LANCASTER, Pa. – Conference newcomer Johns Hopkins has been chosen as the favorite to hoist hardware in the 2025-26 Centennial Conference Men's Swimming Preseason Poll. The Blue Jays collected all seven possible first-place votes and 49 points in polling of conference head coaches.
Four-time defending champion Swarthmore was picked to finish second with 43 points and the remaining first-place vote, followed by Gettysburg (37), Franklin & Marshall (30) and Dickinson (24) in the top five. Ursinus (19), Washington College (15) and McDaniel (7) rounded out the voting in sixth through eighth place, respectively.
Gettysburg was picked second with the other two first-place votes and 31 points, followed by Franklin & Marshall (27), Ursinus (109) and Washington College (16) in the top five. Dickinson (13) and McDaniel (6) rounded out the voting.
The 2025-26 campaign opens up this Saturday, Oct. 25 with CC meets hosted by F&M and Gettysburg. The CC Championship meet will take place Feb. 19-22 at F&M, while the NCAA Championships are set for March 18-21 at the IU Natatorium on the campus on IUPUI in Indianapolis, Ind.
2025-26 Centennial Conference Men's Swimming Preseason Poll
| Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Johns Hopkins (7) |
49 |
| 2. Swarthmore (1) |
43 |
| 3. Gettysburg |
37 |
| 4. Franklin & Marshall |
30 |
| 5. Dickinson |
24 |
| 6. Ursinus |
19 |
| 7. Washington College |
15 |
| 8. McDaniel |
7 |
2025-26 Schedule | 2025 Championship Results | 2025 All-Centennial Team | History & Records | All-Time Top 10
Swarthmore became the fourth team in Centennial Conference history to four-peat as champions last winter, joining a illustrious group that includes only Gettysburg (6 straight titles from 20211-16 and 1994-99) and F&M (4 straight titles from 2007-10). The Garnet won 11 of the 18 events at the CC meet en route to 928 points and the team crown, defeating second-place Gettysburg by 36 points. A fifth consecutive crown will be no easy task for the Garnet, particularly with the addition of Johns Hopkins to the conference this year. The Blue Jays previously competed as an independent but will now give the CC eight men's swimming teams.
Swarthmore's Danny Castle was named Most Outstanding Performer of the meet in 2025 as the lone swimmer to win three individual golds. Castle touched first in the 200 IM, 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle to help lead the Garnet to the title. Cami Wilson also won multiple individual events for Swarthmore (50 freestyle & 100 butterfly), as did Gettysburg's Evan Graham (400 IM & 100 backstroke). Wilson and Graham were later honored as the CC Swimmer of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively, for their efforts throughout the entire regular season and the championship meet.
Wilson and Castle are two of the five returning All-Americans to the conference this winter. Both Garnet swimmers, along with teammate Levi Tipton, were part of All-America relay finishes in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle. Wilson also took eighth in the 100 butterfly, the highest-ever finish in that event at the NCAA meet for a CC swimmer. The F&M duo of Sam Kamdin and Ben Lockey also boast All-America laurels to their career resumes, earning the distinction as part of the Diplomats 200 freeestyle relay in 2024.
A trio of returners own individual conference records entering the 2025-26 campaign - Wilson, Graham and Gettysburg's Connor Mangan. Wilson boasts the CC's top time in the 100 butterfly and 100 IM and also has the championship record in the 100 butterfly. Graham (400 IM) and Mangan (200 backstroke) set new conference and championship marks at last year's CC meet. F&M's Kamdin also has his name on the record list as part of the Diplomats 2024 800 freestyle relay team, which set new conference and championship standards.
A total of 27 returners from six different teams have received All-CC honors at least once in their careers, with Gettysburg (10) and Swarthmore (9) leading the way.
Returning All-Americans (5)
Sam Kamdin, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2024-200 FR)
Ben Lockey, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2024-200 FR)
Cami Wilson, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025-100 fly, 200 FR, 400 FR | 2023-400 MR)
Danny Castle, Swarthmore, Jr. (2025-200 FR, 400 FR)
Levi Tipton, Swarthmore, So. (2025-200 FR, 400 FR)
Returning All-Centennial (27)
James Wright, Dickinson, Sr. (2025 Honorable Mention-200 back | 2024 Honorable Mention-200 back)
Sam Kamdin, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 FR, 400 FR | 2024 First Team-800 FR, 200 FR, 100 back | 2024 Second Team-400 MR | 2023 Honorable Mention-100 back)
Ben Lockey, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 FR, 400 FR | 2024 First Team-200 FR | 2024 Second Team-200 MR, 400 FR | 2023 Second Team-200 MR, 200 FR)
Thomas Smolinski, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 FR | 2023 Second Team-200 FR)
Patrick Rooney, Franklin & Marshall, Sr. (2024 Second Team-400 MR)
Max McAlister, Gettysburg, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 MR, 400 MR, 100 fly | 2024 Second Team-100 fly | 2023 First Team-200 MR | 2023 Second Team-800 FR, 400 MR, 100 fly)
John Verosko, Gettysburg, Sr. (2024 Second Team-500 free | 2023 Second Team-800 FR, 500 free)
Sam Nelson, Gettysburg, Jr. (2025 Second Team-500 free, 1650 free | 2024 First Team-1650 free)
Edward Kim, Gettysburg, Jr. (2025 First Team-800 FR | 2024 Second Team-100 back)
Connor Booth, Gettysburg, Jr. (2025 First Team-800 FR | 2025 Honorable Mention-200 free)
Evan Graham, Gettysburg, So. (2025 Rookie OTY | 2025 First Team-800 FR, 400 IM, 100 back | 2025 Second Team-200 MR, 200 back)
Connor Mangan, Gettysburg, So. (2025 First Team-800 FR, 200 back | 2025 Second Team-200 IM, 400 MR)
Ethan Keiner, Gettysburg, So. (2025 Second Team-200 MR, 400 MR | 2025 Honorable Mention-50 free)
Lorenzo Zullo, Gettysburg, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 MR, 100 breast | 2025 Honorable Mention-100 free)
Connor Tiffin, Gettysburg, So. (2025 Honorable Mention-400 IM)
Cami Wilson, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025 Swimmer OTY | 2025 First Team-200 MR, 50 free, 400 MR, 200 FR, 100 fly, 400 FR | 2025 Second Team-100 back | 2024 First Team-200 MR, 400 MR | 2024 Second Team-50 free, 200 FR, 100 fly | 2023 First Team-400 MR, 200 FR, 100 fly, 400 FR | 2023 Second Team-50 free)
Sam Peterson, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025 First Team-200 fly | 2025 Second Team-800 FR | 2024 First Team-200 fly | 2024 Second Team-800 FR | 2023 Second Team-200 fly)
Danny Castle, Swarthmore, Jr. (2025 First Team-200 MR, 200 IM, 200 FR, 200 free, 100 free, 400 FR | 2025 Second Team-800 FR | 2024 First Team-200 MR, 400 MR, 400 FR | 2024 Second Team-800 FR, 200 IM, 200 free, 100 free)
Dylan Ling, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025 First Team-400 MR | 2025 Honorable Mention-200 fly | 2024 Second Team-200 fly | 2023 Honorable Mention-200 fly)
Levi Tipton, Swarthmore, So. (2025 First Team-400 MR, 200 FR, 400 FR | 2025 Honorable Mention-100 fly)
Matvey Ivanov, Swarthmore, Jr. (2025 First Team-200 MR)
Dylan Herink, Swarthmore, Jr. (2025 Honorable Mention-200 IM | 2024 First Team-400 IM, 200 back)
Benton Greenberg, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025 Second Team-800 FR)
Mateo Smith, Swarthmore, Jr. (2025 Second Team-200 fly)
David McCauley, Ursinus, Sr. (2024 Honorable Mention-500 free | 2023 Honorable Mention-500 free)
Nate Rawa, Washington College, Jr. (2025 Honorable Mention-100 back)
Shane Brace, Washington College, Sr. (2024 Honorable Mention-100 fly)
