By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

After an unprecedented year of racing that included the Olympics sandwiched between the Long Course and Short Course World Championships, it’s time to start releasing our fifth annual Top 100 list—check out last year’s rankings here.

As in previous years, we’ve taken a statistically driven approach reliant primarily upon world rankings and medals won at the Olympics, and to a lesser extent, Short Course Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve also accounted for things like potential, future medal opportunities, injuries, and versatility. Long-course is weighted more heavily than short-course, though performance potential in both formats is factored into our rankings.

After a large contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Short Course Worlds in December, those swimmers have started to move back up the rankings after they were low on the lists last year due to lack of competition.

We’ll be breaking down the top 100 into multiple installments, so keep an eye out as they’re released.

These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Thank you to Daniel Takata for his help with the data and compiling the rankings. Madeline Folsom contributed to this report. 

Women’s Rankings:

• #100 – #91
• #90 – #81
• #80 – #71
• #70 – #61
• #60 – #51
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• #10 – #1

#50: Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2024 Rank: 6) – Titmus has established herself as the best female 400 freestyler, and one of the two best 200 and 800 freestylers in the world over the last six years. Titmus would’ve ranked right around where she did last year if it weren’t for her recent announcement that she won’t be racing at the 2025 World Championships. She has not closed the door on competing in 2025, and she could end up racing towards the end of the year. Titmus currently holds two LC world records in the women’s 200 and 400 freestyle, and is coming off winning 400 free gold and silver in the 200 and 800 free at the Paris Olympics.

#49: Alex Shackell, USA (2024 Rank: 65) – Shackell had an exceptional 2024. After making the U.S. World Championship team in the women’s 4×200 free relay in 2023, the teenage standout came back even better last year. At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Shackell earned her first Olympic berth after finishing as the runner-up in the 200 fly, setting a PB of 2:06.10 in the semis. This time was almost two seconds faster than she was in 2023 at 2:07.95. She also finished 6th in the 200 freestyle, picking up a spot on the 4×200 free relay, and was 4th in the 100 fly semis before scratching the final due to three of the fastest women ever ranked ahead of her/a conflict with the 200 free. She didn’t go quite as fast at the Games, finishing 6th in the 200 fly in 2:07.73, but her best 200 fly time ranked her 5th in the world for 2024. She also swam a prelim leg of the 4×200 free relay and 4×100 medley relay, earning silver in the former and gold in the latter. Shackell also ranked 11th in the world in the 100 fly, 71st in the 100 free, and 36th in the 200 free. The 18-year-old went on to swim at the 2024 SC Worlds in December, finishing 4th in the 200 fly at 2:03.23. She also swam on four different relays for Team USA earning four medals. Not only is Shackell a medal contender in 2025, but she also makes a significant impact on relays for the United States.

#48: Kasia Wasick, Poland (2024 Rank: 48) – Wasick has been around the block a few times, competing at four straight Olympic Games dating back to 2012. The Polish sprinter is not letting age slow her down, and she went two new best times last year at 32. Wasick was one of the athletes who chose to swim all three major international meets last year, starting her year at the World Championships in February where she won a silver medal in the women’s 50 free, swimming a new personal best of 23.95. She also led off Poland’s 4×100 freestyle relay in 54.12, another PB. She went on to swim the 50 free at the Games in Paris, coming in just off her best at 24.33 to finish 6th in the event, but her time from Worlds ranked her 3rd for 2024. Wasick did not take an extended break after the busy first half of her year, and went right into the World Cup where she swam at all three stops, winning the triple crown in the 50 freestyle. At the SC World Champs, Wasick won bronze in the 50 free and also placed 6th in the 100 free.

#47: Abbie Wood, Great Britain (2024 Rank: 89) – Wood, 25, moves up significantly from her previous ranking after a bit of a bounce-back year. The medley specialist was one of the few swimmers in this tier who swam at all three major international meets last year. She started at the Doha World Championships, placing 6th in the 200 IM, and swam on the silver medal-winning 4×200 freestyle relay. At the British Trials in April, Wood won the 200 IM in 2:08.91, and she finished 2nd in the 200 free at 1:56.62. She also grabbed a 6th-place finsih in the 100 free (55.26). She went on to swim the 200 IM and the 4×200 freestyle relay at the Olympics. She finished 5th in the 200 IM at 2:09.51, which was just off the 2:08.91 best time she set in April of last year. She also swam at the SC World Champs in December, where she earned four medals. She won individual bronze medals in the 200 IM (2:02.75) and the 400 IM (4:24.34), and she also won a silver as a member of the 4×100 medley relay where she swam the backstroke leg in 57.44. Wood had a pair of top 100 times in 2024 in the 200 free (24th) and the 200 IM (10th).

#46: Tessa Giele, Netherlands (2024 Rank: NR) – Giele is coming off a breakout year on the senior swimming scene, making her first long course international team for last year’s Olympics. The Dutch native raced the 100 fly placing 15th while also contributing on a pair of relays. In the 100 fly, Giele saw significant improvement last year, dropping almost a second-and-a-half in the event through various meets. Coming into 2024, Giele’s best time in the event was 58.41 from 2022, and she had only been under 59 seconds four times. At the end of the year, she had done it 17 times, and lowered her best time to 57.38, which she went at the British Olympic Trials. She continued to hold onto that momentum through the SC World Champs, where she swam four individual events, finaling in three of them. She finished 5th in the women’s 50 fly going 24.87, 5th in the 100 IM at 57.69, and had a breakthrough performance in the 100 fly, grabbing silver in 54.66. The 22-year-old also swam fly on the Dutch mixed 4×50 medley relay which finished 8th, and breast on the women’s 4×100 medley relay which came in 9th, showing off her versatility. If Giele improves even half the amount she did last year, her versatility is a huge asset in making her a threat at the World Champs.

#45: Angharad Evans, Great Britain (2024 Rank: NR) – Evans joins two other British swimmers in this section. She took an extended break from international competition while competing for the University of Georgia from 2020-2022, and after the 2022 NCAAs, didn’t race any competitions for a full year. In 2023, she contested the British Championships, where she finished 3rd in the 50 and 100 breaststroke, missing the Worlds team. At the 2024 British Trials, Evans won the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.54 to earn her way to her first major international meet, junior or senior. The 21-year-old Evans went on to the AP Race London where she won the 100 breast in a new National Record time of 1:05.54. At the Games, she was just off this time, swimming 1:05.85 in the event to finish 6th. Evans finished her year at the SC World Championships in Hungary where she swam all three breaststroke events, finishing 12th in the 50, 7th in the 100, and 8th in the 200. Her prelims time in the 100 breast of 1:03.45 was also a new National record in the event. In the 2024 rankings, she finished 7th in the 100 breast and 37th in the 200 breast.

#44: Phoebe Bacon, USA (2024 Rank: 49) – After missing the Worlds team in the 200 backstroke in 2023, Bacon came back with a bang in 2024, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in the event after clocking 2:06.27 in the final. She also finished 6th in the 100 back at the Trials (59.33 in semis). At the Olympics, Bacon finished 4th in the 200 back, touching in 2:05.61 to record her fastest swim in the event since 2022. The University of Wisconsin swimmer went on to compete at SC Worlds in December, where she again finished 4th in the 200 back. She also swam as a prelims member of the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay and the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay, ultimately earning a gold medal in both. While she has only swam the 200 backstroke at international meets, she had three events where she ranked in the top-100 rankings for 2024. Her 100 back was tied for 20th, her 200 back was 4th, and her 200 IM came in at 41st. Getting through the U.S. qualification meet is the tough part, but if Bacon can do that, she’ll be in the medal hunt at Worlds in the 200 back.

#43: Beryl Gastaldello, France (2024 Rank: NR) – Gastaldello has plenty of experience under her belt at this point of her career, and although she’s been looked at as a short course specialist in the past, had a revival of sorts in long course in 2024. The Frenchwoman placed 8th in the 100 back (59.31 in semis), 11th in the 50 free (24.60 in prelims) and 16th in the 100 free (53.83 relay lead-off) at the Games, and also represented France on a trio of relays. The 29-year-old, who will turn 30 in a few weeks, impressively set long course best times in the 50 free (24.51) and 100 back (59.17) last year, and as expected, was even better at SC Worlds. In Budapest, Gastaldello set three new best times and earned three medals in the 100 free (50.63; silver), 50 fly (24.43; silver), and the 100 IM (56.67; bronze). Given that she saw progress in long course, and is coming off a successful SC Worlds, Gastaldello will be one to watch for at the 2025 Worlds. At SC Euros in December, she could be in store for a sizeable medal haul.

#42: Angelina Köhler, Germany (2024 Rank: NR) – The 24-year-old Köhler enters 2025 as the reigning world champion in the women’s 100 butterfly. At the 2024 Worlds in Doha, the German native clocked 56.28 to win gold by three-tenths of a second. This was just off the personal best time and German National Record she set in the prelims of 56.11. Köhler also swam the 50 fly (5th) and the 50 free (20th) at the meet. She went on to swim the 100 fly at the Olympics where she finished 4th, clocking 56.42. In the 2024 world rankings, Köhler ranked 4th in the 100 fly, trailing three American swimmers. Köhler is in the medal hunt at the World Championships this year, and her chances improve with the retirement of Maggie MacNeil.

#41: Freya Colbert, Great Britain (2024 Rank: 52) – Colbert is another world champion in this tier. At the World Champs in Doha, Colbert went 4:37.14 in the 400 IM to win the event. The 20-year-old also swam the 200 backstroke at the meet, finishing 8th. She went on to win the 200 free and 400 IM at the British Olympic Trials, and she also finished 2nd in the 200 IM to earn a spot on her first Olympic team. In May, she swam at the AP Race London International, setting a new best time in the 200 IM at 2:12.27. At the Olympic Games, Colbert swam the 200 and 400 IM events, finishing 4th in the 400 IM in 4:35.67, just shy of her PB set at the 2023 Worlds (4:35.28) while also placing 18th in the 200 IM (2:12.88). Colbert also swam on Great Britain’s 4×200 freestyle relay, leading off in a best time of 1:55.95 to help them finish 5th. Colbert had multiple top-100 rankings for 2024, 200 free (13th), 200 backstroke (52nd), 200 IM (21st), and 400 IM (4th).

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Top 100 For 2025: Women’s #50-41

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

Brought to you by Spectrum Aquatics, a SwimSwam partner, our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series celebrates swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.

Izzy Riva, 15, Saint Petersburg Aquatics (FL): Riva set a pair of massive best times at the Trials Fundraiser meet (LCM) in Florida two weeks ago, hitting 18U Senior National cuts in the 400 and 800 freestyle. Riva dropped from 4:23.23 to 4:18.24 in the 400 free, ranking her 3rd this season among 15-year-old girls (finishing as the runner-up to Saint Petersburg teammate and fellow 15-year-old Brinkleigh Hansen, who ranks 1st this season). Riva also won the 800 free in 8:50.36, improving on her previous best of 8:55.84 to rank 1st this season among 15-year-old girls by 11 seconds. She also set a PB in the 100 fly (1:06.86), and now holds three Nationals cuts after clocking 16:23 in the 1650 free in December.

Alex Kirsling, 11, Nitro Swimming (ST): Kirsling was on fire at the COPS 43rd Annual Greater Southwest meet in Southlake, Texas, setting five lifetime bests that rank him near the top of the national rankings this season. Kirsling now ranks 2nd in the country among 11-year-old boys in the 500 free (5:02.05), 1650 free (17:37.73) and 100 back (58.64), while he also moves into 4th in the 100 fly (59.43) and 9th in the 50 free (24.78) coming out of the meet.

Kate Allen, 12, Carmel Swim Club (IN): Allen hit six best times at Carmel’s Winter Invitational, picking up four wins in the girls’ 11-12 age group. Highlighting Allen’s swims were the 200 free, where she clocked 1:54.89 to rank 3rd in the 11-12 age group this season, and the 50 fly, where her 26.62 swim ranks 4th in 2024-25.

Eli Sweet, 14, SwimMAC Carolina (NC): Sweet set four best times at the SwimMAC Novant Invite (LCM) Jan. 18-20, highlighted by his performance in the 400 IM. After hitting a best time of 4:36.26 in November, Sweet went 4:35.86 in the prelims and then dropped down to 4:34.25 in the final, ranking him 37th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group and 1st this season by more than eight seconds. Sweet also set best times in the 400 free (4:13.15) and 200 fly (2:09.99), both ranking him 1st in the age group this season, while his PBs in the 100 breast (1:09.29) and 200 breast (2:30.36) rank 3rd. He also clocked 2:10.19 in the 200 IM, just shy of his best time but the fastest in the U.S. this season.

Abby Moore, 14, Academy Bullets Swim Club (IL): Moore showed impressive versatility at the Patriot Pride meet in Lincolnshire, Ill., sweeping all five events she raced in personal best fashion. The Academy Bullets Swim Club member clocked 29.37 in the 50 breast, ranking her tied for 5th in the girls’ 13-14 age group this season, while she also cracked the top 10 in the 50 back, going 25.93 to rank 9th. Moore added best times in the 100 breast (1:03.28), 200 back (2:00.93) and 100 back (55.74), ranking her 11th, 18 and 23rd in the 13-14 age group this season, respectively.

Eric Xu, 15, Dynamo Swim Club (GA): Xu took a second and a half off his personal best time in the 200 back at the GA Eastern Classic (SCY), clocking 1:47.47 to rank 6th this season among 15-year-old boys. The Dynamo Swim Club product also set a best time of 1:52.30 in the 200 IM, good for 32nd in the seasonal rankings as he improves on his month-old PB of 1:53.21.

About Spectrum

Since 1972, Spectrum Aquatics has been setting the standard for excellence in competition. Backed by a team of driven professionals, we proudly design and manufacture high-quality, custom products in our Missoula, Montana facility. With unmatched expertise and an unrelenting commitment to innovation, we don’t just meet expectations—we exceed them, delivering superior solutions tailored to your specific needs and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in competitive swimming.

Follow Spectrum Aquatics 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpectrumAquatics

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spectrum-products

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spectrumaquatics

Spectrum is a SwimSwam partner. 

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Spectrum Aquatics Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming: 2/1/2025

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 LUXEMBOURG EURO MEET

• Friday, January 31st – Sunday, February 2nd
• Centre National Sportif et Culturel d’Coque, Luxembourg
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Live Results

The 25th edition of the CMCM Luxembourg Euro Meet got underway last night, with the action spanning Friday, January 31st through Sunday, February 2nd.

This long course competition has been requested to be classified as a qualifying event for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore which means international stars will be vying for potential roster slots every time they dive in.

29-year-old Olympian Beryl Gastaldello of France began her campaign with two victories on night one.

The versatile ace first reaped gold in the women’s 100m back, registering a time of 1:00.36.

That held a healthy advantage over teammate Bertile Cousson who snagged silver in 1:01.55 before Canadian Leah Tigert who rounded out the podium in 1:02.43.

Gastaldello’s next victim was the 50m fly where she produced a gold medal-worthy performance of 26.50. That was less than a second off her lifetime best of 25.79 registered at the 2017 World Aquatics Swimming World Championships.

Dutch swimmer Tessa Giele was next to the wall in 26.57 while Danish athlete Elisabeth Ebbesen also landed on the podium in 26.82, good enough for bronze.

Gastaldello’s effort checks her in as the 5th-fastest swimmer in the world this season.

The men’s 50 fly saw Thomas Verhoeven beat the field with a time of 23.25, a mark just .03 shy of his season-best 23.23 logged at December’s Rotterdam Qualification Meet to rank 2nd in the world.

Germany’s Luca Ambruster turned in a time of 23.44 to settle for silver. Ukraine’s reigning 50m free world champion, Vladyslav Bukhov, wrangled up bronze in 23.49.

Danish national record holder Helena Rosendahl-Bach was too quick to catch in the women’s 200m fly, hitting the sole time of the field under the 2:11 threshold.

Rosendahl-Bach posted 2:08.41, including a swift 1:00.99 opener, to dominate the field and insert herself into the #2 slot among this season’s performers worldwide.

Finnish ace Laura Lahtinen was next to the wall in 2:11.38 and Great Britain’s Ciara Schlosshan bagged bronze in 2:12.19.

Ukraine’s national record holder in the men’s 200m fly, Denys Kesil, got it done for gold in his pet event.

The 24-year-old put up a time of 1:57.96 to lead the field, with Canada’s Bill Dongfang scoring silver in 1:58.77. Teammate Michael Sava earned bronze in 2:01.91.

Kesil’s lifetime best and Ukrainian standard remains at the 1:54.79 he registered to place 5th at the 2019 World Championships.

Additional Notes

• The women’s 400m IM saw Great Britain’s Amalie Smith score gold in 4:41.70 to clear the field by over 3 seconds. That’s a monster new personal best for the RTW Monson 15-year-old, crushing the 4:48.09 put up just last December at the Rotterdam Qualification Meet. Just like that, Smith now ranks as GBR’s 11th-swiftest women’s 400m IM performer in history and unofficially scored a new British Age Record for 15-year-olds.
• Olympian Yohann Ndoye-Brouard produced a time of 53.81 to take the men’s 100m back race. The 24-year-old now ranks #1 in the world early in this 2024/25 season.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Gastaldello Wins Twice, Smith Sets British Age Record On Day 1 Of LUX Euro Meet

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins (Women Only)

• January 31, 2025
• Uytengsu Aquatics Center, Los Angeles, California
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), NCAA Dual Meet
• Full Meet Results (PDF)
• Final Score: #12 USC 215 def. #21 UCLA 85

The latest chapter of the cross-town rivalry between USC and UCLA was written on Friday with the Trojans dominating 215-85 to earn points for the all-sports Crosstown Cup between the two schools.

While this was USC’s 33rd win in 50 all-time matchups (including one tie), this one was unique as it was the first time where the Trojans have ever won every single event against the Bruins, sweeping the day’s 16 races. The final margin was a far cry from the matchup as recently as two years ago, where USC hung on for a 4-point win.

The show-stopping matchup of the meet came in the women’s 100 breaststroke, where USC’s Kaitlyn Dobler, who placed 3rd at last year’s NCAA Championship meet, faced off against 20-year-old UCLA freshman Karolina Piechowicz, a rising star in NCAA swimming.

Dobler, who sat out the fall semester of racing, rocked a season best of 58.18 to win, but Piechowicz didn’t leave the race empty-handed: her runner-up result of 59.28 broke her own school record of 59.30 set at a dual meet two weeks ago against Stanford. Piechowicz didn’t break 1 minute during the entire fall semester, but coming out of winter training she’s done so three times.

Dobler won again later in the meet in the 200 breaststroke in 2:07.72, beating out a personal best from another UCLA Bruin Ana Jih-Schiff, who was 2nd in 2:08.23.

The USC sweep and the final score belie the competitiveness of the meet at moments. In fact, UCLA almost won the very first event of the night, leading after three legs of the 200 medley relay. A 21.94 anchor split from Vasillissa Buinaia for USC pulled away from Jih-Schiff, though, grabbing the win for the Trojans.

Emma Harvey was the big leg for UCLA, splitting 22.76 on the fly leg to pull them ahead.

Two USC swimmers won all four of their races (including relays). One was Caroline Famous, who swam the backstroke leg of the opening medley relay and also won three individual events: the 50 free in 22.15, the 100 back in 51.37, and the 100 fly in 51.84. The 100 back and 100 fly were both season best swims for her.

The other quad winner was Minna Abraham, who besides a 48.14 anchor on USC’s winning 400 free relay and a 23.26 on the winning 200 medley relay also won the 100 free individually (48.94) and the 200 free (1:44.15).

There were a mountain of season-bests for USC, a program that has swum very fast under head coach Lea Maurer but that has struggled to peak at the NCAA Championship meet. Other season-best times for the Trojans included Ashley McMillan in the 200 IM (1:56.21), which was also a lifetime best. She likewise swam a lifetime best in the 200 breast (2:10.88).

National Age Group Record-breaker Claire Tuggle won the 500 free in 4:40.13 and the 1000 free in 9:38.22. The former of those swims was a season best by almost two seconds.

The Bruins also loaded up on personal and season best times, though it didn’t earn them any wins. In the 100 back, for example, Emma Harvey finished 2nd in 52.35 and Fay Lustria finished 3rd in 52.50. Harvey’s time matched her lifetime best from the team’s dual meet against Cal two weeks ago while Lustria’s swim knocked almost seven-tenths off her personal best.

USC freshman Kate Miller swept the diving events, in both cases beating out UCLA star Eden Cheng, who was 2nd on 3-meter and platform at the Pac-12 Championships last year and finished 9th at NCAAs last year on platform. That will be a big confidence booster for Miller, a Canadian National Team member, as she heads toward her first NCAA Championship meet.

Both teams have concluded their regular season: USC with a 3-2 record in dual meets and UCLA with a 3-5 record. Both teams will head to their first Big Ten Championships in Columbus, Ohio from February 19-22. USC didn’t face a single Big Ten team in a dual meet this season, with their schedule looking very similar to their previous Pac-12 schedule with duals against teams like Cal & Stanford (ACC) and Arizona (Big 12).

Read the full story on SwimSwam: USC Wins All 16 Events Against UCLA For the First Time Behind Dobler’s Season-Bests

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

A Fargo, North Dakota swim coach who made headlines in 2018 for his questionable coaching tactics has been arrested on allegations of sexual contact with a minor.

Hehn was booked into Cass County Jail in North Dakota on Thursday on a charge of gross sexual imposition with a victim under 15 years of age.

Hehn was fired as the head swim coach of the West Fargo High School girls’ swim team in 2018 after posting a video of a swimmer wearing a weighted belt in the water and appearing to struggled, which was considered unsafe.

Now Hehn, 38, has been charged with a much more serious crime. The U.S. Center for SafeSport does not yet list Hehn in its database of suspended coaches. In 2018, USA Swimming told SwimSwam that Hehn was not a member.

A 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials qualifier, Anderson swam collegiatelly at Indiana University. He finished 30th in the 200 breaststroke and 31st in the 100 breaststroke at the 2008 NCAA Championships, 54th in the 100 breast at the 2008 Olympic Trials, and 139th in the 100 breast at the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Hehn posted a video on his social media account on deck, in the competition pool, and in the VIP section at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. USA Swimming has not responded to a SwimSwam email asking whether or not he was credentialed to attend the meet or how he got access to athlete portions of the venue.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ronald Hehn, Coach From 2018 “Weight Belt” Incident, Arrested on Allegations of Sexual Contact with a Minor

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Texas vs Texas A&M

• Austin, Texas
• January 31, 2025
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results
• Team Scores:
  • Women: #2 Texas 197 — #19 Texas A&M 102
  • Men: #1 Texas 218.5 — #17 Texas A&M 80.5

Texas swept rival Texas A&M for their last dual meet of the season. This win allowed the men to finish 8-0 for the season, completely undefeated. The Texas women finished at 7-1.

Women’s Recap:

The Texas women won most of the events, dropping only four individuals to the Aggies.

Most of the Texas women won just one event, with the exception of grad student Emma Sticklen.

Sticklen was the only swimmer to win two individual events on the women’s side. She started the day with a victory in the 100 back, swimming 52.04 in the event, two seconds off her season best of 50.85.

She also won the 100 free later in the meet, finishing in 48.03, four tenths over the 47.67 she went at the Texas Hall of Fame Invite.

While Sticklen was the only woman to win two individual events, there were quite a few that earned two podium finishes. Freshman Lillian Nestywon the first individual event of the day in the 1000 freestyle, swimming 9:35.01 for her first time competing in the event this season. She went on to finish 3rd in the 100 fly at 52.62, just under two tenths away from her season best 52.44.

Channing Hanley, a senior, won the 100 breaststroke. She stopped the clock in 1:00.66, a drop from her previous season best of 1:00.72. She also finished 3rd in the 200 breast, coming in at 2:14.06.

The 50 freestyle went to sophomoreAlexa Fultonin 22.25, a tenth drop from her season best 22.36. Fulton snagged 3rd in the 100 freestyle, behind Sticklen, coming in at 48.66.

Senior Abby Arenswon the 200 IM in 1:57.42, two seconds off the 1:55.08 she went at the Hall of Fame Invite. She also earned a 2nd place finish in the 50 free at 22.42.

The other swimming individual event winner for Texas was senior Olivia Bray, who won the 200 fly in 1:52.68. She also contributed to Texas’ 400 medley relay win, swimming the backstroke leg.

Texas won both relays, starting with the 400 medley, where the team of Olivia Bray(51.56), Piper Enge (59.39), Abby Arens (50.99), andAva Longi(47.82) went 3:29.79 to come in three seconds ahead of the A&M ‘A’ relay.

They also picked up the win in the 200 medley relay, swimming 1:27.86 courtesy of Sienna Schellenger (22.41), Grace Cooper (21.67), Emma Sticklen (21.51), and Campbell Chase (22.27).

Finally, Texas swept the diving events with senior Hailey Hernandez taking the 1-Meter in 333.08 and Alejandra Estudillo winning the 3-Meter in her Texas debut, scoring 334.80.

The Texas A&M women won a few individual events, starting with Chloe Stepanek in the 200 freestyle. Stepanek came in at 1:43.98, which was a new season best for her.

The rest of the Aggies wins came later in the meet. They won the 200 backstroke withAviv Barzelay finishing in 1:54.88, over two seconds ahead of the rest of the field.

Hannah O’Leary touched first in the 200 breaststroke at 2:12.67, andOlivia Theall won the 100 fly in 51.88.

Men’s Recap:

The Texas men had an even more dominant performance than the women, losing just one swimming event.

The Longhorns started the day with a win in the 400 medley relay. Will Modglin(45.20), Nate Germonprez (51.01), Hubert Kos (44.47), and Chris Guiliano (41.52) went 3:02.20, five seconds ahead of the Texas A&M ‘A’.

They also won the 200 freestyle relay with Chris Guiliano (19.15), Kyle Peck (19.17), Will Modglin(19.05), and Luke Hobson (19.00) swimming 1:16.37.

David Johnston swept the distance freestyle events, winning the 1000 in 8:40.74. This was just over a second slower than his season best 8:39.25. He also won the 500 freestyle in 4:14.21, which was also off his season best in the event.

Hubert Kos won three individual events, starting with the men’s 100 backstroke, where he went 44.87, a little over two tenths off his best. He went on to win the last two individual swimming events, touching 1st in the 100 fly at 45.34 and in the 200 IM at 1:41.97. He has been faster this season in both.

Will Scholtzwas the final multi-event winner, sweeping the men’s breaststroke events. He took the 100 in 52.46 and the 200 in 1:52.69. Both of these times were about a second off his season best.

The other men’s swimming event winners for the Longhorns were Luke Hobson (200 free, 1:32.18), Ryan Branon (200 fly, 1:42.46), Chris Guiliano (100 free, 41.97), and Rex Maurer (200 backstroke, 1:40.79).

Texas also won the 1-Meter Diving event with Junior Nicholas Harris scoring 379.35.

Texas A&M won one swimming event and one diving event on the men’s side. Ben Scholl took the men’s 50 freestyle in 19.17, a little over a tenth faster than his lifetime and season best of 19.30 from the Art Adamson Invitational.

The 3-Meter diving event went to Allen Bottegofor the Aggies at 405.98.

This was the last meet of the regular season for both teams. They will meet again at the SEC championships beginning February 17th.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Texas Sweeps Texas A&M, Texas Men Finish Season Undefeated

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Pitt vs Ohio State

• February 1, 2025
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results PDF

The Ohio State Buckeyes traveled to Pitt and earned the win on both sides. The men earned the win 181-114 while the Ohio State women won 161.5-131.5.

Women’s Recap

Sienna Angove sits at #18 in the NCAA this season with her 200 free from midseason and swam a 1:45.25 today to earn the win. She also touched first in the 400 IM, swimming a 4:09.68, a swim that was faster than the NCAA cutline of a 4:10.74 last year while it took a 4:08.14 in the event to make the NCAA ‘B’ final.

Going two for two on the day was Ohio State’s Lucy Malys. Malys first won the 200 fly in a 1:57.49 to win by over a second. She went on to win the 500 free as well, touching in a 4:42.61. Her 200 fly was 0.07 off her lifetime best while her 500 free was a season best for the junior.

Paige Hall of Ohio State earned a win in the 100 backstroke swimming a 52.88. That was just off her lifetime best o fa 52.86 that she swam in November at midseason. The NCAA cutline was a 52.28 in the event last year.

Leading the way for the Pitt women was graduate student Sophie Yendell. Yendell earned two individual wins on the day as she won the 50 free in a 21.92 and the 100 fly in a 51.74. Yendell sits at t-#16 in the NCAA this season with a 21.88 50 free. Her 100 fly time was a season best, moving her up to sit at #19 in the NCAA this season.

Also earning a win for Pitt was freshman Kimmy Shannon as she touched in a 1:56.13 in the 200 backstroke. She swam a 1:54.61 in the event at midseason, a lifetime best. Shannon went on to earn another win as she won the 400 IM in a 4:13.42, about three seconds off her time from midseason.

Men’s Recap

Leading the way for the Ohio State men was Tristan Jankovics. The junior swept the breaststroke events, touching in a 53.17 in the 100 and a 1:55.59 in the 200. Primarily an IMer, Jankovics has typically had the 200 back as his “third” individual event but has leaned into breaststroke a bit more this season, swimming the 200 at midseason as well when he swam a lifetime best 1:54.46.

Cornelius Jahn had a big day for the Buckeyes as well. Jahn won the 200 back in a 1:40.99, just off his personal best of a 1:40.66 that he swam at midseason. Jahn also battled it out with teammate Jordi Vilchez in the 200 free. Vilchez earned the win in a 1:34.20 while Jahn swam a 1:34.70.

Charlie Clark led the way for a 1-2-3 finish in the 1000 free. The grad student earned the win in a 8:58.07 while Mason Edmund swam a 9:02.77 for 2nd and Sam Campbell touched 3rd in a 9:04.47.

Earning a win for the Pitt men was Krzysztof Radziszewski as he touched first in the 100 back in a 47.63. The senior has a lifetime best of a 45.49 from 2023 ACCs.

Also earning a win for Pitt was Julian Koch. The freshman won the 100 free in a 43.23, out-touching Daniel Baltes of Ohio State who swam a 43.40. Koch swam a 42.61 at midseason.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sienna Angove Posts 4:09.68 400 IM As Ohio State Defeats Pitt On Both Sides

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Washington State vs Idaho

• January 31, 2025
• Pullman, WA
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results
• Team Scores:
  • Washington State 205 — Idaho 57

Washington State broke six pool records at their meet with Idaho, improving their dual meet record to 7-0 for the first time in program history.

In their pursuit of victory, the WSU women won all but one individual event, including both relays. They started their day with a pool record in the 400 medley relay, going 3:37.00 to win the event by almost six seconds over the WSU ‘B’ time of 3:42.90. The Idaho ‘A’ came in at 3:47.54. The splits were not available for this event.

They also won the 200 freestyle relay, setting two pool records. The first came from leadoff leg Darcy Revitt, who went 22.55 on the first 50, breaking the 50 freestyle pool record of 22.59. The rest of the relay held on well with Emma Wright (22.64), Dori Hathazi (23.28), Addy Lewis (22.94).

This was notDarcy Revitt’s only pool record of the day, she also set the record in the 100 free, swimming 49.26 to break the previous pool record of 49.42. She also won the individual 50 freestyle, swimming 22.91 in the event.

Emily Lundgren was responsible for the other two pool records, also breaking a Washington State school record in the process. She started with a win in the 100 breast, swimming 59.45 to break the pool record of 1:00.14, and the former school record of 59.45. She went on to also break the 200 IM pool record, swimming 2:00.70 in the event, breaking the record of 2:01.34.

Lundgren also won the 200 breaststroke, swimming 2:09.60 in the event.

Dori Hathazi and Hannah Huarte were the other dual event winners for Washington State. Huarte won the distance freestyle events, swimming the 1000 in 10:05.44, and 4:57.33 in the 500. Hathazi swept the butterfly events. She went 1:56.69 in the 200 fly, and swam 54.72 in the 100.

Anna Rauchholz (100 back, 54.31) and Angela Di Palo (200 free, 1:50.05) were the other event winners for Washington State.

Idaho won just one individual event. Sophomore Ginger Kiefer took home the top spot in the 200 backstroke, stopping the clock in 1:58.84.

Both teams race again today. Idaho has one more meet after this on February 8th vs UTRGV before they will attend the Western Athletic Conference Championships starting on February 26th.

After today, Washington State’s next meet will be the Mountain West Conference Championships starting February 19th.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Washington State Sets Six Pool Records Against Idaho

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

2025 TAC Titans Polar Plunge Meet

• Cary, NC
• January 16-20, 2025
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results available on Meet Mobile: “2025 TAC TITANS Polar Plunge”

TAC hosted their annual TAC Polar Plunge in January, and, while the meet wasn’t quite as fast as it has been in previous years, there were still some fast swims. The fastest swims came out of TAC Titans 10-year-old David Bao, who set a nation-leading time in the 100 IM, and swam his way onto three other top 10 lists.

Bao had a blistering meet, swimming eight personal best times in nine individual events. His biggest swim of the meet was his 100 IM, where he went 1:06.12, coming in two tenths ahead of previous 10&Under leader Luca Ferrera. This was over a second and a half faster than his previous best time of 1:07.76 from the beginning of December.

He also earned top spots in the 50 backstroke, where his 30.42 was good enough to move him into 8th place. This time was a little over two tenths faster than the 30.67 he went in December.

His 100 back was 1:05.60, a drop from his 1:06.28. This time jumped him into 9th place in the Nation.

Bao’s largest drop of the meet came in the 200 IM, where he went 2:22.81, dropping from his previous best of 2:26.51 from less than a month prior, moving to 6th in the 10&Under age group.

He also saw new personal best times in the 200 back (2:18.79), the 50 fly (29.98), 100 fly (1:07.72), and 50 breast (36.46).

Other Notable Swims:

• Caden Martin, TAC- 16-year-old Caden Martin went 22.50 in the girl’s 50 freestyle for the event win, and to jump into 7th in the 15-16 girls rankings in the nation. She also went 49.41 to move into 6th in the 100 free.
• Carolin He, TAC- He, a 15-year-old from TAC, went two best times in the breaststroke events, picking up the Winter Juniors cut in the 100 at 1:02.57. She also dropped about half-a-second in the 200 breast, swimming 2:15.02 to earn the Summer Juniors time in the event.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: David Bao Blasts Fastest Time in the Nation at TAC Polar Plunge

By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam

2025 EDDIE REESE SHOWDOWN

• January 24-25, 2025
• Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center — Austin, Texas
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Meet Info
• Live Results, also available on MeetMobile as “Eddie Reese Texas Showdown”
• Friday Morning Live Recap
• Friday Night Livestream 
• Live Recap Session 2

Nate Germonprez led a 1-2 Texas finish last weekend in the 100 Breast, winning the event by over .5 in 51.09. The sophomore said he would have liked to have been under the 51-second barrier but is pleased to back up his nation-leading 50.39 from mid-season. Germonprez is enjoying having a more breaststroke-focused approach this year, as last year his primary event on Day 3 of the championship format was the 200 free.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Nate Germonprez on Transition to Breaststroke: “Last year I was focused on 200 Free”

By Claire Wong on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Alyssa Albertyn, a junior at O’Fallon High School in O’Fallon, Illinois, is set to join Arizona State University next fall. She currently trains with the Seahawks Swim Club and owns several winter junior national cuts in the sprint free/backstroke events.

In March of 2024, Albertyn swam to 8 first place finishes at Senior Champs in Missouri to secure high point and help the Seahawks win the meet. She hit PBs in the 500 free (4:57.87), 100 back (55.42), 200 back (1:57.73), and 400 IM (4:26.77), en route to winning all of her individual events. She also recorded a split of 51.63 while anchoring the SeaHawks’ 400 medley and 400 free relay, both of which ultimately took the win.

Two weeks later, Albertyn showed out at Columbia, Missouri for Speedo Sectionals (LCM). She established new bests in the 50 free (26.94) and 100 free (57.94), finishing in 12th and 6th, respectively. She also hit new bests in her 50 back (30.91), 100 back (1:05.17), and 200 back (2:16.13), to finish 13th, 11th, and 3rd respectively.

Albertyn continued to roll into the 24-25 season: with two 3rd place finishes at the Illinois High School (IHSA) Championships this past November, she led O’Fallon to a top 20 finish in a field of 99 teams. She swam a PB in her 100 free with a 49.90 to shave .04 off her previous best and swam 1:48.79 in the 200 free, which was just off her best time of 1:48.65. She had just set both her 100 and 200 personal bests at the Illinois HS Sectionals meet in Edwardsville a week prior, where she swept the 100 and 200 frees. This coming fall, Albertyn will be the highest returning scorer in both events at the IHSA Championships. 

Best times:

• 50 free – 23.43
• 100 free – 49.90
• 200 free – 1:48.65 
• 500 free – 4:57.87
• 100 back – 55.42
• 200 back – 1:57.73
• 400 IM – 4:26.77

The ASU Women are off to a strong start this season, and most recently broke their 200 medley relay school record for the 4th time in their dual meet win against Rice. Graduate student Caroline Bentz currently leads the Sun Devils in both sprint freestyle and backstroke events, but her upcoming graduation—along with key teammates Charli Brown, Erin Miligan, and Elli Straume, all ranked ahead of Albertyn—will leave significant gaps in these events.

Albertyn, a swimmer with similar strengths to Bentz, is expected to provide much-needed depth, as she would rank 4th in the 100 free and 5th in the 200 back on ASU’s current roster. Nonetheless, Albertyn is poised to be a valuable addition to sustain the team’s strength in these events, as under head coach Herbie Behm, ASU has built a strong foundation of swimmers with her repertoire. 

After finishing in 5th at PAC-12s last season, ASU will look to improve upon their standings at their championship meet debut in the Big-12 conference come end of February. 

Albertyn joins a strong and diverse recruiting class that currently consists of 6 other girls: Lilly Jayne Allison (breast), Ellie Chalupsky (free/fly), Riley Christensen (distance free), Haddie Vohs (free/fly), Maya Hetland (fly/IM), and Wren Smith (free). 

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.      

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

FFT SOCIAL

Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster

^{FFT is a SwimSwam partner.}

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Winter Jr National Qualifier Alyssa Albertyn To Swim for Arizona State University (2026)

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 LUXEMBOURG EURO MEET

• Friday, January 31st – Sunday, February 2nd
• Centre National Sportif et Culturel d’Coque, Luxembourg
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results

The 25th edition of the CMCM Luxembourg Euro Meet continued last night with 29-year-old Beryl Gastaldello of France wracking up another pair of golds to add to her haul.

After topping the women’s 100m back and 50m fly podiums on day one, Gastaldello got the job done in the 50m back and 50m free to keep her momentum going.

In the 50m back, Gastaldello stopped the clock at 27.93 to beat the field by over a second. The next-closest competitor was Great Britain’s Sophie Knocker who touched in 28.94 followed by fellow French swimmer Bertille Cousson who hit 29.12.

As for Gastaldello, her time of 27.93 checked in as the 3rd-swiftest time of her career, one which boasts a lifetime best of 27.86 from the 2018 European Championships. She now ranks #1 in the world early in this 2024/25 season.

The 50m free saw Gastaldello produce a gold medal-worthy result of 25.07 to get to the wall first.

17-year-old Skye Carter of Great Britain logged 25.37 to snag silver and Danish swimmer Julie Kepp Jensen rounded out the podium in 25.46.

Gastaldello’s effort rendered her ranked 4th in the world this season.

Kara Hanlon of Great Britain touched first in the women’s 50m breast, registering a time of 30.90. That was within striking distance of her Scottish national record of 30.50 put up at the 2023 British Championships.

Canadian Shona Branton turned in a time of 31.01 as the runner-up followed by Italy’s Arianna Castiglioni who got on the board in 31.30 for bronze.

German ace Melvin Imoudu was the men’s 50m breast victor, hitting a time of 27.31 to beat a pair of Italians.

Simone Cerasuolo logged an effort of 27.56 behind Imoudu while reigning 100m breast Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi posted 27.59 to kick off his 2025 season of racing.

2024 world champion in the 50m free, Vladyslav Bukhov of Ukraine, got the job done in his pet event. Bukhov logged 21.97 as the sole competitor under the 22-second threshold.

Leonardo Deplano of Italy claimed silver in 22.13 and Sean Niewold of the Netherlands also landed on the podium a hair behind in 22.16 for bronze.

Bukhov now ranks 3rd in the world thus far.

France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard doubled up on his 100m back victory on night one with a gold in the 50m back.

Ndoye-Brouard ranks #2 in the world now, courtesy of the 24.96 he produced here in Luxembourg. Germany’s Fritz Dietz was over a second behind in 26.09 and France’s Romeo Sauvageot rounded out the top 3 performers in 26.23.

Additional Notes

• Sofia Morini of Italy touched in 1:59.25 in the women’s 200m free, producing the sole outing of the field under the 2:00 barrier.
• Danish Olympian Helena Rosendahl-Bach earned another gold, pairing day one’s 200m fly victory with a 100m fly top performance here. The 24-year-old reached the wall in 58.50 to win by over a second.
• The men’s 200m free saw Ukraine’s Illia Linnyk score a time of 1:49.55 to reap gold in the sole sub-1:50 outing of the pack.
• Clara Rybak-Andersen of Denmark was too quick to catch in the women’s 200m breast, posting 2:25.54 to come just over a second outside her lifetime best of 2:24.47 from April 2024.
• Luca Armbruster of Germany was the top men’s 100m fly performer, turning in a time of 52.05, ranking 4th in the world as a result.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Gastaldello Takes Over World Rankings In 50 Back At 2025 Euro Meet

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Cal vs Stanford (Women)

• Berkeley, CA
• February 1, 2025
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results
• Team Scores:
  • Stanford 180 — Cal 119

The Stanford women defeated Cal today, finishing their regular season completely undefeated, highlighted by Lucy Bell setting the fastest time in the nation in the 200 breaststroke.

Bell went 2:05.10 in her 200 breaststroke, breaking Stanford’s school record in the event. The previous record belonged to Katie Olsen at 2:05.88 and had stood since 2014. This time also moves her into first in the country in the event in the Division 1 rankings. She overtakes Kaelyn Gridley’s time of 2:05.71 for the position.

Updated Top 5 Rankings:

1. Lucy Bell (Stanford)- 2:05.10
2. Kaelyn Gridley (Duke)- 2:05.71
3. Aimee Canny (Virginia)- 2:06.70
4. Emma Weber (Virginia)- 2:06.97
5. McKenzie Siroky (Tennessee)- 2:07.12

Bell also went a new personal best time in the 100 breaststroke, swimming 58.30 in the event, moving her to 9th overall.

Stanford won most of the individual events, but they lost both relays to the Golden Bears.

The Cardinal’s first event win of the meet went toAurora Roghair in the 1000 at 9:24.78. This time is the 2nd best time in the country this season, after only Texas swimmer Jillian Cox’s 9:24.83. Roghair also won the 500 freestyle in 4:36.97, which was off her season best of 4:31.63.

Caroline Bricker won the 200 freestyle in 1:42.56, a new personal best time for her, dropping from the 1:49.50 she went in March of 2020. This swim moves her up to 6th in the NCAA this season. She also swam the 200 IM, winning the event in 1:54.46. This was about three tenths over her season best of 1:54.17.

Lillie Nordmann won the 200 butterfly, setting a new personal best of 1:51.85 in the event. This time will move her into 2nd in the country, only after Emma Sticklen’s 1:49.54 for Texas.

Finally, Torri Huske won three individual events for the Cardinals. She started with the 50 freestyle, where she went 21.30 for a new personal best time in the event. It also moves her up to 2nd in the country, coming in behind only Gretchen Walsh’s 20.54 from Virginia.

She also won the 100 free in 47.78 and the 100 fly in 50.72. She has been faster in both this season.

Stanford also won both of the diving events. Maria Papworth took the 1-meter in 294.45 and Lauren Burch won the 3-Meter with her score of 303.38.

Cal won four events, including both relays. They started with a win in the 200 medley relay in 1:34.24 with their team of Isabelle Stadden, Leah Polonsky, McKenna Stone, and Mary-Ambre Moluh.

The exact same team of four won the 400 freestyle relay, just in a different order. Mary-Ambre Moluh, Isabelle Stadden, Leah Polonsky, and Mckenna Stone went 3:12.49 to beat Stanford’s ‘A’ relay by

Isabelle Stadden was involved in all of Cal’s event wins, taking the top spot in both of the backstroke events. She went 50.38 in the 100 back and 1:52.33 in the 200 back. Neither of these were season best times for her.

Both teams will be back in action on February 17th at the ACC Championships.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lucy Bell Sets Nation Leading 200 Breaststroke Time at Last Dual Meet

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

Vanderbilt vs. SIU

• February 1, 2025
• Centennial SportsPlex — Nashville, Tenn.
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Score: SIU, 154 def. Vanderbilt, 108
• Full Results

Men’s swimming is back in the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since 2002, so it makes sense that the conference record books have undergone massive rewrites this season. But the record-breaking spree hasn’t been a one-sided affair this season; SIU junior Olivia Herronhas reset the MVC women’s conference record book multiple times.

Her breakout season began in the fall, and she hasn’t let up on the gas, as she broke two MVC records in the Saluki women’s final dual meet before the postseason. Herron’s records in the 100 breaststroke and 400 IM, two of nine wins for SIU, highlighted the Salukis’ winning effort over Vanderbilt, 154 to 108.

Herron’s first conference record of the meet came in the 100 breaststroke, where she broke the 1:00 for the first time in her career, hitting 59.78. That swim bettered the previous MVC record, which Herron set at midseason in 1:00.17 by .39 seconds. She was back on the blocks for the 400 IM and dropped 3.29 seconds from her lifetime best, crushing a 4:12.96 for a new conference record. Missouri State’s Lily DeSpain held the former MVC record at 4:14.92 from the 2024 MVC Championships.

Along with being conference records, Herron’s times are NCAA ‘B’ cuts. Celia Pulido, SIU’s backstroke ace who had a major breakout on the NCAA stage last season, also won her events in ‘B’ cut time. Pulido swept the backstroke events, clocking 52.23 to win the 100 and 1:56.17 to win the 200, finishing 1-2 with teammate Liseska Gallegos Gutierrez in both events. Pulido and Herron combined forces on the 200 medley relay, splitting 24.17 and 27.20 on the front half. Then, Maria Padron Salazar (24.14) and Zaria Terry(22.69) took over, giving the Salukis the win in 1:38.20.

Susana Hernandez Barradas and Masha Zhukova also earned event wins for SIU. Hernandez Barradas claimed the 200 freestyle in 1:48.78, and Zhukova hit the wall first in the 50 freestyle with a 23.21.

Though Vanderbilt lost the meet, the Commodores had their own NCAA ‘B’ cuts to celebrate, which were the first of the season for the team, per the school’s press release. Kailia Utleyswam an NCAA ‘B’ cut in her first event of the day, the 200 butterfly. Utley’s winning time of 1:56.49 is a huge season-best for her, surpassing the 1:59.67 she swam at the U.S. Open in December. Utley completed the butterfly sweep by winning the 100 fly in 53.55.

Emily Constablewas the second Vanderbilt swimmer to earn an NCAA ‘B’ cut. She took second behind Herron in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, hitting her cut in the former with a 1:01.11. It’s a lifetime best for the freshman, who moves up to second in program history.

Vanderbilt swept the distance events, with Madelyn Porter grabbing the team’s first win in the 1000 freestyle (10:12.76) and climbing to third in Vanderbilt event history. Later, Mercedes Trabawon the 500 freestyle (4:51.52). Regan Mathieson added a win in the 100 freestyle, edging out Hernandez Barradas, 50.01 to 50.27.

The Salukis capped their meet win by winning the final event, the 400 freestyle relay. Ava Rines (50.95), Terry (50.95), Hernandez Barradas (50.68), and Pulido (49.13) sailed away to win by over two seconds in 3:21.71.

Up Next

Both teams now turn their attention to the postseason. Vanderbilt travels to Athens, Georgia for the SEC Championships from Feb. 18-22. SIU heads to the women’s MVC Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, from Feb. 26 – Mar. 1.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Olivia Herron Breaks Two MVC Records As SIU Defeats Vanderbilt

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Renowned Illinois high school swim coach Jim Runkle died on January 23rd at 12:20 AM. He was 79 years old.

Runkle was a native of Peoria, Illinois, and he spent most of his life in the region. He was a basketball player and cross country runner at Richwoods High School, but fell in love with swimming as a senior in high school after taking a water life-saving class. He then joined the swim team and water polo team at Western Illinois, and by his senior year, won an IIAC title in the 400 IM.

He began his coaching career at Glenbrook North High School in suburban Chicago. He took a two-year break to serve as director of swimming for the Springfield Park District and then spent seven more years at Glenbrook North.

In 1978, when Woodruff High School built a pool, Runkle returned home and took over the school’s new program – a huge building process after coming from a swimming hotbed in the Chicago suburbs where he had 250 swimmers in his age group program.

In a 2015 interview with the JournalStar, Runkle described the early years:

“I had come from a pretty good program at Glenbrook North,” he said. “We had 250 kids in our age-group program. It was almost like starting from ground zero here. That first year, we had 21 girls out and 14 of them couldn’t go the length of the pool and breathe correctly. I told my wife I wasn’t sure I’d done the right thing.”

His alma mater, Richwoods, was the local power and he spent most of the 1980s and 1990s building teams to chase them.

Runkle retired from Woodruff in 2002, and his last act at the school might have been his best. Giordon Pogioli, the best swimmer in school history, won a state title that season in the 100 breaststroke in 56.85 before going on to swim at Purdue and qualify for the 2008 US Olympic Trials.

“I remember that final season at Woodruff in 2002,” Pogioli said. “That was his last season. So there was kind of a lot of pressure because he’d never had an individual state title holder. I knew he was retiring. It was pretty special, the whole thing was an incredible story.”

It turned out that wasn’t his last year – he returned a year later when coach Tricia McDaniel became ill and stayed for five more seasons.

Runkle was given the 2009 Outstanding Service Award by NISCA for his contributions, and today his son Josh is the head coach at state power New Trier High School. His other son, Scott, is the aquatics and safety director for the Skokie Park District.

Woodruff High School closed in 2010 and reopened a year later as a career and vocational training center for the school district. That means no more athletic teams. Runkle’s legacy still lives on through an outpouring of memories on a Facebook page for school alumni and through interviews with his peer coaches done by the local news outlet The Journal Star.

His peers had a unanimous respect for their former competitor, remembering him as an incredible storyteller and someone who always had respect for his competition.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Peoria, Illinois Swimming Legend Jim Runkle Dies, 79

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

After an unprecedented year of racing that included the Olympics sandwiched between the Long Course and Short Course World Championships, it’s time to start releasing our fifth annual Top 100 list—check out last year’s rankings here.

As in previous years, we’ve taken a statistically driven approach reliant primarily upon world rankings and medals won at the Olympics and, to a lesser extent, Short Course Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve also taken into account things such as potential, future medal opportunities, injuries, and versatility. Long course is weighted more heavily than short course, though performance potential in both formats is factored in.

After a large contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Short Course Worlds in December, those swimmers have started to move back up the rankings after they were low on the lists last year due to lack of competition.

We’ll be breaking down the top 100 into multiple installments, so keep an eye out as they’re released.

These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Thank you to Daniel Takata for his help with the data and compiling the rankings. Braden Keith contributed to this report.

Men’s Rankings:

• #100 – #91
• #90 – #81
• #80 – #71
• #70 – #61
• #60 – #51
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• #10 – #1

#50: Tom Dean, Great Britain (2024 Rank: 10) — The British men have become notorious for their depth in the 200 freestyle. That strength was a double-edged sword for Tom Dean, one of the men who helped establish that legacy, as he missed out on his chance to defend his 200 freestyle Olympic gold in Paris. He swam a 1:45.09 at the British Trials, which held up for 9th in the world last year. Dean still qualified for Team GB, earning a roster spot in the 200 IM and on the 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle relays. Dean took 5th in his lone individual event in Paris, swimming a 1:56.46 that’s just off his lifetime best 1:56.07. He ranked 7th on the year, behind a slew of 1:55s. He split 1:45.28 on the 4×200 freestyle relay, helping Great Britain become the first nation to defend its Olympic relay gold with the same four swimmers. Dean hasn’t raced since the Olympic Games, and as long as he chooses to suit up in 2025, he will likely remain a key piece of the British roster. It hurt his stock in these rankings only to make the Olympic roster in one individual event but at his best, Dean is a threat in both the 200 freestyle and 200 IM.

#49: Nyls Korstanje, Netherlands (2024 Rank: 55) — Sprint butterflyer Nyls Korstanje swam a lifetime best of 50.59 in the Paris 100 butterfly semifinals, qualifying 4th for the final in a deep field that left many big names on the outside looking in. The swim ranks him 7th in the world last season. Korstanje added slightly in the final and placed 6th in 50.83. The swim improved on his 12th-place finish in Tokyo. Even with that success, Korstanje excelled during the short-course season, swimming lifetime bests in the 50/100 fly. Korstanje won his first individual Worlds medal in LCM or SCM at the 2024 Worlds in Budapest, winning silver and becoming the second-fastest performer in history. Long-course is weighted more heavily in these rankings, but Korstanje improved in both pool distances this past year. And with the 50 butterfly back on the schedule for Worlds, he’s got another medal opportunity to shoot for this year.

#48: Kim Woomin, South Korea (2024 Rank: 65) — Kim Woomin burst onto the global stage at the beginning of 2024, winning the men’s 400 freestyle world title in Doha with a 3:42.71. With the swim, he became the first South Korean man since Park Taehwan in 2011 to stand atop the Worlds podium in the event. He remained at the forefront of the international scene during the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, lowering his best to 3:42.42 to win at the Monaco Mare Nostrum stop. Kim, 23, delivered at the Games, winning bronze in 3:42.50, holding off Australia’s Sam Short by .14 seconds. With the swim, he earned South Korea’s first Olympic medal since 2012. Kim is a versatile freestyler, he lowered his 200 freestyle best to 1:45.68 in March 2024 and clocked 7:46.03 to win the 800 freestyle at the 2023 Asian Games. The freestyle mid-distance events are continually crowded, but Kim has carved out a space for himself over the last 12 months and is now the 12th fastest performer in 400 free history.

#47: Hunter Armstrong, USA (2024 Rank: 24) — Hunter Armstrong slipped on the start of the men’s 100 backstroke semifinal at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But the “Magic Man” clawed his way back through the field, making the final and ultimately qualifying for his second-straight Olympic Games in the event. Armstrong also finished 4th in the 100 freestyle, qualifying for the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay after swimming a lifetime best 47.59 in the semifinals. Armstrong’s best swim of the Paris Olympics came on that relay; he delivered a blistering 46.75 split to help the U.S. men win gold. Armstrong has a history of eking through round-to-round before unleashing in the final, and whether that plan misfired or he had a bad swim, Armstrong found himself locked out of the men’s 100 backstroke final in 11th. The 24-year-old hasn’t raced since Paris, but he has made a training change, returning to Ohio State after a stint at Cal. He also said he’s “shifted [his] focus from just swimming into setting up [his] life for after swimming.” The World Championships brings the 50 backstroke, where Armstrong is the world record holder, back into the event lineup; Armstrong is one of the U.S.’s most experienced sprint backstrokers, and his 100 freestyle split at the Games is intriguing.

#46: Caeleb Dressel, USA (2024 Rank: 29) — Caeleb Dressel completed his comeback to professional swimming in 2024. After a complicated two years where he reevaluated his relationship with the sport, Dressel made his third Olympic team. He had a strong week at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, qualifying for the Games individually in the 100 butterfly (50.19) and 50 freestyle (21.41), and as part of the 4×100 freestyle relay with a 3rd place in the 100 freestyle (47.53). Dressel’s fastest swims of the year came at Trials; he didn’t match them in Paris but still placed 6th in the 50 freestyle (21.61). He also took 13th in the 100 butterfly (51.57). He anchored the U.S. men’s 4×100 freestyle relay to gold, the 10th Olympic medal of his career, and the American men’s only gold until the final day of competition. With another child on the way, Dressel is doing his “due diligence” as he figures out what 2025 and the next Olympic cycle will look like. But if 2024 was it for Dressel, it was an appropriate send-off for a swimmer who has inspired many not only for his success in the pool but for his openness about his mental health and the work it took to return to the pool.

#45: Jordan Crooks, Cayman Islands (2024 Rank: 77) — 19.90. Jordan Crooks made history at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, becoming the first man to break the 20-second barrier in the 50 freestyle–a feat many of the biggest sprinters in the sport’s history came up just short of achieving. It was a legendary swim from Crooks in the Budapest semifinals as he lowered the world record he set in prelims. The next evening, he defended his 50 freestyle world title, adding a second medal to his haul after taking bronze in the 100 freestyle. Crooks has developed a pattern of having his best swim in prelims/semifinals and missing his best during the international final. It happened in both the 50 and 100 freestyle in Budapest, as it did in the 50 freestyle at the 2022 SC Worlds. The same thing happened at the Paris Games, though Crooks still showed that he could translate his SCM prowess into the long-course pool. He took 8th in Paris, becoming the first Caymanian to make a swimming Olympic final after hitting a national record 21.51 in prelims. Crooks has developed into an incredible short-course sprinter (yards and meters), and while his development in LCM has been slower, he’s continued to make steady progress. Crooks has shown he can throw down the historic time, but it would be incredible to see him produce the historic time in the international final.

#44: Nic Fink, USA (2024 Rank: 19) — Nic Fink has been the United States’ most dependable breaststroker over the last Olympic cycle, continually finding a way onto the podium and delivering timely relay splits. Fink was one of the biggest U.S names to attend the Doha World Championships, and he won five medals, medaling across all three individual breaststroke distances and winning the 100 breaststroke. Fink seemed to put more emphasis on the 100 breaststroke rather than the 200 (which he made his first Olympic team in) and he qualified for his second Games in the 100 breaststroke. The men’s 100 breaststroke final in Paris was slow, but Fink still earned the first Olympic medal of his career in a tie for silver with Adam Peaty. He then earned two more medals (1 gold, and 1 silver) contributing to relays. At 31, Fink has already begun to think beyond his professional swimming career, but he’s made no public announcement about his retirement plans. While the young American breaststrokers have caught up to him in the 200 breaststroke, Fink still holds the advantage over the field in the 100 breast. He’s racked up plenty of experience and as long as he wants to continue swimming, knows what it takes to qualify for the U.S international roster and find a way onto the podium at the big meet, no matter how fast the field.

#43: Roman Mityukov, Switzerland (2024 Rank: 39) — The Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 back, Mityukov took advantage of a light field in this event (his time was almost a second slower than the bronze medalist from 2016) to win his country’s 4th-ever Olympic medal in swimming. Still, an Olympic medal is an Olympic medal, and you can only race the swimmers who show up. He dropped half a second to land on that podium in 2024 and has dropped time basically every year of his adult life. Not much of a medal hope in any other event, but in this one, he’s a good bet for another podium finish in Singapore.

#42: Pieter Coetze, South Africa (2024 Rank: 50) — South African backstroker Pieter Coetze put a lot of emphasis in 2024, even skipping out on the 2023 World Championships to focus on last year’s packed schedule. He did show up for the 2024 World Championships in Doha, earning bronze in the 200 back in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. Coetze made finals in the 100 and 200 backstroke in Paris, finishing 5th and 7th, respectively. He broke the African record in both events (52.68/1:55.60), including downing the super-suited 200 back world record, which stood since 2009. Coetze’s onslaught on the continental record books continued at the World Cup. He reset the African record in the 50/100 backstroke as he completed Triple Crowns in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Coetze skipped the 2024 SC Worlds but has established himself as a versatile backstroker on the world stage and will look to push even further up the ranks in 2025.

#41: Chris Guiliano, USA (2024 Rank: NR) — Chris Guiliano continued his meteoric rise on the U.S. national scene in 2024. He followed up his surprise qualification to the 2023 World Championship team with a breakout season in yards that saw him vault up the all-time ranks in the sprint freestyle events. He rose even higher at the U.S. Olympic Trials, becoming the first American man since Matt Biondi to qualify for the Olympics in the 50/100/200 freestyle. Guiliano swam lifetime bests in all three events (21.59/47.25/1:45.38) as he qualified for his debut Games, and in many ways, Trials was the peak of his season as those times held up to rank 9th/4th/12th on the year. He missed the semifinals in both the 50 and 200 freestyle at the Paris Olympics. He made the 100 freestyle final and placed 8th. If Guiliano can implement the lessons from his first Games, it will likely serve him well in 2025 and further along in the Olympic quad. He was likely closer to his goals at the 2024 Short Course World Championship, taking fourth in the 50/100 freestyle. Since the Notre Dame men’s swimming team’s suspension, Guiliano has popped up at Texas to electrify their sprint squad, which presents another big learning opportunity as he trains with Bob Bowman and one of the most star-studded teams in the United States.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Top 100 For 2025: Men’s #41-50

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

The Sterkel Classic

• February 1, 2025
• Austin, Texas
• SCY (25 yards)

Texas hosted SMU, Rice, and TCU on Saturday. Only swimming events were competed in Austin. Despite hosting the meet, some of the top swimmers from Texas did not compete such as Emma Sticklen, Erin Gemmell, Rex Maurer, and Chris Guiliano all having the day off of racing.

Women’s Recap

The Texas women was Olivia Bray. Bray, coming back from foot surgery, swam the 200 free and 200 back, winning both events. She swam to a 1:46.75 in the 200 free and a 1:53.31 in the 200 back. That was her first time swimming the 200 free this season, making her return notable as she was on the 800 free relay at NCAAs last spring for the Longhorns.

Grace Cooper also had notable swims on the day. Cooper won the 50 free in a 21.81, tying her season best from midseason that sits at t-#11 in the NCAA this season. Cooper also finished 2nd in the 100 fly in a 53.09, touching behind teammate Ava Longi who won in a 52.58.

After swimming a lifetime best in the 100 free on Friday against Texas A&M, Alexa Fulton of Texas was just off her mark of a 48.66 from Friday, swimming a 48.87 to win the event on Saturday.

TCU was highlighted by Claire Chahbandour who swam to a 59.91 in the 100 breaststroke, marking a new program record. She was the only swimmer under 1:01 as well. That marked a best time as well as her previous lifetime best was a 1:00.64 from last year’s Big 12 Championships.

Jordan Edwards also earned another win for TCU as she touched in a 2:02.22 in the 200 fly to win by almost a second. That dropped almost two seconds off her best time of a 2:04.10 that she swam back in 2020.

Rice earned a win from Ava Portello as she won the 500 free in a 4:49.78. She led a 1-2-3 finish as Ava Hamblett swam a 4:54.71 for 2nd and Ava Casperson swam a 4:59.54 for 3rd.

Men’s Recap

Spencer Aurnou-Rhees of Texas swam to two wins on the day. He touched first in the 200 fly, swimming a lifetime best of a 1:45.57. He also won the 200 IM, swimming to another lifetime best of a 1:43.77. It took a 1:43.05 in the 200 IM to make NCAAs last year so he will be in search of another drop to try and get under that mark.

Manning Haskal of Texas swam to a lifetime best 15:02.17 in the 1650 free in his win, dropping almost seven seconds in the process. It took a 14:54.92 in the event last year to make NCAAs.

SMU’s Jack Berube has been on fire this season, already breaking his dad’s school record in the 100 back. Berube swam to a 1:35.22 in the 200 free for the win, a drop of over two and a half seconds from his lifetime best of a 1:37.90 that he swam at midseason in fall 2023 during his time with Virginia. SMU teammate Jack Forrest touched 2nd in a 1:35.97.

Jack Hoagland of SMU also earned a win on the day, swimming a 1:56.07 to win the 200 breaststroke. That dropped over two seconds from his lifetime best that he swam in a dual meet this fall. Typically a distance freestyler and IMer, Hoagland has swam the event more this season than during his previous NCAA seasons combined.

Ward Lockhart swam to a win in the 100 free swimming a 43.49 for SMU. That was off his best of a 42.73. He also swam a 20.00 in the 50 free to touch behind TCU’s Jadon Wuilliez who won in a 19.85.

TCU also had a win from Nigel Forbes who won the 100 back in a 48.12. Forbes swam a 46.98 at Big 12s last year for 9th but would have been 4th had he made the ‘A’ final.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Olivia Bray, Spencer Aurnou-Rhees Highlight Competition At The Sterkel Classic In Austin

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Cal vs Stanford (Women)

• Berkeley, CA
• February 1, 2025
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results
• Team Scores:
  • Stanford 180 — Cal 119

The Stanford women defeated Cal today, finishing their regular season completely undefeated, highlighted by Lucy Bell setting the fastest time in the nation in the 200 breaststroke and Aurora Roghair swimming the fastest 1000 in the country

Bell went 2:05.10 in her 200 breaststroke, breaking Stanford’s school record in the event. The previous record belonged to Katie Olsen at 2:05.88 and had stood since 2014. This time also moves her into first in the country in the event in the Division 1 rankings. She overtakes Kaelyn Gridley’s time of 2:05.71 for the position.

Updated Top 5 Rankings:

1. Lucy Bell (Stanford)- 2:05.10
2. Kaelyn Gridley (Duke)- 2:05.71
3. Caroline Bricker (Stanford)- 2:06.21
4. Aimee Canny (Virginia)- 2:06.70
5. Emma Weber (Virginia)- 2:06.97

She is joined on the list by teammate Caroline Bricker, who went 2:06.21 to move up to third

Bell also went a new personal best time in the 100 breaststroke, swimming 58.30 in the event, moving her to 9th overall.

Aurora Roghair won the 1000 freestyle in 9:24.78. This time overtakes Jillian Cox for the fastest 1000 time in the country this season

Updated Top 5:

1. Aurora Roghair (Stanford)- 9:24.78
2. Jillian Cox (Texas)- 9:24.83
3. Abby McCulloh (Georgia)- 9:25.14
4. Alexandra Bastone (Harvard)- 9:30.27
5. Mila Nikanorov (Ohio State)- 9:30.49

Roghair also won the 500 freestyle in 4:36.97, which was off her season best of 4:31.63.

Stanford won most of the individual events, but they lost both relays to the Golden Bears.

Caroline Bricker won the 200 freestyle in 1:42.56, a new personal best time for her, dropping from the 1:49.50 she went in March of 2020. This swim moves her up to 6th in the NCAA this season. She also swam the 200 IM, winning the event in 1:54.46. This was about three tenths over her season best of 1:54.17.

Lillie Nordmann won the 200 butterfly, setting a new personal best of 1:51.85 in the event. This time will move her into 2nd in the country, only after Emma Sticklen’s 1:49.54 for Texas.

Finally, Torri Huske won three individual events for the Cardinals. She started with the 50 freestyle, where she went 21.30 for a new personal best time in the event. It also moves her up to 2nd in the country, coming in behind only Gretchen Walsh’s 20.54 from Virginia.

She also won the 100 free in 47.78 and the 100 fly in 50.72. She has been faster in both this season.

Stanford also won both of the diving events. Maria Papworth took the 1-meter in 294.45 and Lauren Burch won the 3-Meter with her score of 303.38.

Cal won four events, including both relays. They started with a win in the 200 medley relay in 1:34.24 with their team of Isabelle Stadden (23.56),Leah Polonsky (26.66), McKenna Stone(22.88), and Mary-Ambre Moluh(21.14)

The exact same team of four won the freestyle relay, just in a different order. Mary-Ambre Moluh (48.10), Isabelle Stadden (48.24),Leah Polonsky (48.13) and Mckenna Stone (48.02) went 3:12.49 to beat Stanford’s ‘A’ relay by a little under a second

Isabelle Stadden was involved in all of Cal’s event wins, taking the top spot in both of the backstroke events. She went 50.38 in the 100 back and 1:52.33 in the 200 back. Neither of these were season best times for her.

Both teams will be back in action on February 17th at the ACC Championships.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lucy Bell and Aurora Roghair Set Nation Leading Times at Last Dual Meet of the Season

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

• February 1, 2025
• Rutgers, Piscataway, New Jersey
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Double Dual
• Full Meet Results (PDF)
• Team Scores
  • Nebraska 223 def. Iowa 130
  • Nebraska 201 def. Rutgers 143
  • Iowa 182.50 def. Rutgers 170.50

In a late-season Big Ten battle that saw Nebraska (8th), Rutgers (10th), and Iowa (11th) jockey for position ahead of the Big Ten Championships.

The Nebraska women dominated the meet, while Iowa snuck out a nailbiter over Rutgers by 12.

Nebraska First Team All-American Gena Jorgenson grabbed two individual wins, including a 16:19.02 in her best event, the 1650 free; she added a 4:46.89 in the 500 free. That time in the mile was about two seconds ahead of where she was at this same meet last year.

That sends her into the postseason with a whopping 23 wins already in her junior season. That includes eight multi-win meets.

She was one of several multi-event winners for the Huskers. Anna Vlachou won the 100 free (50.19) and 100 fly (53.38), both of which are new lifetime bests – by about a second each. The Greek-born sophomore had a best finish of 21st in the 100 fly at last year’s Big Ten Championships, and her time from Saturday gives her a chance at scoring again this year – even with the expanded field that includes newcomers USC and UCLA.

She also swam a lifetime best in the 50 free (23.12) as an exhibition entry; that would have placed her 2nd.

Other Individual Multi-Winners for Nebraska:

• Maia Hall won the 100 breast in 1:00.85 and the 200 breast in 2:11.90, both of which are dual-meet bests this season. The 100 is a dual meet lifetime best.

The meet was an unusual schedule and included four relays rather than the usual two. Nebraska swept all four relays including a meet-ending 3:20.12 in the 400 free relay led by a 49.62 split from Vlachou.

Maisie Gilford also had a big meet for the Huskers, winning the 50 free individually in 23.03 ahead of Iowa freshman Rachel Dildine. She also split 22.80 anchoring the Huskers’ winning 200 medley relay, 22.36 anchoring their winning 200 free relay, 50.36 anchoring their winning 400 medley relay, and 49.95 anchoring their winning 400 free relay.

In the ‘other battle’ between Rutgers and Iowa, the two teams split the relays; while Olivia Swalley of Iowa was the best swimmer of the two teams, Rutgers had more depth, especially across the 200 yard stroke events.

Swalley swept the 200 IM (1:58.44) and 400 IM (4:11.87), winning the 200 by more than three seconds and the 400 by almost four. She was 1:57.8 in the 200 IM mid-season, but this 1:58.44 is the second-best time of her career, including .03 better than she swam at the CSCAA National Invitational Championships last season as a freshman.

The same is true of her 400 IM, though her previous best time in that race was from high school.

Rutgers sophomore Blanka Berecz won the 200 fly in 1:57.69, leading a 1-2 finish for the Scarlet Knights. That was a lifetime best for Berecz.

Rutgers grad student Shannon Meadway won the 200 back in 1:57.72. That 200 back was a nailbiter – she and the aforementioned Jorgenson were tied going into the last 50, but Meadway was able to get her fingers on the wall first.

All three teams will travel to the Big Ten Championships, held from February 19-22 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Nebraska All-American Gena Jorgenson Wins Her 22nd, 23rd Events of the Season

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

After an unprecedented year of racing that included the Olympics sandwiched between the Long Course and Short Course World Championships, it’s time to start releasing our fifth annual Top 100 list—check out last year’s rankings here.

As in previous years, we’ve taken a statistically driven approach reliant primarily upon world rankings and medals won at the Olympics and, to a lesser extent, Short Course Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve also taken into account things such as potential, future medal opportunities, injuries, and versatility. Long course is weighted more heavily than short course, though performance potential in both formats is factored in.

After a large contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Short Course Worlds in December, those swimmers have started to move back up the rankings after they were low on the lists last year due to lack of competition.

We’ll be breaking down the top 100 into multiple installments, so keep an eye out as they’re released.

These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Thank you to Daniel Takata for his help with the data and compiling the rankings. Braden Keith contributed to this report.

Men’s Rankings:

• #100 – #91
• #90 – #81
• #80 – #71
• #70 – #61
• #60 – #51
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• #10 – #1

#50: Tom Dean, Great Britain (2024 Rank: 10) — The British men have become notorious for their depth in the 200 freestyle. That strength was a double-edged sword for Tom Dean, one of the men who helped establish that legacy, as he missed out on his chance to defend his 200 freestyle Olympic gold in Paris. He swam a 1:45.09 at the British Trials, which held up for 9th in the world last year. Dean still qualified for Team GB, earning a roster spot in the 200 IM and on the 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle relays. Dean took 5th in his lone individual event in Paris, swimming a 1:56.46 that’s just off his lifetime best 1:56.07. He ranked 7th on the year, behind a slew of 1:55s. He split 1:45.28 on the 4×200 freestyle relay, helping Great Britain become the first nation to defend its Olympic relay gold with the same four swimmers. Dean hasn’t raced since the Olympic Games, and as long as he chooses to suit up in 2025, he will likely remain a key piece of the British roster. It hurt his stock in these rankings only to make the Olympic roster in one individual event but at his best, Dean is a threat in both the 200 freestyle and 200 IM.

#49: Nyls Korstanje, Netherlands (2024 Rank: 55) — Sprint butterflyer Nyls Korstanje swam a lifetime best of 50.59 in the Paris 100 butterfly semifinals, qualifying 4th for the final in a deep field that left many big names on the outside looking in. The swim ranks him 7th in the world last season. Korstanje added slightly in the final and placed 6th in 50.83. The swim improved on his 12th-place finish in Tokyo. Even with that success, Korstanje excelled during the short-course season, swimming lifetime bests in the 50/100 fly. Korstanje won his first individual Worlds medal in LCM or SCM at the 2024 Worlds in Budapest, winning silver and becoming the second-fastest performer in history. Long-course is weighted more heavily in these rankings, but Korstanje improved in both pool distances this past year. And with the 50 butterfly back on the schedule for Worlds, he’s got another medal opportunity to shoot for this year.

#48: Kim Woomin, South Korea (2024 Rank: 65) — Kim Woomin burst onto the global stage at the beginning of 2024, winning the men’s 400 freestyle world title in Doha with a 3:42.71. With the swim, he became the first South Korean man since Park Taehwan in 2011 to stand atop the Worlds podium in the event. He remained at the forefront of the international scene during the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, lowering his best to 3:42.42 to win at the Monaco Mare Nostrum stop. Kim, 23, delivered at the Games, winning bronze in 3:42.50, holding off Australia’s Sam Short by .14 seconds. With the swim, he earned South Korea’s first Olympic medal since 2012. Kim is a versatile freestyler, he lowered his 200 freestyle best to 1:45.68 in March 2024 and clocked 7:46.03 to win the 800 freestyle at the 2023 Asian Games. The freestyle mid-distance events are continually crowded, but Kim has carved out a space for himself over the last 12 months and is now the 12th fastest performer in 400 free history.

#47: Hunter Armstrong, USA (2024 Rank: 24) — Hunter Armstrong slipped on the start of the men’s 100 backstroke semifinal at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But the “Magic Man” clawed his way back through the field, making the final and ultimately qualifying for his second-straight Olympic Games in the event. Armstrong also finished 4th in the 100 freestyle, qualifying for the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay after swimming a lifetime best 47.59 in the semifinals. Armstrong’s best swim of the Paris Olympics came on that relay; he delivered a blistering 46.75 split to help the U.S. men win gold. Armstrong has a history of eking through round-to-round before unleashing in the final, and whether that plan misfired or he had a bad swim, Armstrong found himself locked out of the men’s 100 backstroke final in 11th. The 24-year-old hasn’t raced since Paris, but he has made a training change, returning to Ohio State after a stint at Cal. He also said he’s “shifted [his] focus from just swimming into setting up [his] life for after swimming.” The World Championships brings the 50 backstroke, where Armstrong is the world record holder, back into the event lineup; Armstrong is one of the U.S.’s most experienced sprint backstrokers, and his 100 freestyle split at the Games is intriguing.

#46: Caeleb Dressel, USA (2024 Rank: 29) — Caeleb Dressel completed his comeback to professional swimming in 2024. After a complicated two years where he reevaluated his relationship with the sport, Dressel made his third Olympic team. He had a strong week at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, qualifying for the Games individually in the 100 butterfly (50.19) and 50 freestyle (21.41), and as part of the 4×100 freestyle relay with a 3rd place in the 100 freestyle (47.53). Dressel’s fastest swims of the year came at Trials; he didn’t match them in Paris but still placed 6th in the 50 freestyle (21.61). He also took 13th in the 100 butterfly (51.57). He anchored the U.S. men’s 4×100 freestyle relay to gold, the 10th Olympic medal of his career, and the American men’s only gold until the final day of competition. With another child on the way, Dressel is doing his “due diligence” as he figures out what 2025 and the next Olympic cycle will look like. But if 2024 was it for Dressel, it was an appropriate send-off for a swimmer who has inspired many not only for his success in the pool but for his openness about his mental health and the work it took to return to the pool.

#45: Jordan Crooks, Cayman Islands (2024 Rank: 77) — 19.90. Jordan Crooks made history at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, becoming the first man to break the 20-second barrier in the 50 freestyle–a feat many of the biggest sprinters in the sport’s history came up just short of achieving. It was a legendary swim from Crooks in the Budapest semifinals as he lowered the world record he set in prelims. The next evening, he defended his 50 freestyle world title, adding a second medal to his haul after taking bronze in the 100 freestyle. Crooks has developed a pattern of having his best swim in prelims/semifinals and missing his best during the international final. It happened in both the 50 and 100 freestyle in Budapest, as it did in the 50 freestyle at the 2022 SC Worlds. The same thing happened at the Paris Games, though Crooks still showed that he could translate his SCM prowess into the long-course pool. He took 8th in Paris, becoming the first Caymanian to make a swimming Olympic final after hitting a national record 21.51 in prelims. Crooks has developed into an incredible short-course sprinter (yards and meters), and while his development in LCM has been slower, he’s continued to make steady progress. Crooks has shown he can throw down the historic time, but it would be incredible to see him produce the historic time in the international final.

#44: Nic Fink, USA (2024 Rank: 19) — Nic Fink has been the United States’ most dependable breaststroker over the last Olympic cycle, continually finding a way onto the podium and delivering timely relay splits. Fink was one of the biggest U.S names to attend the Doha World Championships, and he won five medals, medaling across all three individual breaststroke distances and winning the 100 breaststroke. Fink seemed to put more emphasis on the 100 breaststroke rather than the 200 (which he made his first Olympic team in) and he qualified for his second Games in the 100 breaststroke. The men’s 100 breaststroke final in Paris was slow, but Fink still earned the first Olympic medal of his career in a tie for silver with Adam Peaty. He then earned two more medals (1 gold, and 1 silver) contributing to relays. At 31, Fink has already begun to think beyond his professional swimming career, but he’s made no public announcement about his retirement plans. While the young American breaststrokers have caught up to him in the 200 breaststroke, Fink still holds the advantage over the field in the 100 breast. He’s racked up plenty of experience and as long as he wants to continue swimming, knows what it takes to qualify for the U.S international roster and find a way onto the podium at the big meet, no matter how fast the field.

#43: Roman Mityukov, Switzerland (2024 Rank: 39) — The Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 back, Mityukov took advantage of a light field in this event (his time was almost a second slower than the bronze medalist from 2016) to win his country’s 4th-ever Olympic medal in swimming. Still, an Olympic medal is an Olympic medal, and you can only race the swimmers who show up. He dropped half a second to land on that podium in 2024 and has dropped time basically every year of his adult life. Not much of a medal hope in any other event, but in this one, he’s a good bet for another podium finish in Singapore.

#42: Pieter Coetze, South Africa (2024 Rank: 50) — South African backstroker Pieter Coetze put a lot of emphasis in 2024, even skipping out on the 2023 World Championships to focus on last year’s packed schedule. He did show up for the 2024 World Championships in Doha, earning bronze in the 200 back in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. Coetze made finals in the 100 and 200 backstroke in Paris, finishing 5th and 7th, respectively. He broke the African record in both events (52.68/1:55.60), including downing the super-suited 200 back world record, which stood since 2009. Coetze’s onslaught on the continental record books continued at the World Cup. He reset the African record in the 50/100 backstroke as he completed Triple Crowns in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Coetze skipped the 2024 SC Worlds but has established himself as a versatile backstroker on the world stage and will look to push even further up the ranks in 2025.

#41: Chris Guiliano, USA (2024 Rank: NR) — Chris Guiliano continued his meteoric rise on the U.S. national scene in 2024. He followed up his surprise qualification to the 2023 World Championship team with a breakout season in yards that saw him vault up the all-time ranks in the sprint freestyle events. He rose even higher at the U.S. Olympic Trials, becoming the first American man since Matt Biondi to qualify for the Olympics in the 50/100/200 freestyle. Guiliano swam lifetime bests in all three events (21.59/47.25/1:45.38) as he qualified for his debut Games, and in many ways, Trials was the peak of his season as those times held up to rank 9th/4th/12th on the year. He missed the semifinals in both the 50 and 200 freestyle at the Paris Olympics. He made the 100 freestyle final and placed 8th. If Guiliano can implement the lessons from his first Games, it will likely serve him well in 2025 and further along in the Olympic quad. He was likely closer to his goals at the 2024 Short Course World Championship, taking fourth in the 50/100 freestyle. Since the Notre Dame men’s swimming team’s suspension, Guiliano has popped up at Texas to electrify their sprint squad, which presents another big learning opportunity as he trains with Bob Bowman and one of the most star-studded teams in the United States.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Top 100 For 2025: Men’s #41-50