2024-25 NCAA Ladies’s Energy Rankings: Submit-Invitations 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 take note of how a staff appears in the meanwhile, whereas preserving the top of the season in thoughts by issues like a staff’s earlier trajectory and NCAA scoring potential. These rankings are by nature subjective, and a jumping-off level for dialogue. Should you disagree with any staff’s rating, be happy to make your case in our feedback part.

Sophie Kaufman, Braden Keith, Spencer Penland, Robert Gibbs, Yanyan Li, and Anya Pelshaw contributed to this report.

Midseason invitationals are within the rearview mirror as NCAA groups take one foot off the gasoline for the vacation break—outdoors of some mid-December twin meets—earlier than diving into winter coaching after which descending into the brand new yr with convention championship meets and in the end NCAAs not too far-off.

We noticed quite a few standout performances throughout midseason invitations, leading to a fairly large shakeup in our NCAA energy rankings.

The highest 5 groups stay the identical: Virgina, Texas, Stanford, Florida and Tennessee. All elite groups that carried out nicely at their respective invitations and possibly couldn’t have carried out a lot to change their rating.

From there, the NC State Wolfpack leapfrog Indiana to take over the #6 spot, whereas different groups shifting up inside the highest 20 have been UNC, Alabama and Arizona State.

The largest droppers have been Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn, whereas Minnesota falls out of the highest 25 as Florida State strikes in.

Earlier Rankings: 

Honorable Mentions: Utah Utes, South Carolina Gamecocks, Miami (FL) Hurricanes

The Hurricanes may need their finest swimming staff in years this season – which is essential after the retirement of this system’s legendary diving coach Randy Ableman. -BK

#25: Virginia Tech Hokies – (Earlier Rank: 25)

Carmen Weiler Sastre has been on an upward trajectory for the reason that SMU Traditional, and was excellent at Quick Course Worlds. Can she carry that by to NCAAs? -JS

#24: Florida State Seminoles + (Earlier Rank: NR)

Maddy Huggins has been robust all season for Florida State and may alone propel them into the highest 25. -SK

#23: Auburn Tigers -5 (Earlier Rank: 18)

The relays have been strong on the Georgia Tech Invite and Hungarian first-year Lora Komoroczy has been spectacular up to now. -JS

#22: LSU Tigers -2 (Earlier Rank: 20)

Montserrat Lavenant is LSU’s major scoring menace as per typical. -JS

#21: UCLA Bruins – (Earlier Rank: 21)

Emma Harvey set quite a few finest instances on the OSU Invite, including to the Bruins NCAA scoring prospects that are totally on the boards. It stays to be seen if Harvey can rating individually, however she boosts the relays. -JS

#20: Arizona State Solar Devils +4 (Earlier Rank: 24)

Newcomers like Caroline Bentz, Miriam Sheehan, and Julia Ulmann have helped the ASU girls break a number of program data this season. They’ve already earned two ‘A’ cuts and are in scoring place for each. -SK

#19: Alabama Crimson Tide +3 (Earlier Rank: 22)

Alabama sneaks forward of Arizona State for me as a result of I feel their dash group, along with powering their relays, comprises a pair extra particular person scorers than the Solar Devils have in the meanwhile. – SK

#18: Purdue Boilermakers +1 (Earlier Rank: 19)

Purdue diving flexed its muscle mass at their house invite, although particular person swimming scorers could also be onerous to come back by. Kathryn Ackerman may be their finest likelihood. -JS

#17: Texas A&M Aggies -3 (Earlier Rank: 14)

The Aggies have depth, however lagged a bit on the Artwork Adamson Invite and thus drop a couple of spots. -JS

#16: Duke Blue Devils -1 (Earlier Rank: 15)

Duke will get plenty of love for its diving prowess, however Kaelyn Gridley, Tatum Wall and Ali Pfaff are all NCAA scoring threats within the pool. -JS

#15: UNC Tar Heels +2 (Earlier Rank: 17)

UNC’s diving and relays will certainly stay the engine behind the majority of their factors, however Skyler Smith is somebody to control. She’s had a robust first time period which she capped off with a U.S. Open title to provide her a confidence enhance heading into the second semester. – SK

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

The Buckeyes had some large swims from the likes of Sienna Angove and Mila Nikanorov at their midseason invite, plus 4 relay ‘A’ cuts which appears good. -JS

#13: Georgia Bulldogs – (Earlier Rank: 13)

Three relay ‘A’ cuts and the emergence of Marie Landreneau on the UGA Fall Invite have been two large positives for the Bulldogs. Rachel Stege and Abby McCulloh kind a pleasant 1-2 distance punch. -JS

#12: USC Trojans – (Earlier Rank: 12)

It is going to be fascinating to see if USC opts to make use of Minna Abraham on all 5 relays once more this yr. However her 1:42 within the 200 free is a reminder that she’s a power within the 100/200 free individually as nicely. – SK

#11: Wisconsin Badgers – (Earlier Rank: 11)

The Badgers have been on hearth on the Texas Corridor of FGame Invite, hitting three relay ‘A’ cuts as Phoebe Bacon and Maggie Wanezek have been on hearth. Abby Carlson and Hailey Tierney give them 4 seemingly particular person scorers. -JS

#10: Michigan Wolverines – (Earlier Rank: 10)

Michigan appeared nice on the Georgia Tech Invite. Stephanie Balduccini has taken one other step ahead in her 2nd yr with this system. Freshman Rebecca Diaconescu has been unimaginable up to now, already having gone 4:35 within the 500 and 15:56 within the 1650. -SP

#9: Louisville Cardinals – (Earlier Rank: 9)

The Cardinals might lack the depth of IU and OSU, ensuing of their third-place end on the OSU Invite, however they actually have the excessive finish potential. Daria Golovaty was spectacular, significantly within the 200 free the place she broke 1:44 for the primary time. -JS

#8: California Golden Bears – (Earlier Rank: 8)

It appears just like the Golden Bears have discovered a bona fide sprinter in freshman Mary-Ambre Moluh. Her first time period peaked on the Minnesota Invite with a college file within the 100 again however it looks as if she’s simply getting began. -SK

#7: Indiana Hoosiers -1 (Earlier Rank: 6)

Miranda Grana is coming into her personal and the Hoosiers hit ‘A’ cuts in all 5 relays on the OSU Invitational. -JS

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

It’s no shock, however first-year swimmers Erika Pelaez and Leah Shackley have been phenomenal up to now for the Wolfpack. -JS

#5: Tennessee Volunteers – (Earlier Rank: 5)

The Volunteers have largely held their very own with out Olympic medalist Mona McSharry. Camille Spink has been a spotlight and Josephine Fuller has been robust as nicely. The Vols will nonetheless welcome McSharry again although as they chase one other top-five end. -SK

The return of Olympic medalist Mona McSharry, with good kind, might vault the Volunteers up these tight middle-rankings. -BK

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

Bella Sims and Emma Weyant performing nicely is not any shock, however Mabel Zavaros, Zoe Dixon and freshman Anita Bottazzo have exceeded expectations up to now for the Gators. -JS

#3: Stanford Cardinal – (Earlier Rank: 3)

The continued enhancements of swimmers like Aurora Roghair, Caroline Bricker, and Lucy Bell give plenty of momentum to a Stanford staff that already had plenty of causes to really feel assured heading into the season. -SK

#2: Texas Longhorns – (Earlier Rank: 2)

Texas simply retains getting higher. They’re so well-rounded this season. Breaststroke is a little bit skinny, however a couple of of their high breaststrokers are nonetheless fairly younger, so there’s nonetheless room to develop there. -SP

#1: Virginia Cavaliers – (Earlier Rank: 1)

I’m probably not certain how a lot there’s to say right here. They’re actually good. – SP

Many of the high 10 remained establishment for me from pre-invites. Virginia’s efficiency on the Tennessee Invite simply additional cements their standing because the dominant power in girls’s collegiate swimming and if that weren’t sufficient, Katie Grimes joins the roster subsequent time period. Alex Walsh ought to be again as nicely, as she had a fantastic exhibiting in her return to competitors at SC Worlds. -SK

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