By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
The College Swimming and Diving Coaches of America (CSCAA) has announced a groundbreaking new event, the CSCAA Power 4 Dual Meet Challenge, that will run its inaugural edition this coming November.
The event will be a double-elimination, bracket-style dual meet featuring one representative from each of the Power 4 conferences, with the 2025 edition to include Michigan (Big Ten), Arizona State (Big 12), Virginia (ACC) and Tennessee (SEC).
The competition will run November 21-23, 2025, at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center at the University of Tennessee.
“We’re thrilled to host the inaugural CSCAA Power 4 Dual Meet Challenge at Tennessee—a bold new competition format that represents the future of college swimming,” said Tennessee head coach Matt Kredich.
“Tennessee has for decades been at the forefront of innovation in swimming, and this is a bold step toward the future of the sport. We are proud and excited to be part of this moment, and to help shape a blueprint that could define the next era of collegiate swimming.”
Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of three dual meets throughout the two and a half day meet.
BRACKET FORMAT
EVENT SCHEDULE
Day 1 Order of Events
- 400 Medley Relay
- 200 Free
- 50 Free
- 400 IM
- 100 Fly
- 100 Free
- 100 Back
- 100 Breast
- 400 Free Relay
Total Meet Time Est: 1 hr. 15 min.
Alternating women/men
Meet 1: #1 vs #4
Meet 2: #2 vs #3
Meet 3: M1 Loser vs. M2 Loser
Day 2 Order of Events
- 200 Medley Relay
- 200 Free
- 50 Free
- 200 IM
- 200 Fly
- 500 Free
- 100 Free
- 200 Back
- 200 Breast
- 200 Free Relay
Total Meet Time Est: 1 hr. 30 min.
Alternating women/men
Meet 4: M1 Winner vs M2 Winner
Meet 5: M3 Loser vs M4 Loser
Championship Day Order of Events
- 200 Medley Relay
- 200 Free
- 100 Back
- 100 Breast
- 200 Fly
- 200 Fly
- 50 Free
- BREAK
- 100 Free
- 100 Free
- 200 Back
- 500 Free
- 100 Fly
- 200 IM
- 200 Free Relay
Race for Third: M3 Loser vs. M5 Loser
Championship Meet: M4 Winner vs. M5 Winner
HEAD-TO-HEAD SCORING
Swimmers will be seeded by their coaches as the team’s 1st, 2nd or 3rd seed for each event, and then each seed will go head-to-head with the other team’s seed, with only the victor between the two scoring points. The winner of each head-to-head battle will earn one point for their team in individual events, and in relays, each winner claims two points.
The seeds will race side-by-side in Lanes 1 and 2, 4 and 5, and 7 and 8, with Lane 3 and 6 empty.
Scoring Breakdown
Entry Limits: 3 Entries per event
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#1 vs. #1- #2 vs. #2
- #3 vs. #3
Individual Race Values:
- #1’s – 1 point
- #2’s – 1 point
- #3’s – 1 point
Relay Race Values:
- #1’s – 2 points
- #2’s – 2 points
- #3’s – 2 points
“At Virginia, we’re always looking forward—whether it’s in training, competition, or how we think about the future of our sport,” said Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo.
“The CSCAA Power 4 Dual Meet Challenge is exactly the kind of innovative, high-level competition that aligns with how we approach our program. It’s a chance to elevate college swimming, bring new fans into the sport, and challenge our athletes in a format built for the next generation. We’re proud to be part of something that pushes the boundaries and helps shape what’s next.”
The CSCAA said the competition “introduces a dynamic, easy-to-follow format optimized for television,” with swimmers seeded head-to-head and points awarded for individual race wins.
“The time to evolve is now,” said CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany. “This event is about more than just competition—it’s a statement that our sport can adapt and thrive in the changing landscape of college athletics. The meet offers a scalable blueprint for teams and conferences across all divisions. It makes our sport exciting for any audience familiar with a bracket tournament.”
The CSCAA noted that the competition is being introduced to help drive interest in the sport as it faces challenges amid the pending House settlement that will reshape college sports. The organization said the competition is part of a broader strategy to safeguard the sport that also includes:
- Engaging new fans through exciting, accessible competition,
- Showcasing Olympic-level talent on the collegiate stage, and
- Providing a scalable and replicable model for conferences and institutions
The CSCAA said it plans on delivering a two-year pilot event, and is currently working with sponsors to provide exclusive access, hospitality expeirences and naming opportunities for supporters.
“This is a rare opportunity to be at the forefront of innovation in the sport of collegiate swimming and diving, and it aligns perfectly with Tennessee Athletics’ mission to lead the way forward in everything we do,” said Tyler Johnson, Tennessee’s Senior Associate Athletics Director of Administration.
“The format is built to create a fan-friendly, exciting environment, and there’s no better place to showcase that than the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, one of the top facilities in the country. It’s going to be an incredible experience for athletes, fans and the entire swimming and diving community.”
The competition will fall on the same weekend that the Tennessee Invitational did this past season, indicating that it will serve as the midseason taper meet for the four teams taking part.
Arizona State is coming off sweeping the Big 12 titles for both men and women in its first season in the conference, while the Virginia women won their sixth straight ACC title. The Cavalier men finished 8th at ACCs, while the Michigan men were the Big Ten runner-ups and the women were 3rd, and Tennessee placed 3rd for both men and women at the SEC Championships.
The competition will also feature some exciting new blood to the NCAA, including Virginia’s standout male recruiting class headlined by Thomas Heilman and Maximus Williamson, while the Michigan women will have former NCAA champion Bella Sims in the fold after she announced her transfer to the Wolverines from the University of Florida earlier this month.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Virginia, ASU, Tennessee & Michigan To Clash In Inaugural CSCAA Power 4 Dual Meet Challenge