Flo 25: NCAA DI Men's Preseason Rankings #10-6
Flo 25: NCAA DI Men's Preseason Rankings #10-6
This article features 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Top 25 preseason rankings.
With the NCAA season rapidly approaching, we decided to come up with our own preseason NCAA Division I Top 25 rankings. First up, we will release the men's rankings -- five teams per day. Next, we will release the women's rankings -- five teams per day.
So how did we create with the rankings?
First, we compiled a rankings list of all returning swims in each event from last season. Next, we added the best times from each incoming freshman to the event lists to complete the preseason time projections for each race. From there, the events are scored two different ways: First is a top 50 points system to analyze depth -- starting with the top-ranked team receiving 50 points and descending to one point. Second is the NCAA's top 16 scoring system. Relays are included into this as well. Combining those factors, we found the average of each team to create the final top 25 preseason rankings.
In case you missed Nos. 25-11, visit the links below.
South Carolina owns the events many swimmers are reluctant to choose, led by coaches Mark Bernardino and McGee Moody. Going into the 2017-18 season, Akaram Mahmoud ranks second in the 1650 and fourth in the 500. Fynn Minuth is third in the 500, and Tom Peribonio is seventh in the 400 IM. Fourteenth-ranked incoming freshman Brandonn Almeida from São Paulo, Brazil, has converted times that put him right in the mix with the others. His mile and 400 IM fit the USC mold beautifully. The Gamecocks only have to replace one senior, Jonathan Boland. He is the current school-record holder in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly.
2017 NCAA Finish: 7th
The defending Big Ten champions starting the year behind their conference foe Michigan isn't without an explanation. The Hoosiers' elite group was split in half after graduating four All-Americans in Marwan El Kamash, Anze Tavcar, Sam Lorentz, and Bob Glover. Olympic gold medalist Blake Pieroni will be in the hunt to win an individual title as a senior if he can unseat Townley Haas. Although those are difficult holes to fill, Indiana will overcome the large and successful graduating class with its other half of elite swimmers -- Pieroni, Ian Finnerty, Ali Khalafalla, and Vini Lanza. Indiana's highest-ranked recruit -- Spencer Lehman -- is an extremely versatile swimmer but not poised to score at NCAAs right out of the gate.
The Wolverines have a core group that has been developing since its freshman year. Sprinter Paul Powers, distance swimmer PJ Ransford, backstroker Tristan Sanders, and butterflier Evan White will all play critical roles as seniors. They'll make up half of Michigan's key swims. The other half will come from underclassmen Miles Smachlo, Charlie Swanson, and Jacob Montague in their respective disciplines. The piece that pushes the Wolverines above most others is sophomore Felix Auböck. The Austrian star returns as the favorite to claim a title in the mile and be a strong contender in the 500.
Replacing Chase Kalisz, Taylor Dale, and Pace Clark will not be a simple task. However, the Bulldogs are still secure in their primary events with Olympians Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland in the IMs/200 fly and Javier Acevedo in the backstrokes. Looking forward to NCAAs, Bentz and Litherland are projected to carry the bulk of the weight, but don't overlook UGA's up-and-comers in Acevedo, James Guest, Clayton Forde, and the other two Litherland triplets. The freshman class, made up of four top 50 recruits, fills out the Bulldogs' roster and keeps them solidified as a top 10 team.
Southern California could tip either way. Dave Salo has an immense amount of talent on his Trojans squad. Turning the talent into results, at least results that fit the names, has been difficult. Santo Condorelli, Dylan Carter, and Ralf Tribuntsov are all in strong positions in the sprint/mid-D freestyle and sprint fly/back events. Juniors Patrick Mulcare and Carsten Vissering have better chances to win events, as both sit as the second-fastest returner in their respective events. Incoming international freshmen Robert Glinta and Nikita Tretyakov will add to the depth and solidify USC with a top six finish at the season's end.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the top five.
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So how did we create with the rankings?
The Formula
First, we compiled a rankings list of all returning swims in each event from last season. Next, we added the best times from each incoming freshman to the event lists to complete the preseason time projections for each race. From there, the events are scored two different ways: First is a top 50 points system to analyze depth -- starting with the top-ranked team receiving 50 points and descending to one point. Second is the NCAA's top 16 scoring system. Relays are included into this as well. Combining those factors, we found the average of each team to create the final top 25 preseason rankings.
In case you missed Nos. 25-11, visit the links below.
Flo 25: NCAA DI Men's Preseason Rankings #25-21
Flo 25: NCAA DI Men's Preseason Rankings #20-16
Flo 25: NCAA DI Men's Preseason Rankings #15-11
10) South Carolina
2017 NCAA Finish: 15th
South Carolina owns the events many swimmers are reluctant to choose, led by coaches Mark Bernardino and McGee Moody. Going into the 2017-18 season, Akaram Mahmoud ranks second in the 1650 and fourth in the 500. Fynn Minuth is third in the 500, and Tom Peribonio is seventh in the 400 IM. Fourteenth-ranked incoming freshman Brandonn Almeida from São Paulo, Brazil, has converted times that put him right in the mix with the others. His mile and 400 IM fit the USC mold beautifully. The Gamecocks only have to replace one senior, Jonathan Boland. He is the current school-record holder in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly.
9) Indiana
2017 NCAA Finish: 7th
The defending Big Ten champions starting the year behind their conference foe Michigan isn't without an explanation. The Hoosiers' elite group was split in half after graduating four All-Americans in Marwan El Kamash, Anze Tavcar, Sam Lorentz, and Bob Glover. Olympic gold medalist Blake Pieroni will be in the hunt to win an individual title as a senior if he can unseat Townley Haas. Although those are difficult holes to fill, Indiana will overcome the large and successful graduating class with its other half of elite swimmers -- Pieroni, Ian Finnerty, Ali Khalafalla, and Vini Lanza. Indiana's highest-ranked recruit -- Spencer Lehman -- is an extremely versatile swimmer but not poised to score at NCAAs right out of the gate.
8) Michigan
2017 NCAA Finish: 17th
The Wolverines have a core group that has been developing since its freshman year. Sprinter Paul Powers, distance swimmer PJ Ransford, backstroker Tristan Sanders, and butterflier Evan White will all play critical roles as seniors. They'll make up half of Michigan's key swims. The other half will come from underclassmen Miles Smachlo, Charlie Swanson, and Jacob Montague in their respective disciplines. The piece that pushes the Wolverines above most others is sophomore Felix Auböck. The Austrian star returns as the favorite to claim a title in the mile and be a strong contender in the 500.
7) Georgia
2017 NCAA Finish: 8th
Replacing Chase Kalisz, Taylor Dale, and Pace Clark will not be a simple task. However, the Bulldogs are still secure in their primary events with Olympians Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland in the IMs/200 fly and Javier Acevedo in the backstrokes. Looking forward to NCAAs, Bentz and Litherland are projected to carry the bulk of the weight, but don't overlook UGA's up-and-comers in Acevedo, James Guest, Clayton Forde, and the other two Litherland triplets. The freshman class, made up of four top 50 recruits, fills out the Bulldogs' roster and keeps them solidified as a top 10 team.
6) Southern California
2017 NCAA Finish: 6th
Southern California could tip either way. Dave Salo has an immense amount of talent on his Trojans squad. Turning the talent into results, at least results that fit the names, has been difficult. Santo Condorelli, Dylan Carter, and Ralf Tribuntsov are all in strong positions in the sprint/mid-D freestyle and sprint fly/back events. Juniors Patrick Mulcare and Carsten Vissering have better chances to win events, as both sit as the second-fastest returner in their respective events. Incoming international freshmen Robert Glinta and Nikita Tretyakov will add to the depth and solidify USC with a top six finish at the season's end.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the top five.
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