With no one on Swimswam's "Top 20" or "Honorable Mentions" list, our iincoming Baby Bears still earn a spot in the Top 10 for the Women's Freshman Class of 2024, owing in part to a trio of internationals along with three "Best of the Rest" recruits.
From Swimswam:Ranking The 2024 Women's Recruiting Classes: #5-8BEST NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING RECRUITING CLASSES: WOMEN'S CLASS OF 2024Previously Ranked:- #16 Georgia
- #15 Virginia Tech
- #14 Auburn
- #13 Northwestern
- #12 Indiana
- #11 Florida
- #10 Michigan
- #9 Ohio State
#8 Wisconsin
#7 Cal- Top Tier Additions: Mary-Ambre Moluh (France, back/free), Mia West (Canada, free/fly/IM), Lilou Ressencourt (grad student France- fly/free), BOTR Finley Anderson (back), BOTR Adriana Smith (back), BOTR Arielle Brotman (breast), Maya Geringer (Ohio State 5th year transfer-distance free), Margaux McDonald (Princeton 5th year- IM/back/breast)
- The "Rest": Jordan Ash (fly), Maggie Petty (sprint free), Charlotte Burnham (breast), Mia Nappi (breast), Rebecca Ciancaglini (diving)
With the 2025 girls class loaded with the top domestic talent, Cal hit home runs at the international level for fall 2024.
Mary-Ambre Moluh is one of the highlights of the class and has strong long course best times with a 54.08 in the 100 free, 2:01.76 in the 200 free, and 59.29 in the 100 back. She also represented France in Paris, posting solid relay splits with her 53.37 as her fastest 100 free.
Those convert to 47.27 in the 100, 1:46.81 in the 200, and 52.33 in the 100 back. She also has a SCM best time in the 100 back of a 57.36 that converts to a 51.67. That 100 freestyle is towards the top of the class, but as always with conversions there is a margin of error. Even with some error, it took a 47.75 to make the 'B' final at 2024 NCAAs and a 47.33 to 'A' final so she brings in instant points there in addition to huge relay value as Cal had no sub-48 100 freestylers this past season. Her 100 back is also big, especially once
Isabelle Stadden finishes up her 5th year at the end of this year. It took a 51.55 to get a 2nd swim in the 100 back.
Fellow French Olympian Lilou Ressencourt has two years of eligibility but will make an impact during her time. She has LCM best times of 58.48 in the 100 fly and 2:09.30 in the 200 fly, which convert to a 51.42 in the 100 and 1:53.96 in the 200. That 100 conversion is on the border of finaling at NCAAs while her 200 is in B final range and on the border of making the A final.
Canada's
Mia West enters with best times of a 55.58 in the LCM 100 free, 2:00.48 in the 200 free, and 59.89 in the 100 fly. She has some SCY experience which is helpful as far as race planning but it is outdated for this analysis. Her 100 free and 100 fly are the biggest potential impacts, with conversions of 48.63 in the 100 free and 52.69 in the 100 fly. With the combination of Moluh, Rssencourt, and West, they have relay options.
Finley Anderson (53.3 and 1:53.6) and
Adriana Smith (52.8/1:56.1) bring in backstroke depth that will be key, especially after Stadden's departure. It also grows the group that was Stadden on her own at the top.
Fifth years
Maya Geringer and
Margaux McDonald boost the team for the upcoming season. Both swam at 2024 NCAAs and Geringer scored in the 1650 free in all four years at NCAAs as well.
#6 Louisville
#5 Stanford
Update:Ranking The 2024 Women's Recruiting Classes: #1-4#4 Tennessee
#3 Texas
#2: NC State
#1: Virginia
