All through the season, SwimSwam’s Energy Rankings have ranged someplace between the CSCAA-style twin meet rankings and a pure prediction of NCAA end order. Nonetheless, as these are the ultimate rankings for the 2021-22 marketing campaign previous to the NCAA Championships, the predictions are our last choices for the way the group race will shake out this week in Atlanta.
Braden Keith, Robert Gibbs and Michael Hamann contributed to this report.
Earlier Ranks:
The College of Virginia girls have been the #1 group with a bullet all season lengthy and actually drove that residence with some blistering ACC performances. The Cavaliers maintain regular on the prime, whereas we’ve moved some groups round inside the highest 10 after seeing what occurred on the convention championships.
The largest mover general was Minnesota, whereas Florida and Mizzou notably dropped a couple of spots in our energy ranks.
These are our last predictions for NCAAs, so tell us which you picks you agree with and which of them you don’t within the feedback beneath.
Additionally Receiving Votes: Auburn, LSU
#25: Florida State Seminoles + (Earlier Rank: Unranked)
Neal Studd is aware of how you can put collectively nice dash relays, and that’s beginning to take maintain with the Florida State girls. These relays are the place most of their factors will come from, although the Seminoles don’t have the diving they used to with a view to help that. -BK
#24: Florida Gators -7 (Earlier Rank: 17)
Florida had some huge mid-season additions that I nonetheless don’t assume we’ve seen peak but. Ekaterina Nikonova, who has been 1:54.83 within the 200 free in brief course meters, for instance, needs to be a scorer, however is at present not seeded for any factors. -BK
#23: Texas A&M Aggies – (Earlier Rank: 23)
A&M’s Chloe Stepanek had an enormous 1:42.40 private greatest within the 200 free on the leadoff leg of A&M’s 800 free relay at SECs, however she couldn’t actually get near that once more within the particular person. My learn is that this implies she nonetheless has a while left to taper off. A&M doesn’t have the identical diving as they did final 12 months, however Aimee Wilson might choose up some factors on 1 meter. -BK
#22: Virginia Tech H20kies -1 (Earlier Rank: 21)
Emma Atkinson made college historical past final 12 months and will likely be known as upon to be a centerpiece on relays and contribute individually for the H20kies. -JS
#21: Arizona State Solar Devils -1 (Earlier Rank: 20)
ASU might place fairly a bit increased with a giant efficiency from Emma Nordin, however she was off at Pac-12s, a meet she’s traditionally been lights out at. In fact this could possibly be by design in an effort to peak for NCAAs, so we’ll have to attend and see. -JS
#20: Missouri Tigers -4 (Earlier Rank: 16)
Sarah Thompson carried out extraordinarily properly at NCAAs final 12 months and will likely be relied upon closely once more this season as the one Mizzou swimmer seeded to attain individually. She was third within the 50 free and tenth within the 100 again in 2021, and this season she’ll drop the 100 free for the 100 again/100 fly double. If she will second swims in all three occasions it is going to go a good distance for the Tigers. Meredith Rees is on the cusp of scoring as properly. -JS
#19: Pennsylvania Quakers +3 (Earlier Rank: 22)
Lia Thomas‘ performances will decide the place Penn results in the standings. She’s at present seeded for 43 factors. -JS
#18: Minnesota Golden Gophers +6 (Earlier Rank: 24)
Minnesota has Sarah Bacon, who is an efficient guess for 40 particular person diving factors after sweeping the springboards final 12 months. Their relays have confirmed better-than-anticipated later within the 12 months too. If Megan van Berkom performs properly, High 16 is sensible for the Gophers. -BK
#17: Northwestern Wildcats +2 (Earlier Rank: 19)
Lola Mull dropped practically 13 seconds within the mile at Massive Tens, and that swim at present accounts for practically a 3rd of Northwestern’s projected particular person factors (by way of Swimulator). However they’ve nonetheless acquired six swimmers seeded to attain, which places them in a greater place than some groups surrounding them who’re extra reliant on two or three athletes. -JS
#16: North Carolina Tar Heels +2 (Earlier Rank: 18)
I feel I can converse for many of us once I say that UNC’s twelfth place end at NCAAs final 12 months was a shock after COVID value them half their roster for ACCs. This 12 months, they’ve far more management over their coaching going into nationals, they usually nonetheless have among the best divers within the nation in Aranza Vazquez. UNC ought to end increased than their seeded sixteenth place, but when they actually catch fireplace a prime 10 end doesn’t appear out of attain. -BK
#15: Indiana Hoosiers – (Earlier Rank: 15)
The lack of Emily Weiss to a mid-season medical retirement actually hurts Indiana’s well-roundedness, and that confirmed at Massive Tens, particularly within the medley relays. They nonetheless have some depth, although, with 5 or 6 particular person swimmers who might rating. -BK
#14: Kentucky Wildcats -1 (Earlier Rank: 13)
Kentucky has completed worse-than-seed at every of the final three NCAA Championship meets. With Georgia and Louisville, two groups that I anticipate to outperform seed this 12 months, nipping at their heels, a Wildcat slide appears inevitable. How far is up for debate. -BK
#13: Wisconsin Badgers +1 (Earlier Rank: 14)
Paige McKenna was a revelation at Massive Tens, and an identical displaying would go a good distance in solidifying Wisconsin’s inserting at NCAAs. Phoebe Bacon is dependable to attain, however her greatest occasions have gotten extremely aggressive on the prime. -JS
#12: USC Trojans -1 (Earlier Rank: 11)
Kaitlyn Dobler is within the hunt for some huge breaststroke factors, and the Trojans as a complete have continued to swim properly all through the season. Caroline Pennington has been a pleasant addition on distance free, and Calypso Sheridan has the aptitude of exceeding her present projections (seven factors). -JS
#11: Georgia Bulldogs +1 (Earlier Rank: 12)
The Georgia girls are solely seeded to attain 14 relay factors. They scored 82 relay factors final 12 months and didn’t lose that many legs to commencement. Anticipate the ‘Dawgs to vault up the rankings from 14th in seed scoring. -BK
#10: Louisville Cardinals -1 (Earlier Rank: 9)
Louisville has improved at NCAAs extra persistently than any group in current reminiscence. Leaping USC and Kentucky virtually looks like a given. It’ll take one thing particular, even by Louisville’s requirements, to make up the hole on the likes of Cal, Michigan, or Ohio State, although. There’s a giant hole between #9 and #10 within the standings. -BK
#9: Ohio State Buckeyes +1 (Earlier Rank: 10)
A bunch of Ohio State’s swimmers stepped up and hit greatest instances at Massive Tens because the Buckeyes gained the convention championship title final month. Amy Fulmer is using excessive after some enormous freestyle swims, whereas it will likely be the final go round for the veteran core led by Kristen Romano. Relays will play an enormous think about the place they find yourself within the standings. -JS
#8: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS -1 (PREVIOUS RANK: 7)
Tennessee had an exceptional displaying en path to profitable the title at SECs, however like OSU, that begs the query of how a lot they left within the tank for NCAAs. Freshman efficiency will likely be vital. -JS
#7: MICHIGAN WOLVERINES -2 (PREVIOUS RANK: 5)
Michigan has Maggie MacNeil, and he or she’s rightfully going to take many of the consideration. However at NCAAs, the nation goes to study concerning the freshmen (Letitia Sim and Lindsay Flynn) who’ve dramatically improved the Wolverine relays. Olivia Carter faces a troublesome battle to repeat as champion within the 200 fly towards the likes of Regan Smith and Alex Walsh. -BK
#6: CAL GOLDEN BEARS +2 (PREVIOUS RANK: 8)
Cal returns their complete NCAA roster, save for one non-scoring diver, and but are seeded to attain lower than half as many factors as they had been seeded to attain final season. Cal simply hasn’t regarded proper all 12 months. In order that both means they’re going to shock the heck out of us all and battle for a prime 3 spot (they had been 4th final 12 months), or settle someplace within the subsequent grouping. I feel they’ve gotta be higher than their ninth seeding although. -BK
#5: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE +1 (PREVIOUS RANK: 6)
Alabama has the items to compete with Texas and NC State for third place, however they missed their peak for NCAAs final 12 months. In a decent battle, they’ll’t afford to try this this 12 months. -BK
#4: NC STATE WOLFPACK -1 (PREVIOUS RANK: 3)
I feel NC State has the higher “puncher’s probability” of sneaking up and passing Stanford if the Cardinal don’t swim properly, however I’ve picked them behind Texas due to Texas’ divers – diving tends to be extra secure than swimming. The three-4 order might actually go both manner although. -BK
#3: TEXAS LONGHORNS +1 (PREVIOUS RANK: 4)
The Texas males’s diving isn’t pretty much as good because it has been in previous years, however the Texas girls are pretty much as good as ever. The Longhorns’ end depends on some huge season bests amongst their distance group. -BK
#2: STANFORD CARDINAL – (PREVIOUS RANK: 2)
Whereas Stanford is one famous person in need of having the ability to compete with Virginia this 12 months, they often deal with enterprise at NCAAs. There’s a reasonably clear hole between them and the groups competing for third, so the Cardinal needs to be protected for 2nd place. -BK
#1: VIRGINIA CAVALIERS – (PREVIOUS RANK: 1)
Except for a COVID disaster or an early relay DQ, I don’t actually see a pathway for anyone to select off the Cavaliers. They’ve acquired a shot at possibly half the NCAA Data, although, in order that needs to be a enjoyable watch anyway. -BK
