swan said:
SwimSwam (and Swimcloud) show that JD Thumann from Norman, OK has committed to the Bears. Thumann is SS's #13 ranked boy swimmer in the class of 2026. At this stage, it appears that young Thumann will be part of our free sprint and butterfly groups. JD is the the Bear's 5th recruit in the top 20 that appear in SwimSwam's "Way to Early Recruit Rankings" for the 2026 class.
https://swimswam.com/way-too-early-recruit-rankings-boys-high-school-class-of-2026/
Top 20 NCAA Swimming Recruits In The Boys' High School Class of 20261. Baylor Stanton (Previous Rank: #1) Gwinnett Aquatics Brookwood High School Lawrenceville, GA
**Verbally committed to Cal**Best Times:- 200 back: 1:40.58 (best in class)
- 100 back: 46.57 (best in class)
- 200 IM: 1:44.04 (best in class)
- 400 IM: 3:41.50 (best in class)
- 50 free: 20.32
- 100 free: 44.23
- 200 free: 1:35.87
- 500 free: 4:17.92
- 1000 free: 9:05.98
- 1650 free: 15:13.99
- 100 fly: 47.60
- 200 fly: 1:45.02
- 200 breast: 1:56.77
With Manteufel not dropping any time in the mile, Stanton's four second drop in the 400 IM, along with continued improvement across a range of events, is enough to keep him in top spot. He ranks in the top ten in a staggering nine events, with class-leading times in four of them. Although he has not dropped time in three of those four this year, he has been within 0.13 seconds of his best in all of those three.
He has the versatility to pick pretty much any event lineup he chooses, but he seems to be settling into a a 200 IM/400 IM/200 back schedule. He would have qualified for NCAAs in the 400 IM this year, and been just half a second away in the 200 back, so is already primed to make some noise with a year of high school still to go.
He has a top-ten ranking on every stroke, and that kind of versatility is unique in this class even
Tim Wu has a relatively weak breaststroke. He made the final in the 200 IM at World Juniors recently, placing 6th, and has some strong times in meters as well as yards. Cal have a phenomenal swimmer here, and one who takes this #1 ranking on merit.
5. Tim Wu(Previous Rank: #6) Pleasanton Seahawks Dougherty Valley High School San Ramon, CA
**Verbally committed to Cal**Best Times:- 200 IM: 1:44.55
- 100 back: 47.20
- 100 fly: 47.26
- 200 back: 1:43.46
- 200 free: 1:36.01
- 100 free: 43.86
- 50 free: 20.48
- 500 free: 4:22.38
- 400 IM: 3:50.75
Wu has a very similar profile to Stanton, a jack of all-trades who ranks right near the top of the class in multiple events. He does not quite have the 400 IM prowess of his future teammate, but is only just behind in freestyle and fly. He has made some big leaps this season, most notably in backstroke. In the 200, he has gone from 1:50 to a 1:43.46 that ranks 2nd in the class behind Stanton, and he's dropped 2.5 seconds in the 200 IM to also rank 2nd.
Going 47-low in both the 100 back and fly, along with 43.8/1:36.0 freestyle speed, means he should be able to slot onto almost any relay. Like last year, he does not have a class leading time, but is in the top-ten in seven different events. Add that to the improvements he's made this year and he's nailed on for a top-five spot here. He is knocked down slightly by the similarity of his profile to Stanton's, but Cal is getting a real prospect with Wu.
7. Albert Smelzer (Previous Rank: #10) Greensboro Swimming Association Page High School Greensboro, NC
**Verbally committed to Cal**Best Times:- 50 free: 19.51
- 100 free: 43.04
- 200 free: 1:36.28
- 100 fly: 47.68
- 100 back: 48.34
Smelzer has dropped time in all five of his main events this year, and now has the 2nd-fastest 50 free in the class. He is hundredths away from
Austin Carpenter in the 100 as well, hacking off 0.83 seconds, and has gone from 1:38.15 to 1:36.28 in the 200. His lineup is the most valuable in the NCAA, and the improvement he's shown make this placing fully deserved. If he can turn on of the 200 free or 100 fly into an elite third event, there's no reason to think he couldn't be higher next year.
He should also be a great relay swimmer, and has 50 free splits of 19.2 and 19.4 from this season in addition to a 22.29 50 back leadoff. As a pure sprinter who can stretch to the 200 and dabble in the stroke 100s, Smelzer has a lot going for him.
Honorable MentionsJD Thumann (Previous Rank: #13 ) Sooner Swim Club Norman High School Norman, OK
**Verbally committed to Cal**Best Times:- 50 free: 19.93
- 100 free: 44.20
- 100 fly: 47.35
- 100 back: 47.81
- 200 fly: 1:46.23
- 200 back: 1:44.51
- 200 IM: 1:48.76
Thumann has expanded his repertoire from last year, but his lack of a true main event sees him drop a little in these rankings. He is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, marrying sub-20 50 free speed with 47-point swims in the the 100 fly and back, and has three strong 200 times. However, his college lineup is unclear right now, and he doesn't quite have the 100 free to be a relay weapon just yet. His versatility may become a calling card, but if he can dial in on a single event or two as well he'll be a lock to return to the top 20. He has not swum in long course this year, so it remains to be seen if he will push on in the fall or build through the season as he did this year, but he showed nice improvement in backstroke this year, going from 49.0/1:48.2 to 47.8/1:44.5. Some more incremental improvements along with a big jump or two would be ideal for him.
Jordan Ragland (Previous Rank: NR) Life Time Northern California West Park High School Rooseville, CA
**Verbally committed to Cal**Best Times:- 50 free: 19.61
- 100 free: 43.91
- 100 back: 47.83
Ragland has been on a phenomenal improvement curve this year, dropping from 21.50 to 19.61 in the 50 free and 45.79 to 43.91 in the 100 free. He is just a tenth off the top of the class in the former, and adds a top-ten 100 back in which he has dropped nearly five seconds this year. Having recently flipped his commitment from Louisville to Cal, he gives them a strong 1-2 sprint punch with
Albert Smelzer. However, he has only broken 20 seconds three times in the 50 free, all within eight days in May, so will need to build a little bit more consistency to ensure he joins the established sprinters in the top 20. Adding a quality 200 freestyle, or developing his 100 back into a serious third event, could go a long way to him doing so.
