Re-Rank: Top 20 NCAA Swimming Recruits In The Girls High School Class of 2023

Our annual NCAA recruiting rankings return. This year we’re opening things with our re-rank of the graduating high school seniors before we take a look at the top recruits in the current sophomore and junior classes.

As recruiting classes get closer to actual NCAA competition, we start to weigh certain factors more heavily: NCAA scoring times become more important, and we tend to value one or two standout events a bit more heavily (compared to a wide range of just decent events) than we would for a high school sophomore who has more time to develop across the board. Having already ranked this class about a year ago, we also get a clearer picture of momentum and trajectory: which recruits are continuing to drop time through their senior seasons, and which have stagnated.

You can look back on our original ranks for this class below, but do remember that those ranks are merely a snapshot in time – we didn’t have a working crystal ball then, nor do we now:

• Ranks As Juniors (from May 2022)
• Ranks As Sophomores (from June 2021)

THIS CLASS

• Incredible distance class
• Lots of high-end swimmers good in multiple disciplines
• Medley swimmers developed this year
• Thin in the sprint freestyle events

Looking back at last year’s rankings, this class saw a number of swimmers really break out—which is certainly not uncommon for high school juniors. Over the past season, several of them have continued to develop, getting faster in their senior years, and there was really only a handful who stagnated.

Distance freestylers are littered around the top end of the class, but we really saw 400 IMers, breaststrokers and sprinters take the next step over the past 12 months.

The top-ranked swimmer with a bullet is Bella Sims, the U.S. Olympic medalist and 2022 world champion who incredibly owns the fastest time in 10 out of 14 events.

Overall, 20 swimmers in the class have at least one NCAA-scoring-worthy time in their arsenal, and several more were in a position to earn an invite to nationals in 2023 based on their PBs.

TOP TIMES IN THE CLASS OF 2023

**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.

THE METHODOLOGY

Our goal in these rankings is to reflect what college coaches look for in recruits, based on many years of conversations and coverage.

We focus only on American-based athletes, simply because there is so much uncertainty with international recruits – if they’ll come to the United States, when they’ll come to the States and with what graduating class they should be ranked. Projecting international recruits often becomes more a discussion of when they’ll first join a college program and not which program they’ll join.

A few other factors that weigh heavily in our rankings:

• Relay Value – Relay points count double in college swimming, and any program needs a strong stable of quality sprinters to fill out all 5 relays with stars. Obviously, a special distance swimmer can easily rank ahead of a very good 100 freestyler, but college swimming generally values a sprint freestyler over a distance swimmer, all other factors being equal.
• Improvements – Actual times carry the most weight by a longshot. But we also keep an eye on a swimmer’s trajectory, especially in deciding between two swimmers with relatively even times.
• Short Course over Long Course – while every club and every swimmer will have a different balance of focus between short course and long course swimming, the NCAA competes in short course yards, and that’s going to be the main factor considered in these rankings. Long course times are another data point for consideration, but we mainly view them through the lens of what a big long course swim could mean for an athlete’s future in short course.
• NCAA scoring ability – NCAAs are the big show for college teams, so we’ve weighted NCAA scoring potential very highly. Swimmers who already have NCAA scoring times wind up mostly filling out the top our of rankings. Since college athletic directors – and by extension coaches – also place high value on conference championships, scoring ability at conference meets is also a factor in our rankings.
• Relative depth in the NCAA and recruiting class – a wealth of elite depth nationwide in one stroke discipline makes a big difference in what times are considered more valuable in that event. Events rise at different rates in the NCAA, but when one event gets extremely deep and fast at the college level, it makes high school prospects in those events a little less valuable, relatively, with lots of other veteran options. In the same way, a recruiting class stacked with swimmers in butterfly, for example, would make each butterflyer a little less sought-after in the market, with lots of other recruiting options able to provide similar production.

Of course, there’s no way to predict the future, and the most concrete data we have to go on are cold, hard times. These rankings in no way mean that all of these 20 swimmers will be NCAA standouts, and they certainly don’t mean that no swimmer left off this list will make big contributions at the NCAA level.

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

Disclaimer: there are a lot of high school seniors 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.

TOP 20 SWIMMERS FROM THE CLASS OF 2023

1. Bella Sims (Previous Rank: #1) – Sandpipers of Nevada – home-schooled – Henderson, NV **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 100 free: 47.16 (best in class)
• 200 free: 1:40.78 (best in class)
• 500 free: 4:28.64 (best in class)
• 1000 free: 9:22.30 (best in class)
• 1650 free: 15:40.68 (best in class)
• 100 back: 50.53 (best in class)
• 200 back: 1:48.32 (best in class)
• 200 fly: 1:51.06 (best in class)
• 200 IM: 1:52.73 (best in class)
• 400 IM: 3:56.59 (best in class)
• 50 free: 22.08
• 100 fly: 51.52

There’s really no overstating Sims’ ability—she’s one of the best short course female swimmers in the country right now, and has managed to steadily improve across the board over the last year.

Sims has best times that would’ve won the 2023 NCAA title in four events—200/500/1650 free and 400 IM—and isn’t far off in several others.

Perhaps the most impressive part of what she’s done over the past season has been her development in backstroke, as she stunningly broke the World Junior Record in the SCM 100 back during the FINA World Cup this past fall—an event that might be her eighth-best in the SCY pool. She’s right at the top of the heap in the 200 back as well, with her lifetime best of 1:48.32 just over a second outside of the fastest time ever.

Not only will Sims be capable of winning three events at NCAAs and pushing Florida’s freestyle relays to new heights, she’ll also be available to step in on free, back or fly, wherever the team needs, on medley relays.

2. Campbell Stoll (Previous Rank: #9) – Elmbrook Swim Club – Arrowhead High School – Hartland, WI ** Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:05.71
• 200 IM: 1:55.93
• 100 breast: 59.40
• 200 breast: 2:08.23
• 100 fly: 51.65
• 200 fly: 1:54.41
• 100 back: 52.68
• 200 back: 1:54.18

After some big time drops in the butterfly events during her junior year of high school, Stoll really exploded in the medley and breaststroke races this past season, launching her up into the second spot in the rankings. The Texas commit took off nine seconds in the 400 IM, going from being outside of invite range to ‘A’ final territory, and she’s also got scoring times in the 200 breast (2:08.23) and 200 fly (1:54.41), and NCAA invite times in five other events. One year ago, it looked like Stoll might be a back/fly specialist in college, but now, she could very well be an IMer/breaststroker.

3. Kiley Wilhelm (Previous Rank: #2) – Life Time Swim Team – Myers Park High School – Charlotte, NC **Committed to Harvard**

Best Times:

• 100 fly: 51.07 (best in class)
• 200 fly: 1:52.54
• 200 IM: 1:55.78
• 200 back: 1:52.71
• 100 back: 52.47
• 200 free: 1:45.98
• 100 free: 49.13

Despite not taking off time in her primary events this past season, Wilhelm only drops one spot in the rankings to stay in the top three, as her versatile skillset has her in scoring range in multiple events. Wilhelm, who will be taking a gap year and therefore won’t be entering the NCAA until 2023-24, is the fastest swimmer in the class in the 100 fly (51.07), and also has NCAA scoring times in the 200 fly and 200 back. Too much stock shouldn’t be taken in Wilhelm not dropping time this year as she didn’t race in her best events at a taper meet in SCY—she did hit a new best in the 100 free in February, clocking 49.13. The 200 fly and 200 back being two of her best events poses a scheduling conflict at NCAAs—she’ll probably have to pick one. As a fly/back specialist, she’ll have plenty of options throughout her career, with the 200 IM likely to be an event she turns to in order to spread things out.

4. Cavan Gormsen (Previous Rank: #3) – Long Island Aquatic Club – Sacred Heart Academy – Wantagh, NY **Committed to Virginia**

Best Times:

• 500 free: 4:36.34
• 1000 free: 9:35.18
• 1650 free: 15:57.20
• 200 free: 1:44.48
• 100 free: 49.20
• 200 IM: 2:01.18
• 400 IM: 4:15.08

Gormsen gives the Virginia women a top-tier distance freestyler, something they’ve been missing since the graduation of Paige Madden. Gormsen’s new best time of 4:36.34 in the 500 free would’ve won the 2023 NCAA title (she actually swam it one day after the NCAA final), and although she’s only been swimming the 1650 once or twice a year recently, she did break 16:00 in December to earn an NCAA scoring time of 15:57.20. She also set new bests in the IM events this past season, and has a solid 100/200 free in her arsenal for potential relay contributions.

5. Tess Howley (Previous Rank: #6) – Long Island Aquatic Club – Sacred Heart Academy – Rockaway Park, NY **Committed to Virginia**

Best Times:

• 100 fly: 51.98
• 200 fly: 1:52.76
• 400 IM: 4:13.47
• 200 back: 1:53.28
• 100 back: 52.93
• 200 free: 1:45.56
• 100 free: 49.20
• 50 free: 22.76
• 200 IM: 1:59.03

Howley didn’t reset best times in the back or fly events this past season, but wasn’t far off and remains one of the class’s top talents. Another UVA commit, Howley’s 200 fly is worthy of an ‘A’ final in the NCAA (as is her season-best of 1:53.04 from 2022-23), and she’s in a position to earn an invite in the 100 fly and 200 back. The LIAC product also has strong times in the 200 free and 100 back, giving her no shortage of options for a potential NCAA lineup, though the 100/200 fly figures to be the focal point.

6. Lucy Thomas (Previous Rank: #8) – Elmbrook Swim Club – Brookfield East High School – Elm Grove, WI **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 100 breast: 58.65 (best in class)
• 200 breast: 2:09.16
• 50 free: 21.89
• 100 free: 49.16
• 200 free: 1:46.79
• 200 IM: 1:58.31
• 400 IM: 4:10.95

Thomas continued to raise her stock in the 2022-23 season, not only improving her class-leading 100 breast time down to an NCAA ‘A’ final worthy 58.65, but also joining the small list of swimmers sub-22 in the 50 free. Thomas’ range is worth a double-take—she has an NCAA-scoring time in the 50 free, and an invite time in the 400 IM, an incredibly rare combo. While she’ll more than likely focus on the 50 free and 100 breast in college, with the 200 breast likely to be her Day 4 event, the Elmbrook Swim Club product also has the times to be able to contribute in all five relays, lowering her 200 free PB to 1:46.7 in November.

7. Erin Gemmell (Previous Rank: #5) – Nation’s Capital Swim Club –  Stone Ridge School – Potomac, MD **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 200 free: 1:43.45
• 500 free: 4:40.63
• 1000 free: 9:43.05
• 1650 free: 16:31.70
• 100 free: 48.19
• 50 free: 22.73
• 200 fly: 1:57.04
• 200 IM: 1:57.78

Gemmell is emerging as part of the next wave of top U.S. female freestylers, something that might not entirely be displayed with her best times in short course yards. Gemmell claimed six gold medals at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, including three individual titles in the 100, 200 and 400 free, and given those swims, probably has time to drop in SCY, especially in the 100 and 500. In the 200 free, she’s coming off of setting a lifetime best of 1:43.45 at the Metro Championships in February, an ‘A’ final-worthy time that would be the fastest in most incoming classes. The 500 free has become incredibly competitive in the NCAA in the 4:40 range, right where Gemmell’s PB stands—though it should be noted that’s from December 2021, and she’s gotten down to 4:05.0 in the long course pool since then. Set to join a Texas program that has been on fire the last two seasons, Gemmell will bolster their free relays and will contend for ‘A’ final appearances in the 100, 200 and 500 free right off the bat.

8. Camille Spink (Previous Rank: #4) – Nation’s Capital Swim Club – Battlefield High School – Haymarket, VA **Committed to Tennessee**

Best Times:

• 200 free: 1:43.82
• 100 free: 48.12
• 50 free: 22.16
• 100 back: 52.76
• 200 back: 1:55.24
• 200 IM: 1:58.84

Spink was the top sprint freestyler in the class one year ago, and although she no longer holds that distinction, she remains a high-end prospect set to make an immediate impact at Tennessee this fall. Spink knocked .01 off her 100 free best time in March, clocking 48.12, and made her biggest gain over the past 12 months in the 200 free, dropping just under half a second in 1:43.82 to get inside NCAA ‘A’ final range. A pure 50/100/200 free swimmer who nearly has NCAA invite times in all three (she’s .01 off in the 50 free), Spink will be an immensely valuable swimmer in college for her relay contributions alone, with individual points sure to come as well.

9. Jillian Cox (Previous Rank: #14) – Longhorn Aquatics – Cedar Park, TX **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 1650 free: 16:03.42
• 1000 free: 9:27.87
• 500 free: 4:37.85
• 200 free: 1:45.31
• 100 free: 49.35

Cox has been on a continuous improvement curve that lands her a spot in the top 10 after being ranked 14th in this class in both 2021 and 2022. After winning Junior Pan Pac gold last summer in the 800 freestyle, a performance that ultimately earned her a berth on the U.S. team at the 2022 Short Course World Championships, Cox reached a new level in the short course pool this past March, setting lifetime bests in all of the free events at the Speedo Sectionals in College Station. Her most noteworthy performance came in the 500 free, where the Longhorn Aquatics product fired off a time of 4:37.85, just over a second shy of what it took to win the NCAA title this past season. She’s also just outside of scoring position in the 1650, under the cutline in the 200 free, and she won’t have much of an adjustment period when she enters college as she’ll stay close to home in Austin (where she’ll train with one of the best milers in the country, Erica Sullivan).

10. Hannah Bellard (Previous Rank: 13) – Club Wolverine – Grosse Ile High School – Grosse Ile, MI **Committed to Michigan**

Best Times:

• 200 fly: 1:53.20
• 100 fly: 52.53
• 500 free: 4:41.24
• 200 free: 1:46.48
• 1000 free: 9:34.35
• 1650 free: 16:07.53
• 400 IM: 4:08.62
• 200 IM: 1:59.92
• 200 back: 1:56.32

Bellard is yet another versatile swimmer in this class, owning elite best times across the butterfly, medley and distance freestyle events. Bellard’s most notable drops over the past year come in the 200 fly and 400 IM, which are now both fast enough to score at NCAAs. She’s also well under the cutline in the 1650 free, and right on the cusp in the 500. Right now, Bellard’s NCAA lineup projects to be 500 free/400 IM/200 fly, though if she chooses to turn her focus away from distance free, she can easily slot in the 200 IM on Day 2.

11. Caroline Bricker (Previous Rank: #16) – Colorado Springs Aquatics – Cheyenne Mountain High School – Colorado Springs, CO **Committed to Stanford**

Best Times:

• 200 breast: 2:08.01 (fastest in class)
• 100 breast: 59.73
• 400 IM: 4:09.57
• 200 IM: 1:57.29
• 100 fly: 52.66
• 200 fly: 1:55.77

Bricker rose to become the fastest 200 breaststroker in the class over the past season, bringing her best time down from 2:10.6 to 2:08.0 at the Speedo Sectionals in Austin in March. Bricker also dropped more than three seconds in the 400 IM to give her two NCAA-scoring events, and she’s also a sub-minute 100 breaststroker and has a competitive 200 IM in her repertoire as well. And though her 200 breast capabilities likely indicate that will be her go-to event for the final day of NCAAs, we also can’t overlook her 1:55.7 200 fly that’s under the 2023 NCAA cutline.

12. Michaela Mattes (Previous Rank: #12) – Sarasota Sharks – Cardinal Mooney School – Sarasota, FL **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 1650 free: 16:00.20
• 1000 free: 9:43.63
• 500 free: 4:39.93
• 200 free: 1:47.52
• 200 IM: 1:59.27
• 400 IM: 4:10.37

Mattes continued to progress in her senior year, dropping six seconds in the 1650 free and cracking the 4:40 barrier in the 500 to give her two NCAA scoring events. Mattes, who won gold at Junior Pan Pacs in the 1500 free, was a force at Winter Juniors – East this past December, where not only did she win the 1650 (16:00.2) and place second to training partner Summer McIntosh in the 500 free (4:39.9), but she also orchestrated a massive time drop to place third in the 400 IM. That medley performance gives her three events in which she’s under the NCAA cutline, though if she veers away from the IM training in Gainesville, she can always turn to the 200 free as her third event.

13. Miriam Sheehan (Previous Rank: 11) – Dubuque Area Swimmin’ Hurricanes – Dubuque, IA **Committed to NC State**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 51.99
• 100 fly: 51.67
• 100 free: 48.89
• 50 free: 22.49
• 200 back: 1:55.31

Sheehan has the classic 100 back/100 fly scheduling conflict likely awaiting her in her collegiate career—it’s a double many have taken on in the past on the third day of NCAAs, and, while not ideal, there is usually enough time separating the two that it doesn’t hamper performance too much. Sheehan, a Puerto Rican Olympian in 2021, had identical best times of 52.30 in the two events at the conclusion of her junior year, and improved on both over the last 12 months, cracking 52 seconds to get in NCAA invite territory. The NC State commit is also a strong sprint freestyler, hitting times of 22.4/48.9 back in February, making her a future contributor in both the free and medley relays for the Pack.

14. Asia Kozan (Previous Rank: NR) – Mission Viejo Nadadores – Santa Margarita Catholic High School – Diamond Bar, CA **Committed to UC San Diego**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:07.27
• 200 IM: 1:57.60
• 200 free: 1:45.80
• 100 free: 48.58
• 200 fly: 1:56.93
• 100 fly: 54.15

The biggest riser from one year ago, Asia Kozan has skyrocketed into the upper echelon of this class, dropping nine seconds in the 400 IM over 13 months. Kozan, the younger sister of rising USC sophomore Justina Kozan, went from 4:16.1 to 4:07.2 in the 400 IM last season, placing second at Winter Juniors – West. Kozan also dropped from 2:01.4 to 1:57.2 in the 200 IM, and incredibly went from being a 1:51 200 freestyler into someone who has now gone 1:45.8 twice and broke 1:47 on nine different occasions. She’s also developed a competitive 100 free, 100 fly and 200 fly, and will be give UC San Diego a massive boost instantly. The Tritons didn’t send any women to NCAAs last season, and they’ll now add Kozan, who is within three-tenths of being fast enough to make the ‘A’ final in the 400 IM.

15. Berit Berglund (Previous Rank: #7) – Carmel Swim Club – Carmel High School – Carmel, IN **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 51.32
• 200 back: 1:53.52
• 100 free: 48.70
• 200 free: 1:48.34

Berglund drops relative to last year’s rankings due in part to the fact that she didn’t take off time in her primary events, particularly the 100 back, though she’s still one of the fastest in the class there. Berglund was 51.32 in December 2021, and this past season her fastest swim came in at 51.80, still quicker than anyone else in the top 20 outside of Bella Sims. Berglund also didn’t drop in her other events, though she did show good form in the long course pool at the Indy Spring Cup in May, nearly resetting her 100 back PB in-season at 1:00.50—a positive sign heading into her freshman year at Texas.

16. Julia Podkoscielny (Previous Rank: #10) – Pine Crest Swim Team – Pine Crest School – Fort Lauderdale, FL **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:08.01
• 200 IM: 1:58.72
• 200 back: 1:55.39
• 100 back: 53.30
• 200 free: 1:47.56

Not unlike Berglund, Podkoscielny also drops in the ranks due to her best times still being from her junior year of high school. After a breakthrough 4:08.01 400 IM swim in December 2021, Podkoscielny’s fastest swim since came this past March at 4:11.23, and her bests in other events also stem from 2020 and 2021. The talent is there, and a change of scenery to a great IM program like Florida could see her back at her best in short order.

17. JoJo Ramey (Previous Rank: 15) – Fishers Area Swimming Tigers – Fishers High School – Fishers, IN **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 200 back: 1:52.42
• 100 back: 53.54
• 200 free: 1:46.05
• 500 free: 4:47.16

Ramey really caught fire in 2021, making the Olympic Trials final in the women’s 200 back and then placing first at Winter Juniors – East with a new best time of 1:52.42 in the SCY event. That time still stands up as one that would’ve earned a second swim at the 2023 NCAAs, though Ramey was just under a second slower, 1:53.39, at the same meet this past winter. She did drop down to 1:46.05 in the 200 free this season, and has a the potential to make a future impact in the 100 back. Ramey has shown an ability to close extremely well, and further developing her underwaters/front-end speed will go a long way to collegiate success.

18. Hailey Tierney (Previous Rank: NR) – Lake County Swim Team – Arrowhead High School – Pewaukee, WI **Committed to Wisconsin**

Best Times:

• 50 free: 21.84 (best in class)
• 100 free: 48.52
• 100 back: 53.65
• 100 fly: 53.16
• 200 IM: 2:01.02

Tierney has quickly developed into the class’s top pure freestyle sprinter. Entering the 2022-23 season with a lifetime best of 22.85 in the 50 free, Tierney exploded at the WIAA State Championships in November, dropping a full second in 21.84 to overtake Camille Spink as the quickest 50 freestyler in the class. It’s extremely rare to see a sub-22 50 freestyler in high school—dating back to the high school class of 2018, only Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske and Claire Curzan have been 21-point 50 freestylers at the time of the class re-rank. Tierney is joined by Lucy Thomas as a sub-22 sprinter in this class, but it can’t be overstated how valuable that skillset is in college where relay points are paramount. Tierney’s PB is also just .13 shy of what it took to make the NCAA ‘A’ final last year, and she’s also made significant progress in the 100 free and 100 fly of late, setting a PB of 53.16 in the latter at NCSAs in March. Tierney’s quick senior year rise makes her one of the most intriguing names to watch next season at Wisconsin.

19. Grace Rainey (Previous Rank: HM) – SwimMAC Carolina – William Amos Hough High School – Davidson, NC **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 100 breast: 59.71
• 200 breast: 2:08.69
• 200 fly: 1:57.39
• 200 IM: 1:58.54
• 400 IM: 4:12.88

By cracking the 1:00/2:10 barriers in breaststroke, Rainey jumps back into the top 20 (she was ranked 11th as a sophomore before dropping to HM last year) with NCAA-qualifying times in both races. Her 200 breast PB of 2:08.69 is within seven-tenths of the fastest in the class and four-tenths shy of being in NCAA scoring range. The Florida commit also got into 1:58-mid territory in the 200 IM in February, and has competitive bests in the 200 fly and 400 IM stemming from last season. She dropped big in the 400 IM during her junior year, but that event figures to be a casualty moving forward with the focus likely turning towards the breast events and the 200 IM.

20. Maddie Waggoner (Previous Rank: 19) –Jersey Wahoos – Moorestown High School – Moorestown, NJ **Committed to Wisconsin**

Best Times:

• 1650 free: 16:01.98
• 1000 free: 9:41.08
• 500 free: 4:45.27
• 200 back: 1:56.95
• 200 IM: 2:00.68
• 400 IM: 4:13.49

Waggoner holds firm in her ranking from last year, having made a noteworthy drop in the 1650 free to get under the time required to score at NCAAs last season. Waggoner is fourth-fastest in the class after going 16:01.98 to take second to Michaela Mattes at Winter Juniors – East, and although she didn’t lower her PB in the 500 free over the last 12 months, was within a second in March at 4:46.29. Waggoner also dropped nearly five seconds in the 400 IM last season, getting down to 4:13.49 in March to come within two seconds of the NCAA cut line.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Kathryn Hazle (Previous Rank: HM) – North Coast Aquatics –University City High School – San Diego, CA **Committed to Cal**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:07.44
• 200 IM: 1:58.51
• 200 breast: 2:10.88
• 500 free: 4:45.09
• 1000 free: 9:46.25
• 1650 free: 16:33.29
• 200 fly: 1:58.28

Hazle has seen improvements across the board over the past season, particularly in the 400 IM, where she’s dropped more than four seconds to get into NCAA scoring range. She’s incredibly versatile with abilities across distance free and breaststroke as well.

Eleanor Sun (Previous Rank: #17) – Nation’s Capital Swim Club – Stone Ridge School – Bethesda, MD **Committed to Princeton**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:09.82
• 200 fly: 1:56.37
• 200 IM: 1:58.84
• 200 back: 1:57.90
• 200 breast: 2:13.31

Sun made small drops in her three primary events during the 2022-23 season—she slides down into the Honorable Mention category due to the progress made by some others in the class. Getting under 4:10 in the 400 IM was a big accomplishment for the Princeton commit, and her 200 fly and 200 IM are also coming along—she’ll have a chance to win all three at the Ivy League Championships as a freshman.

Sophie Brison (Previous Rank: 18) – Dynamo Club – Cambridge High School – Alpharetta, GA **Committed to Tennessee**

Best Times:

• 200 back: 1:53.29
• 100 back: 53.62
• 200 free: 1:46.86
• 100 fly: 54.72
• 200 IM: 2:00.22
• 400 IM: 4:14.68

The 200 back has become an increasingly competitive event in the NCAA, and despite the fact that Brison didn’t drop from her junior year, she was still 1:53.9 in December and her PB is under the 2023 cut line. She also set a new best in the 100 back in March.

Emma Kern (Previous Rank: NR) – Aquajets Swim Team – Delano High School – Delano, MN **Committed to Texas**

Best Times:

• 100 back: 51.99
• 100 fly: 52.23
• 50 free: 22.46
• 100 free: 49.50
• 200 back: 1:56.52

Kern has jumped up into the HM category after a big season. She was a 52.8 backstroker in the “Best of the Rest” section one year ago, but clocked a blistering 51.99 in the event at Winter Juniors – West, nearing an NCAA scoring time, and also set lifetime bests in the 100 fly (52.23) and sprint free events. The 100 back/100 fly combo is a double that can work at the NCAA level, and her freestyle ability makes her a potential future relay contributor.

Lainy Kruger (Previous Rank: NR) – Northern Kentucky Clippers – Notre Dame Academy – Taylor Mill, KY **Committed to Florida**

Best Times:

• 200 fly: 1:55.55
• 200 free: 1:46.14
• 200 IM: 1:58.46
• 100 free: 49.28
• 50 free: 22.93
• 100 breast: 1:01.34
• 100 fly: 53.81

Listed as a sprint freestyler in the BOTR section last year, Kruger is now a versatile 200 swimmer with her 1:55.5 200 fly marking a near-three-second improvement to get inside the NCAA cut line. She also went a PB of 53.8 in the 100 fly in February, and although the majority of her other SCY bests stem from 2021-22, she did establish new lifetime bests in the 200 free, 100 fly and 200 fly in long course in March—perhaps indicative of where her focus will be in college.

Macky Hodges (Previous Rank: NR) – Sandpipers of Nevada – Santa Margarita Catholic High School – Ladera Ranch, CA **Committed to USC**

Best Times:

• 400 IM: 4:09.29
• 200 IM: 1:58.53
• 500 free: 4:43.51
• 200 free: 1:45.69
• 100 back: 53.38
• 200 back: 1:54.23
• 100 free: 49.04
• 50 free: 22.84
• 200 fly: 1:56.74
• 100 fly: 53.84

Hodges has evolved into an incredibly versatile swimmer, highlighted by her progression in the 400 IM. Having not raced the event since 2019, Hodges clocked 4:09 last season to put her inside NCAA scoring range, and she’s got impressive best times in the free, back and fly events as well. Where her focus lands in college still remains to be seen, but it seems likely that the 400 IM will be the focal point, with the 200 back potentially her second-best event and the 500 free and 200 IM both options as well. Hodges will accrue some experience this summer, set to represent the U.S. at the World University Games.

BEST OF THE REST

Some more names that came up in our research. For the purposes of space, we won’t include every top event for these athletes, but just a few of their standouts. Verbal commitments are listed where they’ve been reported. Each of these athletes is still an extremely high-level recruit:

• Sprint Free:
  • Jada Scott (22.3/48.6, 1:00.5 BR) **Alabama**
  • Alexa Fulton (22.4/48.6/1:47.2) **Texas**
  • Keelan Cotter (22.9/50.2/1:46.9) **NC State**
  • Lawson Ficken (22.6/48.7/1:48.4) **Auburn**
  • Madeleine Hebert (22.7/48.7/1:45.7/4:44) *NC State*
• Distance Free:
  • Madison Smith (4:44/16:21) **Michigan**
  • Mary McKenna (4:51/16:21) **Princeton**
  • Mattea Sokolow (4:51/16:16) **Michigan**
  • Katie McCarthy (16:19, 4:14 IM) **Minnesota**
  • Alexandra Bastone (4:46/16:25) **Harvard**
  • Chloe Mudadu (4:44/16:28) **Mizzou**
• Backstroke:
  • Carly Meeting (52.9/1:55.4) **Florida**
  • Catie Choate (53.3/1:54.9, 53.8 FLY) **Florida**
  • Ali Pfaff (52.6/1:55.8) **Duke**
  • Lexi Greenhawt (52.5, 53.0 FLY) **Michigan**
  • Molly Donlan (53.4/1:56.7) **Duke**
• Breaststroke:
  • McKenzie Siroky (1:00.0, 23.0 FR) **Tennessee**
  • Angie Coe (1:00.2, 1:57.3 IM, 52.5 FLY) **Texas**
  • Samantha Armand (1:00.6/2:10.8) **North Carolina**
  • Sarah Bennetts (1:00.1/2:12.1, 49.7 FR) **UCLA**
  • Maggie Papanicholas (1:01.1/2:12.8) **Northwestern**
• Butterfly:
  • Maggie Schalow (52.5/1:56.7, 1:46.9 FR) **Virginia**
  • Gaby van Brunt (52.9, 53.5 BK) **Alabama**
  • Ava Whitaker (52.6/1:57.0 FLY) **Indiana**
  • Sydney Gring (52.5/1:56.6, 1:46 FR) **Pitt**
  • Katie Walker (53.5/1:56.2) **Texas A&M**
• IM:
  • Reese Tiltmann (1:58.6/4:11) **Indiana**
  • Elizabeth Tilt (1:59.1/4:12, 52.8 FLY, 54.0 BK) **Georgia**
  • Lainey Mullins (4:13, 1:57.0 FLY) **Virginia**
  • Ava Muzzy (1:59.5/4:12.7, 1:01.2 BR) **North Carolina**
  • Sienna Karp (1:57.7/4:15, 1:01.2 BR) **Air Force**
  • Olivia Swalley (1:58.5/4:13.7, 1:01.4 BR) **Iowa**

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: