SwimSwam’s 2026-2027 Males’s NCAA Pre-Season Champion Picks

Terin Frodyma, Madeline Folsom, Braden Keith, and Robert Gibbs contributed to this report. 

The NCAA season kicks off later this month and the pre-season energy rankings have already been launched. As with earlier seasons, members of the SwimSwam employees have made their pre-seasons picks for the 2027 NCAA Championship.

All 5 writers agreed on seven particular person winners and three relay winners. Everyone picked that Ilya Kharun of Arizona State would win the 50 free, 100 fly, and 200 fly. Kharun is the highest returner in all three occasions as he was third within the 50 free behind Josh Liendo and Gui Caribe, each of which have graduated. The similar goes within the 100 fly the place Liendo additionally swam to a win and was adopted by Hubert Kos who additionally graduated this spring. Everyone predicts that the Arizona State senior will defend his NCAA title within the 200 fly.

Virginia sophomore Maximus Williamson swam to titles within the 200 free and 200 IM as a freshman and all 5 writers predict he’ll defend each titles. Top returners Rex Maurer and Will Modglin of Texas are additionally predicted by all 5 writers to win the 100 again and 400 IM.

In the relays, all writers are in settlement that NC State will win the 200 and 400 free relays whereas Texas is predicted to win the 800 free relay. NC State was third within the 200 free relay and 2nd within the 400 free relay this previous season whereas Texas received the NCAA title within the 800 free.