By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
Terin Frodyma, Madeline Folsom, Braden Keith, and Robert Gibbs contributed to this report.
The NCAA season kicks off later this month and the pre-season power rankings have already been released. As with previous seasons, members of the SwimSwam staff have made their pre-seasons picks for the 2027 NCAA Championship.
All five writers agreed on eight individual events and four relays. Everyone picked that Sara Curtis of Virginia would win the 50 free and 100 back. Curtis is the highest returner in the 50 free while a win in the 100 back would take the crown from Virginia teammate Claire Curzan who will be a senior this fall. Curtis notably swam to a World Record in the long course 50 back this summer, touching in a 26.56 at the 2026 European Championships.
Everyone also picked that Virginia teammate Anna Moesch would win the 100 free while Claire Curzan would win the 200 back and 100 fly. Moesch was 2nd in the 100 free this past season behind Torri Huske who has since graduated from Stanford. Like Curtis, Moesch had a strong long course season over the summer that included an American Record in the LCM 100 free. Curzan was 2nd in the 100 fly behind Huske this past season and is the top returner. She is also predicted to defend her title in the 200 back, an event she holds the NCAA record in.
Virginia transfer Teagan O’Dell was 2nd in the 200 IM as a freshman for Cal and is the top returner as Stanford’s Lucy Bell has since graduated. All five writers predict a win for O’Dell in the event.
Also picked by all five writers to defend their title was Jillian Cox of Texas as everyone predicts she will win the 1650 free. The final event all writers unanimously picked a winner was the 200 breast where everyone picked Louisville’s Anastasia Gorbenko would swim to the win. Gorbenko began competing for Louisville in spring 2026 and finished 3rd in the event at 2026 NCAAs.
Ballots
Anya Robert Madeline Braden Terin Overall Pick Highest Returning 50 Freestyle Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis (2nd) 100 Freestyle Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch (2nd) 200 Freestyle Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Rylee Erisman Anna Moesch Anna Moesch Anna Moesch (1st) 500 Freestyle Claire Weinstein Claire Weinstein Claire Weinstein Kennedi Dobson Claire Weinstein Claire Weinstein Claire Weinstein (1st) 1650 Freestyle Jillian Cox Jillian Cox Jillian Cox Jillian Cox Jillian Cox Jillian Cox Jillian Cox (1st) 100 Butterfly Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan (2nd) 200 Butterfly Alex Shackell Campbell Stoll Alex Shackell Alex Shackell Alex Shackell Alex Shackell Campbell Stoll (1st) 100 Backstroke Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Sara Curtis Claire Curzan (1st) 200 Backstroke Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan Claire Curzan (1st) 100 Breaststroke Eneli Jefimova Eneli Jefimova Eneli Jefimova Anita Bottazzo Anita Bottazzo Eneli Jefimova Eneli Jefimova (1st) 200 Breaststroke Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko Anastasia Gorbenko (T-3) 200 IM Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell Teagan O’Dell (2nd) 400 IM Bella Sims Bella Sims Bella Sims Mia West Bella Sims Bella Sims Bella Sims (1st) 200 Medley Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia 400 Medley Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia 200 Freestyle Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia 400 Freestyle Relay Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia 800 Freestyle Relay Virginia Virginia Cal Cal Virginia VirginiaSome Potential Upsets/Hot Takes:
Anya The biggest threat to Virginia’s medley relays seems like Indiana with the addition of Bottazzo on the breaststroke leg. It’ll be interesting to see how Sara Curtis and Anna Moesch‘s big LCM seasons translate to SCY. Madeline Cal as the champion for the 800 freestyle relay might feel like a hot take, but a Cal relay with Claire Weinstein and Rylee Erisman could make it a very exciting race Terin Bottazzo is now in a system that will really give her the right path to win the 100 breast at NCAAs, the rematch of Bottazzo and Jefimova may be the most intriguing of the entire meet.Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s 2026-2027 Women’s NCAA Pre-Season Champion Picks
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