Ranking The 2026 Men’s NCAA Recruiting Classes: #4-1

The calendars have flipped to September, which implies that NCAA Division I applications are gearing up for the beginning of the 2026-27 season.

We transfer into the highest 4 recruiting courses for the upcoming marketing campaign, all bringing in a number of swimmers poised to be NCAA scorers proper from the bounce.

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A number of vital notes on our rankings:

• The rankings listed are based mostly on our Class of 2026 Re-Rank. “HM” refers to our honorable mentions and “BOTR” refers to our Best of the Rest part for top-tier recruits.
• Like most of our rankings, these placements are subjective. We base our group ranks on quite a few components: prospects’ incoming instances are by far the principle issue, however we additionally contemplate potential upside within the class, class measurement, relay impression, and group wants. Greater weight is positioned on recognized success in brief course yards, so overseas swimmers are barely devalued based mostly on the problem in changing lengthy course instances to quick course manufacturing.
• Transfers are included, although they’re weighed lower than recruits who arrive with 4 seasons of eligibility.
• For the complete record of all verbally dedicated athletes, click on right here. A giant thanks to SwimSwam’s personal Anne Lepesant for compiling that index – with out it, rankings like these could be far much less complete.
• Some groups had not launched a finalized 2026-27 group roster on the time these articles have been revealed, that means it’s doable we missed some names. Let us know within the feedback beneath.

Honorable Mentions: Minnesota, Harvard, Ohio State, Northwestern, UNC, Kentucky, Georgia Tech

Previously Ranked:

• #16: Michigan Wolverines
• #15: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• #14: Princeton Tigers
• #13: Georgia Bulldogs
• #12: Alabama Crimson Tide
• #11: Virginia Tech Hokies
• #10: Virginia Cavaliers
• #9: Auburn Tigers
• #8: NC State Wolfpack
• #7: Stanford Cardinal
• #6: Florida Gators
• #5: Indiana Hoosiers

NCAA Swimming and Diving Recruiting Classes – Men’s Class of 2026: #4-1

#4: Arizona State Sun Devils

• SwimSwam Ranked Recruits: HM Jake Lloyd (OH – free/all-around sprinter), BOTR Tyler Porter (CA – dash free/fly), BOTR London Rising (MI – free/fly)
• Remainder of Class: Ian Disosway (FL – breast), Henry Lyness (IN – free/again/fly), Ethan Linville (CA – free), Dillon Albertyn (IL – free), Kuba Shaw (TN – free), Nathan Muratory (France – again/free), Sergio de Celis (Spain – dash free/fly), Oliver Munn (Sweden – breast), Parker Deshayes (Canada – again/free), Kristupas Trepocka (Lithuania – free), Daniel Marinov (Norway – breast), Cody Smith (PA – diving), August Vetsch (Cal switch – free/fly), Nick Simons (Tennessee switch – again), Mario Del Valle (CBU switch – diving)

Arizona State’s class is totally gigantic. Although the vast majority of the swimmers are sprint-oriented, which has develop into what ASU is understood for, they’ve bought all kinds of abilities becoming a member of the roster this season.

On the home aspect, the category is headlined by Honorable Mention recruit Jake Lloyd, a 19.3/43.4 freestyle sprinter who can swim something quick—he’s additionally 22.2 within the 50 again, 24.2/53.0 within the 50/100 breast, and 21.4/47.2 within the 50/100 fly.

BOTR Tyler Porter is at a really comparable degree within the dash freestyles (19.4/43.3) and has additionally been 21.0 within the 50 fly from a flat begin, whereas Dillon Albertyn is one other free sprinter with bests of 20.0/44.0/1:37.6.

Spaniard Sergio de Celis jumps off the web page as a fifth-year addition with scorching SCM finest instances of 21.16 within the 50 free, 46.19 within the 100 free and 1:43.92 within the 200 free, whereas his LCM bests stand at 22.0/48.2/1:47.9. Those convert out to 18.6/41.6/1:33.6 in yards, which make him a possible particular person NCAA scorer this season together with offering loads of relay worth, whereas he’s additionally been 23.78 within the LCM 50 fly (20.79 conversion) and 52.87 within the SCM 100 fly (47.63).

Another dash freestyler, BOTR London Rising has finest instances of 19.7/43.7/1:36.2, however he’s additionally versatile throughout fly (46.8/1:46.5) and the 200 IM (1:47.9). August Vetsch, a switch from Cal, is a 19.7/43.2/1:35.8 freestyler who can be a 46.2/1:43.9 flier. Henry Lyness is of an identical mould, sitting at 20.6/44.3 in free and 48.1/1:47.7 in fly, although he’s additionally a powerful backstroker at 47.7/1:46.6.

Lithuania’s Kristupas Trepocka is a formidable freestyler who positioned seventeenth within the 200 free (1:43.24) and twenty fifth within the 400 free (3:43.56) on the 2025 European SC Championships, giving him yards conversions of 1:33-flat and 4:15-mid within the 200 and 500. He’s additionally 47.30 within the SCM 100 free, changing to 42.61, so he’s a three-pronged menace throughout the 100, 200 and 500 (he additionally owns a sneaky 22.99 finest time within the SCM 50 fly).

There are additionally a couple of distance freestylers within the class; Ethan Linville is 1:37.3/4:23/15:19 within the 200/500/1650, whereas Kuba Shaw has a variety, exhibiting power all the way in which from the 50 to the mile: 20.7/43.9/1:36.3/4:22/15:23.

Frenchman Nathan Muratory initially dedicated to Michigan, however flipped to Arizona State and is available in with some severe pedigree after breaking the World Junior Record within the 200 again on the European Championships in August.

His lengthy course time of 1:54.87 from Euros converts to 1:35.89 in yards, instantly placing him into NCAA title rivalry. That time would’ve positioned 2nd final season behind Hubert Kos, who has graduated. In the 100 again, Muratory’s 53.45 PB converts to 44.30, additionally slotting him into an NCAA ‘A’ remaining (particularly after 5 of the eight 2026 ‘A’ finalists have graduated).

In SCM, Muratory is 48.7/1:45.6 within the 100/200 free and 1:59.8 within the 200 IM, making him a viable free relay contributor and giving him a strong #3 occasion within the 200 IM.

He’s joined by Canadian Parker Deshayes and Tennessee switch Nick Simons within the backstroke group.

Deshayes is 54.7 within the lengthy course 100 again, however maybe extra notably, owns bests of 24.0/51.7/1:54.2 in SCM, giving him elite 20.9/45.2/1:40.4 conversions. Simons was an NCAA ‘A’ finalist final season within the 200 again, setting a finest time of 1:38.21 within the prelims, and he was additionally simply two spots shy of scoring within the 100 again, hitting a lifetime better of 44.93 for an 18th-place end.

In the breaststroke group, we’ve bought home recruit Ian Disosway (53.5/1:57.0), and a pair of Nordic swimmers in Sweden’s Oliver Munn and Norway’s Daniel Marinov.

Munn owns SCM finest instances of 26.96/58.61/2:08.43, giving him 24.2/52.8/1:55.7 conversions. Marinov has SCM (59.6) and LCM (1:01.6) finest instances within the 100 that convert to 53-mid, whereas he’s much like Munn within the 200 with a finest of two:08.7.

These three additions will likely be key as ASU loses its 4 quickest 100 breaststrokers from final season.

They’re additionally bringing in a pair of divers, PIAA 3A state champion Cody Smith, and Cal Baptist switch Mario Del Valle, who was twenty fifth at NCAAs final season within the 1-meter occasion.

#3: Texas Longhorns

Texas has a comparatively small class, but it surely’s extremely elite with two top-10 recruits, two standout worldwide junior swimmers, and one slam-dunk switch.

#3-ranked Rowan Cox is coming off an exceptional summer season that noticed him break the boys’ 17-18 NAG document within the 100 fly in a time of fifty.64 whereas additionally reducing his private finest instances within the 200 free (1:48.14), 100 again (54.57), 50 fly (23.61), 200 fly (1:56.50) and 200 IM (2:05.83). That got here after he had already began coaching at Texas, which is an efficient signal heading into his freshman yr.

In yards, Cox is the quickest swimmer within the class within the 100 fly together with his private finest time of 45.47, whereas he ranks 2nd within the 100 again (46.17) and is among the many quickest within the 200 fly (1:43.92) and ranks close to the highest within the free occasions (19.9/43.3/1:34.3/4:21/15:22) and the 200 IM (1:45.1).

Based on what he did this summer season, Cox seems like he’ll don’t have any points going sub-45 within the 100 fly this yr and changing into an NCAA scorer, and a projected NCAA schedule may additionally embody the 200 fly and 200 IM if he needs to keep away from doubles. He may additionally deal with the 100 fly/100 again double if he needed.

Also ranked within the prime 10, #8 Austin Carpenter is one among six swimmers within the class sub-43 within the 100 free (42.99) and one among eight below 53 within the 100 breast (52.97), giving him two elite occasions proper off the bat. He’s additionally 19.7 within the 50 free, 46.7 within the 100 fly and 1:46.5 within the 200 IM, exhibiting a variety of skill. He seems like he’ll be a dash free/breaststroker in school, doubtlessly evolving right into a Nate Germonprez-type swimmer (although he’s strayed away from free in latest seasons).

Turkish distance free prodigy Kuzey Tuncelli is available in with some severe pedigree, having positioned fifth within the 1500 free on the 2024 Olympics a couple of month earlier than his seventeenth birthday. He owns finest instances of three:49.50/7:45.13/14:41.22 within the distance free occasions in lengthy course meters, whereas in brief course, he’s been 3:45.05/7:38.76/14:20.64.

His SCM time within the 1500 provides him a transformed 1650 of 14:15.50, which might’ve been third on the 2026 NCAA Championships (which was a record-setting race). Tuncelli additionally converts to 4:17 within the 500, which leaves him some work to do to develop into an NCAA scorer, however we are able to financial institution on the truth that he’ll be growing extra velocity at Texas, whereas his 8:41 conversion within the 1000 places him proper close to the highest of the nation.

Canadian Laon Kim is extremely well-rounded however does his finest work in freestyle, proudly owning finest instances of twenty-two.5/49.3/1:47.5/3:55.1 in lengthy course meters and 22.0/47.3/1:43.0/3:47.7 in brief course. He additionally produced a number of 48-point relay splits within the 100 free this previous summer season.

Kim’s instances convert to 19.5/42.6/1:32.7 in yards, making him a worthwhile future relay piece for the Longhorns and if he’s in a position to go decrease than these conversions, be an NCAA qualifier as a freshman.

He’s well-rounded with SCM finest instances of 54.5 within the 100 again, 1:01.8 within the 100 breast, 52.18/1:58.07 within the 100/200 fly (53.75/2:00.52 LCM), and 1:58.43 within the 200 IM (2:02.02 LCM), but it surely’s most certainly we see him primarily deal with freestyle in school.

Rounding out the category is Michigan switch Luka Mladenovic, who was third within the 200 breast (1:49.34) and fifth within the 100 breast (50.47) final season at NCAAs, and he additionally scored within the 200 IM (fifteenth) after clocking 1:41.93 at Big Tens.

Having scored 32 factors final season for the Wolverines whereas producing blistering breaststroke legs on the medley relays (22.85/50.08), Mladenovic will likely be an extremely worthwhile pickup for Texas.

The Longhorns additionally add to their diving group with Croatian Matej Nevešćanin listed on the roster after initially asserting his dedication in 2023 and planning to hitch the group in 2025. Nevescanin received gold on the 2023 European Junior Diving Championships within the 1-meter occasion, and not too long ago positioned 18th on 1-meter on the 2025 World Championships, making him a possible NCAA scorer.

#2: Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee’s class is totally loaded with ranked home recruits, worldwide studs and two big-time transfers, plus some diving depth.

The Vols nabbed two swimmers ranked within the prime 20, with #14 Whitaker Steward coming in with an NCAA qualifying time within the 1650 free and #15 Drew Eubanks proudly owning the highest time within the class within the 200 breast.

Steward owns finest instances of 4:20.0/8:52/14:51 within the distance free occasions, placing him two seconds below the NCAA cutline and simply 4 shy of scoring within the mile, and he’s coming off setting a brand new lengthy course finest time within the 1500 free (15:25.78) at U.S. Nationals.

Eubanks was the quickest breaststroker within the class of 2026 throughout each distances final season, and although he misplaced his spot atop the 100-yard rankings, he nonetheless lowered his PBs in each races this previous March, clocking 52.59 within the 100 breast and 1:53.10 within the 200 breast. That places him inside hanging distance of NCAA qualifying within the 200, and slightly below a second shy within the 100, and he’ll have a fantastic coaching associate to work with in rising sophomore Gabe Nunziata.

Honorable Mention Miles Blackson-Dunbar and BOTR Brody Chandler carry comparable skillsets to the desk, each excelling in dash free.

Blackson-Dunbar is nineteen.3/43.3 within the 50 and 100 free, and in addition owns spectacular finest instances of 21.3/46.7 within the 50 and 100 again. Chandler is nineteen.8/43.1/1:36.7 within the free occasions and 48.8 within the 100 fly. Both at 43-low within the 100, they bring about loads of relay depth to Tennessee’s squad, although it might be a yr earlier than they crack the ‘A’ group.

There’s a trio of worldwide swimmers becoming a member of the roster, plus game-changing switch Julian Koch and notable D2 switch Vova Gavrysh, who determine to make a major speedy impression for Tennessee this season.

Koch, coming off a record-breaking sophomore yr at Pitt, positioned 4th final season at NCAAs within the 100 free in a time of 40.43 after main the sphere out of the prelims (40.52), and he additionally took eighth within the 100 fly (43.85 in prelims) and hit new bests within the 50 free (18.65) and 200 free (1:31.95) on relay lead-offs—additionally scoring within the 50 free individually in fifteenth (18.85).

Not solely does Koch carry 28 particular person NCAA factors to the squad (with the potential for extra), he seamlessly takes over for Gui Caribe because the Vols’ relay lynchpin together with his skill throughout dash free and fly.

Gavrysh, who, like Koch, was a sophomore final season, comes over from McKendree because the reigning NCAA Division II champion within the 200 free (1:32.40 on relay lead-off) and 200 fly (1:42.52) and the runner-up within the 200 IM (1:44.32). He additionally set finest instances on relay lead-offs within the 50/100 free (19.6/42.7), including the depth for Tennessee in that space.

The Vols additionally herald Nigerian Abduljabar Adama and Brazilian Kauã Pereira, each of whom are elite free/fly sprinters, and Lithuanian Mantas Kauspedas, who’s a high-end backstroker.

Adama is 22.2/49.9 within the lengthy course freestyle occasions and 21.3/48.3 in brief course, giving him 19.2/43.5 conversions. He’s additionally 23.3/52.8 within the LC butterfly occasions, which interprets to twenty.3/46.2 in yards.

Pereira is barely slower within the LC 50 free (22.4) however faster within the 100 (49.0), giving him conversions of 19.4/42.7, and he also can throw down within the 50 fly (24.1 LCM = 21.0 SCY).

Kauspedas has an opportunity to take over because the 200 medley relay lead-off man together with his standout SCM finest instances of twenty-two.91 within the 50 again (24.54 LCM), which converts to 19.94, sooner than anybody has ever gone in yards. He’s additionally 50.81 within the SCM 100 again (54.01 LCM), changing to 44.4. He’s additionally a powerful sprinter in free (21.86 SCM = 19.69 SCY) and fly (23.59 SCM = 21.25).

Tennessee’s solely key loss from their relays final season is Caribe, so the injection of Koch, Blackson-Dunbar, Chandler, Adama, Pereira and Gavrysh in freestyle will create some unimaginable inner competitors to earn relay berths and lift the group’s degree as a complete.

With Kauspedas and Ulises Saravia on again and Nunziata and Eubanks on breast, the Vols are wanting good for the medley relays, as the vast majority of the freestylers listed above also can dash fly (led by Koch).

The recruiting class is rounded out by divers Ivor Brown, a Virginia 6A state champion, and Colombian Juan Manuel Lopez Gomez, who has represented his nation at World Juniors.

#1: Cal Golden Bears

Cal has a humiliation of riches with this class, having landed 4 of our prime 10 recruits within the boys’ home class.

The group is headlined by the top-ranked Baylor Stanton, who’s the quickest swimmer within the class within the 100 again (46.12), 200 again (1:39.79), 200 IM (1:41.62) and 400 IM (3:40.48), and is among the many quickest in quite a lot of different occasions, such because the 200 free (1:34.56), 500 free (4:17.39) and 200 breast (1:53.36).

Stanton is on the verge of cracking an NCAA ‘A’ remaining together with his finest time within the 200 IM, whereas he’s simply shy of a scoring place within the 400 IM. Looking on the NCAA schedule, Stanton will doubtless be racing the 200 again as his third occasion, together with his 1:39.79 PB sitting half a second shy of what it took to attain at NCAAs final season. His 200 breast is on an identical degree, however provided that he raced the backstroke and IM occasions this summer season at Nationals, it appears extra doubtless he opts for again over breast by way of a person focus.

Stanton can be sturdy throughout the dash free and backstroke occasions, making him out there to contribute to the relays, although given the depth Cal could have this season, the 800 free relay is perhaps his finest shot at a relay berth at NCAAs.

#5 Tim Wu joins the Bears with an identical skillset to Stanton, rating as one of many quickest swimmers within the class within the IM occasions (1:44.5/3:43.3) whereas additionally being elite in free (1:35.5/4:19.4/15:22) and the 200 again (1:41.9).

Stanton and Wu will acquire quite a bit from coaching with Ryan Erisman, the rising Cal sophomore who received U.S. National titles this previous summer season within the 200 free, 800 free and 400 IM.

Wu may find yourself specializing in the identical occasions as Stanton (each IMs and the 200 again), but it surely additionally wouldn’t be stunning to see him racing the 200 and 500 free extra usually.

#7 Jordan Ragland is the highest freestyle sprinter within the class, proudly owning finest instances of 19.18 within the 50 free and 42.24 within the 100 free, making him a prime contender to earn a spot on the free relays proper from the bounce. He would’ve ranked within the prime 4 on the group final season in each races, and with modest drops in time, will lock in a person NCAA berth.

After setting lengthy course finest instances within the 50 free (22.46), 100 free (49.19) and 50 fly (24.31) at U.S. Nationals, Ragland received bronze within the 100 free on the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, gaining some worthwhile worldwide expertise getting into his freshman yr.

Along with the dash free occasions, Ragland is nice all over the place, with notable finest instances in again (46.5), breast (24.9/54.0), fly (21.1/48.1) and the 200 IM (1:47.8). The 100 fly could possibly be his #3 occasion in school, and will probably be fascinating to see if he can develop that LCM 50 fly velocity into the SCY 100.

#10 Albert Smelzer is much like Ragland in that his finest occasions are in all probability the 50 (19.26) and 100 free (43.04), however he’s good throughout all strokes. Smelzer is sub-22/sub-47 in each the 50/100 again (21.8/46.7) and 50/100 fly (21./46.9), and he’s additionally strong within the 200 free (1:36.2).

He initiatives as a 50/100 freestyler who additionally swims the 100 again or 100 fly and is a key relay participant all through his profession.

The Bears add one worldwide freshman, Israeli native Aukan Goldin, who’s a 25.4/54.4/1:57.3 LCM backstroker, and 24.3/51.9/1:51.7 in SCM, giving him 21.0/45.2/1:38.1 conversions. If he has a easy transition to yards, he may step in and be an NCAA scorer straight away within the 200 again, and be inside hanging distance within the 100.

Another man who could possibly be a backstroke scorer this season for Cal is Michel Arkhangelskiy, who heads to Berkeley after two seasons at Florida State.

The French native was the 2025 ACC champion within the 100 again (44.49), and positioned 2nd within the 100 fly (44.36), ninth within the 200 again (1:38.50) and set private bests of 19.45 within the 50 free and 41.68 within the 100 free on the similar meet (additionally splitting 19.10/43.33 swimming fly within the medley relays).

Since then, the one PB he’s improved on is the 50 free, having led off the 200 free relay in 18.82 on the 2025 NCAAs. He did handle to attain within the 100 again (sixteenth) and 100 fly (14th) at NCAAs that season, however final yr, was fortieth within the 100 fly and forty first within the 100 free.

Arkhangelskiy has definitely been specializing in butterfly way more than backstroke of late, together with profitable gold within the LCM 50 fly (22.91) and 100 fly (51.41) on the French Elite Championships in June.

He’s a possible NCAA scorer this season within the 100 fly, and presumably the 100 or 200 again if he returns to his career-best type from 2025. He may additionally slot into the free relays together with his 18.8/41.6 finest instances, and take over medley relay fly duties, or no less than problem Casper Puggaard for them.

Cal’s class is rounded out by Jasper Nemeth, a diving prospect who was the runner-up on the 2026 CIF State Championships, and switch Justin Halford, who was the 2025 NJCAA champion within the 1-meter and 3-meter occasions.