2025 College Swimming Previews: #12 Auburn Men Continue to Showcase Relay Depth

It’s that time of the year again. SwimSwam will be previewing the top 12 men’s and women’s teams (and then some) from the 2024 NCAA Championships. Follow along with the College Swimming Preview Channel. Want to read even more? Check out the latest edition of the SwimSwam magazine. 

#12 AUBURN MEN

Key Losses: Aidan Stoffle (11 NCAA Points, Two NCAA Relays, 50 SEC points)

Key Additions: James Allison (Cayman Islands – free), Andy Commins (NC – free/fly), Sam Empey (WA – free/fly), Rokas Jazdauskas (Lithuania – free), River Paulk (TX – sprint free), Warner Russ (MS – free), Aidan Siers (FL – free/back/fly)

Other Additions: Jack Ailshire (MO – free/back/fly), Nolan Chennault (TX – diving), Aidan Clements (FL – free/fly), David Hatt (NE – diving), Bradford Johnson (AL – free/fly), Travis Keith (VA – free), Isaac Lee (TN – free), Landon Lloyd (NC – free/fly), Cade McComb (AL – free/breast), Keaton Rice (OK – free/back), Ethan Swart (IN – diving)

Returning 5th Years: Michael Bonson (One NCAA Relay, 52 SEC Points), Ryan Husband (Two NCAA Relays, 29 SEC points), Logan Tirheimer (Three NCAA Relays, 63 SEC Points), Rusty Jerger (22 SEC Points)

GRADING CRITERIA:

Over the years, we’ve gone back and forth on how to project points, ranging from largely subjective rankings to more data-based grading criteria based on ‘projected returning points.’ We like being as objective as possible, but we’re going to stick with the approach we’ve adopted post-Covid. The grades will rely heavily on what swimmers actually did last year, but we’ll also give credit to returning swimmers or freshmen who have posted times that would have scored last year.

Since we only profile the top 12 teams in this format, our grades are designed with that range in mind. In the grand scheme of college swimming and compared to all other college programs, top 12 NCAA programs would pretty much all grade well across the board. But in the interest of making these previews informative, our grading scale is tough – designed to show the tiers between the good stroke groups, the great ones, and the 2015 Texas fly group types.

• 5 star (★★★★★) – a rare, elite NCAA group projected to score 25+ points per event
• 4 star (★★★★) – a very, very good NCAA group projected to score 15-24 points per event
• 3 star (★★★) – a good NCAA group projected to score 5-14 points per event
• 2 star (★★) – a solid NCAA group projected to score 1-4 points per event
• 1 star (★) –  an NCAA group that is projected to score no points per event, though that doesn’t mean it’s without potential scorers – they’ll just need to leapfrog some swimmers ahead of them to do it

We’ll grade each event discipline: sprint free (which we define to include all the relay-distance freestyle events, so 50, 100 and 200), distance free, IM, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and diving. Use these grades as a jumping-off point for discussion, rather than a reason to be angry.

Also, keep in mind that we are publishing many of these previews before teams have posted finalized rosters. We’re making our assessments based on the best information we have available at the time of publication, but we reserve the right to make changes after publication based on any new information that may emerge regarding rosters. If that does happen, we’ll make certain to note the change.

2023-2024 LOOKBACK

In the 2023-2024, Auburn had another solid championship season, especially considering their team didn’t score any points at the 2022 NCAAs. Although the Tigers slightly dropped in the national ranks from a 10th place finish in their 2023 season– scoring 100 points to the previous year’s 127– they retained their SEC runner-up status (which they’ll have to fight tooth and nail to keep with the inclusion of Texas this year). These back-to-back top-12 seasons are particularly impressive considering they only scored 22 points at the 2022 NCAAs and scored zero points in 2021.

While rebuilding the squad, coach Ryan Wochomurka seems to be placing an emphasis on the team-oriented aspect of the program, and it shows through their relays. Auburn earned two all-American relay designations last year, in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay. Their other relays were close behind, at 11th and 13th. (Their 400 medley relay was disqualified). More than two-thirds of the team’s 100 points came from relays (68 points).

Auburn will return two of their three individual scorers from last year, including their only ‘A’ finalist, Mason Mathias. Mathias earned an all-American designation of his own, swimming to an eighth-place finish in the 500 free and scoring a total of 18 points at the 2024 NCAAs. Their other returning scorer, Danny Schmidt, placed 14th in the 400 IM, scoring three points.

SPRINT FREESTYLE: ★½

Logan Tirheimer and Kalle Makinen look to repeat their previous two seasons as the top sprinters for Auburn, with the pair featuring some of their best relay splits at NCAAs. Last year, it took 19.04/41.71/1:32.15 to earn a second swim at NCAAs. The only returning swimmer to have achieved one of these times is Tirheimer, who led off on Auburn’s 200 free relay in 18.79. This improvement came after cracking the 19-second barrier for the first time a month prior at SECs, going 18.95 to place fifth. Tirheimer is the first Tiger to go sub-19 since Zach Apple in 2017. If he can carry his end-of-season momentum into this year, Tirheimer can score some points for Auburn. For reference, 18.79 would’ve placed 10th last year. Makinen’s best time of 19.37 places him in the scoring conversation this year, if he can continue whittling down his time.

Scoring in the individual 100 and 200 seems to be more elusive for Auburn this year, with Tirheimer being the fastest returner in the 100 (42.10) and Michael Bonson having the best time amongst returners in the 200 (1:32.77). The team has a lot of very consistent guys who can contribute nicely to scoring relays, but none who have cracked the individual 42-second barrier yet. Tirheimer placed 38th in the 100.

In a similar vein for the 200, Bonson, Ryan Husband, and Mason Mathias all have individual 200 times within a second of what it took to score at NCAAs last year (1:32.15), but none have come within half a second of the standard. Husband placed 31st, Mathias 32nd, and Bonson declared a false start, Auburn’s 400 free relay will return three of their four swimmers (Tirheimer, Makinen (41.68), and Husband (41.92)) and their 800 free relay returns their whole team from 2024 NCAAs (Mathias (1:33.06), Danny Schmidt (1:33.54), Husband (1:32.17) and Bonson (1:33.39)).

Like we’ve seen in the past, Auburn looks positioned to score well in their freestyle relays (more on that later), but they will need to drop some time in order to place individually in the 100 and 200. Unlike what we’ve seen from the new era of Auburn men’s swimming, the Tigers have serious potential to score in the 50 freestyle, with his performance last year putting him among big names on the Auburn leaderboards including Cesar Cielo and Fred Bousquet.

DISTANCE FREESTYLE: ★★★

Mason Mathias had a stellar meet at last year’s NCAAs, finishing 8th in the 500 free and 10th in the 1650, earning a total of 18 points for the Tigers. He dropped nearly three seconds from his seed time in the mile to swim a 14:43.69, earning him seven points. Mathias was the only swimmer from Auburn to individually qualify for an ‘A’ final, breaking the Auburn school record in the 500 in the process, clocking 4:10.82. Mathias added time in the final, placing eighth and scoring 11 points, but his best time would have placed him fifth in the event. He is the school record holder in the men’s 500 free and the 1000 free, and he’s the second-fastest Auburn performer behind Zane Grothe in the mile. At the recent Olympic Trials, the rising senior placed 19th in the 400 free.

Mathias is joined by fellow NCAA qualifiers in senior Grant Davis and returning graduate student Michael Bonson, both of whom swam the 500/1650 double at this past year’s meet. Bonson and Davis were both off their best times at the 2024 NCAAs, with Bonson sporting a trio of 1:32.77/4:12.50/14:44.63 distance free times and Davis boasting a 4:15.75/14:51.37. Davis’ 500 free best was set this past season at SECs, but his other best times alongside Bonson’s were all set in a previous season. Bonson’s best times would have qualified him for the 500 finals and scored four points in the 1650 at the 2024 NCAAs.

BACKSTROKE: ★★½

Aidan Stoffle and his brother Nate both swam the 100 and the 200 backstrokes for Auburn at NCAAs last year, with Aidan placing 15th and 9th in the events and Nate placing 18th and 28th, respectively, only 0.11 off of qualifying for the consolation final in the 100. With his brother and three other fifth-years finishing ahead of him, Nate Stoffle looks poised to score some points next year at NCAAs. His best time of 44.89 would have placed him 14th in the ‘B’ final, and his best time of 1:39.01 would have scored points in the 200 as well. Nate holds three of the top four times in Auburn’s history for the 100 back, including the school record of 44.89.

Stoffle also found recent success in the long course world, swimming to a 10th place finish in the 100 backstroke at the U.S. Olympic Trials– the only returning male Auburn swimmer to earn another swim beyond the prelims.

Sohib Khaled has been as fast as 45.56 in the 100, but scratched the swim at NCAAs, presumably to focus on relays and his ace event: the 100 butterfly. With a big number of free/fly recruits coming in this year, it’s possible that we see Khaled swim the 100 backstroke a little more this year to fill A. Stoffle’s gap, but it looks as if that responsibility will fall mainly on his brother.

BREASTSTROKE: ★★

Henry Bethel and Jacques Rathle both swam breaststroke at NCAAs last year for the Tigers, with Bethel swimming both distances and Rathle only competing in the 200. Bethel placed 22nd in the 100 (52.06) and 40th in the 200 (1:58.20), and Rathle placed 28th in the 200 (1:54.70). This year’s NCAA breaststroke finals were very fifth-year heavy, with seven fifth-years placing ahead of Bethel in the 100 breaststroke. His best time of 51.51 would’ve scored. Bethel had a phenomenal start to his meet in the 200 medley relay, swimming a blistering 22.84 to help his team to an eighth-place, All-American finish, but struggled individually after a great SEC meet. If Bethel can keep his form through to the end of the season, he has the potential to score multiple points for Auburn as their top 100 breaststroker.

Rathle is an IM/breaststroke specialist who swam his way into the top 10 of Auburn’s all-time 200 breaststrokers, going a 1:54.37 at SECs to place eighth. His best time ranks him as the Tigers’ fastest returning 200 breaststroker, but his time is still two seconds off of what it took to make it back to finals at nationals last year. Auburn lists only one new breaststroker on their roster for this year, incoming freshman Cade McComb, a dual-sport athlete playing baseball and swimming in high school. McComb is listed as a freestyler/breaststroker.

BUTTERFLY: ★

Sohib Khaled is the top returning 100 butterflier for the Tigers, with his time of 45.20 placing him just 0.21 seconds off of what it took to make the ‘B’ final at this year’s NCAAs. Khaled is one of Auburn’s most versatile swimmers, but appears to have the most individual success in the 100 butterfly. He placed 30th in the event at the national championships in 2024, adding half a second from his previous best time to swim a 45.78. If Khaled can hit his taper and drop some time for NCAAs this upcoming season, he has the potential to score. Auburn has a few other returning swimmers in the reserves who were all scorers at SECs this year, including Nate Stoffle, Tirheimer, Makinen, and returning fifth-year Rusty Jerger.

Danny Schmidt is Auburn’s fastest-returning 200 butterflier, sporting a best time of 1:42.24. This time, which he swam at SECs, is just under a second off of what was needed to come back for finals last year. Schmidt, more of an IM swimmer than butterflier, found himself swimming to an ‘A’ final appearance at SECs after going a lifetime best in prelims. Schmidt swam this event at NCAAs last year, placing 36th. Jerger and Mathias also competed in the 200 fly at SECs, both appearing in the ‘B’ final. If Auburn wants to score in this event, they’ll have to rely on some time drops.

Something interesting about Auburn’s initial roster for this season: they have 18 freshmen. Of those 18 swimmers, seven are listed as combination free/fly swimmers, including Andy Commins, Jack Ailshire, and Landon Lloyd, all swimmers who could be near the 47.06 or 1:45.84 markers, the times it took to make it back for butterfly finals at SECs.

IM: ★★½

Schmidt scored three points in the 400 IM last year at NCAAs, swimming a 3:41.31 to earn 14th place. His best time of 3:41.00 (swam during prelims of the same meet) notches him as the second-fastest performer in Auburn history, and he is one of the two swimmers who scored individually last year that still have eligibility left. Schmidt had a stellar NCAA meet this past season, swimming to best times in the 200 butterfly (36th), 200 IM (20th), and 400 IM (14th). If he can keep dropping time in these events next year, he could be a multi-event scoring threat, especially in the IMs. Two fifth-years finished ahead of him in 2024 in both events.

Rathle is another IM swimmer with the potential to score next year, after finishing 20th in the 400 IM and 31st in the 200 IM. His best time of 3:41.52 (swam at SECs) would have scored in the NCAA finals. Both Rathle and Schmidt swam best times in their three main events this season, and could be key components for the Tigers next year. The pair both made the championship final in the 400 IM at SECs (Rathle sixth, Schmidt eighth) and Schmidt placed sixth in the 200 IM A-final with Rathle winning the ‘B’ final.

DIVING: ★

After having no NCAA qualifiers on the boards last year, Auburn will look to returning junior Whit Andrus to lead the team this year. Last year, Andrus scored 43 points at the SEC Championships, and placed 11th at the Zone B Diving Championships in the 10m platform, missing a ticket to NCAAs by just 0.85 points. The top 10 divers from the Zone B platform qualified for the national championship meet in 2024. Auburn’s other returning Zone B qualifier, Talan Blackmon, will return for his sophomore season, looking to improve on the 11 points he scored at last year’s SECs.

Auburn’s biggest diving loss comes from Hunter Kebler, a Zones qualifier and 22-point SEC diver from the 2024 season.

Newcomers Nolan Chennault, David Hatt, Travis Keith, and Ethan Swart will join Andrus, Blackmon, and sophomore Alex Just, looking to send another diver back to NCAAs this year.

RELAYS: ★★★½

As we’ve seen in the past from Auburn, relays have been their strong suit since coach Ryan Wochomurka took on the head coach position, and they were one of 11 teams to qualify all five of their relays under the NCAA “A” Cut. Their depth and consistency show signs of great strength in their rebuilding years, and they look to keep riding the relay wave for the 2025 season.

Auburn will return 18 of their 20 relay legs from both SECs and NCAAs, keeping the hope for another strong relay season this year. Their only major relay loss comes from Aidan Stoffle, who anchored the 400 freestyle relay (42.15/41.95) and swam third for the Tigers in the 200 free relay (18.89/18.88) at both championship meets. To fill his spot, they’ll likely turn to Sohib Khaled (19.49 flat start) or Jon Vanzandt (19.70/42.98, both flat starts).

The Tigers scored 68 points (out of 100 total) at last year’s championships in relays alone, even with a DQ in the 400 medley relay. Auburn’s highest showing was a sixth-place finish in the 200 free relay (Tirheimer: 18.79, Makinen: 18.64, A. Stoffle: 18.88, N. Stoffle: 18.74), and (barring their DQ) their lowest-scoring relay was in the 800 free relay, swimming to a 13th place finish. They’ll return all members of both of their medley relays, including their all-American 8th place 200 medley combination of Nate Stoffle (20.92), Bethel (22.84), Khaled (20.30), and Makinen (18.51). Bethel’s split was the fourth fastest in the field, and he’ll look to make some waves again for his senior season.

Total Stars: 17/40

2024-2025 OUTLOOK:

Auburn has a grand total of 18 freshmen listed on their men’s roster, which is one of the biggest recruiting classes we’ve seen in a long time. This large freshman class contributes to a 45-man roster, which shouldn’t be a new issue this year but may run the Tigers into some trouble for the 2025-2026 season, if the SEC decides to set limits on swim team rosters. As of right now, schools are only allowed to bring 18 swimmers per team to NCAAs, regardless of roster size. Despite their large team, Auburn only featured 11 men on their national team last year, so the already-in-place limits likely won’t affect them this year.

Many of their current swimmers have lifetime bests that would’ve scored points at NCAAs, but only three scored points off of them. A big task for Auburn in this upcoming season will be defending a solid finish at the SEC Championships, but retaining enough of that speed to be able to score at national championships. If the Tigers can manage this, they have the potential to continue their top-12 streak from the past two years.

As we wrote about last year, Wochomurka’s strategy in coaching has been to develop relays to build a nationally competitive program, and it seems as if this strategy is working. If the 400 medley relay had not been disqualified at NCAAs, Auburn relays would have scored around 80 points from relays alone. With nearly all of their relay legs being accounted for this year, Auburn’s relays could cause some trouble for other teams at the conference and national levels.

With a strong batch of returning swimmers and a wide pool of freshmen to develop, Auburn’s program seems to be gaining a lot of traction, and this year could be instrumental in showcasing the hard work these swimmers and coaches have poured into the team in the past few years.

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