Ranking The 2026 Men's NCAA Recruiting Classes: #4-1
#10: Virginia Cavaliers
#9: Auburn Tigers
#8: NC State Wolfpack
#7: Stanford Cardinal
#6: Florida Gators
#5: Indiana Hoosiers
#4: Arizona State Sun Devils
#3: Texas Longhorns
#2: Tennessee Volunteers
#1: Cal Golden BearsCal has an embarrassment of riches with this class, having landed four of our top 10 recruits in the boys' domestic class.
The group is headlined by the top-ranked
Baylor Stanton, who is the fastest swimmer in the class in the 100 back (46.12), 200 back (1:39.79), 200 IM (1:41.62) and 400 IM (3:40.48), and is among the fastest in a variety of other events, such as the 200 free (1:34.56), 500 free (4:17.39) and 200 breast (1:53.36).
Stanton is on the verge of cracking an NCAA 'A' final with his best time in the 200 IM, while he's just shy of a scoring position in the 400 IM. Looking at the NCAA schedule, Stanton will likely be racing the 200 back as his third event, with his 1:39.79 PB sitting half a second shy of what it took to score at NCAAs last season. His 200 breast is on a similar level, but given that he raced the backstroke and IM events this summer at Nationals, it seems more likely he opts for back over breast in terms of an individual focus.
Stanton is also strong across the sprint free and backstroke events, making him available to contribute to the relays, though given the depth Cal will have this season, the 800 free relay might be his best shot at a relay berth at NCAAs.
#5
Tim Wu joins the Bears with a similar skillset to Stanton, ranking as one of the fastest swimmers in the class in the IM events (1:44.5/3:43.3) while also being elite in free (1:35.5/4:19.4/15:22) and the 200 back (1:41.9).
Stanton and Wu will gain a lot from training with
Ryan Erisman, the rising Cal sophomore who won U.S. National titles this past summer in the 200 free, 800 free and 400 IM.
Wu could end up focusing on the same events as Stanton (both IMs and the 200 back), but it also wouldn't be surprising to see him racing the 200 and 500 free more often.
#7
Jordan Ragland is the top freestyle sprinter in the class, owning best times of 19.18 in the 50 free and 42.24 in the 100 free, making him a top contender to earn a spot on the free relays right from the jump. He would've ranked in the top four on the team last season in both races, and with modest drops in time, will lock in an individual NCAA berth.
After setting long course best times in the 50 free (22.46), 100 free (49.19) and 50 fly (24.31) at U.S. Nationals, Ragland won bronze in the 100 free at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, gaining some valuable international experience entering his freshman year.
Along with the sprint free events, Ragland is good everywhere, with notable best times in back (46.5), breast (24.9/54.0), fly (21.1/48.1) and the 200 IM (1:47.8). The 100 fly could be his #3 event in college, and it will be interesting to see if he can develop that LCM 50 fly speed into the SCY 100.
#10
Albert Smelzer is similar to Ragland in that his best events are probably the 50 (19.26) and 100 free (43.04), but he's good across all strokes. Smelzer is sub-22/sub-47 in both the 50/100 back (21.8/46.7) and 50/100 fly (21./46.9), and he's also solid in the 200 free (1:36.2).
He projects as a 50/100 freestyler who also swims the 100 back or 100 fly and is a key relay player throughout his career.
The Bears add one international freshman, Israeli native
Aukan Goldin, who is a 25.4/54.4/1:57.3 LCM backstroker, and 24.3/51.9/1:51.7 in SCM, giving him 21.0/45.2/1:38.1 conversions. If he has a smooth transition to yards, he could step in and be an NCAA scorer right away in the 200 back, and be within striking distance in the 100.
Another man who could be a backstroke scorer this season for Cal is
Michel Arkhangelskiy, who heads to Berkeley after two seasons at Florida State.
The French native was the 2025 ACC champion in the 100 back (44.49), and placed 2nd in the 100 fly (44.36), 9th in the 200 back (1:38.50) and set personal bests of 19.45 in the 50 free and 41.68 in the 100 free at the same meet (also splitting 19.10/43.33 swimming fly in the medley relays).
Since then, the only PB he's improved on is the 50 free, having led off the 200 free relay in 18.82 at the 2025 NCAAs. He did manage to score in the 100 back (16th) and 100 fly (14th) at NCAAs that season, but last year, was 40th in the 100 fly and 41st in the 100 free.
Arkhangelskiy has certainly been focusing on butterfly much more than backstroke of late, including winning gold in the LCM 50 fly (22.91) and 100 fly (51.41) at the French Elite Championships in June.
He's a potential NCAA scorer this season in the 100 fly, and possibly the 100 or 200 back if he returns to his career-best form from 2025. He could also slot into the free relays with his 18.8/41.6 best times, and take over medley relay fly duties, or at least challenge
Casper Puggaard for them.
Cal's class is rounded out by
Jasper Nemeth, a diving prospect who was the runner-up at the 2026 CIF State Championships, and transfer
Justin Halford, who was the 2025 NJCAA champion in the 1-meter and 3-meter events.
Aukan Goldin in the fold.
