Storylines to Look Out for in SEC Swimming in 2025-26
With the faculty swimming season underway for the 2025-2026 yr, there’s no scarcity of storylines to observe. Between up and coming rivals, returning stars, new coaches and motion amongst conferences, this NCAA season ought to have all of it. Listed here are just a few storylines to observe within the Southeastern Convention.
Texas’ Command
Maybe the largest storyline this yr facilities on the College of Texas, which joined the SEC final season and instantly made its presence identified. Of their first yr within the convention, the Longhorns gained each the boys’s and ladies’s titles, proving that their Huge 12 reign might simply translate to the nation’s best convention.
Along with a powerful core headlined by Jillian Cox and Erin Gemmell, the Texas ladies have one of the crucial highly effective incoming lessons within the SEC. Prime recruits like Haley McDonald (2023 world junior silver medalist and two-time nationwide junior group member), Avery Collins (two-time Junior Nationals finalist finalist), Sarah Rodrigues (2025 nationwide junior group member) and Inez Miller (2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships medalist) will probably be names to look out for. Worldwide freestylers Eva Okaro and Nikolett Padar are anticipated to make a huge effect immediately.
After shedding key rivals Bella Sims and Emma Weyant final yr, Florida has additionally introduced in a aggressive freshman ladies’s class, led by IM specialists Lilla Bognar and Grace Rabb, world junior champion Lynsey Bowen, Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Zuri Ferguson and Lithuanian freestyler Sylvia Statkevicius.
On the boys’s aspect, the Gator males’s group had dominated the SEC since 2012, however Texas got here in to finish its 12-year convention championship streak final yr. Standout swimmers like Hubert Kos, Rex Maurer, Nate Germonprez and Will Modglin led the way in which for the Longhorns. Maurer gained each the five hundred freestyle and 400 IM, establishing himself as one of many SEC’s all-around skills. This yr, the Gators return main contributors in Josh Liendo, Jonny Marshall and Scotty Buff, guaranteeing a showdown on the SEC Championships this yr.
Tennessee on the Rise
Whereas Texas and Florida might dominate the main headlines of SEC swimming, there are a number of different rising rivals to maintain a watch out for heading into the season. Tennessee stood out at the beginning of SEC championships final season and completed third for each of their males’s and ladies’s groups.
The Girl Vols have remained a constant power inside the convention beneath head coach Matt Kredich, who simply had his contract renewed via 2030. Kredich has introduced in a number of new skills, together with Lilly Daley from UF, Kamal Muhammad from UVA and Simoné Moll from Miami. Japan’s Mizuki Hirai is predicted within the spring. On the boys’s aspect, the Vols will add Ulises Saravia from Argentina and Ethan Dumesnil from France. They’re more likely to make an affect this upcoming yr.
Auburn’s New Class
Auburn’s ladies’s group can be a bunch to look out for after experiencing a big shift in its roster this previous yr. The Tigers had 13 ladies enter the switch portal, essentially the most from a single faculty and essentially the most from an SEC faculty. The college will probably be seeking to bounce again following an eighth-place end at SECs for males and a ninth place end for girls. Head coach Ryan Wochomurka has introduced in a number of skills to the boys’s group, together with Luke Bedsore, Maston Ballew, Mack Schumann and Daniel Krichevsky, who will add depth and power to the group.
Impacts of NIL
Past the lanes, the rising affect of Identify, Picture and Likeness (NIL) alternatives are persevering with to reshape collegiate athletics, particularly for powerhouse conferences just like the SEC. The SEC particularly, in reality, is among the largest spenders for school athletics. Though NIL hasn’t reworked swimming as a lot because it has for bigger income sports activities corresponding to basketball or soccer, there may be nonetheless a huge effect on the surroundings of the game. In a number of circumstances, results of NIL has led to the elimination of non-revenue sports activities for sure schools. This battle and added strain on the game could also be an element to be careful for heading into this yr.
