Storylines to Look Out for in SEC Swimming in 2025-26

Storylines to Look Out for in SEC Swimming in 2025-26

With the faculty swimming season underway for the 2025-2026 12 months, there’s no scarcity of storylines to comply with. Between up and coming rivals, returning stars, new coaches and motion amongst conferences, this NCAA season ought to have all of it. Here are a couple of storylines to comply with within the Southeastern Conference. 

Texas’ Command

Perhaps the most important storyline this 12 months facilities on the University of Texas, which joined the SEC final season and instantly made its presence recognized. In their first 12 months within the convention, the Longhorns received each the lads’s and girls’s titles, proving that their Big 12 reign might simply translate to the nation’s best convention.

In addition to a robust core headlined by Jillian Cox and Erin Gemmell, the Texas ladies have one of the vital highly effective incoming lessons within the SEC. Top recruits like Haley McDonald (2023 world junior silver medalist and two-time nationwide junior crew member), Avery Collins (two-time Junior Nationals finalist finalist), Sarah Rodrigues (2025 nationwide junior crew member) and Inez Miller (2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships medalist) shall be names to look out for. International freestylers Eva Okaro and Nikolett Padar are anticipated to make a big impact immediately.

After shedding key rivals Bella Sims and Emma Weyant final 12 months, Florida has additionally introduced in a aggressive freshman ladies’s class, led by IM specialists Lilla Bognar and Grace Rabb, world junior champion Lynsey Bowen, Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Zuri Ferguson and Lithuanian freestyler Sylvia Statkevicius.

On the lads’s facet, the Gator males’s crew had dominated the SEC since 2012, however Texas got here in to finish its 12-year convention championship streak final 12 months. Standout swimmers like Hubert Kos, Rex Maurer, Nate Germonprez and Will Modglin led the best way for the Longhorns. Maurer received each the five hundred freestyle and 400 IM, establishing himself as one of many SEC’s all-around skills. This 12 months, the Gators return main contributors in Josh Liendo, Jonny Marshall and Scotty Buff, guaranteeing a showdown on the SEC Championships this 12 months.

Tennessee on the Rise

While Texas and Florida could dominate the main headlines of SEC swimming, there are a number of different rising rivals to maintain a watch out for heading into the season. Tennessee stood out initially of SEC championships final season and completed third for each of their males’s and girls’s groups.

The Lady Vols have remained a constant power throughout the convention beneath head coach Matt Kredich, who simply had his contract renewed by 2030. Kredich has introduced in a number of new skills, together with Lilly Daley from UF, Kamal Muhammad from UVA and Simoné Moll from Miami. Japan’s Mizuki Hirai is predicted within the spring. On the lads’s facet, the Vols will add Ulises Saravia from Argentina and Ethan Dumesnil from France. They’re prone to make an impression this upcoming 12 months.

Auburn’s New Class

Auburn’s ladies’s crew can also be a gaggle to look out for after experiencing a big shift in its roster this previous 12 months. The Tigers had 13 ladies enter the switch portal, probably the most from a single college and probably the most from an SEC college. The college shall be trying to bounce again following an eighth-place end at SECs for males and a ninth place end for girls. Head coach Ryan Wochomurka has introduced in a number of skills to the lads’s crew, together with Luke Bedsore, Maston Ballew, Mack Schumann and Daniel Krichevsky, who will add depth and vitality to the crew. 

Impacts of NIL

Beyond the lanes, the rising affect of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) alternatives are persevering with to reshape collegiate athletics, particularly for powerhouse conferences just like the SEC. The SEC particularly, in truth, is without doubt one of the greatest spenders for faculty athletics. Although NIL hasn’t reworked swimming as a lot because it has for bigger income sports activities comparable to basketball or soccer, there may be nonetheless a big impact on the surroundings of the game. In a number of circumstances, results of NIL has led to the elimination of non-revenue sports activities for sure faculties. This battle and added strain on the game could also be an element to be careful for heading into this 12 months.