SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which women’s team they believe is second-best this season behind the Virginia dynasty:
Question: Behind Virginia, who is the frontrunner for the #2 spot at the 2027 Women’s NCAA Championships?
RESULTS
- Texas – 53.8%
- Cal – 17.1%
- Tennessee – 13.4%
- Stanford – 10.3%
- Indiana – 3.8%
- Michigan – 1.5%
- Other – 0.7%
There’s no end in sight to the dominance of the University of Virginia women, as the Cavaliers are the unanimous pick to win their seventh straight NCAA title this coming March, but behind them, there’s plenty of debate about who the next best team is.
Texas has had a consistent presence near the top of the NCAA standings throughout Virginia’s reign. The Longhorns have finished no lower than 3rd since 2021, including reeling off three consecutive runner-up finishes in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
In the last two seasons, Stanford has earned the runner-up spot behind Virginia, with Texas in 3rd.
We asked SwimSwam readers who they’re picking as the #2 squad in the nation behind Virginia entering 2026-27 in our most recent poll, and once again Texas looks like the best of the rest.
More than half of voters, 53.8%, are picking Texas to place 2nd, as the Longhorns are returning all of their individual points from the 2026 NCAAs, and they’re bringing in a very strong recruiting class headlined by Audrey Derivaux, who graduated high school early.
The Cal Golden Bears finished 2nd in the poll with 17.1% of votes, as they, like Texas, benefit from an early high school graduation as Rylee Erisman joins the roster this fall after initially being a member of the class of 2027.
Cal is suffering a key loss in Teagan O’Dell, who transferred to Virginia, but return the majority of their 2026 NCAA roster and have some potentially impactful recruits to go along with Erisman.
The Tennessee Volunteers, who have a standout recruiting class headlined by Charlotte Crush, ranked 3rd in the poll with 13.4% of votes.
Last year, Cal snagged 4th place at NCAAs with 303 points, edging out Tennessee (301.5) by just a point and a half.
Stanford, which has finished 2nd two years in a row and been in the top three in four of the past five seasons, trailed in the poll with 10.3% of votes, as the Cardinal lose their top two scorers (by a wide margin) from last season in Torri Huske and Lucy Bell.
In their last season without Huske, the 2023-24 campaign when she took an Olympic redshirt, the Cardinal fell to 5th in the team standings.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Who do you believe the #2 men’s team in the nation is entering the 2026-27 NCAA season:
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
A3 Performance is an independently-owned, performance swimwear company built on a passion for swimming, athletes, and athletic performance. We encourage swimmers to swim better and faster at all ages and levels, from beginners to Olympians. Driven by a genuine leader and devoted staff that are passionate about swimming and service, A3 Performance strives to inspire and enrich the sport of swimming with innovative and impactful products that motivate swimmers to be their very best – an A3 Performer.
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
