2024-25 NCAA Women’s Power Rankings: September Edition

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

As in previous years, SwimSwam’s Power Rankings are somewhere between the CSCAA-style dual meet rankings and a pure prediction of NCAA finish order. SwimSwam’s rankings take into account how a team looks at the moment, while keeping the end of the season in mind through things like a team’s previous trajectory and NCAA scoring potential. These rankings are by nature subjective, and a jumping-off point for discussion. If you disagree with any team’s ranking, feel free to make your case in our comments section.

James Sutherland, Braden Keith, Spencer Penland, Robert Gibbs, Yanyan Li, and Anya Pelshaw contributed to this report.

After a memorable summer of Olympic swimming in Paris, we’re ready to dive into the 2024-25 NCAA season. We’ve got some big names returning to the NCAA for another season, including those who took Olympic redshirt seasons to prepare for the Paris Games. Torri Huske returns to add more firepower to a Stanford roster that returns all of its 2024 NCAA individual points, Letitia Sim is back at the right moment for Michigan, and Claire Curzan is now eligible to race in the NCAA for Virginia.

Despite a busy offseason, the top of the standings in the women’s NCAA hasn’t changed all that much. Virginia has all the pieces it needs to win a fifth-straight NCAA title, and Texas looks ensconced in second for now. The majority of teams have risen or fallen one or two places, reflecting swings in power as programs either graduate or bring in a big piece. Of course, there are a couple exceptions to that statement, as key losses for two teams that finished in the top 10 last season have driven our writers to rank them outside of the top 10 to begin the season.

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

(Tie) #25: Northwestern Wildcats +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 27)

Northwestern finished 27th last season, and graduated their only individual point scorer. So, why are they ranked in the top 25? Their recruiting class, which features two NCAA-qualifying fifth-years, Ekaterina Nikonova and Nikki Venema. -SK 

(Tie) #25: Virginia Tech Hokies +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 26)

25th was a tough call for me. I went with Virginia Tech, but they’ll need their solid recruiting class (which we ranked 15th) to produce in a hurry as their lone individual NCAA scorer Caroline Bentz has transferred to ASU. -SK

#24: Utah Utes + 1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 25)

International divers Emilia Nilsson Garip and Holley Waxman scored all of Utah’s 23 points last season. By scoring on all three boards, Waxman is the team’s first woman to earn All-American status three times at the same meet and their first athlete to do so in more than 30 years. With both points scorers returning, Utah seems bound for another top 25 finish. -SK

#23: Minnesota Golden Gophers -3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 20)

Megan Van Berkom’s graduation stings, but Minnesota still has strong divers who have proven they can score at NCAAs. That keeps them ranked in my book. -SK 

#22: Alabama Crimson Tide +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 23)

Alabama was in the process of developing a nice little sprint core last season, though that was derailed a bit by Jada Scott‘s injury. She’s on the roster for this season, though we’ll have to wait and see how her recovery continues. But if the sprinters like Kailyn Winter and Cadence Vincent can be at their best at NCAAs and join Avery Wiseman in putting points on the board, Alabama could break into the top 20. -SK

#21: UCLA Bruins +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 22)

This section of my power rankings is ruled by the teams that score their NCAA points on the boards. But what sets UCLA apart is that they have swimmers who can score too. Paige Maceachern and Rosie Murphy return after making IM finals last year and helping the Bruins to their highest NCAA finish since 2019. 

#20: LSU Tigers +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 21)

Montserrat Lavenant returning for a fifth-year is reason enough to have LSU ranked. Of course, they’ll welcome any additional points they get, but Lavenant alone can keep the Tigers in the top 25. -SK 

#19: Purdue Boilermakers -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 18)

Purdue returns two of their three NCAA scoring divers from last year. At a championships with a powerhouse team like Virginia dominating the points, two scorers should safely put a team in the top 25. -SK

#18: —

(Tie) #17: UNC Tar Heels — (2024 NCAA Rank: 17)

Aranza Vazquez Montano is back for a fifth year. She’s a four-time NCAA champion on the boards and can be relied on for 30+ points by herself. -SK

(Tie) #17: Auburn Tigers +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 19)

All five relays scored for Auburn last year, which will always put a team solidly inside the top 25. They had multiple near-misses for NCAA finals last season, and converting on a couple of those would push them up the rankings. -SK

#16: Duke Blue Devils — (2024 NCAA Rank: 16)

I’m excited to see what Kaelyn Gridley brings this season after her breakthrough moment at U.S. Olympic Trials this summer. -SK 

#15: Texas A&M Aggies -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 14)

This is a transition year for the Aggies as long-time women’s head coach Steve Bultman retired and the two programs are now combined under Director of Swimming Blaire Anderson. Losing Miranda Grana to Indiana after such a stellar freshman season is a hit, but Chloe Stepanek returning for a fifth year is a boost. -SK 

#14: Georgia Bulldogs -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 13)

If the mid-distance freestyle crew can all peak at NCAAs, Georgia could move up from 14th (where I’ve ranked them for now). -SK 

#13: Wisconsin Badgers +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 15)

Maggie Wanezek arrives at a great time to overlap with NCAA Champ Phoebe Bacon. -AP

#12: Ohio State Buckeyes -3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 9)

The Buckeyes are one of a couple teams that graduated lots of points in 2024. They’ll need everyone to be at their best in order to not plummet down the standings. 

#11: Louisville Cardinals -5 (2024 NCAA Rank: 6)

The Cardinals still have Gabi Albiero for one more year, but have a lot of work to do after Christiana Regenauer’s graduation to stay in the top 10. -SK 

#10: Michigan Wolverines +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 12)

Letitia Sim returns from her redshirt and is the breaststroke boost the team needs. -AP

#9: USC Trojans -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 8)

USC got the bulk of their 2024 NCAA points from relays. While they’ve only lost 20 of their individual points, the relays should once again power this team at NCAAs. -SK 

#8: California Golden Bears +3 (2024 NCAA Rank: 11)

Mary-Ambre Moluh could be a *lot* of points. -YL

#7 NC State Wolfpack +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 9)

Berkoff’s graduation stings but a solid recruiting class gives the team another hope for a top 10 finish. -AP

#6: Indiana Hoosiers +1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 7)

Anna Peplowksi has been on a remarkable improvement trajectory for the last year and shows no signs of slowing down post-Olympics. -SK

#5: Tennessee Volunteers -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 4)

Tennessee returns the bulk of their individual points from last season, including their points newly-minted Olympic bronze medallist Mona McSharry. For me, moving them down to 5th is less about the team they’ve got and more about how good I think Stanford will be this season. -SK

#4: Florida Gators -1 (2024 NCAA Rank: 3)

The graduation of Isabel Ivey is a huge loss. I originally had Florida 3rd and Stanford 4th but it seems to be a toss up. -AP

#3: Stanford Cardinal +2 (2024 NCAA Rank: 5)

Stanford was young this past season and had a solid NCAAs. With Torri Huske coming off of a big summer, they look like they have the potential to move up -AP

I expect Torri Huske to have a huge NCAA season. That post-Olympics confidence boost is no joke. -YL

#2 Texas Longhorns —  (2024 NCAA Rank: 2)

Texas has lost some big-time scorers, including Kelly Pash, who was their top NCAA scorer and played a big role on the Longhorns relays. However, they’ve brought in a strong recruiting class and have key swimmers returning for their fifth-years, which should help them lock up the #2 spot for another season. -SK

#1 Virginia Cavaliers — (2024 NCAA Rank: 1)

The Virginia women are poised for a five-peat. They have a strong returning core highlighted by the Walsh sisters, who each went 3-for-3 at 2024 NCAAs. Plus, they’ve brought in a strong recruiting class that includes Leah Hayes and Anna Moesch. And the cherry on top is that Claire Curzan is finally eligible to race in a Cavaliers cap. -SK

Writer Ballots

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