Division 1 Power 4 Swimming access is shrinking for High School recruits
I have commented often about the fact that roster caps, 5 year eligibility and a bustling transfer portal have squeezed swimmers from D1 P4 programs. But while sitting at SECs and NCAAs last spring, I realized how International swimmers have become another sizable factor limiting US swimmers spots on rosters at these programs. I recently published a FB post and someone commented that it was about 15% and that felt low to me, so I dug into the numbers.
My goal is not to push for limits on International swimmers. I think there are advantages to having swimmers on a roster from different countries. It increases diversity and cultural awareness which I think is important for young adults. But I also realize that most of these colleges are public institutions funded by US tax dollars, so many find it objectionable that so many International swimmers are taking roster spots away from US swimmers. My goal in publishing the data is to educate people about a factor that makes it even harder to secure roster spots available on D1 P4 teams.
I encourage my clients to be open minded about mid-major D1, D2, D3 and NAIA colleges. There is a place for all swimmers to swim in college, but it often requires the ability to look beyond the big name universities.
Women Conference and Team | Total Roster Count | International | Percentage | Roster Year (’26-’27 unless noted otherwise) |
SEC | ||||
Texas | 28 | 7 | 25% | |
FL | 26 | 7 | 27% | ’25-‘26 |
UGA | 28 | 2 | 7% | |
Tenn | 34 | 13 | 38% | |
Kentucky | 19 | 1 | 5% | |
Alabama | 32 | 10 | 31% | |
Auburn | 30 | 8 | 27% | |
LSU | 27 | 17 | 63% | |
TX A&M | 27 | 3 | 11% | ’25-‘26 |
Missouri | 22 | 2 | 9% | |
South Carolina | 28 | 6 | 21% | |
Arkansas | 27 | 7 | 26% | |
Vanderbilt | 29 | 4 | 14% | |
Total | 357 | 87 | 24% | |
ACC | ||||
NC State | 25 | 5 | 20% | |
Cal | 28 | 8 | 29% | ’25-‘26 |
Stanford | 22 | 3 | 14% | |
Louisville | 23 | 10 | 43% | |
UVA | 30 | 7 | 23% | |
VT | 29 | 11 | 38% | |
FSU | 29 | 15 | 52% | |
UNC | 27 | 6 | 22% | ’25-‘26 |
Notre Dame | 27 | 1 | 4% | |
Pitt | 17 | 3 | 18% | |
SMU | 26 | 7 | 27% | |
GA Tech | 24 | 8 | 33% | |
Duke | 30 | 3 | 10% | |
BC | 26 | 0 | 0% | |
Miami | 21 | 11 | 52% | |
Total | 384 | 98 | 26% | |
Big 10 | ||||
Indiana | 27 | 7 | 26% | ’25-‘26 |
Michigan | 28 | 7 | 25% | ’25-‘26 |
OSU | 29 | 11 | 38% | ’25-‘26 |
Wisconsin | 28 | 3 | 11% | ’25-‘26 |
Northwestern | 27 | 6 | 22% | |
USC | 28 | 8 | 29% | |
Purdue | 32 | 3 | 9% | |
Penn State | 18 | 2 | 11% | |
Minnesota | 30 | 5 | 17% | |
Iowa | 26 | 1 | 4% | |
Illinois | 30 | 8 | 27% | |
Rutgers | 27 | 8 | 30% | |
UCLA | 28 | 6 | 21% | ’25-‘26 |
Nebraska | 25 | 11 | 44% | |
Total | 383 | 86 | 22% | |
Big 12 | ||||
ASU | 29 | 13 | 45% | |
Arizona | 33 | 10 | 30% | |
Utah | 30 | 7 | 23% | |
BYU | 28 | 2 | 7% | |
TCU | 29 | 10 | 34% | |
Cincinnati | 28 | 3 | 11% | |
West Virginia | 35 | 11 | 31% | |
Iowa State | 30 | 8 | 27% | |
Kansas | 2 | 6% | ||
Houston | 32 | 14 | 44% | |
Total | 305 | 80 | 26% | |
Total Women P4 | 1429 | 351 | 25% |
Men Conference and Team | Total Roster Count | International | Percentage | Roster Year (’26-’27 unless noted otherwise) |
SEC | ||||
Texas | 22 | 6 | 27% | |
FL | 24 | 15 | 63% | 25-‘26 |
UGA | 24 | 12 | 50% | |
Tenn | 25 | 13 | 52% | |
Kentucky | 16 | 8 | 50% | |
Alabama | 27 | 10 | 37% | |
Auburn | 22 | 13 | 59% | |
LSU | 20 | 11 | 55% | |
TX A&M | 24 | 6 | 25% | 25-‘26 |
Missouri | 24 | 6 | 25% | |
South Carolina | 24 | 7 | 29% | |
Total | 252 | 107 | 42% | |
ACC | ||||
NC State | 28 | 8 | 29% | |
Cal | 43 | 11 | 26% | 25-‘26 |
Stanford | 24 | 7 | 29% | |
Louisville | 26 | 5 | 19% | |
UVA | 24 | 4 | 17% | |
VT | 25 | 12 | 48% | |
FSU | 29 | 6 | 21% | |
UNC | 29 | 8 | 28% | 25-‘26 |
Notre Dame | 30 | 2 | 7% | |
Pitt | 23 | 6 | 26% | |
SMU | 35 | 7 | 20% | |
GA Tech | 19 | 8 | 42% | |
Duke | 24 | 1 | 4% | |
BC | 27 | 2 | 7% | |
Miami | 3 | 3 | 100% | |
Total | 389 | 90 | 23% | |
Big 10 | ||||
Indiana | 32 | 6 | 19% | 25-‘26 |
Michigan | 30 | 11 | 37% | 25-‘26 |
OSU | 30 | 10 | 33% | 25-‘26 |
Wisconsin | 25 | 6 | 24% | 25-‘26 |
Northwestern | 29 | 7 | 24% | |
USC | 28 | 11 | 39% | |
Purdue | 33 | 8 | 24% | |
Penn State | 22 | 5 | 23% | |
Minnesota | 28 | 5 | 18% | |
Total | 257 | 69 | 27% | |
Big 12 | ||||
ASU | 33 | 12 | 36% | |
Arizona | 31 | 7 | 23% | |
Utah | 30 | 7 | 23% | |
BYU | 29 | 5 | 17% | |
TCU | 30 | 6 | 20% | |
Cincinnati | 25 | 4 | 16% | |
West Virginia | 39 | 12 | 31% | |
Total | 217 | 53 | 24% | |
Total Men P4 | 1115 | 319 | 29% |
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