the American document on the workforce’s midseason invite. -SK

#12: Michigan Wolverines +1 (Earlier Rank: 13)

In our final rankings, Michigan was a workforce that was a bit troublesome to get a learn on. I feel that’s nonetheless true–the expertise is clearly there and by some metrics they’re outperforming final season’s roster. For instance, they’ve acquired two NCAA relay ‘A’ cuts and a handful of occasions the place the workforce’s quickest time is forward of the place it was at this level final season. However, none of that has translated to many swimmers sitting in NCAA scoring place as we roll into championship season. One factor I’ll be looking forward to at Huge Tens is their butterfly group, which was a power for them final season. -SK 

#11: Louisville Cardinals +1 (Earlier Rank: 12)

Louisville is knocking on the door of a high 10 end, which might mark a big milestone for them of their rebuild. To assist obtain that purpose, the Cardinals have added France’s Ethan Chauliaguet to spice up their dash relays. What the Cardinals really want although, is a number of extra particular person scorers. -SK

#10: Virginia Tech Hokies  — (Earlier Rank: 10)

January was established order for the Hokies; the workforce continued to play their playing cards near their vest because the postseason approached, besides Carles Coll Marti. In January, he swam a lifetime finest of fifty.78 within the 100 breaststroke, and swam 1:50 within the 200 breaststroke twice (his third and 4th 1:50-point efforts of the season). He’s one of many swimmers who’s been persistently quick all through the NCAA season. -SK

#9: Georgia Bulldogs — (Earlier Rank: 9)

Luca Urlando skipped the Georgia Fall Invitational because of sickness, however he hasn’t missed a beat since returning. He broke the NCAA and American information within the 200 butterfly (1:37.17) and swam finest instances within the 100 butterfly (43.62), 200 backstroke (1:38.18), and 50 freestyle (19.34). Finally, Urlando can solely swim three particular person occasions, however the enhance he brings Georgia’s relays may also be necessary in Georgia’s quest for a high 10 end. Exterior of Urlando’s fireworks, Tomas Koski has had a powerful season and is somebody to look at within the postseason. -SK

#8: Stanford Cardinal — (Earlier Rank: 8)

The Stanford Cardinal have held robust at eighth place, the place they moved in our post-invite rankings. The Cardinal have been quiet this 12 months, however their relays look robust and their divers will assist propel them forward of different comparable groups within the pool. -SK

#7: NC State Wolfpack -1 (Earlier Rank: 6)

Dropping Aiden Hayes and Arsenio Bustos to damage hurts the Wolfpack. – AP

#6: Tennessee Volunteers +1 (Earlier Rank: 7)

Jordan Crooks and Gui Caribe continued to look robust because the common season got here to an in depth. Crooks swam 18.44 within the particular person 50 freestyle, then cut up 17.66, the 4th quickest relay cut up of all-time. Tennessee’s dash group and the relays are going to be key for the Volunteers within the postseason. Just a few extra particular person factors scorers would go a great distance.  -SK

#5: Arizona State Solar Devils — (Earlier Rank: 5)

Arizona State has handed their first twin meet lack of the season on the inaugural Eddie Reese Showdown, however there have been loads of positives for them to remove. Their dash group regarded nice. Ilya Kharun turned in #2 50/100 fly relay cut up instances (18.90/42.80), and Jonny Kulow regarded nice as properly, hitting a private finest within the 200 freestyle and simply lacking the highest 10 all-time relay cut up rankings within the 50/100 free. These are all of the issues they should be working as they gear up for the postseason. -SK

#4: Florida Gators — (Earlier Rank: 4)

I considered it, however I wasn’t fairly able to push both Tennessee or Arizona State forward of Florida. Sure, the Gators have suffered losses, however Josh Liendo and Julian Smith make a robust duo. And proper now, I feel the depth that surrounds them cushions them in opposition to the Vols and the Solar Devils. The SEC Championships and the Gators’ struggle to protect their successful streak, will reveal quite a bit concerning the workforce’s NCAA possibilities. -SK

#3: California Golden Bears — (Earlier Rank: 3)

Now again racing in a Golden Bear cap, Lucas Henveaux hasn’t wasted any time displaying off the enhancements he’s made. He’s already acquired season bests of 4:10.82/14:29.74, which rank third/1st within the NCAA, respectively. His arrival, in addition to Mewen Tomac‘s, offers a lift to an already robust Cal workforce. -SK

#2: Indiana Hoosiers — (Earlier Rank: 2)

Final time we ranked, just one SwimSwam author positioned Indiana within the high spot. Now, three have. It’s not fairly sufficient for them to surpass Texas for the highest spot, however the arrivals of Caspar Corbeau, Matt King, and Rafael Miroslaw will assist the Hoosiers hold issues shut. -SK

#1: Texas Longhorns — (Earlier Rank: 1)

Dropping Ksawery Masiuk hurts, however I simply don’t assume Indiana’s diving is sufficient to make up floor on Texas, together with Chris Guiliano, within the pool. Guiliano makes the Longhorns satisfactory of their greatest weak point, the sprints, and that may simply be sufficient this 12 months. -BK

Full Ballots