2026 Women’s SEC Fan Guide: Texas Looking To Go Two For Two At SECs

2026 SEC Championships – Women

• February 16-21, 2026
• Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center – Knoxville, TN
• Defending Champions: Texas (1x)
• Start Times (ET): 9:30 am prelims / 5:30 pm finals
  • Day 1: (Diving only) 12 pm prelims / 5 pm finals
  • Day 2: 11:30 am prelims (diving/distance) / 5 pm finals (diving/relays)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video: SEC Network+
• Teams: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt

Event Schedule

Day 1: Monday, February 16

• Men’s 1-meter diving

Day 2: Tuesday, February 17

• 1650 free
• 200 medley relay
• 800 free relay
• Women’s 1-meter diving

Day 3: Wednesday, February 18

• 100 back
• 200 fly
• 100 breast
• Men’s 3-meter diving

Day 4: Thursday, February 19

• 100 fly
• 400 IM
• 200 free
• Women’s 3-meter diving
• 400 medley relay

Day 5: Friday, February 20

• 200 breast
• 50 free
• 500 free
• Men’s platform diving
• 200 free relay

Day 6: Saturday, February 21

• 200 IM
• 100 free
• 200 back
• Women’s platform diving
• 400 free relay

2025 Final Standings

1. Texas – 1450
2. Florida – 1179
3. Tennessee – 1172
4. Georgia – 689.5
5. South Carolina – 635.5
6. Alabama – 620
7. LSU – 609
8. Texas A&M – 566.5
9. Auburn – 524.5
10. Missouri – 398
11. Kentucky – 345
12. Arkansas – 244
13. Vanderbilt – 165

The Texas women burst onto the scene with a splash last year, scoring 1450 points at the 2025 SEC Championships to secure a resounding victory. In their first season with the SEC, the Longhorns dethroned two-time defending champion Florida, besting the Gators by almost 300 points. It was a tight battle for the runner-up spot, as Florida narrowly clinched 2nd-place with 1179 points while the Tennessee women took 3rd overall with 1172 points, but no other team was a match for those three.

After shaking up the conference with their arrival last season, Texas seems to be holding onto its position as the dominant force in the SEC. The Longhorns are undefeated in conference dual meets this season and are responsible for some of the fastest times in the SEC in a multitude of events thus far.

While Texas looks to be the favorite again heading into this year’s championship, Florida and Tennessee are sure to put up a good fight, especially the Gators, as they aim to claw their way back up to the top.

Swimmers to Watch

Alabama – Emily Jones (SR – back), Tessa Giele (FR – free/fly), Cadence Vincent (JR – free), Gaby Van Brunt (JR – free/fly/back)

Alabama is looking improved, boasting a stacked roster this season, and has a chance to move into the top four after placing 6th last year. Cadence Vincent was the team’s top scorer last year and returns as one of the frontrunners again this season. She is coming in ranked 4th in both the 50 and 100 free, and will likely be an integral part of the relays after competing on all five last year.

Emily Jones will be chasing down some hardware, as she holds the fastest time in the conference in the 100 back. She claimed bronze in that event last year and the two swimmers who finished ahead of her will not be in the field, so if she can hold onto her spot at the top of the rankings she could pick up her first individual victory. Jones is also ranked 7th in the 100 fly and 10th in the 200 back.

Meanwhile, Gaby Van Brunt leads the charge in the butterfly events, ranking 3rd in the SEC in the 100 and 7th in the 200, giving her a good shot at scoring two ‘A’ final appearances. She also adds some depth in the 100 free, coming in ranked 8th. Freshman Tessa Giele is poised to make a splash at her first SECs, sitting in 4th in the 100 fly and 6th in the 50 free. Giele is also the fifth-fastest performer of all time in the SCM 100 fly and likely has a lot more in the tank in yards compared to what she’s done so far.

Bringing in some extra scoring potential are Charlotte Rosendale and Jada Scott. Rosendale comes in ranked 9th in the 50 free and 14th in the 100 breast, while Scott sits in 13th in the 100 breast, 16th in the 50 free and 24th in the 100 free.

Arkansas – Maria Sanchez (SO – diving), Harriet Rogers (JR – free/fly), Holly Robinson (SO – IM)

Arkansas was saved by the boards at the 2025 SEC Championships, with diver Maria Sanchez being the team’s highest scoring competitor by over 50 points. She took 3rd on the 10-meter platform, 8th on the 1-meter and 14th on the 3-meter, bringing home valuable points to keep the Razorbacks out of last place. Sanchez is back in top form this year, currently ranking 2nd in the conference on the 3-meter and 4th on the 1-meter, and will undoubtedly be a key part of the Arkansas arsenal again.

Harriet Rogers should be a strong force in the sprint events, coming in ranked 5th in the 50 free, 8th in the 100 free and 16th in the 100 fly. Getting another competitor in the ‘A’ final in two events would be a huge win for the Razorbacks, as last season, Sanchez was the only athlete to land in the top eight.

Most of the Razorbacks’ scoring potential seems to be concentrated in the free, fly and diving events, but a few athletes could pick up a few extra points in the other disciplines. Holly Robinson currently ranks 16th in the conference in the 400 IM, while Tammy Greenwood sits at 21st in the 200 back.

Auburn – Lora Komoroczy (SO – free/fly/back), Maggie McGuire (JR – free/back), Zoey Zeller (JR – breast/IM), Elizaveta Klevanovich (GR – free)

One of Auburn’s strongest competitors last year during her collegiate debut, Lora Komoroczy is poised to bring home significant points again this season. She boasts the 6th-fastest time in the SEC this year in the 100 back and is ranked 10th in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 fly, giving her plenty of chances to land herself in the ‘A’ final.

Gearing up to bring the heat in the sprint free events is graduate student Elizaveta Klevanovich, who is coming in ranked 3rd in the 50 free and 7th in the 100 free across the conference. Meanwhile, Maggie McGuire and Samantha Hamilton could sneak in some points in the longer distances: McGuire sits in 21st in the 200 free, while Hamilton is ranked 23rd in both the 500 and 1650 free.

McGuire is poised to be a versatile competitor for the Tigers, as she is also currently ranked 13th in the SEC in the 200 back and 20th in the 400 IM.

Zoey Zeller leads the way for Auburn in the breaststroke events, sitting in 13th in the 200 and 18th in the 100. She also ranks 14th in the 200 IM, putting her in a solid spot to land in at least the ‘B’ final in her top events. Taylor Bacher also has potential to score for the Tigers, coming in ranked 13th in the 200 fly and 24th in the 200 IM.

Florida – Anita Bottazzo (SO – breast), Catie Choate (JR – back), Grace Rabb (FR – back/breast/IM), Camyla Monroy (JR – Diving)

After winning two consecutive SEC Championships, the Florida women took the runner-up spot last season. They still boast a very dominant roster, despite some key losses at the end of last year like Bella Sims and Emma Weyant, and should be right back in the heart of the competition, vying for the victory.

After a strong collegiate debut last season, Anita Bottazzo is back in action for the Gators and should be a top contender for a handful of medals at the championships. She has the #1 time in the conference in both the 100 and 200 breast, sitting at least half a second ahead of the competition in both events, and will be a critical force for the relays. Florida should have a fair amount of depth in the breaststroke events, with Molly Mayne sitting in 5th in both distances and Grace Rabb ranked 7th in the 200.

Rabb will certainly be one to keep an eye on as she makes her SEC Championship debut, as she also holds the 4th-fastest time in the conference in the 200 IM. Just behind her in that event is Lainey Kruger, a well-rounded competitor who could boost Florida’s depth in races like the 200 free and 200 fly as well.

The Gators will have some ground to make up in the backstroke events without Sims, as she was the individual champion in both the 100 and 200 back last year. Thankfully for Florida, Catie Choate looks to be filling in that spot nicely right now; she is the only swimmer in the SEC to have gone under 1:51 in the 200 back so far this season, and she is ranked 2nd in the 100 back. She will need to bring that heat to the relays as well; the 400 medley relay was Florida’s only relay victory last year, and Sims’ absence in the backstroke leg will definitely be a blow to the squad.

Not to be forgotten is Julie Brousseau, who turned in huge performances last season, placing 3rd in the 500 free, 5th in the 400 IM and 11th in the 1650 free. She is looking at ‘A’ final potential once again, this time ranked 3rd in the 500 and 6th in the 1650. Meanwhile, diver Camyla Monroy should post some extra points from the boards, as she was the 2025 SEC women’s 1-meter champion in addition to taking 6th on the 3-meter and 10-meter.

Georgia – Kennedi Dobson (FR – free), Ieva Maluka (SR – fly/IM), Elizabeth Nawrocki (FR – breast), Marie Landreneau (SO – free)

Georgia looks like it will be fueled by freshman power this year.

Kennedi Dobson is undoubtedly one of the team’s top competitors this season, ranking 2nd in the conference in three separate events. Dobson clocked personal best times earlier this season in the 200 free (1:42.19), 500 free (4:32.96) and 1650 free (15:47.61), placing her just shy of topping the conference rankings in each of those events. Her times are less than a tenth off of the #1 times in the SEC in both the 200 and 500 free, meaning it would not be far-fetched for her to launch herself into the winning spot at the championships.

Fellow freshman Elizabeth Nawrocki is opening up a new discipline for Georgia, with top-ranking times in the breaststroke events. Last season, the Bulldogs only had one swimmer earn a second swim in a breaststroke race at SECs: Olivia Della Torre placed 22nd in the 200 breast. That all could change this year thanks to Nawrocki, who is currently ranked 3rd in the conference in the 200 breast and 15th in the 100 breast.

Meanwhile, Ieva Maluka will look to close out her collegiate career on a high note. Last season, she placed 6th in the 200 IM, 9th in the 200 fly and 12th in the 200 free, and she should be just as versatile this year. Maluka boasts the 4th-fastest time in the SEC in the 400 IM (4:06.20) and is ranked 8th in the 200 IM and 13th in the 200 free, giving her plenty of opportunities to score. She should also be a valuable contributor to Georgia’s relays.

Kentucky – Fernanda de Goeij (JR – back/IM), Hayden Penny (FR – IM), Katy Jost (FR – free), Grace Frericks (JR – free/back)

Kentucky finished 11th at the SEC Championships last year, a far cry from the team’s 2021 conference victory. The Wildcats lost their top scorer at the end of last season, Bridget Engel, and will feel her absence as they head into the championship, but some of the new freshman talent should help fill that gap.

Despite not making it out of prelims last season, Fernanda de Goeij looks to be one of Kentucky’s top performers this time around. She is coming in ranked 8th in the 400 IM, 12th in the 200 back and 25th in the 200 IM, giving her at least two promising opportunities to score significant points for the team. Fellow returner Grace Frericks was a big player last year, placing 7th in the 200 back and 21st in the 100 back as well as competing on four relays. Frericks is currently ranked 20th in the conference in the 200 back with a 1:54.89, but her lifetime best is over two seconds faster than that, so she could make a leap forward at SECs.

The freshman class features some of the biggest names to keep an eye on for the Wildcats. Hayden Penny has a strong chance to earn a second swim in two events, as she is currently sitting in 11th in the 400 IM and 17th in the 200 IM. Meanwhile, classmate Katy Jost could score some points in the freestyle events: she is ranked 17th in the 1650 free and 28th in the 500 free.

Kentucky boasts a little bit of depth in the distance events, as in addition to Jost, the SEC rankings currently see Libby Grether in 14th and Paige Housman in 16th in the 1650 free, while Madi McGlothen sits at 23rd in the 500 free.

LSU – Sofia Sartori (SR – back/fly), Zoe Carlos-Broc (SO – back), Martina Bukvic (FR – breast/free), Michaela de Villiers (SR – sprint free)

LSU is shaping up to have its best performances in the butterfly and backstroke events, with most of the team’s top-ranked swimmers spread across those races. SEC veteran Sofia Sartori should be a top contender for LSU, holding the 4th-fastest time in the conference in the 200 fly this season, while teammate Giulia Zambelli sits just behind her in 5th. Sartori also ranks 6th in the 100 fly, 8th in the 200 back and 12th in the 100 back, giving her a shot at multiple ‘A’ final appearances; last season, her highest finish at SECs was 7th-place in the 200 fly.

In the 100 back, Zoe Carlos-Broc leads the charge for the Tigers with the 5th-fastest time in the SEC, which should be good enough to land her solidly in the ‘A’ final. This was her best event last season, placing 8th at the conference championships, so Carlos-Broc should be able to bring home some valuable points for LSU if she can repeat that.

Freshman Martina Bukvic will be one to watch as she makes her SEC Championship debut. A strong breaststroker, she is coming in ranked 6th in the 200 breast and 10th in the 100 breast, giving her strong scoring potential. Sabrina Lyn could bring some added depth, sitting in 11th just behind Bukvic in the 100 breast, though Lyn is usually more of a sprint freestyler.

LSU has a number of swimmers whose times this season currently have them hovering right around the barrier between the ‘A’ final and ‘B’ final. Michaela de Villiers and Avery Littlefield rank 7th and 8th in the conference, respectively, in the 50 free. De Villiers also sits in 9th in the 100 free and 16th in the 100 back, and will likely be a key component of LSU’s relays, while Littlefield is sitting in 12th in the 100 fly.

Despite not being ranked particularly high in her top events this season (18th in the 100 breast and 25th in the 200 breast), Grace Palmer did place 6th in the 200 breast at the 2025 SECs, so it may be worth keeping an eye out for her in the mix.

Missouri – Zara Zallen (JR – free/breast), Libby Bakker (FR – free/back), Karolina Bank (SR – free/breast), Zoe Schneider (JR – distance free/IM)

Most of Missouri’s top scorers from last year’s SEC Championships are back in action this season, with the bonus of a few new talented freshmen helping to boost the team’s scoring potential at this year’s competition.

Zara Zallen led the 2025 charge, racking up 37.5 points after placing 6th in the 100 free and 13th in the 100 breast, as well as racing on four relays, highlighted by a 6th-place finish in the 200 free relay. This season, she is poised to flip those ‘A’ and ‘B’ final performances, as she holds the 8th-fastest time in the conference in the 100 breast and sits in 14th in the 100 free. Zallen should also be a valuable asset to the relays once again.

Another top contributor last season, Karolina Bank could score even better this year and will look to make a splash in the breaststroke events. She is coming into the meet ranked 7th in the 100 breast and 31st in the 200 breast and is Missouri’s top breaststroker, setting her up to be a key part of the medley relays as well. On the distance side, Zoe Schneider will look to bring home some points; she is ranked 7th in the 1650 free, 14th in the 400 IM and 26th in the 500 free, giving her at least two solid chances to put Missouri on the map.

A few more athletes have the potential to pick up some extra points. Newcomer Libby Bakker could sneak her way into the finals of a few events, ranking 22nd in the 200 back and 29th in the 100 back, but at the very least, she should be locked in for the medley relays. Shooting to join Schneider in ‘B’ final contention in the 400 IM could be Piper McNeil, who currently ranks 18th in the conference. And on the boards, Gaby Carmona is Missouri’s top diver, sitting in 6th on the 3-meter and 12th on the 1-meter.

South Carolina – Sophia Verzyl (SR – diving), Amy Riordan (SR – free/back), Delaney Franklin (JR – breast/IM), Nora Fluck (SO – distance free)

The Gamecocks’ biggest contributor last season was diver Sophia Verzyl, and luckily for them, she is back on the boards this season. Verzyl brought home gold on the 3-meter and silver on the 1-meter at last year’s SEC Championships, and she is poised to rack up the hardware again this year as the highest-ranked diver in the conference in both events.

South Carolina lost its top swimmer, Greta Pelzek, at the end of last season, but the team still has several key contributors from last year in the mix. Amy Riordan earned three ‘B’ final swims last year and raced on all four relays, and she should be able to turn in similar, if not better, results this season. Riordan boasts the 2nd-fastest time in the SEC in the 200 back, just behind Florida’s Catie Choate, and is ranked 7th in the 100 back and 10th in the 200 free.

Delaney Franklin will bring the heat in the breast and IM events, sitting in 9th in the 200 IM, 15th in the 200 breast and 17th in the 400 IM, which puts her right around where she was last year. The Gamecocks’ best chance in the distance freestyle events looks to be Nora Fluck and Breckin Gormley, currently ranking 13th and 14th in the 500 free, respectively, and 10th and 18th in the 1650 free. Also in the mix could be Emma Reiser, who is ranked 15th in the 1650.

Tennessee – Camille Spink (JR – free), Ella Jansen (SO – free/fly/IM), Emily Brown (SO – fly/IM)

The star of the Tennessee show last year, Camille Spink will lead the charge for the Vols once again. The defending champion in the 50, 100 and 200 free, Spink will be in for a fight to hold onto her crown: she sits atop the conference ranking in the 50 free, but is ranked 2nd in the 100 free and 4th in the 200 free. She is still undoubtedly a frontrunner for the victory, as her times from last season’s SECs would top the rankings in all three events, and she will be a critical asset to the Tennessee relays.

Ella Jansen is another formidable returner who could look to score even higher this year. The runner-up in the 400 IM at the 2025 championship, she boasts the fastest time in the SEC in the 400 IM this season and ranks two seconds ahead of Texas’s Campbell Stoll. She also sits in 3rd in the 200 fly, just behind teammate Emily Brown, and 5th in the 200 free, 500 free and 200 IM, giving her plenty of choice in her events. Having anchored Tennessee’s 800 free relay to a win last season, Jansen brings a lot of depth to the Vols’ scoring potential.

Brown, for her part, is poised to be a top competitor with a chance to land on the podium in multiple events. She ranks 2nd in the conference in the 200 fly and 3rd in the 200 IM and 400 IM, setting up Tennessee to be a dominant force in the IM events.

The Vols welcomed some strong freshman talent this season, with Mizuki Hirai one to keep an eye on: she currently holds the 5th-fastest time in the SEC in the 100 fly (51.49), which would have placed 5th overall at last year’s championship.

Texas – Eva Okaro (FR – free/fly), Jillian Cox (SO – distance free), Campbell Stoll (JR – fly/IM), Bayleigh Cranford (JR – diving)

Between the Big 12 Conference and the SEC, Texas has won 14 straight conference championships, and the team’s momentum does not seem to be slowing down.

The Longhorns are poised to place multiple competitors in the ‘A’ final in nearly every event, ensuring they rack up plenty of points over the course of the meet. One big name who will be looking to top the podium is Campbell Stoll, who won the 400 IM at the Big 12 Championships during her freshman year but has never won an individual SEC title. Now a junior, Stoll boasts some of the fastest times in both the SEC and NCAA; she holds the fastest time in the conference in the 200 fly (1:52.13) and sits in 2nd in the 100 fly and 400 IM, giving her a strong shot at multiple titles.

The butterfly events could very well belong to Texas, as teammate Eva Okaro currently holds the top spot in the 100 fly ahead of Stoll. The freshman from England will also certainly be one to watch during her SEC Championship debut, as she is the top-ranked swimmer in both the 100 fly and 100 free and ranks 2nd in the 50 free. Okaro will likely be battling for the victory in the sprint free events with Tennessee’s Camille Spink, as the two sprinters’ top times this season are separated by mere hundredths. Erin Gemmell should also bring some added depth behind Okaro, boasting the 3rd-fastest time in the conference in the 100 free.

The Longhorns are in good shape to dominate the remainder of the freestyle events thanks to freshman Nikolett Padar, who is the top-ranked swimmer in the 200, and sophomore Jillian Cox, who is ranked 1st in the 500 free and 1650 free. Cox won both events at last year’s championship and will be looking to defend her titles, although she will have to hold off Georgia’s Kennedi Dobson, whose time in the 500 this season is just .04 off of Cox’s season-best (4:32.92).

The number of Texas athletes with potential to score is almost too many to count, with so many names on the roster bringing added depth to their lineup. Campbell Chase has the fastest time in the conference in the 200 IM, sitting just ahead of teammate Angie Coe. Coe, meanwhile, is also ranked 2nd in the 200 breast and 7th in the 100 fly. Aside from Stoll, the Longhorns feature two more athletes poised to make the ‘A’ final in the 400 IM: Chase and Hayley McDonald. And on the diving side, Bayleigh Cranford returns as Texas’s top diver this season, currently ranking 2nd in the SEC on the 1-meter and 3rd on the 3-meter.

Texas A&M – Ella McQuinn (SO – free/breast), Kaitlyn Owens (5th – free/back), Hannah O’Leary (JR – breast/IM)

Texas A&M might see a tougher battle this year, having lost its four top scorers from last season. Making the return is fifth-year Kaitlyn Owens, who logged an ‘A’ final appearance in the 50 free last year, as well as making it to the ‘B’ final in the 100 back and competing on four relays. Owens may have flipped the switch on her events this time around, as she heads into the meet ranked 3rd in the conference in the 100 back and 17th in the 50 free.

Hannah O’Leary earned a second swim in three of her four individual events last season, and she will look to turn in similar results this year. She is currently ranked 16th in the 200 breast, 19th in the 200 IM and 22nd in the 400 IM, giving her a strong shot at picking up some points in each of her top events. Meanwhile, Ella McQuinn will be looking to break into the ‘A’ final for the first time, sitting in 9th in the 100 breast and 16th in the 100 free.

Also bringing strong scoring potential is Ava Whitaker, who ranks 10th in the 200 fly and 14th in the 100 fly, which should put her solidly in ‘B’ final contention, at the very least. Freshman Lillie Sczech adds some depth in the breaststroke events, coming into the meet ranked 10th in the SEC in the 200 breast and 32nd in the 100 breast.

Vanderbilt – Aubrey Hull (SO – back), Melissa Cowen (JR – breast)

Vanderbilt has had a tough dual meet season this year, finishing the regular season with a 2-9 record and losing all of the meets against SEC conference rivals. The Commodores also lost most of their top scorers at the end of last season, namely Kailia Utley, who was the only swimmer to score individual points at the 2025 SECs.

Heading into this year’s championship, Aubrey Hull looks to be one of Vanderbilt’s top competitors, ranking 32nd in the 200 back and 40th in the 100 back. Similarly positioned is Melissa Cowen, who heads into the meet sitting in 29th in the 200 breast and 42nd in the 100 breast. Both swimmers will need to leapfrog over some of their competitors and drop close to a second in the 200s if they hope to land in the finals.

The Commodores have a few other athletes with potential to turn in strong personal performances, like Merritt Zieminick in the 1650 free and Ellie Butler in the 200 fly, but Hull and Cowen seem to have the best chance at landing in the finals.

Showdowns

100 freestyle – Always a tight battle until the end, the 100 free could prove to be a nail-biting race this year. Tennessee’s Camille Spink is the two-time defending champion in this event, having taken the crown her freshman and sophomore years, but she has currently taken the backseat to Texas freshman Eva Okaro. Okaro sits atop the conference rankings with her best time of 46.49, which she set at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in November, though she has not been that fast since then. Spink, meanwhile, ranks 2nd with a season-best time of 46.54, although she boasts a lifetime best time of 46.25 from last year’s SECs. The pair have already faced off in a dual meet setting, with Okaro besting Spink by just .01 back in October, so the SECs should make for an exciting rematch as they vie for the title.

500 freestyle – In a surprisingly narrow race, the top two swimmers in the 500 free are separated by just .04. Jillian Cox, the 2025 SEC champion, leads the ranking in 4:32.92, while freshman Kennedi Dobson sits just behind with a time of 4:32.96. That time stands as Dobson’s lifetime best, which she just posted a few weeks ago in January. Conversely, Cox boasts a personal best time of 4:30.68, but she has not hit the 4:30 range since 2024. It looks like the main fight will be between Cox and Dobson, as they lead the pack by over two seconds, but Julie Brousseau cannot be counted out. Brousseau took 3rd at the SECs last year and is currently ranked 3rd in the conference with a time that is less than a second off of her championship performance.

200 butterfly – Just over half a second separates the three top-ranked competitors in the 200 fly, who also happen to be the only three in the conference to have broken 1:53 so far this season. Campbell Stoll was the runner-up at the 2025 SEC Championships and now dominates the conference rankings, having posted the fastest time (1:52.13) in the SEC back in November. Close behind her is Emily Brown, whose time of 1:52.39 is already faster than her performance at last year’s championship. Teammate Ella Jansen sits in 3rd after lowering her best time by over 1.5 seconds this season; after finishing 8th last year, Jansen will surely be looking to hold onto her upward momentum at SECs.

SwimSwam Picks

1. Texas
2. Tennessee
3. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Alabama
6. LSU
7. South Carolina
8. Auburn
9. Texas A&M
10. Missouri
11. Kentucky
12. Arkansas
13. Vanderbilt

Texas does not appear to be slowing down with its conference domination anytime soon and continues to be the favorite to take home the SEC championship title. Florida and Tennessee would present the biggest challenge for Texas, but even they don’t look to be a match for the Longhorns this season.

It will be a close battle for 2nd between Florida and Tennessee, but Tennessee seems to have the edge this time around with its stacked roster.

It’s hard to predict how the next five or so spots will shake out. Georgia and Alabama both have strong rosters and have been performing well throughout the season, putting both teams in a good position to take one of the top spots this year. LSU, South Carolina, Auburn and Texas A&M are hard to predict scoring-wise. They all have the potential to see some high-placing athletes, but they have not always performed as well as expected; last year, we predicted that Texas A&M would place 6th, only for them to finish 8th.

On the flip side, we projected that South Carolina would finish 9th, but the Gamecocks ended up placing 5th. Auburn has been hovering right around the middle of the standings for the last few seasons, but they have some very high-ranking swimmers this year who could help bump the team up the standings.

Missouri is another squad that has a few standout swimmers who have leapt up the rankings this year, but the team has been hovering around 10th in the conference rankings for a few seasons now, so it is hard to see them making a big leap forward.