The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) has released the 2025-2026 Academic All-American lists, featuring 1815 graduating seniors: 1019 girls and 796 boys.
In order to qualify for Academic All-American, athletes must be graduating in the applicable school year (2025-2026) and meet a few other criteria:
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.750 on a 4-point scale for 7 semesters
- Have lettered in high school program (swim/dive/or waterpolo) in your senior year
- Have a completed application submitted by the application deadline (March 31 for fall/winter season and June 15 for spring season)
You can read more about the process here.
Highlighting the list is SwimSwam’s #7 ranked recruit for 2026, Emerson Callis. She graduated from Monacan High School in Richmond, Virginia and is committed to NC State in the fall with multiple potential scoring events at the NCAA Championships.
She is the highest ranked recruit from either the men’s or women’s list. It is important to note, however, that athletes who are not on the list could still meet the GPA requirements, but their coaches might not have submitted an application.
There were a few other ranked recruits who made the list. On the girls’ side, #20 Riley Anderson also earned the designation. She is a sprint freestyle and butterflyer from Connecticut who graduated from Manchester High School, who will be headed to Duke in the fall.
The boys had a few more ranked recruits make the list.
Grant Kellis recently graduated from Higley High School in Gilbert, Arizona, and will be attending Indiana. He was one of two BOTR ranked swimmers on the list. The other was Isaiah Tucker, who graduated from Kennesaw Mountain High School and will be headed to Princeton.
Finally, Liam Smith, an Honorable Mention recruit from Kalamazoo, Michigan earned his way onto the list. He is a butterfly and IMer who is committed to Florida for the fall.
You can see the full lists for this season and the comparative rankings by state here.
