The official NCAA invite lists won’t go out until Wednesday, but anybody with the pre-cut psych sheets, released earlier today, a spreadsheet, and an army of stat guys can do the math ahead of time to determine the invitees before they’re officially released – barring any changes to entries.
A refresher on how that process works: The NCAA will go through, event by event, and add one swimmer to each, until a certain “line” (aka, all 30th-ranked swimmers) puts the field over the maximum 281 individual entries (322 total minus 41 places for divers). At that point, swimmers will be invited based on who is the closest to the NCAA Championship Record in their event from the next line (in this case, line 37). If you want to look at the full procedure, check section 2.4 of the NCAA Pre Championship Manual.
The cut-line fell shorter than normal this year. The top 36 swimmers in each event were invited, with the alternates beginning in line 37.
The Alternates:
Most years, at least a few alternates are taken to the meet. Among other things, this happens because of late-season injuries, or teams that are at the entry cap and then have divers qualify. Only 2 teams, Stanford with 18 swimmers entered already and Texas A&M with 16, are in danger of running into roster caps this year, with divers counting as only 1/2 of a swimmer. Alternates have further hope in that teams entered at least 2 swimmers, who should receive invites, that didn’t swim at their conference championship meets due to injuries: Ky-Lee Perry of NC State, and Beryl Gastaldello of Texas A&M.
1 | Moon, Caitlynn | Texas A&M-GU | 500 Freestyle |
2 | Kelly, Paige | Kentucky-KY | 1650 Freestyle |
3 | Worrell, Taylor | South Carolina-SC | 200 Butterfly |
4 | Krivokapic-Zhou, Sophie | California-PC | 100 Backstroke |
Teams With Invites:
Team | # of individual Swimmers |
Stanford-PC | 18 |
Texas A&M-GU | 16 |
Louisville-KY | 12 |
Michigan-MI | 12 |
Virginia-VA | 12 |
Georgia-GA | 11 |
Southern Cali-CA | 11 |
California-PC | 10 |
Auburn-SE | 9 |
Kentucky-KY | 9 |
NC State-NC | 9 |
Ohio St-OH | 9 |
Tennessee-SE | 9 |
Texas-ST | 9 |
University of Missouri-MV | 9 |
Florida-FL | 8 |
Indiana-IN | 8 |
Arizona-AZ | 7 |
Duke-NC | 7 |
Minnesota-MN | 7 |
Alabama-SE | 5 |
UCLA-CA | 5 |
Arizona St-AZ | 4 |
Florida St-FL | 4 |
Notre Dame-IN | 4 |
Purdue-IN | 4 |
UNC-NC | 4 |
Virginia Tech-VA | 4 |
Wisconsin-WI | 4 |
Houston-GU | 3 |
South Carolina-SC | 3 |
Akron-LE | 2 |
Denver-CO | 2 |
Hawaii-HI | 2 |
Liberty University-VA | 2 |
Pittsburgh-AM | 2 |
Rutgers-NJ | 2 |
SMU-NT | 2 |
West Virginia-WV | 2 |
Arkansas-AR | 1 |
Drexel-MA | 1 |
Eastern Michigan University-MI | 1 |
Florida Gulf Coast University-FL | 1 |
Florida Int’l-FG | 1 |
Georgia Tech-GA | 1 |
Harvard-NE | 1 |
Iowa-IA | 1 |
Nebraska-MW | 1 |
Northeastern University-NE | 1 |
Northwestern-IL | 1 |
Pacific-PC | 1 |
Penn St-MA | 1 |
Rice-GU | 1 |
San Diego St-SI | 1 |
U of Utah Swimming-UT | 1 |
U.S. Navy-MD | 1 |
UNLV W-CA | 1 |
Yale-CT | 1 |
The List of Swimmers Invited:
Swimmer | Team | Highest-Ranking Stroke |
Marrero, Paloma | Akron-LE | 200 Breaststroke |
Nogaj, Paulina | Akron-LE | 100 Butterfly |
Scott, Bailey | Alabama-SE | 50 Freestyle |
Macfarlane, Justine | Alabama-SE | 100 Breaststroke |
Nonnenberg, Mia | Alabama-SE | 400 IM |
Kullmann, Leonie | Alabama-SE | 500 Freestyle |
Molnar, Flora | Alabama-SE | 100 Butterfly |
Kansakoski, Silja | Arizona St-AZ | 100 Breaststroke |
Ross, Marlies | Arizona St-AZ | 400 IM |
Fisch, Claire | Arizona St-AZ | 50 Freestyle |
Isleta, Chloe Kennedy | Arizona St-AZ | 200 IM |
Jacobsen, Kirsten | Arizona-AZ | 500 Freestyle |
Rumrill, Mackenzie | Arizona-AZ | 100 Butterfly |
Cox, Hannah | Arizona-AZ | 1650 Freestyle |
Konopka, Katrina | Arizona-AZ | 50 Freestyle |
McHugh, Cameron | Arizona-AZ | 200 Backstroke |
Korenwinder, Mallory | Arizona-AZ | 100 Breaststroke |
Stone, Jamie | Arizona-AZ | 50 Freestyle |
Palsha, Peyton | Arkansas-AR | 1650 Freestyle |
Black, Haley | Auburn-SE | 100 Butterfly |
Tetzloff, Alyssa | Auburn-SE | 100 Freestyle |
Meynen, Julie | Auburn-SE | 100 Freestyle |
Ellzey, Ashton | Auburn-SE | 50 Freestyle |
Falconer, Erin | Auburn-SE | 200 Backstroke |
Oeztuerk, Sonnele | Auburn-SE | 200 Backstroke |
Roman, Breanna | Auburn-SE | 100 Breaststroke |
Nero, Bailey | Auburn-SE | 200 Butterfly |
Cummings, Carly | Auburn-SE | 200 Breaststroke |
Baker, Kathleen | California-PC | 200 Backstroke |
Weitzeil, Abbey | California-PC | 100 Freestyle |
Thomas, Noemie | California-PC | 100 Butterfly |
Darcel, Sarah | California-PC | 400 IM |
Neumann, Robin | California-PC | 200 Freestyle |
Bilquist, Amy | California-PC | 50 Freestyle |
McLaughlin, Katie | California-PC | 100 Butterfly |
Murphy, Maddie | California-PC | 50 Freestyle |
Blovad, Keaton | California-PC | 100 Backstroke |
Harrison, Alicia | California-PC | 100 Breaststroke |
Andison, Bailey | Denver-CO | 200 IM |
McCormick, Morgan | Denver-CO | 200 Backstroke |
Kutch, Alexa | Drexel-MA | 200 Backstroke |
Goldman, Leah | Duke-NC | 100 Butterfly |
Paez, Isabella | Duke-NC | 200 Butterfly |
Abel, Verity | Duke-NC | 1650 Freestyle |
Jordan, Kylie | Duke-NC | 100 Butterfly |
Marsh, Alyssa | Duke-NC | 100 Butterfly |
Hess, Maddie | Duke-NC | 100 Backstroke |
Devitt, Lizzie | Duke-NC | 400 IM |
Duncan, Delaney | Eastern Michigan University-MI | 100 Breaststroke |
Elmgreen, Tina | Florida Gulf Coast University-FL | 200 Butterfly |
Ruele, Naomi | Florida Int’l-FG | 50 Freestyle |
Pierce, Natalie | Florida St-FL | 100 Breaststroke |
Lovemore, Tayla | Florida St-FL | 100 Butterfly |
Olsen, Elise | Florida St-FL | 100 Butterfly |
Cohen, Madeline | Florida St-FL | 200 Backstroke |
Ball, Emma | Florida-FL | 100 Backstroke |
Dressel, Sherridon | Florida-FL | 100 Backstroke |
Ault, Taylor | Florida-FL | 1650 Freestyle |
Burns, Hannah | Florida-FL | 400 IM |
Fertel, Kelly | Florida-FL | 400 IM |
Maughan, Amelia | Florida-FL | 200 Freestyle |
Faulconer, Savanna | Florida-FL | 400 IM |
Sell, Sydney | Florida-FL | 200 Backstroke |
Wang, Iris | Georgia Tech-GA | 100 Freestyle |
Kingsley, Megan | Georgia-GA | 200 Butterfly |
Harnish, Courtney | Georgia-GA | 500 Freestyle |
Stewart, Kylie | Georgia-GA | 200 Backstroke |
Raab, Meaghan | Georgia-GA | 200 Freestyle |
Burchill, Veronica | Georgia-GA | 100 Freestyle |
Britt, Chelsea | Georgia-GA | 200 Butterfly |
Casazza, Caitln | Georgia-GA | 200 Butterfly |
Anderson, Olivia | Georgia-GA | 1650 Freestyle |
Fa’amausili, Gabrielle | Georgia-GA | 50 Freestyle |
Peters, Stephanie | Georgia-GA | 500 Freestyle |
McCann, Meryn | Georgia-GA | 500 Freestyle |
Dahlke, Miki | Harvard-NE | 100 Butterfly |
Hines, Phoebe | Hawaii-HI | 1650 Freestyle |
Weidner, Franziska | Hawaii-HI | 100 Breaststroke |
Kondis, Peyton | Houston-GU | 100 Breaststroke |
Yuskova, Ksenia | Houston-GU | 200 Freestyle |
Brown, Zarena | Houston-GU | 200 Freestyle |
King, Lilly | Indiana-IN | 100 Breaststroke |
Rockett, Ally | Indiana-IN | 100 Backstroke |
Goss, Kennedy | Indiana-IN | 200 Backstroke |
Jensen, Christie | Indiana-IN | 100 Butterfly |
Jernberg, Cassy | Indiana-IN | 1650 Freestyle |
Haskett, Grace | Indiana-IN | 50 Freestyle |
Chamberlain, Marie | Indiana-IN | 100 Backstroke |
Koontz, Shelby | Indiana-IN | 100 Butterfly |
Burvill, Hannah | Iowa-IA | 200 Freestyle |
Seidt, Asia | Kentucky-KY | 200 IM |
Galyer, Ali | Kentucky-KY | 200 Backstroke |
Bonnett, Bailey | Kentucky-KY | 200 Breaststroke |
Freriks, Geena | Kentucky-KY | 500 Freestyle |
Winstead, Madison | Kentucky-KY | 100 Breaststroke |
Alexander, Bridgette | Kentucky-KY | 200 Backstroke |
Painter, Kathryn | Kentucky-KY | 400 IM |
Belli, Morgan | Kentucky-KY | 200 Breaststroke |
Edelman, Lauren | Kentucky-KY | 200 Butterfly |
Finnigan, Alicia | Liberty University-VA | 200 Butterfly |
Keiner, Payton | Liberty University-VA | 200 Backstroke |
Comerford, Mallory | Louisville-KY | 200 Freestyle |
Oglesby, Grace | Louisville-KY | 100 Butterfly |
Cattermole, Sophie | Louisville-KY | 500 Freestyle |
Fanz, Casey | Louisville-KY | 50 Freestyle |
Bradford-Feldman, Rachael | Louisville-KY | 200 IM |
Kendzior, Alina | Louisville-KY | 100 Backstroke |
Visscher, Lainey | Louisville-KY | 100 Freestyle |
Astashkina, Mariia | Louisville-KY | 200 Breaststroke |
Braunecker, Avery | Louisville-KY | 50 Freestyle |
Schoof, Ashlyn | Louisville-KY | 100 Backstroke |
Friesen, Morgan | Louisville-KY | 200 Breaststroke |
James, Lauren | Louisville-KY | 200 Breaststroke |
Bi, Rose | Michigan-MI | 500 Freestyle |
Tucker, Miranda | Michigan-MI | 100 Breaststroke |
Haughey, Siobhan Bernadette | Michigan-MI | 200 Freestyle |
Deloof, Gabby | Michigan-MI | 200 Freestyle |
Deloof, Catie | Michigan-MI | 200 Freestyle |
Krause, Vanessa | Michigan-MI | 200 Butterfly |
Smiddy, Clara | Michigan-MI | 200 Backstroke |
Ryan, G | Michigan-MI | 500 Freestyle |
Schmidt, Sierra | Michigan-MI | 1650 Freestyle |
Kopas, Emily | Michigan-MI | 200 Breaststroke |
Postoll, Becca | Michigan-MI | 500 Freestyle |
Garcia, Taylor | Michigan-MI | 100 Backstroke |
Kozelsky, Lindsey | Minnesota-MN | 100 Breaststroke |
Nack, Danielle | Minnesota-MN | 100 Butterfly |
Padington, Mackenzie | Minnesota-MN | 200 Freestyle |
Munson, Rachel | Minnesota-MN | 100 Breaststroke |
Waddell, Tevyn | Minnesota-MN | 100 Backstroke |
Avestruz, Zoe | Minnesota-MN | 100 Freestyle |
Nack, Chantal | Minnesota-MN | 200 Backstroke |
Moore, Hannah | NC State-NC | 1650 Freestyle |
Haan, Elise | NC State-NC | 100 Backstroke |
Perry, Ky-lee | NC State-NC | 50 Freestyle |
Holub, Tamila | NC State-NC | 1650 Freestyle |
Poole, Julia | NC State-NC | 200 IM |
Jahns, Anna | NC State-NC | 1650 Freestyle |
Finke, Summer | NC State-NC | 1650 Freestyle |
Moore, Kate | NC State-NC | 400 IM |
Horomanski, Jessica | NC State-NC | 400 IM |
Haebig, Autumn | Nebraska-MW | 100 Backstroke |
Clark, Megan | Northeastern University-NE | 100 Freestyle |
Sheridan, Calypso | Northwestern-IL | 200 Breaststroke |
Treuth, Alice | Notre Dame-IN | 200 Backstroke |
Quast, Carly | Notre Dame-IN | 100 Backstroke |
Stone, Lindsay | Notre Dame-IN | 1650 Freestyle |
Dolan, Abigail | Notre Dame-IN | 100 Freestyle |
Li, Liz | Ohio St-OH | 50 Freestyle |
Kowal, Molly | Ohio St-OH | 1650 Freestyle |
Bailey, Meg | Ohio St-OH | 400 IM |
Romano, Kristen | Ohio St-OH | 400 IM |
Rayner, Freya | Ohio St-OH | 50 Freestyle |
Gresser, Hanna | Ohio St-OH | 100 Breaststroke |
McNichols, Macie | Ohio St-OH | 50 Freestyle |
Demler, Kathrin | Ohio St-OH | 400 IM |
Bradley, Rebekah | Ohio St-OH | 100 Backstroke |
Ramey, Kenna | Pacific-PC | 100 Butterfly |
McHugh, Ally | Penn St-MA | 1650 Freestyle |
Richey, Amanda | Pittsburgh-AM | 1650 Freestyle |
Rathsack, Lina | Pittsburgh-AM | 100 Breaststroke |
Meitz, Kaersten | Purdue-IN | 500 Freestyle |
Phee, Jinq En | Purdue-IN | 100 Breaststroke |
Kitchel, Taite | Purdue-IN | 200 Butterfly |
Rawson, Emmy | Purdue-IN | 200 Butterfly |
Schillinger, Marie-claire | Rice-GU | 100 Breaststroke |
Schiazzano, Sveva | Rutgers-NJ | 1650 Freestyle |
Stoppa, Francesca | Rutgers-NJ | 200 Butterfly |
Vincent, Courtney | San Diego St-SI | 100 Butterfly |
Samardzic, Matea | SMU-NT | 200 Backstroke |
Podmanikova, Andrea | SMU-NT | 200 Breaststroke |
Barksdale, Emma | South Carolina-SC | 200 IM |
Dirrane, Kersten | South Carolina-SC | 200 Breaststroke |
Higgs, Albury | South Carolina-SC | 200 Breaststroke |
Hansson, Louise | Southern Cali-CA | 200 Butterfly |
Wright, Maddie | Southern Cali-CA | 200 Butterfly |
Aroesty, Margaret | Southern Cali-CA | 200 Breaststroke |
Scott, Riley | Southern Cali-CA | 100 Breaststroke |
Ciesla, Marta | Southern Cali-CA | 50 Freestyle |
Weiss, Hannah | Southern Cali-CA | 100 Backstroke |
Mann, Becca | Southern Cali-CA | 1650 Freestyle |
Sanchez, Catherine | Southern Cali-CA | 200 Butterfly |
Stinson, Elizabeth | Southern Cali-CA | 1650 Freestyle |
Tycz, Caitlin | Southern Cali-CA | 200 Butterfly |
Wade, Tatum | Southern Cali-CA | 200 IM |
Eastin, Ella | Stanford-PC | 200 Butterfly |
Ledecky, Katie | Stanford-PC | 1650 Freestyle |
Manuel, Simone | Stanford-PC | 50 Freestyle |
Hu, Janet | Stanford-PC | 100 Backstroke |
Drabot, Katie | Stanford-PC | 200 Butterfly |
Howe, Ally | Stanford-PC | 100 Backstroke |
Forde, Brooke | Stanford-PC | 400 IM |
Byrnes, Megan | Stanford-PC | 1650 Freestyle |
Pitzer, Lauren | Stanford-PC | 500 Freestyle |
Stevens, Leah | Stanford-PC | 1650 Freestyle |
Williams, Kim | Stanford-PC | 100 Breaststroke |
Szekely, Allie | Stanford-PC | 200 Backstroke |
Voss, Erin | Stanford-PC | 200 Backstroke |
Engel, Lindsey | Stanford-PC | 200 Butterfly |
Kukurugya, Hannah | Stanford-PC | 200 Butterfly |
Green, Lauren | Stanford-PC | 200 Butterfly |
Zhao, Grace | Stanford-PC | 200 Breaststroke |
Glavinovich, Katie | Stanford-PC | 400 IM |
Brown, Erika | Tennessee-SE | 100 Butterfly |
Small, Meghan | Tennessee-SE | 200 IM |
Cieplucha, Tessa | Tennessee-SE | 400 IM |
Armitage, Katie | Tennessee-SE | 100 Breaststroke |
Banic, Madeline | Tennessee-SE | 50 Freestyle |
Bohon, Micah | Tennessee-SE | 100 Backstroke |
Moseley, Stanzi | Tennessee-SE | 100 Freestyle |
Pintar, Tjasa | Tennessee-SE | 100 Breaststroke |
Grinter, Bailey | Tennessee-SE | 50 Freestyle |
Pickrem, Sydney | Texas A&M-GU | 200 IM |
Belousova, Anna | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Breaststroke |
Galat, Bethany | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Breaststroke |
Bratton, Lisa | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Backstroke |
Quah, Jing | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Butterfly |
Gastaldello, Beryl | Texas A&M-GU | 50 Freestyle |
Gonzalez Medina, Esther | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Breaststroke |
Caneta, Jorie | Texas A&M-GU | 100 Breaststroke |
Rasmus, Claire | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Freestyle |
Yelle, Haley | Texas A&M-GU | 500 Freestyle |
Malone, Kristin | Texas A&M-GU | 100 Freestyle |
Gonzalez-Hermosillo, Monika | Texas A&M-GU | 400 IM |
Pike, Taylor | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Butterfly |
Debever, Mckenna | Texas A&M-GU | 200 IM |
Portz, Katie | Texas A&M-GU | 200 Freestyle |
Roubique, Victoria | Texas A&M-GU | 100 Breaststroke |
Evans, Joanna | Texas-ST | 500 Freestyle |
Adams, Claire | Texas-ST | 100 Backstroke |
Millard, Rebecca | Texas-ST | 50 Freestyle |
Lohman, Kennedy | Texas-ST | 100 Breaststroke |
Carrozza, Quinn | Texas-ST | 200 Freestyle |
Pfeifer, Evie | Texas-ST | 500 Freestyle |
Case, Lauren | Texas-ST | 200 Butterfly |
Rule, Remedy | Texas-ST | 200 Butterfly |
Hansen, Brooke | Texas-ST | 200 IM |
Anderson, Jordan | U of Utah Swimming-UT | 400 IM |
Barber, Lauren | U.S. Navy-MD | 200 IM |
Schanz, Emma | UCLA-CA | 200 Breaststroke |
Grover, Katie | UCLA-CA | 200 Butterfly |
Liu, Kenisha | UCLA-CA | 100 Freestyle |
Soe, Sandra | UCLA-CA | 1650 Freestyle |
Verger Gourson, Margaux | UCLA-CA | 1650 Freestyle |
Baldwin, Caroline | UNC-NC | 100 Freestyle |
Hauder, Caroline | UNC-NC | 200 IM |
Fields, Zhada | UNC-NC | 200 Freestyle |
Perrotta, Brooke | UNC-NC | 100 Breaststroke |
Stevens, Hannah | University of Missouri-MV | 100 Backstroke |
Brady, Sharli | University of Missouri-MV | 400 IM |
Ochitwa, Ann | University of Missouri-MV | 100 Freestyle |
Hynes, Haley | University of Missouri-MV | 100 Backstroke |
Zubar, Kira | University of Missouri-MV | 500 Freestyle |
Evensen, Courtney | University of Missouri-MV | 1650 Freestyle |
Metzger-Seymour, Erin | University of Missouri-MV | 200 Freestyle |
Dahlgren, Kylie | University of Missouri-MV | 200 IM |
Thompson, Sarah | University of Missouri-MV | 50 Freestyle |
Carnevale, Sofia | UNLV W-CA | 100 Breaststroke |
Gyorgy, Reka | Virginia Tech-VA | 400 IM |
Vereb, Joelle | Virginia Tech-VA | 100 Breaststroke |
Nazieblo, Klaudia | Virginia Tech-VA | 200 Butterfly |
Hicks, Chloe | Virginia Tech-VA | 200 Backstroke |
Cooper, Caitlin | Virginia-VA | 50 Freestyle |
Moroney, Megan | Virginia-VA | 200 Freestyle |
Marrkand, Jen | Virginia-VA | 200 Butterfly |
Madden, Paige | Virginia-VA | 200 Freestyle |
Eddy, Eryn | Virginia-VA | 200 Freestyle |
Reed, Laine | Virginia-VA | 50 Freestyle |
Hill, Morgan | Virginia-VA | 100 Freestyle |
Valls, Kyla | Virginia-VA | 200 Freestyle |
Earley, Erin | Virginia-VA | 200 Backstroke |
Richter, Abby | Virginia-VA | 200 IM |
Seiberlich, Emma | Virginia-VA | 200 Backstroke |
Williams, Cece | Virginia-VA | 1650 Freestyle |
Bullock, Morgan | West Virginia-WV | 200 Butterfly |
Harris, Emma | West Virginia-WV | 200 Breaststroke |
Nelson, Beata | Wisconsin-WI | 100 Backstroke |
Unicomb, Jess | Wisconsin-WI | 200 Backstroke |
Coughlin, Katie | Wisconsin-WI | 100 Backstroke |
Berg, Marissa | Wisconsin-WI | 50 Freestyle |
Vanderwel, Heidi | Yale-CT | 100 Backstroke |
We already knew the depth Stanford has, but it will suck to see a talented swimmer being left at the farm when they (most likely) have divers that qualify.
Have to see how many divers will qualify and which swimmers are the least likely to score.
Really sad to qualify for NCAA’s and not get to go! And to think, with that incoming freshman class, next year will be worse for Stanford! Only 4 seniors departing the squad after this year, while 7 “NCAA potential” freshman joining them in the fall. VERY risky if you want to compete at the highest level to represent your school! Next year they could easily have 4 NCAA invites staying home. 🙁
These potential “left behind” swimmers KNEW THAT before signing on the dotted line (NLI)
The potential “left behind” swimmers who signed believed they would NOT be left behind BUT the reality of competing for a team STACKED ends up in having these kids watching from home. It has happened many times at Texas (men) and Auburnt (men) over the years. Not hard to fathom the likelihood of this occurring with 14 full scholarships. With 9.9 hard to believe the “even playing scholarship field” is truly in place.
You know what eases the pain of qualifying and not going? Putting on your new national championship ring and writing NCAA champion on your resume. Everyone on their roster has a role and contributes to a team title in some way.
They probably get tshirt also
I swam in the women’s NCAA division 1 championships all four of my years in college and though I did not get a national championship ring or the ability to put that on my resume, I would not trade the experience of swimming in this high-level one of a kind meet for that.
I bet some men are sweating a low cut line like the women! ?
What about relay swimmers who were on a relay that made in a cut, but they did not make any individual cuts? Do they count in the 281 cap?
No – A school has to have at least one individual swimmer qualify with an “A” cut for a school’s relay with an “A” cut to be invited. The relay only swimmers do not count to the 281 and can not swim an individual event (unless they have an “A” or individual invite).
I believe they have to have 1 individual swimmer INVITED, not necessarily an A cut time
AQUAMAN: https://swimswam.com/only-power-5-teams-receive-relay-invites-to-2018-womens-ncaas/
Another way to tier the top programs in the country is by the number of NCAA Championship invites they earn in relays. Under the new relay qualification systems, only the best-of-the-best programs are able to take relays to the meet. To take a relay, a team is not only required to have an individual swimmer or diver invited, but they also must hit the “Qualifying Standard” (aka “A” cut) in at least one relay. Once those two criteria are met, teams are able to take as many relays as they want, provided they all have “Provisional Standards,” aka “B” cuts.
Swimdadnerd, you have quoted SwimSwam correctly but it does not support your prior
statement that “A school has to qualify at least one individual swimmer with an A Cut …”
SwimSwam correctly used the term “invited”. A team just needs an individual to be invited, and that only requires that a swimmer have one of the fastest B cuts that fill the event up to the cap limit. No event at NCAAs has only A Cut invitees.