Top 20 NCAA Swimming Recruits In The Girls’ High School Class of 2025

It’s that time of year again when we at SwimSwam rank out the top 20 high school swimming prospects in the upcoming NCAA recruiting class.

As college recruiting has reached earlier and earlier into high school classes, we’re continually expanding our recruiting ranks and coverage. Last spring, we ranked out the then-sophomore class. This is essentially a re-rank of that class, taking into account a year of improvements. Stay tuned to our recruiting channel for more additions to our yearly recruiting coverage:

• Girls & boys ranks for current juniors – high school class of 2025 (updated rankings from our “Way Too Early” rankings last spring)
• Way Too Early ranks for current sophomore girls & boys – high school class of 2026
• Re-Rank of outgoing senior girls & boys – high school class of 2024

Further reading:

• Way Too Early NCAA Recruiting Ranks: High School Girls Class of 2025 (as ranked last spring)

So without further ado, let’s take a look at this class as a whole, then review our ranking methodology (please read it before you get upset about how low the top miler is ranked!) and get into our rankings.

THIS CLASS

• Evolving sprint freestyle class, though not a ton of pure 50/100 swimmers
• Very strong mid-distance freestyle class (200/500), with a sprinkling of 1650
• Backstroke depth and high end have improved over last season
• Low on breaststroke depth and top-end
• Several of the top breaststrokers are also elite elsewhere (IM)
• Top-end fly talent is elite, low on depth
• Several high-end backstroker/IM swimmers
• Several swimmers with 1-2 high-end events with a clear #3 still be discovered

The class is headlined by a three-pronged attack headed to Berkeley, which figures to result in a fundamental shift in the balance of power of women’s college swimming.

Given that Alex Shackell, Teagan O’Dell and Claire Weinstein are all committed to Cal, and all bring something different to the table, the Golden Bears are bound to reap the rewards of this class—not to mention they have several other highly-touted recruits joining in the fall of 2025.

The trio combine to own the fastest time in the class in 11 of 14 events, a staggering number.

All told, this class is deep in several areas, only really lacking in breaststroke depth, and is filled with NCAA stars in the making. In addition to the Big Three, some other names made big strides this season and landed second swims at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

TOP TIMES IN THE CLASS OF 2025

**The 1000 free isn’t an event at the Division I NCAA Championships, but is swum instead of the 1650 in many Division I dual meets and is part of the NCAA program in Division II.

With that out of the way, let’s get to our rankings.

Disclaimer: there are a lot of high school sophomores in the country, and no really good, complete, 100% accurate listing of them all. If you don’t see your favorite swimmer on the list, feel free to politely point them out in the comments. There’s a chance that we disagree with your assessment of their spot in the top 20, and so long as it’s done civilly, there’s no problem with differences of opinions. There’s also a chance that we’ve simply missed a no-brainer (we’ve taken every precaution to avoid that), and if that happens, we want to make sure we correct it.

BEST OF THE REST

Unlike previous years, we’re going to list the recruits in the reverse order, counting down to #1 at the bottom of the article. In the Best of the Rest section, we outline a few standouts who didn’t quite crack the top 20 or an Honorable Mention spot.

Verbal commitments are listed where they’ve been reported. Each of these athletes is still an extremely high-level recruit:

• Sprint free:
  • Lila Higgo (22.9/49.2, 53.2 BK, 1:59.5 IM) **Michigan**
  • Sidney Arcella (22.9/49.0/1:46.4) **Duke**
  • Amelia Mason (49.7/1:46.8, 54.0/2:00.1 FLY) **Tennessee**
  • KK LeBlanc (22.6/49.2/1:47.2, 54.0 BK/1:56.8 FLY, 54.6) **Ohio State**
  • Katie Lawrence (22.8/49.3, 53.8 FLY, 54.4 BK) **NC State**
  • Sophia Sunwoo (22.6/49.2/1:48.2, 54.1 BK, 54.8 FLY) **Princeton**
  • Mere Whelehan (22.9/49.8/1:46.8/4:48.9, 54.9 BK) **Tennessee**
  • Marin Clem (22.9/49.0) **Georgia**
• Distance free: 
  • Lexie Ward (1:47.6/4:46.3/16:17) **North Carolina**
  • Andrea Dworak (1:46.7/4:46.3) **Wisconsin**
  • Lily Gormsen (4:46.0/16:27.1) **Virginia**
• Backstroke:
  • Sylvia Roy (52.9/1:56.4, 22.7/50.1 FR) **Virginia**
  • Emily Hamill (53.1/1:53.8, 50.1/1:47.7/4:48.9) **Georgia**
  • Tierney Lenahan (52.7/1:55.5, 23.0/49.6/1:49.5 FR) **Duke**
  • Jade Garstang (53.1/1:57.1, 53.1 BK) **NC State**
  • Gwyn Frick (53.4/1:56.2) **Liberty**
• Breaststroke:
  • Avery Collins (1:00.4/2:10.4, 1:59.3/4:14.0 IM) **Texas**
  • Kaitlyn Nguyen (1:01.0/2:11.4, 1:59.0/4:15.7 IM, 1:50.2) **USC**
  • Molly Yacoviello (1:01.8/2:10.8, 4:15.7 IM) **Wisconsin**
  • Elizabeth Nawrocki (1:00.8/2:12.7) **Georgia**
• Butterfly:
  • Jada Duncan (52.5, 53.1 BK, 22.6/50.1 FR) **UCLA**
  • Tori Abruzzo (54.6/1:57.9, 53.9/1:55.3, 2:00.3/4:16 IM) **South Carolina**
  • Montserrat Spielmann (52.7/1:58.3, 23.2/49.9/1:46.3/4:49.4 FR) **Michigan**
  • Becky Rentz (53.0, 22.8/49.8/1:46.1 FR) **Notre Dame**
  • AnneMarie Vlaic (53.7/1:57.1) **SMU**
• IM: 
  • Izzy Beu (1:58.3, 53.5 FLY, 50.7/1:48.4 FR) **Georgia**
  • Applejean Gwinn (2:00.5/4:13.7, 4:46.8 FR) **UCLA**
  • Ava Pape (2:00.5/4:13.4, 1:57.4 BK) **Notre Dame**
  • Sophie Segerson (1:59.1/4:16.8, 2:13.9 BR) **Princeton**

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Paring the list down to 20 always feels like pulling teeth. This isn’t an exhaustive list of others we considered, but the top few left off the list who made the decisions on 18-20 very difficult.

Zuri Ferguson (Previous Rank: BOTR) – Bluefish Swim Club – Attleboro High School – Attleboro, MA **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 200 back: 1:53.31
• 100 back: 52.65

A pure backstroker, Ferguson made significant progress during her junior year, dropping nearly three seconds in the 200 back to make her the 7th-fastest in the class. At the Providence Sectionals in March, Ferguson swpet the backstroke events, putting up personal bests of 52.65 in the 100 and 1:53.31 in the 200, both times that put her in ‘A’ final range at the SEC Championships once she arrives at Florida. Representing Trinidad & Tobago Aquatics at the CCCAN Championships in June, Ferguson won the 50 back (29.20) and 100 back (1:02.23) in the long course pool, and although her freestyle times are well shy of her backstroke prowess, she has been 23.0 from a relay takeover in the 50 and 50.9 flat-start in the 100.

Alexa McDevitt (Previous Rank: BOTR) – Bellevue Swim Club – Mercer Island High School – Mercer Island, WA **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:12.57
• 200 free: 1:45.96
• 200 IM: 2:00.22
• 200 breast: 2:12.82
• 100 free: 50.31
• 200 back: 1:59.93

McDevitt saw noteworthy drops in the 200 free and 400 IM over the last 12 months, coming within 1% of the NCAA cutline in both with bests of 1:45.96 and 4:12.57, respectively. The Cal commit unleashed that 200 free time leading off the Bellevue Swim Club’s 800 free at Winter Juniors – West in December, while her 400 IM PB was produced in February, when she also notched new bests in the 200 IM (2:00.22), 200 back (1:59.93) and 100 fly (56.00). The Bellevue Swim Club product projects as a pure IMer in college who will be immensely valuable on the 800 free relay. To avoid a 200 free/400 IM double in the NCAA postseason, she could easily slide over to the 200 breast, where she has a best of 2:12.82 (though she only raced it twice last season and went 2:18.80).

Nicole Zettel (Previous Rank: #15) – TAC Titans – Apex Friendship High School – Holly Springs, NC **Committed to Tennessee**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:11.10
• 200 IM: 1:59.27
• 500 free: 4:46.58
• 200 free: 1:47.80
• 100 fly: 54.25
• 200 fly: 1:58.26
• 100 back: 55.56
• 200 back: 1:59.24
• 1650 free: 16:48.67
• 100 free: 50.95

Zettel falls into the Honorable Mention category after she didn’t drop time in any of her primary events last season, though she had solid swims in 2023-24 in the 200 IM (2:00.80) and 500 free (4:47.97), within striking distance of her best times. The 400 IM is clearly her #1 event after she went 4:11.10 at the Cary Sectionals in March 2023, but she only raced it a handful of times last season—perhaps due to an increased LC focus—with her fastest coming in at 4:18.97. Nevertheless, Zettel remains a versatile swimmer who is strong in back and fly to go along with her abilities in medley and mid-distance free.

Ella Jablonski (Previous Rank: HM) – Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club – Lakeside High School – Seattle, WA **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 100 fly: 52.05
• 100 back: 53.89
• 50 free: 22.70
• 100 free: 50.06
• 200 free: 1:49.71
• 200 back: 1:59.11
• 200 fly: 2:00.12

Jablonski is coming off another strong season where she lowered her best times in the 100 back, 50 free and 100 free, and came within four-tenths of her elite 52.05 PB in the 100 fly. The Stanford commit projects as a typical 100 back/100 fly sprinter at the NCAA level, with the ability to be a threat in the 50 free and therefore contribute on the free relays along with her ability to slot in on medleys. Jablonski also made improvements in breaststroke last year (2:15.57 in the 200), meaning there might be some potential in the 200 IM—her PB of 2:02.47 stems from October 2022.

Sarah Rodrigues (Previous Rank: HM) – North Jersey Bluestreaks YMCA – Wayne Valley High School – Wayne, NJ **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 200 back: 1:52.84
• 100 back: 52.54
• 100 fly: 54.21
• 200 free: 1:47.15
• 100 free: 50.67

Rodrigues is one of just four swimmers in the class who has broken 1:53 in the 200 back, having gotten down to 1:52.84 at the NJS Gold Championships in March. Two weeks earlier, she cracked 53 seconds for the first time in the 100 back, getting down to 52.54. The Texas commit is coming off a very impressive showing under the lights at the U.S. Olympic Trials, setting a best time of 2:11.04 in the long course 200 back to place 14th overall. She also swam bests of 1:01.80 in the 100 back and 1:01.29 in the 100 fly during time trial sessions. Rodrigues’ backstroke ability is elite, and while she doesn’t quite have a true elite third event as of yet, her relay value has increased after setting a PB of 1:47.15 in the 200 free last season.

Sophia Umstead (Previous Rank: HM) – Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics – Jenison High School – Jenison, MI **Committed to Virginia**

Best Times:

• 200 IM: 1:57.50
• 100 fly: 53.35
• 100 breast: 1:00.22
• 200 breast: 2:13.31
• 400 IM: 4:16.04
• 200 free: 1:48.46

Umstead may have only dropped a tenth in her best event, the 200 IM, this past season, but her 1:57.50 PB puts her in the upper echelon of the class and within a half-second of the 2024 NCAA cutline (1:57.03). Umstead also brought her 100 breast best time down by nearly a second, clocking 1:00.22 to win the MHSAA Division 1 state title in November. She also won the 100 fly title in 53.88, with her PB sitting at 53.35 from February 2023. The 200 breast, which would have to be regarded as her #4 event in short course, was the lone event she qualified for the Olympic Trials in LC, going 2:31.53 in June—indicating there’s more in the tank from her 2:13 SCY best time.

TOP 20 SWIMMERS FROM THE CLASS OF 2025

20. Annam Olasewere (Previous Rank: #18) – Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club – Staples High School – Westport, CT **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 50 free: 22.16
• 100 free: 49.03
• 200 free: 1:47.96

A pure sprinter, Olasewere brings a highly valuable skillset to the college scene with her ability to throw down blistering times in the 50 and 100 free, resetting her best times this past season at Winter Juniors – East. Olasewere set bests of 22.16 in the 50 free and 49.03 in the 100 free to place 5th and 9th, respectively, lowering her previous PBs of 22.37 and 49.50. There are only six swimmers in the class who have been sub-49 in the 100 free, so Olasewere’s 49.0 earns her a spot in the top 20, along with her ability in the 50. At the Olympic Trials, she was a semi-finalist in the 50 free, finishing 14th overall after winning silver at World Juniors in September, cracking the 25-second barrier in 24.95 (twice), ranking her 7th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

19. Ella Cosgrove (Previous Rank: BOTR) – Scottsdale Aquatic Club – Catalina Foothills High School – Tucson, AZ **Committed to Cal**

Best Times: 

• 500 free: 4:41.84
• 1000 free: 9:51.83
• 1650 free: 16:19.08
• 200 free: 1:46.03
• 100 free: 49.19
• 100 back: 54.68
• 200 back: 1:56.82
• 50 free: 23.05

Cosgrove made significant strides over her junior year season, cracking the top 20 after bringing her 500 free best time down from 4:44.6 to 4:41.8 and her PB in the 1650 down 11 seconds in 16:19.0. She set those times and was the runner-up in both at Winter Juniors – West in December, and one month later, she reset her best time to 9:51.83 in the 1000 free. Her progress in the 200 free is also noteworthy, having gone from 1:47.3 as a sophomore to 1:46.03 this past season, not to mention a 1:45.6 relay split at Winter Juniors. The Cal commit is also versatile with competitive backstrokes, and has the potential to be a future player on the sprint relays (23.0/49.1).

18. Chloe Kim (Previous Rank: #10) – Scarlet Aquatic Club – Glen Rock, NJ **Committed to Princeton**

Best Times:

• 1650 free: 16:16.21
• 500 free: 4:45.95
• 400 IM: 4:11.49
• 1000 free: 9:42.69
• 200 fly: 1:58.07
• 200 IM: 2:00.01
• 200 back: 1:57.22
• 100 back: 55.45
• 100 fly: 54.98
• 200 free: 1:48.70

Kim saw improvements in two of her best events last season, clocking 4:11.49 in the 400 IM to get within striking distance of the NCAA cutline (4:10.74) while also breaking 4:46 in the 500 free (4:45.95). The Scarlet Aquatic Club product slides a bit in the rankings are she stalled in the distance events, which separated her from several others in this class last season. Her best times of 9:42 and 16:16 in the 1000/1650 still stem from 2022, as does her 2:00.01 in the 200 IM—however, her most recent season-bests were 9:50, 16:25 and 1:00.41, so still competitive with this class. There were some other drops in 2023-24 outside of the 500 and 400 IM, such as the 200 fly (1:58.07). Extremely versatile, Kim, at least right now, looks like a 500/1650/400 IM swimmer at the NCAA level.

17. Julie Mishler (Previous Rank: BOTR) – Fishers Area Swimming Tigers – Wawasee High School – Milford, IN **Committed to Louisville**

Best Times:

• 50 free: 21.85
• 100 back: 52.97
• 100 free: 49.58
• 100 fly: 55.68

Mishler rockets into the top 20 after she was a Best of the Rest sprinter last year, as she busted through the 22-second barrier in the 50 free, not once, but three times. Mishler went 21.87 at Winter Juniors – East in December, and followed up with swims of 21.97 and 21.85 at the IHSAA Championships, finishing a close 2nd to class to Lily Christianson, who is headed to NC State in the fall. Prior to her senior year of high school, Mishler is already fast enough to score at NCAAs in the 50 free (21.93 made the ‘B’ final in 2024), and we all know how valuable a 50 freestyler is in college for relay purposes. Her 21.85 also ranks 4th all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group. Mishler also took a big jump in the 100 back, entering the season with a PB of 54.5 and then bringing it down to 52.97 at IHSAAs (placing 2nd to Alex Shackell). A member of the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers, Mishler is also coming along in the 100 free, having a 48.76 relay split under her belt to go along with her 49.58 flat-start PB. Most recently, she qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 50 free (25.07), and bettered her best time in Indy (in a time trial) in 25.06, ranking her 12th all-time for 17-18 girls.

16. Bella Brito (Previous Rank: #14) – Beach Cities Swimming – Santa Monica, CA **Committed to USC**

Best Times: 

• 100 breast: 1:00.06
• 200 breast: 2:10.15
• 200 IM: 1:58.15
• 50 free: 22.88
• 100 free: 49.19
• 200 free: 1:48.86
• 100 fly: 54.16
• 100 back: 55.62

Sprinting versatility is a hot commodity in the NCAA, and even more so when it includes breaststroke. Brito has that ability with a sub-23/49-low freestyles and a 1:00-flat 100 breast to go along with a 54-low in the 100 back. She had some time drops as a junior, including taking off eight-tenths in the 200 IM (1:58.15) and just under a tenth in the 100 free (49.19) while coming within range of her bests in the 50 free (23.19) and 100 breast (1:00.35). Headed to USC, Brito has options regarding what she eventually focuses on in college, but based on her pedigree the 200 IM figures to be in the mix, with the 50 free in her arsenal for relay duties.

15. Alana Berlin (Previous Rank: #12) – Schroeder YMCA Swim Team – Schroeder YMCA Swim Team **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 52.01
• 100 fly: 52.53
• 100 free: 49.80
• 50 free: 22.85
• 200 back: 1:58.72
• 100 breast: 1:02.23
• 200 IM: 1:59.64
• 200 free: 1:49.71

Another versatile sprinter, Berlin brings an elite ability in the 100 back and 100 fly to the table, coupled with what she can do in the sprint frees. She improved across the board as a junior, getting down to 52.01 in the 100 back, under the NCAA cutline (52.28), and dropping .05 in the 100 fly to go 52.53—while still well shy of the 51.88 cutline, 52-mid is elite at this age given that only three swimmers in the class have broken 52. We don’t typically highlight 50s of stroke in these rankings, since swimmers barely ever race them after their early age group days, but the 50 back is valuable for the medley relay in college, and Berlin is extremely strong there after going 23.97 in February. At the 2024 NCAAs, two teams in the top eight of the medley relay had lead-offs over 24 seconds, including Berlin’s future home, Stanford (24.83). Berlin also broke 23 and 50 in the sprint frees last season, bolstering her relay value, and went sub-2:00 in the 200 IM (1:59.64).

14. Lynsey Bowen (Previous Rank: #9) – Carmel Swim Club – Carmel High School – Carmel, IN **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 500 free: 4:39.51
• 200 free: 1:45.30
• 1650 free: 16:19.60
• 400 IM: 4:12.75
• 200 fly: 1:57.02
• 200 back: 1:58.61
• 100 free: 50.92

Bowen figures to add to the Florida distance group when she arrives in Gainesville in the fall of 2025, as the Carmel product is one of just four swimmers in the class sub-4:40 in the 500 and also ranks 4th in the mile. This past season, Bowen went 4:39.51 at Winter Juniors – East to place 2nd in the 500 free, and was also 4th in the 200 in 1:45.68—just off her PB of 1:45.30 set last year (she also split 1:45.28 on the 800 free relay last season). Bowen has only raced the 1650 once since she was 13, with her 16:19.60 coming back in January 2023. If she opts to pursue that in the NCAA, she can be a potential scorer, but she seems to be more dialed in on the mid-distance races (though she did race the 800 at the Olympic Trials). Bowen added the 400 IM to her repertoire this past November at the CSC Fall Frenzy, dropping nearly 12 seconds in 4:12.75, and she also went from 2:03 to 1:57.0 in the 200 fly.

13. Raya Mellott (Previous Rank #8) – Crow Canyon Country Club Sharks – San Ramon Valley High School – Danville, CA **Committed to Virginia**

Best Times:

• 100 breast: 59.53
• 200 breast: 2:09.53
• 200 IM: 2:00.63
• 400 IM: 4:19.59
• 100 free: 50.97
• 200 free: 1:50.37

Mellott made a small drop in the 100 breast last season, but lost the distinction of being the #1 in the class in the event. The Crow Canyon product dropped four one-hundredths at Winter Juniors – West in 59.53, placing a close 2nd to the top 100 breaststroker in the class of 2024, Piper Enge. Mellott didn’t drop time in the SCY 200 breast last season—was within two-tenths of her lifetime best in 2:09.71—but perhaps more importantly is coming off making the final of the LCM event at the U.S. Olympic Trials, setting a best time of 2:28.61 in the semis before placing 8th in the final. The UVA commit figures to focus on the 200 IM as her third event moving forward, and she also showed some freestyle potential with new PBs of 50.9 in the 100 and 1:50.3 in the 200.

12. Addie Robillard (Previous Rank: #6) – Mason Manta Rays – Saint Ursula High School – Mason, OH **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 200 breast: 2:08.40 (best in class)
• 100 breast: 59.33 (best in class)
• 400 IM: 4:13.55
• 200 IM: 1:58.72
• 200 free: 1:49.48
• 100 free: 51.11
• 50 free: 23.72

Overtaking Mellott as the fastest 100 breaststroker in the class (and maintaining her spot atop the 200) is Robillard, who made significant progress in the event last season by breaking 1:00 for the first time and getting all the way down to 59.33 at Winter Juniors – East. That improvement, coupled with the 2:08.4 200 breast she already had in her repertoire, gives Robillard two events under the 2024 NCAA cutline, with both not too far off what it took to score last season (59.23/2:08.18). And although the Mason Manta Ray didn’t lower her 200 breast PB in 2023-24, she was essentially right on it at 2:08.75. Already a 4:13 IMer coming into her junior year, Robillard added a big best in the 200 IM, getting down to 1:58.7 to establish a strong third event for the NCAA postseason.

11. Lily King (Previous Rank: #11)– Mount Pleasant Aqua Club – Mount Pleasant Area Jr/Sr High School – Latrobe, PA **Committed to NC State**

Best Times:

• 200 free: 1:45.51
• 100 free: 48.21
• 50 free: 22.53
• 100 back: 55.82

King continued to evolve her freestyle game in her junior year, most notably going from 1:46.8 to 1:45.5 in the 200, putting her near the top of the class after she appeared to be more of a “pure” 50/100 sprinter early in her career. But what sets King apart from others in this class is what she can do in the 100 free, as only Alex Shackell and Madi Mintenko have been faster than King’s 48.21. She’s now been sub-49 seven times, including three sub-48.5s last season. King has also been consistent with nine 50 free swims sub-23 over the last three seasons, peaking at 22.53 in February. Given the 25.19 clocking she produced at the U.S. Olympic Trials in long course, King should be challenging the 22-second barrier in SCY sooner than later, making her a true triple threat in the freestyles.

10. Kennedi Dobson (Previous Rank: #19) – Eastern Express Swim Team – Levittown, PA **Committed to Georgia**

Best Times:

• 200 free: 1:45.11
• 500 free: 4:43.77
• 100 free: 49.07
• 50 free: 22.69
• 200 back: 1:55.27
• 200 IM: 1:58.66
• 400 IM: 4:16.30
• 100 back: 54.69

If some swimmers ranked in the 10-15 range are 9/10 in one or two events, and then their times fall well off after that, Dobson is maybe 7.5/10 in a lot of events. She’s just solid across the board. Sprint freestyle? 22.6/49.0. Mid-distance? 1:45.1/4:43.7. Backstroke? 54.6/1:55.2. Oh, medley? 1:58.6/4:16.3. If we want to look even further, she recently went a PB of 16:40 in the long course 1500 (16:21 SCY conversion), though that doesn’t figure to be a focus moving forward…probably (she also went 8:44.51 at the Olympic Trials in the 800, placing 23rd). Dobson should be a key player down the line in the 500 free, coming off a 4:11.7 best time at Trials in the 400, and we should also expect to see her in the 200 free individually in college. Her third event could end up being the mile, or even the 100 free, but her 1:55.27 200 back is hard to ignore, given she hadn’t been under 1:57.5 prior to that swim.

9. Elle Scott (Previous Rank: #13) – SwimMAC Carolina – Charlotte Country Day School – Charlotte, NC **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 100 breast: 59.64
• 200 breast: 2:10.04
• 200 IM: 1:56.25
• 400 IM: 4:14.57
• 200 free: 1:46.98
• 100 free: 49.23
• 50 free: 22.95
• 100 fly: 53.00
• 100 back: 55.58

Scott is another swimmer who brings versatility to the table, with times competitive with the best breaststrokers in the class coupled with an ability in IM and the sprint frees (and the 100 fly) to make her a real weapon in the NCAA. Scott’s most notable improvements over the last year come in the 100 breast and 200 IM, as she broke 1:00 in 59.64 in the former and dropped over a second in the latter, getting down to 1:56.25 to give her two events under the 2024 NCAA cutline. Her PBs in the 200 breast and 400 IM were set during her sophomore year, but she made big improvements as a junior in the freestyles, giving her a solid pedigree for relays and beyond with bests of 22.9/49.2/1:46.9. She also went 53-flat in the 100 fly, done at Winter Juniors – West when she raced 14 times in four days. At that meet, she had relay splits of 22.40 in the 50 free, 27.67 in the 50 breast and 59.99 in the 100 breast, showing she can perform in relays and take on a big event schedule, two things that factor into the NCAA program big time.

8. Annie Jia (Previous Rank: #7) – Upper Dublin Aquatic Club – Hatboro Horsham Sr High School – Ambler, PA **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 100 fly: 51.09
• 50 free: 22.25
• 100 free: 48.77
• 200 IM: 1:58.19
• 200 fly: 1:57.44
• 100 back: 53.83
• 200 free: 1:48.23

Jia dropped time in all of her primary events during her junior season, highlighted by the 100 fly where she’s within two one-hundredths of the 2024 NCAA ‘A’ final cut-off. Having entered the season with a PB of 51.95, Jia got all the way down to 51.09 at Winter Juniors – East in December, making her the 2nd-fastest swimmer in the class behind one of the fastest ever, Alex Shackell. Jia is a true free/fly sprinter, having dropped from 22.54 to 22.25 in the 50 free and 49-flat to 48.77 in the 100 free over the past season. Only six swimmers in the class have been under 49 seconds in the 100. A Cal commit and current member of Upper Dublin Aquatic Club, Jia could focus solely on those three events and be immensely valuable to the Golden Bears, especially on relays, but she’s also versatile with a 200 IM time (1:58.19) that puts her within 1% of last season’s NCAA cut. Her 53.83 100 back is also noteworthy.

7. Lilla Bognar (Previous Rank: #5) – Team Greenville – Eastside High School – Travelers Rest, SC **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:05.50 (best in class)
• 200 back: 1:53.29
• 100 back: 53.28
• 200 IM: 1:57.61
• 200 free 1:46.38
• 500 free: 4:45.39
• 1650 free: 16:39.34
• 200 fly: 1:58.15

There normally would be the need to note when a swimmer hasn’t taken off time in their best events over the course of the last season, but that isn’t the case for Bognar. She’s been busy racing in some of the biggest long course meets in the world over the last 12 months, placing 4th in the 400 IM at the 2023 World Juniors in September, making the semis of the 200 back at the 2024 World Championships, and then unleashing a monstrous swim in the 400 IM final at the U.S. Olympic Trials, placing 3rd in 4:37.86 while also setting bests in the 200 back (2:09.51) and 200 IM (2:12.33). Those times indicate Bognar will be even faster than her current SCY bests, though she already owns the fastest 400 IM in the class at 4:05.50, which is ‘A’ final worthy in the NCAA. The Florida commit also has a scoring time in the 200 back (1:53.29) and is solid across the 100 back, mid-distance freestyles and 200 IM (where she’s likely in the 1:55-56s compared to her best time). Swimming the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 back in the NCAA works perfectly for Bognar, along with the 800 free relay (the 500 free could also be an option).

6. Grace Rabb (Previous Rank: #16) – Aquajets Swim Team – Andover High School – Chaska, MN **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 52.09
• 200 back: 1:52.12
• 200 IM: 1:55.64
• 200 breast: 2:11.06
• 100 breast: 1:00.65
• 100 fly: 52.84
• 400 IM: 4:17.25
• 100 free: 50.72

Rabb rockets up 10 spots in the rankings after making significant progress over the past year in two key events: 200 back and 200 IM. In the 200 back, Rabb was 1:55.84 as a sophomore, but dropped all the way down to 1:52.13 during her junior year, doing so at Winter Juniors – West when she nearly beat Teagan O’Dell head-to-head. At the same meet in the 200 IM, Rabb took three seconds off her PB in 1:55.64, taking 3rd to one of the top recruits in the class of 2024, Leah Hayes, and O’Dell. Rabb is already fast enough to score in the NCAA in the 200 back, and in the 200 IM she was less than two-tenths shy of the ‘B’ final cutoff in 2024. She’s also elite in the 100 back, dropping seven-tenths last season to hit 52.09, ranking her 4th in the class and well inside the NCAA cutline. Those three events make the Florida commit a top-tier recruit alone, but she’s also among the best in the 100 breast (1:00.65) and is up there in the 100 fly (52.84).

5. Haley McDonald (Previous Rank: #17) – Lakeside Swim Team – Sacred Heart Academy – Louisville, KY **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 200 back: 1:52.74
• 200 IM: 1:55.90
• 100 back: 53.17
• 400 IM: 4:12.26
• 200 free: 1:46.47
• 100 free: 49.64
• 50 free: 22.89
• 200 breast: 2:11.86
• 100 breast: 1:02.03
• 500 free: 4:48.37
• 100 fly: 54.36

McDonald and Rabb are very similar recruits. Both shot up the rankings this year after seismic drops in time, with their best coming in the 200 back and 200 IM. For McDonald, she dropped two seconds down to 1:52.74 in the 200 back, and took off a similar amount to go 1:55.90 in the 200 IM. Although she’s slightly slower than Rabb in those two 200s, and over a second off in the 100 back, McDonald has the edge due to her freestyle ability. McDonald has been 1:46 multiple times in the 200 free, making her a future piece of the Texas 800 free relay, and also has a 49-mid 100 free in her arsenal. She’s also been sub-23 in the 50, and in each of the past two seasons has gone 4:12 in the 400 IM. At least on paper, her 400 IM is more competitive than her 100 back or 200 free, so it’s possible she opts for that as her Day 3 event of NCAAs—which would make sense if she’s training for the 200 back/200 IM.

4. Madi Mintenko (Previous Rank: #4) – Pikes Peak Athletics – Pine Creek High School – Colorado Springs, CO **Committed to Virginia**

Best Times:

• 500 free: 4:39.24
• 200 free: 1:43.92 (1:43.15 altitude adjusted)
• 100 free: 48.02
• 1650 free: 16:19.47
• 1000 free: 9:54.74
• 100 fly: 54.74
• 200 IM: 2:01.41
• 50 free: 23.18

Mintenko holds firm as the 4th-ranked recruit in this class with her well-rounded freestyle ability. Although her best times in every SCY freestyle event weren’t improved this past season, it’s clear that Mintenko had more of a long course focus in 2023-24, and the results showed that. She won silver at World Juniors in the 400 free in September, setting a PB of 4:08.06, and then lowered that to 4:07.53 at last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials to make the final. (She also won three relay medals at World Juniors.) She was also a semi-finalist in the 200 free at Trials (1:58.16 for 10th), and set a best time of 55.09 in the 100 free. In short course, her 500 free best time ranks 2nd in the class and is just shy of last season’s NCAA scoring cutoff, and she’s one of just four sub-1:44 in the 200 free (only the top four ranked recruits are 1:43 or better). Mintenko’s also got that 48.0 100 free in her arsenal, and although there might be an argument that some other swimmers are so much more versatile they should leapfrog Mintenko, she’s got three events dialed in and can be a reliable contributor on at least three NCAA relays. There’s also perhaps some untapped potential in the 1650, if she wants to go that route.

3. Claire Weinstein (Previous Rank: #3) – Sandpipers of Nevada – Las Vegas, NV **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 500 free: 4:29.38 (best in class)
• 1000 free: 9:17.85 (best in class)
• 1650 free: 15:52.84 (best in class)
• 200 free: 1:43.77
• 100 free: 48.76
• 400 IM: 4:07.72
• 200 fly: 1:58.63
• 200 back: 1:58.80
• 50 free: 23.00

Weinstein maintains her status as the fastest swimmer in the class in the 500, 1000 and 1650 free, but she made significant improvements in the latter two events and in the 500, she’s been three seconds faster than what it took to win the 2024 NCAA title. Weinstein went 4:29.38 at the CA/NV Sectionals in December—ranking 4th all-time—the same meet she also set bests of 1:43.77 in the 200 and 9:17.85 in the 1000 free. As someone with Olympic aspirations, Weinstein has raced a lot more in long course in 2024, culminating with her qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 free after placing 2nd to Katie Ledecky with a 1:55.86 clocking in the Trials final. Having been 1:55 multiple times in long course, we should see Weinstein in the 1:42s, if not faster, in short order when she starts focusing more on SCY. In the 500, she figures to be going head-to-head with former Sandpipers of Nevada teammate Bella Sims at NCAAs for their two overlapping seasons. Sims has been 4:28.6, but only won NCAAs in 4:32.4 in March. It will be interesting to see how Weinstein transitions to Cal from the Sandpipers program after Sims had an up-and-down season and then was off form at the Olympic Trials. In the 1650, Weinstein has the talent to comfortably win the NCAA title down the road provided she continues to train for it—her best time of 15:52.84 is from December 2021, but just this past February she went 16:02.64, which is nearly right on what it took to score at NCAAs (16:02.47).

2. Teagan O’Dell (Previous Rank: #2) – Mission Viejo Nadadores – Santa Margarita Catholic High School – Chino Hills, CA **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 50.96 (best in class)
• 200 back: 1:51.00 (best in class)
• 200 IM: 1:53.38 (best in class)
• 400 IM: 4:06.99
• 200 free: 1:43.26
• 100 free: 48.24
• 50 free: 22.40
• 500 free: 4:39.29
• 100 breast: 59.73
• 200 breast: 2:10.69
• 100 fly: 51.99
• 200 fly: 1:57.51

From World Juniors to the Olympic Trials, O’Dell is another swimmer who has been incredibly busy over the past 10 months, showing marked improvement in several events as she continues to distance herself from the rest of the class in high-end versatility. At first glance, there might be trepidation that O’Dell didn’t improve in what are arguably her four best events, the backstrokes and IMs, but there’s a lot more to that story. For one, she was close to her PBs in three of those races, swimming respective times of 51.38, 1:51.95 and 1:53.63 in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM, and improved in two other key events in short course. She’s now 4th-fastest in the class in the 100 free (48.24) and 2nd-fastest in the 200 free (1:43.26), and her other freestyle times remain elite at 22.4 in the 50 and 4:39 in the 500. She’s also one of three swimmers sub-52 in the class in the 100 fly, and one of four sub-1:00 in the 100 breast. The other thing to take into account is the long course focus she took in 2024, which resulted in her opting out of the CIF State Championships. O’Dell ended up having a strong outing at the Olympic Trials, setting a personal best time of 2:07.97 in the 200 back to advance 5th into the final where she finished 8th. She also placed 10th in the 100 back (59.72), having set a PB of 59.51 at World Juniors in September where she walked away with three medals, including individual gold in the 200 back. When she arrives at Cal, O’Dell immediately becomes an NCAA title threat in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM, and her unmatched versatility makes her a key relay piece and immensely valuable in dual meets.

1. Alex Shackell (Previous Rank: #1) – Carmel Swim Club – Carmel High School – Carmel, IN 

Best Times:

• 100 fly: 49.49 (best in class)
• 200 fly: 1:50.15 (best in class)
• 50 free: 21.71 (best in class)
• 100 free: 47.44 (best in class)
• 200 free: 1:42.28 (best in class)
• 200 IM: 1:54.54
• 400 IM: 4:06.20
• 100 back: 51.63
• 500 free: 4:40.16
• 200 back: 1:53.00

It can’t be overstated how good of a season Shackell just had—and it continues as she heads to her first Olympics in Paris. Already the fastest swimmer in the class in five events, she improved her best time in four of them during the short course season, including breaking the girls’ 17-18 NAG record in the 200 fly in 1:50.15 (at 17), a time that would’ve comfortably won the 2024 NCAA title (1:50.99 winning time). She also came within a quarter-second of the NAG record in the 100 fly, clocking 49.49 which would’ve been the runner-up to Gretchen Walsh at NCAAs. Shackell is also fast enough for an ‘A’ final in the 50 free and 200 free, is just over a tenth shy in the 100 free, and lowered her best times in the 500 free (4:40.16), 100 back (51.63), 200 back (1:53.00) in 2023-24, all among the best in the class despite them being well down the pecking order in terms of her event focuses. Moving over to long course, Shackell has had an even better season. She was operating on a different level at the Olympic Trials, starting off by breaking 57 in the 100 fly in 56.78—ranking 3rd all-time in the 17-18 age group—before scratching the final since the top three was all but locked and she could rest up for the 200 free. In the 200 free, Shackell qualified for the Olympic team (not officially at the time) by placing 6th, and then solidified that by a stunning performance in the 200 fly, breaking the NAG record in the semis (2:06.10) and then placing 2nd to Regan Smith in the final. All of this is to say Shackell is the type of swimmer that can turn around a program on her own, with the ability to sweep her individual events and play crucial relay roles once she arrives at college.

BONUS LOOKBACK:

Feeling nostalgic? Here’s a look back at our historic recruiting class rankings, plus our retrospectives of those classes after four NCAA seasons: