Virginia Women, Cal Men Top Preseason CSCAA Poll
The Virginia women’s team and University of California men occupy the top spots in the preseason College Swim Coaches Association of America Poll.
The Cal men scored 365 points in the first poll of the season, released Thursday, just nine more than Florida. Texas is third, six points ahead of Indiana. NC State edges Arizona State to round out the top five.
Cal was the runner-up at NCAAs to Arizona State last year, the 14th straight edition in which the Golden Bears have finished in the top two. Arizona State, off its first national title, is now under the guidance of Herbie Behm, after Bob Bowman left at season’s end to take over Texas. The Longhorns, in their final year under legendary Eddie Reese, finished seventh at NCAAs.
Florida was third at men’s NCAAs in the spring, followed by Indiana, NC State and Tennessee, which is ninth in the opening rankings.
Four-time reigning women’s champ Virginia starts its five-peat bid on top with 375 points, 17 more than last year’s NCAA runner-up, Texas. Florida is third. Stanford, winner of three straight titles from 2017-19, is fourth, followed by Tennessee. Louisville, which finished sixth at NCAAs last year, is ninth in the poll, with Indiana sixth and Cal seventh. NC State dropped from ninth at NCAAs to 11th in the preseason polls.
The 2024-25 season brings big changes in terms of which schools call which leagues home. Among that is the demise of the Pac-12, which won’t have swimming championships this season. Powerhouses Cal and Stanford on the Pacific Coast are now members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. UCLA and USC have been incorporated to the Big Ten. The Big 12 adds Arizona and Arizona State while bidding farewell to Texas, now in the SEC.
Men’s CSCAA Preseason Poll
- California, 365
- Florida, 356
- Texas, 343
- Indiana, 337
- NC State, 318
- Arizona State, 298
- Stanford, 273
- Georgia, 259
- Tennessee, 244
- Virginia Tech, 212
- Ohio State, 211
- Texas A&M, 210
- Louisville, 210
- Virginia, 185
- Michigan, 184
- Auburn, 167
- Alabama, 115
- Florida State, 114
- Southern Methodist, 82
- Wisconsin, 79
- Southern California, 74
- Minnesota, 68
- Louisiana State, 62
- Harvard, 47
- Kentucky, 18
Also Receiving Votes: Arizona (7), Brigham Young (7), Purdue (7), South Carolina (6), Missouri (5), Princeton (5), Pittsburgh (3), Army (2), Northwestern (1), Georgia Tech (1)
Women’s Preseason CSCAA Poll
- Virginia, 375
- Texas, 358
- Florida, 340
- Stanford, 334
- Tennessee, 317
- Indiana, 291
- California, 283
- Southern California, 270
- Louisville, 250
- Ohio State, 244
- NC State, 234
- Michigan, 211
- Georgia, 193
- Wisconsin, 173
- Duke, 167
- Texas A&M, 154
- Auburn, 135
- North Carolina, 123
- Louisiana State, 98
- UCLA, 89
- Arizona State, 65
- Virginia Tech, 46
- Alabama, 39
- Minnesota, 34
- Akron, 17
Also Receiving Votes: South Carolina (14), Princeton (8), Purdue (7), Northwestern (5), Florida State (1)