2025 ACC Males’s Fan Information: Amidst Sea of Adjustments, Can Cal Crack NC State’s Stranglehold?

By Robert Gibbs on SwimSwam

2025 ACC Males’s Swimming and Diving Championships

• February 18-22, 2025
• Greensboro Aquatic Heart — Greensboro, North Carolina
• Defending Champions: NC State
• Full Occasion Schedule (pre-scratch timeline)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Stay Outcomes
• Stay Streaming

The 2025 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships kick off this week in Greensboro, NC. As soon as once more, the meet shall be held in a combined-gender, five-day format. Preserve studying under to get the inside track on the schedule, stars, showdowns, and our predictions for a way this always-exciting meet will shake out on the lads’s facet.

Occasion Schedule

Tuesday, February 18

• 200 medley relay
• Girls’s 1-meter diving
• 800 free relay
• Males’s 3-meter

Wednesday, February 19

• 200 free relay
• 500 free
• 200 IM
• 50 Free
• Males’s 1-meter

Thursday, February 20

• 400 IM
• 100 Fly
• 200 Free
• Girls’s 3-meter

Friday, February 21

• 200 fly
• 100 again
• 100 breast
• Males’s Platform
• 400 medley relay

Saturday, February 22

• 1650 free
• 200 again
• 100 free
• 200 breast
• Girls’s Platform
• 400 free relay

2024 Last Standings

1. NC State — 1499.5 factors
2. Notre Dame — 1038.5 factors
3. Virginia Tech — 960.5 factors
4. Louisville — 885.5 factors
5. Virginia — 768.5 factors
6. Florida State — 762 factors
7. Pittsburgh — 647 factors
8. North Carolina — 616 factors
9. Georgia Tech — 575.5 factors
10. Duke — 287 factors
11. Miami — 122 factors

It’s been mentioned that the one factor fixed in life is change, and the ACC has actually seen some main adjustments over the past yr. The ACC has steadily grown in depth and competitiveness over the past decade, but it surely’s taking a leap ahead this yr. The Cal Bears and Stanford Cardinal, two of the premiere packages within the nation, be part of the convention, as does Southern Methodist, which has steadily improved up to now few years.

However convention realignment isn’t the one purpose that this yr’s championship will look completely different than final yr’s. The Boston School Eagles return to the postseason after being suspended final yr, then reinstated below a brand new head coach, Dara Torres. In the meantime, the Notre Dame Combating Irish males’s program is at present suspended, due primarily to studies of playing inside the staff.

That’s a complete of 4 groups competing at ACCs this yr that didn’t compete final yr and one staff that did compete that’s not.

The groups that determine to be within the hunt for an NCAA title have been stockpiling transfers and fifth years, and Cal has not too long ago re-loaded with a trio of second-semester provides who’ve Olympic expertise: Lucas Henveaux (Belgium), Mewen Tomac (France), and Brooks Curry (USA). That certain appears prefer it places Cal within the driver’s seat, even when Dave Durden famously de-emphasizes convention titles in favor of NCAAs.

Stanford is basically returning the identical staff that completed forward of Cal eventually yr’s Pac-12 Championship, though Cal was down a number of key swimmers. It’s arduous to pin down precisely how the Cardinal will truthful right here. For what it’s price, ladies’s head coach Greg Meehan not too long ago revealed that NCAA qualifiers will head again to California after Friday morning prelims. There’s no indication but that the lads’s staff has comparable plans.

The Southern Methodist Mustangs arrive on the ACC after having beforehand been a part of the AAC (American Athletic Convention). Nonetheless, the AAC didn’t sponsor a males’s swimming championship. As a substitute, they competed on the Atlantic Solar Championship, which they received by a large margin.

NC State has received 9 of the final ten ACC titles, however the addition of the brand new groups, particularly Cal, might complicate issues. That’d be the case even when the Wolfpack weren’t lacking Aiden Hayes and Arsenio Bustos attributable to damage. They’ve nonetheless bought a deep and skilled staff that appears optimized for the convention championships format.

Louisville is the one staff moreover NC State to win an ACC championship within the final decade (2021), however they’ve struggled to regain dominance after dropping a couple of key stars. Nonetheless, they’re at all times harmful at this meet. Virginia Tech has been on the upswing the final couple of years, buoyed particularly by proficient worldwide swimmers like Youssef Ramadan and Carles Coll Marti.

UNC’s diving program remained sturdy even whereas the swimming facet went by means of a tough patch, and the Tar Heels shall be seeking to make some noise after placing up constantly sturdy performances within the pool all season. The UNC-UVA rivalry isn’t fairly as sturdy because it was, but it surely’s price mentioning that with the Cavaliers’ stellar recruiting class arriving this fall, this can be UNC’s finest likelihood to complete forward of UVA at ACCs since 2016. The Cavaliers had some momentum after some faster-than-usual midseason performances however shall be hampered after high scorers Noah Nichols and Tim Connery dropped off the roster.

Florida State appears to depend on strong relays and a few key performances from youthful swimmers. Pitt and Duke intention to make some strikes below comparatively new head coaches. Duke, nonetheless, isn’t seeded to attain any particular person factors. Georgia Tech is below interim head coach John Ames after longtime head coach Courtney Shealy Hart resigned in August.

Boston School returns below new head coach Dana Torres after a one-year suspension. The Eagles have often struggled to get a couple of or two people to attain, and the addition of the brand new groups might make that much more troublesome.

Miami (FL) is a diving-only program however routinely scores sufficient factors to make a run at one or two of the packages which have swimming, however this yr they solely have a single diver entered.

Lastly, we’ll notice that for one purpose or one other, solely the next particular person champions from final yr return this yr:

• Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech), 200 Breast
• Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech), 100 Fly
• Kyle Ponsler (NC State), 400 IM

STARS

California – Jack Alexy (senior – freestyle), Brooks Curry (fifth-year – freestyle), Lucas Henveaux (fifth-year – distance free), Gabriel Jett (senior – free/again/fly), Keaton Jones (sophomore – again/free/IM), Destin Lasco (fifth-year -backstroke/IM), Dare Rose (fifth year- butterfly), Bjorn Seeliger (fifth-year – freestyle), Mewen Tomec (“fifth-year” – backstroke)

That is an extremely deep staff, and there are most likely a couple of Golden Bears who didn’t make the convention roster who’d be stars on different groups, however within the curiosity of brevity, we’ll hold it to seven names on this part. Since this time final yr, Jack Alexy has picked up an Olympic gold (4×100 free relay) and Brief Course Worlds gold medals within the 100 free and 4×100 free. Curry, who received nationwide titles within the 50 and 100 free whereas at LSU, returns to varsity competitors after not competing final yr.

Henveaux was a mid-season addition, however exhibits no signal of rust, as he leads the psych sheet within the 500 free and has the quickest 1650 freestyle within the NCAA this season. We’ll see how rapidly Tomac, who positioned 4th on the 2024 Olympics within the 200 again, adapts to yards, however he might very effectively problem for an occasion title. Jett, Lasco, Rose, and Seeliger have all been key components of Cal’s final two nationwide titles, whereas Jones joined the lengthy listing of Cal Olympic backstrokers final summer time when he made the US staff within the 200 again and is a flexible yards swimmer. 

Duke – Kalen Anbar (sophomore – breaststroke/IM), Charlie Berman (sophomore – diving)  

Kalen Anbar led the Blue Devils’ in swimming factors final yr by scoring within the 200 breast (fifteenth) and 400 IM (twenty first). Charlie Berman completed between 14th and twentieth in all three diving occasions final yr, and he’s seeded third within the 3-meter and 4th on the platform this yr. That ought to assist Duke’s total rating, although possible received’t be sufficient to see them make a lot progress within the total standings, particularly with the inflow of groups arriving within the convention this season. 

Florida State – Tommaso Baravelli (junior – breast), Sam Bork (junior – freestyle), Logan Robinson (freshman – fly)

Solely a freshman, Logan Robinson set the varsity document within the 200 fly at midseason and is #3 on the psych sheet. His document time of 1:41.04 can be below what it took to be invited to the NCAA Championships within the occasion. Tommaso Baravelli can be a college document holder, having set a brand new mark within the 200 breast at midseason (1:53.09). He was the staff’s high scorer on the 2024 ACC Championships, gathering 59 factors from ending seventh within the 200 breast, Eighth within the 100 breast, and 14th within the 200 IM. This yr, his classmate Sam Bork tasks because the Seminoles’ high scorer, as he’s seeded between seventh and twelfth within the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 free.

Georgia Tech – Max Fowler (sophomore – diver), Leandro Odorici (senior – dash freestyle/breaststroke), Berke Saka (senior IM/backstroke)

Max Fowler led the Yellow Jackets with 73 factors final yr, as he completed within the high eight in all three diving occasions. Berke Saka could also be in search of a bit of redemption this yr after lacking out on scoring within the 100 again fully final yr. If he’s clicking, he’s a risk to make the A-final within the 200 IM and each backstrokes. Likewise, Mert Kilavuz missed the A-final of the five hundred free final yr, however he completed 2nd within the 1650. Leandro Odorici hit lifetime bests within the dash freestyles at midseason (19.38/42.34), placing him in scoring place in these occasions, and he was an A-finalist within the 100 breast final yr.

Georgia Tech has three relay NCAA ‘B’ cuts after their midseason swims, however the staff continues to be in search of its first relay ‘A’ lower of the season.

Louisville – Gregg Enoch (freshman – fly/IM),  Dalton Lowe (fifth-year – dash free/fly/again),  Denis Petrashov (senior – breaststroke), Murilo Sartori (senior – freestyle)

Denis Petrashov was the ACC’s high finisher within the 100 breast at NCAAs final yr, taking third total. Dalton Lowe has been a relay lynchpin for the Cardinals the final 4 years, and he’s their high returning scorer, due to A-final appearances in each the 100 fly and the 100 again. The freshman Gregg Enoch is at present projected to attain over 70 factors, as he’s seeded within the high 5 in each the 400 IM and the 200 fly. Murilo Sartori was comparatively quiet at ACCs final yr, however he’s a two-time NCAA A-finalist within the 200 free.

The Louisville Cardinals continued their rebuild this season by bringing in a powerful freshman class, which carried out effectively throughout the common season. The Cardinals additionally made a midseason addition, bringing in France’s Ethan Chauliaguet. Presumably, he’s nonetheless adapting to the yards format however he may very well be a lift for the staff’s dash relays.

Miami (FL) – Max Flory (fifth-year – diver)

Max Flory, the 2023 ACC Diver of the Yr returns after not competing final yr. He needs to be a power to be reckoned with, having swept all three diving titles two years in the past. We’ll notice right here that Mohamed Farouk, who earned 77 factors final yr, seems on the Hurricanes’ roster, however is just not entered within the meet.

North Carolina – Ben Delmar (sophomore – breaststroke), Louis Dramm (junior-  IM/freestyle), Patrick Hussey (fifth year- IM/butterfly), Seb Lunak (sophomore –  IM/butterfly)

The Tar Heels have been waging conflict on the varsity document guide this season, and every swimmer listed above has set no less than one faculty document this yr. Sophomore Ben Delmar set the varsity information in each breaststroke occasions final month (51.44/1:51.84), and he’s projected to steer the Tar Heels in scoring. Louis Dramm set the 200 IM document in November, and he’s seeded within the high six in each IM occasions. Patrick Hussey continued to enhance after making his first Canadian Olympic staff final summer time. He owns the Tar Heel information within the 100 and 200 freestyles and is seeded sixth within the 200 fly and fifth within the 500 free. Seb Lunak is the #4 seed within the 200 fly after breaking the varsity document in November (1:41.14).

The Tar Heels’ record-breaking spree extends to their relays as effectively. Not solely have they improved on a number of relay faculty information, however they’re additionally in a a lot stronger place heading into the postseason than they had been final yr when it comes to NCAA relay qualification. They’d two after midseason invitations–up from zero at that time within the 2023-24 season–and added one other with a 1:23.26 at their twin in opposition to NC State.

NC State – Daniel Diehl (sophomore – IM/backstroke), Jerry Fox (sophomore – freestyle), Quintin McCarty (sophomore freestyler), Luke Miller (fifth-year – freestyle/butterfly), Kyle Ponsler (junior distance), Kaii Winkler (freshman – freestyle)

Regardless of dropping two key swimmers to damage, the Wolfpack roster is loaded with expertise that traditionally shines at ACCs. Now a sophomore with over a yr of NC State coaching below his belt, Daniel Diehl leads the psych sheet sheets within the 200 IM. Diehl was the one Wolfpack swimmer who scored extra factors final yr than Kyle Ponsler, who completed within the high eight within the 500 free (fifth), 400 IM (1st), and 1650 (seventh).

Even in opposition to a deeper subject this yr, Quintin McCarty is well-poised for A-finals within the 50 and the 100 freestyles; he’s additionally most likely the non-Cal swimmer most probably to throw down a sub-18 relay break up this week. Additionally within the sprints, freshman Kaii Winkler has already hit lifetime bests within the 50 free and the 100 free this season (19.37/41.95). Jerry Fox has been constructing on an impressive freshman marketing campaign and has the #2 seed within the 100 free (41.65).

Pitt – Cameron Money (senior – diver), Marcin Goraj (fifth-year – freestyle/backstroke), Max Matteazzi (fifth-year – IMer/breaststroker)

Cameron Money is the Panthers’ high particular person returner after netting 64 factors final yr, together with successful each the 3-meter and platform diving occasions. Max Matteazzi netted essentially the most swimming factors for Pitt final yr, highlighted by a 2nd-place end within the 400 IM. Marcin Goraj has been a key participant for Pitt for years and will transfer up from his comparatively low seedings.

Southern Methodist – Jack Berube (sophomore – backstroker), Cotton Fields (senior – IM), Jack Hoagland (fifth-year – IM/distance free).

Hoagland, a former convention champion with Notre Dame, returns to the ACC as a Mustang as he winds down his NCAA profession. He leads the psych sheet within the 400 IM and needs to be within the combine for victories within the 500 and 1650 as effectively. He swept all three occasions at this meet in 2021. Jack Berube transferred from UVA throughout the offseason and has already damaged the Mustang 100 again document beforehand held by his father, Olympian Ryan Berube. Alongside Hoagland, Cotton Fields provides SMU two of the highest eight seeds within the 400 IM.

The Mustangs took down their 200 medley relay program document at midseason and had been .27 seconds from the 800 freestyle relay customary they swam final season, hitting a relay NCAA ‘A’ lower in 6:14.62. 

Stanford — Henry McFadden (sophomore – freestyle), Andrei Minakov (junior – fly/free), Ron Polonsky (junior  – breast/IM), Jack Ryan (senior – diver) 

The largest identify on the Cardinal roster is Andrei Minakov, the 2022 100 fly NCAA champion who holds the #1 seed within the 200 fly and #3 within the 100 fly for ACCs. The 100 fly is shaping as much as be one of the vital thrilling occasions on the lads’s facet of NCAAs. And whereas a few of the largest names swim in different conferences, ACC followers will nonetheless be handled to 2 former NCAA champions, Minakov and Ramadan, going through off. USA World Championships staff member Henry McFadden is the highest seed within the 200 free after swimming a season-best of 1:31.75 at midseason. In the meantime, Ron Polonsky is seeded within the high 4 in each breaststrokes and the 200 IM; he was Stanford’s solely NCAA A-finalist final yr with an Eighth-place end within the 100 breast. 

Jack Ryan, the 2024 Pac-12 Males’s Diver of the Yr, ought to present necessary factors for the Cardinal on the boards.

Virginia – Jack Aikins (junior – backstroke/freestyle), Spencer Nicholas (freshman –  butterfly) David King (freshman  – freestyle), Sebastien Sergile (junior – freestyle/IM)  

The Cavaliers misplaced three of their high scorers from final season, which is a blow to their relays in addition to their total factors, however they keep some intriguing expertise. Freshman Spencer Nicholas grew to become the primary Cavalier to go below 45 within the 100 fly, and he owns the quickest time within the convention this season with a 44.41. Jack Aikins returns from a redshirt season and can be competing for A-final finishes within the 50 free and 200 again. Like Nicholas, David King has thrived as a freshman and will go after Aikins’ faculty document within the 200 again, whereas Sergile broke out at midseason, taking down Scot Robison’s long-standing faculty document within the 200 free (1:32.38).

Virginia Tech – Carles Coll Marti (fifth-year -IM/breaststroke), Youssef Ramadan (fifth-year – freestyler/flyer), Brendan Whitfield (sophomore dash freestyle)

Carles Coll Marti earned a world title within the 200 breast (SCM) in December, which is the spotlight of a sensational fifth-year marketing campaign for him. He’s already been sub-1:50 within the 200-yard breaststroke (1:49.81) and has been within the 1:50 vary 4 different occasions this season. Coll Marti swam a lifetime finest of fifty.78 within the 100 breaststroke at Virginia Tech’s January twin in opposition to the Cavaliers, underscoring how constantly quick he’s been this season.

Ramadan received the 2023 NCAA title within the 100 fly, then handled an damage final season that appeared to hamper him a bit, and now appears primed to make one other run at a title. He’s seeded at #4 with a 44.67 and owns the meet document in 43.90. Within the dash occasions, sophomore Brendan Whitfield shall be seeking to construct on a freshman yr that noticed him qualify for NCAAs and function a relay staple for the Hokies. He’s seeded #5 within the 50 freestyle (19.05) and #3 within the 100 freestyle (41.66).

Showdowns

50 Free

Twenty-five males have been below 19.20 within the 50 free to date this season, and 9 of them shall be on this race. It’s largely a battle between Cal, who has the highest two seeds in Jack Alexy (18.58) and Bjorn Seeliger (18.86), and NC State, who has 4 of the opposite high ten seed occasions, together with Quintin McCarty (18.91) and Drew Salls (19.04). Protected cash is on a Golden Bear or Wolfpack successful this title, however Virginia Tech’s Brendan Whitfield (19.05) and Youssef Ramadan (19.13) shall be vying to play spoiler.

1650 Free

This was the occasion that generated essentially the most headlines final yr, reverberating even past the swimming world, however that was due primarily to what occurred instantly after the race, fairly than the precise competitors. You’ve bought to suppose Owen Lloyd, who was disqualified after touching first within the occasion, shall be swimming with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. Teammate Will Gallant returns after successful titles on this occasion in 2022 and 2023, as does 2021 champion Jack Hoagland, however the largest risk might come from the West Coast. Cal’s Lucas Henveaux went 14:29.74 simply two weeks in the past, which is the quickest time within the nation this season.

200 Medley Relay

ACC followers have gotten used to a red-hot begin to the meet with this occasion, and this yr needs to be no exception. Louisville formally leads the psych sheet with a 1:22.59, however Cal went 1:22.40 in January. Six of the highest 12 occasions within the nation belong to ACC groups, with NC State, Virginia Tech, Stanford, and UNC all at 1:23.2 or higher.

100 Fly

Virginia’s Tech Youssef Ramadan goals to affix Louisville’s Evgenii Somov and Nick Albiero as the one ACC males to win 5 straight titles in an occasion. Nevertheless it doesn’t appear like it’ll be a forgone conclusion for the 2023 NCAA champ. He’ll face a tricky subject that features NC State’s Luke Miller, who touched simply forward of Ramadan for third eventually yr’s NCAAs, 2022 NCAA champion Andrei Minakov, 2023 Worlds bronze medalist Dare Rose, and freshman Spencer Nicholas, who sits atop the psych sheet with a 44.41.

Picks

With an abundance of adjustments, it’s useful to try our Swimulator projections and see how this meet would rating based mostly on finest occasions to date this season. As of writing, right here’s how this appears:

The Swimulator is extremely helpful, but it surely’s not omniscient, and there are no less than couple key factors to remember. First, it doesn’t embrace diving, and there are a couple of groups that historically pull in massive diving factors (e.g., UNC). Second, it nonetheless consists of outcomes from swimmers who received’t be on the meet, comparable to NC State’s Aiden Hayes and Arsenio Bustos and UVA’s Noah Nichols and Tim Connery.

Given all that, this meet clearly appears like Cal’s to lose. After that, issues get a bit of murkier, particularly with the uncertainty of how groups will method this new-look meet.

Glancing by means of the psych sheets, it appears like Stanford might have a bit of extra room to maneuver up relative to the present projections, however we’ve bought to suppose that NC State isn’t going to go down and not using a battle, and so they stand a very good likelihood of holding onto 2nd.

Louisville looks like it’s again on the rise, however the Hokies’ dynamic duo of Youssef Ramadan and Carles Coll Marti ought to assist hold them forward of the Cardinals, no less than this yr.

If UNC can discover a bit of extra velocity after swimming quick all season, they need to lead the subsequent tier, which incorporates UVA and Florida State. The underside third or so at all times feels a bit mushy, but it surely looks like SMU ought to end forward of Georgia Tech and Pitt. When Miami (FL) has had extra divers, they’ve managed to keep away from the cellar if somebody like Boston School DQ’d a relay, however with just one Hurricane diver this yer, Duke and BC ought to each end forward of Miami.

SwimSwam Picks:

1. Cal
2. NC State
3. Stanford
4. Virginia Tech
5. Louisville
6. UNC
7. Virginia
8. Florida State
9. SMU
10. Georgia Tech
11. Pitt
12. Duke
13. Boston School
14. Miami

Learn the complete story on SwimSwam: 2025 ACC Males’s Fan Information: Amidst Sea of Adjustments, Can Cal Crack NC State’s Stranglehold?