2024-25 NCAA Males’s Energy Rankings: September 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 have in mind how a group seems to be for the time being, whereas protecting the top of the season in thoughts by way of issues like a group’s earlier trajectory and NCAA scoring potential. These rankings are by nature subjective, and a jumping-off level for dialogue. For those who 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 an extended, thrilling summer season however the pleasure by no means stops within the swimming world, as a result of fall means it’s time for an additional 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 at present venture it to be a two-team race.

Different lingering questions are how briskly the Texas Longhorns will rebuild and the way nicely 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 lads’s facet, particularly within the Twentieth by way of Twenty fifth-place vary. Extra parity in the place the boys’ highschool class of 2024 dedicated signifies that there are extra applications preventing for these spots, together with an growing 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 it is going to be fascinating to see what the Tigers can do now they’ve gained that have. Just a few of their relays simply missed scoring in 2024, and  Jere Hribar now has a 12 months 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 perfect 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 observe elsewhere, however Matt Fallon alone may propel them again into the highest 25, and so they’ve bought an intriguing recruiting class to look at. -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 maintain Pitt within the prime 25. He was 18th on 1-meter final 12 months, so there’s a stable likelihood he may 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 bought a stable basis to construct on as they return each their particular person NCAA factors scorers and herald freshman Jacob Johnson at what seems like the right time. -SK

#20: Purdue Boilermakers +3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 23)

Purdue’s divers will maintain them inside the highest 25 for an additional season. -SK

#19: Florida State Seminoles +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 21)

Peter Varjasi‘s commencement hurts, however so long as Florida State does an inexpensive job changing his relay legs, these relays will maintain 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 fast worth to the relays, which needs to be an space of focus for any group seeking to shortly rise within the standings. The pair are a part of an fascinating 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 robust recruiting class this season that may strengthen the group. The explanation I’ve bought them falling a spot beneath their 2024 NCAA end is as a result of I feel Virginia course corrects extra dramatically, not as a result of I feel they’re a worse group than they had been final 12 months. -SK

#15: Ohio State Buckeyes -2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 13)

Ohio State is battling some large 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 just a few spots greater 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 12 months, the place they completed 14th. Michigan constructed various momentum of their first season underneath 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 convey in a stable freshman class, headlined by Canadian Olympian Lorne Wigginton, who ought to instantly make a huge impact in quite a few 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 an enormous matter of dialogue, 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 skill to attain in all 5 relays. -SK

#11: Virginia Cavaliers +6 (2024 NCAA Rank: 17)

Virginia’s large recruiting class remains to be a 12 months 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 influence he’ll have on the relays. Jake Magahey‘s again for a fifth 12 months, a few Olympic redshirts return, Drew Hitchock highlights the recruiting class–the door is broad 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 search out out early whether or not Herbie Behm can maintain 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 large problem will discovering these next-tier guys who can leap into the highest tier. -BK

#6: Tennessee Volunteers – (2024 NCAA Rank: 6)

Tennessee didn’t swim an 800 free relay at NCAAs final 12 months, as a result of they didn’t qualify one – which is wild for a program of this caliber. They’ve a extremely good freshman class coming in, with some good 200 freestylers (particularly Koby Bujak-upton), however I’m unsure 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 accomplished a masterful job of getting guys certified for NCAAs the previous few years, however with a purpose to crack the subsequent tier of groups, they’ve bought to get extra guys into A-finals. -RG

#4: Florida Gators -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 4)

Florida dropping Macguire McDuff hurts them, however except Texas finds a prime European commit for mid-season, I feel 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 an enormous 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 feel that’s sufficient to bump Texas into the highest 3. -BK

Texas’ roster is considerably higher than final season, and so they simply gained a mid-season addition in Ksawery Masiuk, who will doubtless instantly be the most effective backstrokers within the NCAA. -SP

Is Ksawery Masiuk gonna resolve the Texas sprinting downside? We are going to 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 advantage of 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 a number of large items this season, and it doesn’t have a weak point stroke-wise. However Cal has established stars and expertise getting it accomplished on the massive stage, so I’m going to go together with the Golden Bears on prime proper now. -YL (Ranked Cal #1)

I feel this 12 months’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 influence 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 battle as nicely as a result of it signifies 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 perfect place to capitalize. Cal’s a constant menace that’s not going away, however with Indiana assembling an extremely robust switch class that makes it clear they’re constructed to win *now*, I’m giving them the sting right here initially of the season. -SK 

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