By Benny Liang and Lander Eicholzer, Swimming World College Interns.
The college swimming season is already upon us. After the bright lights of Rio, many of the world’s best swimmers are returning to the short course yards format for their respective colleges and universities. Here are ten women to keep an eye on this season.
1. Katie Ledecky
200/500/1650 Free – Stanford
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Katie Ledecky is the greatest swimmer to ever enter the college ranks. Her accomplishments with Nation’s Capital Swim Club are legendary, and there will be extremely high expectations once she steps on deck in Palo Alto. Ledecky is now a six-time Olympic medalist, after sweeping the 200, 400 and 800 meter freestyles in Rio. This season, Ledecky will race the clock, looking to lower several American records. Ledecky could challenge Missy Franklin’s astounding mark of 1:39.10 in the 200 free, which is the only sub-1:40 200 free ever swum by a woman.
2. Simone Manuel
50/100/200 Free – Stanford
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Manuel provided what was likely the biggest upset of the 2016 Olympic Games when she took down Australian Cate Campbell in the 100 freestyle. After stagnating in long course for two years, Manuel looks to be back on track to set major personal bests in short course this season. Stanford has their sprint ace back, and she enters the season as the odds on favorite in the 50 and 100 freestyles, with great range to the 200.
3. Ella Eastin
200/400 IM, 200 Fly – Stanford
Photo Courtesy: Reagan Lunn/Georgia Tech Athletics
In her freshman year at Stanford, Eastin established herself as the most well-rounded swimmer in the NCAA, taking down a long standing US Open record in the 200 IM and easing to victory by five seconds in the 400 IM. With the graduation of US Olympian Kelsi Worrell, Eastin becomes the top returner and early favorite in the 200 fly. She also boasts some serious freestyle speed, splitting 1:42.1 in the Cardinal’s 800 free relay.
4. Abbey Weitzeil
50/100/200 Free – Cal
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Weitzeil deferred her enrollment at Cal in preparation for the Olympic Trials, which paid off with a trip to Rio. Weitzeil is the Golden Bears’ answer to Manuel in the sprints, where she holds the American record in the 50 (21.12) and was the former record holder in the 100 (46.29). Weitzeil will be the next in a long line of young stars to descend upon Berkeley that has included Missy Franklin, Liz Pelton, Rachel Bootsma, and Natalie Coughlin. The Canyons Aquatic Club product has also shown extension to the 200 (1:43.25), meaning she should play a vital role on all of Cal’s relays in March.
5. Farida Osman
50/100 Free, 100 Fly – Cal
Photo Courtesy: Reagan Lunn/Georgia Tech Athletics
Along with Weitzeil, Osman provides a sensational pair of bookends for the Cal sprint relays. Osman and her new training partner will be one of several women this season looking to go sub 21 in the 50 freestyle for the first time. An Olympian and former World Championship finalist in the 50 butterfly for her native Egypt, Osman will also play an important role in a loaded Bears fly group that includes Katie McLaughlin and Canadian Olympian Noemie Thomas.
6. Lilly King
100/200 Breast – Indiana
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The Olympic champion in the 100-meter breaststroke almost generated more press for post-race comments about Russian “drug cheat” Yulia Efimova than for her win in Rio. However, her short course performances are nothing to sleep on, seeing as King became the first woman to go under :57 and 2:04 in the breaststrokes last March. King is a one stroke specialist, but she’s the premier breaststroker in the NCAA by a massive margin, and provides a huge point of difference for the Hoosiers medley relays as well.
7. Olivia Smoliga
100 Back, 50/100 Free – Georgia
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Smoliga leads a Georgia attack that lost NCAA stars Hali Flickinger and Brittany MacLean to graduation. Primarily known as a backstroker, Smoliga showed off her speed last year, capturing NCAA titles in the 50 and 100 freestyles in Manuel’s absence. The Illinois native punched her ticket to Rio in the 100 backstroke by swimming an impressive 59 flat at Olympic Trials. With the sprints looking crowded, Smoliga may have her eyes on a backstroke title at this years NCAAs, with both Rachel Bootsma and Courtney Bartholomew graduated. Last year she posted a 50.58 out of the B Final at NCAAs which would have edged Bartholomew for second.
8. Alexia Zevnik
100/200 Back, relays – NC State
Photo Courtesy: Reagan Lunn/Georgia Tech Athletics
Hailing from Lasalle, Canada, this 6-time NC State record holder looks to close out her senior year with a bang. Boasting five All-American finishes at last year’s NCAA’s, Zevnik will look to continue her success this year by attempting to crack the 51 second barrier in the 100 back along with the 1:51 second barrier in the 200. Her impact in relays cannot be overlooked. Along with her backstroke prowess, she had the second fastest 200 free split on her 800 free relay, and the fastest 100 free split in the 400 free (relay starts considered). Keep an eye on Zevnik to push into the top three in the backstrokes this year and lead the Wolfpack to another top-10 finish this season.
9. Liliana Szilagyi
100/200 fly, 200 free – Florida (at midseason)
Photo Courtesy: Xinhua/Youth Olympic Games
Szilagyi will arrive in Gainesville from her native Hungary mid-season and should provide an immediate boost to the Gators’ lineup. If she transitions well to short course yards, her long course personal bests make her an instant NCAA title contender in the butterfly events. Gregg Troy is famed for his ability to develop 200 freestylers, which could end up becoming Szilagyi’s third individual event when she joins the college ranks.
10. Louise Hansson
100/200 free, 100 fly, 200 IM – USC
Photo Courtesy:
Hansson touches down in Southern California to put the finishing touches on a loaded freestyle crew for the Trojans. While lacking experience racing in short course yards, her converted short course meter times give her A final potential at NCAAs in the 100 and 200 freestyles. Also impressive is her 100 Fly, which converts to a 51.0, putting her in medal contention with the graduation of NCAA record-holder Worrell.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Leah Smith is not worthy of a Top 10 mention? Really?
Hahah what no Leah. Jokes.
Best of luck Zevnik. You are hard working and is well deserve!
Did you forget Leah Smith? Please explain.
2016 Olympic Gold and Bronze Medalist
2015 World Champion
2014, 2015, 2016 US National Team Member
NCAA Champion (4)
2016: 500 Free, 1,650 Free
2015: 500 Free, 1,650 Free
Agree someone forget Leah Smith? Should be top 3
YAAS quality content!!!!