2026-27 NCAA Males’s Power Rankings: Pre-Season Version

As in earlier years, SwimSwam’s Power Rankings are someplace between the CSCAA-style twin meet rankings and a pure prediction of NCAA end order. SwimSwam’s rankings take into consideration how a group seems in the mean time, whereas retaining the tip of the season in thoughts by means 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. If you disagree with any group’s rating, be at liberty to make your case in our feedback part.

James Sutherland, Braden Keith, Anya Pelshaw, Terin Fordyama, Sam Blacker, and Robert Gibbs contributed to this report.

The 2026-2027 NCAA season is upon us, which suggests it’s time for our pre-season energy rankings: males’s version.

The Texas Longhorns remained a unanimous favourite within the SwimSwam workers polls, whereas the remainder of the top-10 from 2026 additionally stayed secure with no groups falling out or shifting in for the pre-season.

Honorable Mentions: Wisconsin, Texas A&M

#25: Northwestern +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 26)

A really younger group throughout, Northwestern has the potential to maneuver into the top-25 in 2027 after returning each of their particular person level scorers and their whole particular person NCAA roster together with junior Josh Staples, who completed eighth within the 400 IM — M.F.

#24: Florida State +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 25)

Florida state misplaced an enormous member of the group with the switch of 2025 ACC champion Michel Arkhangelskiy, however they nonetheless look like in good condition to remain within the top-25 at NCAAs. Arkhangelskiy had a down yr in 2026 and their prime scorer Logan Robinson might be again for the season. — M.F.

#23: Kentucky -5 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 18)

The group has a powerful distance group returning and are set for one more prime 25 end. — A.P.

#22: Purdue +7 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 29)

An enormous diving program, Purdue scored 5 divers ultimately yr’s NCAA Championships and return all of them for 2027 together with junior Evan Mackesy and sophomore sprinter Janis Dzirkalis — M.F.

#21: Auburn -4 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 17)

Incoming freshman Mike Rice is the form of monster sprinter that may single-handedly jumpstart a program rebuild. And he’s precisely the form of man that ought to match into Auburn and Ryan Wochomurka’s program completely. — B.Okay.

#20: Miami (FL) +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 21)

NCAA runner-up on the 1-meter Matteo Santoro might be a sophomore this yr for the Hurricanes and after scoring 32 factors as a freshman, he might be a serious a part of the Miami group this yr. — M.F.

#19: Alabama +5 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 24)

With Tommy Hagar and Leonardo Alcantara again for his or her remaining season after each scoring double digit factors on the 2026 NCAA Championships, Alabama might be aiming for a top-20 end. — M.F.

#18: SMU +5 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 23)

SMU returns all of their particular person scorers from 2026 together with sophomore diver Luke Sitz, who received the 1-meter occasion and completed 2nd within the 3-meter. They additionally picked up Roberto Bonilla from Texas A&M who might be a powerful twin meet level scorer for the Mustangs. — M.F.

#17: USC -3 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 14)

Losing divers Mortiz Wesemann and Laurent Gosselin Paradis might be laborious for the Trojans, and they are going to be making an attempt to benefit from the Chmielewski twins for yet one more season. — M.F.

#16: Georgia -1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 15)

Despite no Luca Urlando, the Bulldogs are nonetheless an intriguing group this upcoming season, with a number of alternatives at racing prime packages, Tomas Koski, Drew Hitchcock, Elliot Woodburn, and younger recruits Erkhes Enkhtur, and Jude Banks will all be trying to make large strides with a younger Georgia group. — T.F.

#15: Ohio State -2 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 13)

Tristan Jankovics and Tomas Navikonis have been the highest scorers and each graduated, making one other prime 15 end look powerful for the Buckeyes — A.P.

#14: UNC +5 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 19)

The Tar Heels have Ben Delmar again after he completed 4th within the 200 breast on the 2026 NCAAs, which might be big for enhancing their end this yr. They solely graduated one member of their NCAA scoring roster in Louis Dramm and picked up BOTR recruit Isaac Carsel and HM recruit Evan Gluck. — M.F.

#13: LSU +3 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 16)

Jere. Hribar. What extra is there to say. The Croatian has made a reputation for himself as one of many prime 100 freestylers within the NCAA and will earn the NCAA title within the occasion as a senior. — M.F.

#12: Louisville — (2026 NCAA Ranking: 12)

Despite graduating Jackson Millard, Guy Brooks, and Tommy Bried, Louisville return nearly all of their all-important relay legs. European 50 free champion Nikita Sheremet had an explosive summer time and can assist elevate these, whereas Finnley Conklin quietly had an excellent lengthy course season as properly. The incoming freshman look extra like developmental items than replacements for the swimmers the Cardinals have misplaced, nevertheless, and they’re going to want final season’s stars to develop even additional in the event that they plan on shifting up. — S.B.

#11: Virginia Tech — (2026 NCAA Ranking: 11)

Brendan Whitfield is again, which is a MAJOR maintain, and the group as an entire didn’t lose an excessive amount of expertise. Eli Martin might be again to man the breaststroke, whereas the backstroke depth might be one other very thrilling battle thoughout the season. — T.F.

#10: Michigan -2 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 8)

Losing freshman breaststroker Luka Mladneovic to Texas is a serious blow to the Michigan program. Add within the commencement of Tyler Ray and Michigan is beginning the yr with an uphill climb. They nonetheless have junior IMer Lorne Wigginton, who had a powerful summer time, they usually picked up switch Jaxon Bowshire, the NCAA runner-up within the platform in 2025. — M.F.

#9: Stanford +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 10)

Two ranked recruits for Stanford in #13 Maxwell Stanislaus and #20 Nathan Foucu together with returning their prime three particular person level scorers from the 2026 NCAA Championships bodes very properly for the Cardinal to interrupt into the top-10 this yr. — M.F.

#8: Virginia +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 9)

Maximus Williamson is actually one of many largest recreation changers within the nation, and after an enormous finish to his freshman marketing campaign, the Cavaliers might be trying to contend even additional on the lads’s aspect all through the season. Heilman might be one other fashionable decide to contend on the nationwide degree as a sophomore, and for good motive. — T.F.

#7: NC State -1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 6)

Quintin McCarty would be the spine of the NC State roster as one of many prime sprinters within the NCAA. With a powerful dash program behind him consisting of Winkler, Williams, and Fox, their dash relays might be a pressure and their contributions might be big within the Wolfpack’s twin meet panorama in addition to the CSL. — M.F.

#6: Arizona State -2 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 4)

Arizona State’s incoming class is totally large, led by three home recruits who all match the mildew of a Herbie Behm sprinter: Jake Lloyd, London Rising and Tyler Porter. French backstroker Nathan Muratory may very well be a recreation changer after his breakout efficiency on the European Championships. The Sun Devils are shedding lots of NCAA factors from final season, most notably from Remi Fabiani and Jonny Kulow, however they’ve acquired the highest swimmer within the nation, Ilya Kharun, and Behm has confirmed over the previous couple of seasons that he can take freshmen sprinters to the following degree briefly order, so I wouldn’t be anxious about ASU. — J.S.

#5: Cal +2 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 7)

Cal has a dynamite recruiting class coming in to hitch a growing core that’s headlined by Yamato Okadome, who swept the NCAA breaststroke titles final season, and Ryan Erisman, who’s coming off a dominant efficiency at U.S. Nationals in lengthy course. Guys like Martin Wrede and Lucca Battaglini ought to be capable to construct off stable freshman seasons final yr, whereas brining in 4 prime 10 recruits in Baylor Stanton, Tim Wu, Jordan Ragland and Albert Smelzer ought to assist push them up the standings after a rebuilding 2025-26. — J.S.

#4: Tennessee +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 5)

Tennessee loses star sprinter Gui Caribe however replaces him with Pitt switch Julian Koch, who’s coming off a breakout season and may do a tremendous job filling the massive sneakers left by Caribe. Gabe Nunziata and Koby Bujak-Upton are coming off wonderful freshman years and might be cornerstones of the group starting this season, whereas the incoming recruiting class is kind of one thing. There’s two top-20 recruits, one HM, one BOTR, 4 worldwide freshmen and a pair of transfers (together with Koch). While the home class is robust, Nigerian Abdulijabar Adama, Lithuanian Mantas Kauspedas and Brazilian Kaua Pereira may very well be much more impactful of their freshmen season. — J.S.

#3: Florida -1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 2)

The Gators lose Josh Liendo, which takes an enormous chew out of their relays. They’re nonetheless a deep group. I’m the one one who moved them decrease than third – principally as a result of Ahmed Jaouadi had a tough summer time, and I feel that may very well be sufficient to make the distinction between them and the Volunteers. The Gators do return all the prime items of their actually good diving core, which ought to present a stabilizing pressure. — B.Okay.

Graduating Josh Liendo is a big loss at each the relay and particular person degree. They don’t have any prime 20 recruits coming on this fall, making a title run with Texas difficult. — A.P.

#2: Indiana +1 (2026 NCAA Ranking: 3)

After a down yr for Indiana diving final season (solely 4 NCAA factors), they need to come roaring again this yr as sophomore Josh Hedberg returns from damage that price him the spring semester. Josh Bey and Noah Cakir each constructed off robust freshman campaigns over the summer time, and undertaking to turn out to be the celebs that Indiana wants on their roster. The Hoosiers are loaded with expertise, and may max out their NCAA Championship roster once more. — B.Okay.

#1: Texas — (2026 NCAA Ranking: 1)

Will Luka present up midseason? Will Luka not present up midseason? It doesn’t actually matter. It’s laborious to see the Texas males lose within the subsequent decade barring a structural change in the best way issues work. The ‘Horns have money and they’re flexing that each day. — B.Okay.