LANCASTER, Pa. – Five-time defending champion Swarthmore edged out Johns Hopkins for the top spot in the 2026-27 Centennial Conference Women's Swimming Preseason Poll. The Garnet compiled six first-place votes and 61 points to earn the distinction of preseason favorite in a vote among CC head coaches. 

Johns Hopkins, the 2025-26 runner-up, tallied 59 points and the remaining three first-place votes to finish second in the poll. Gettysburg was chosen third with 51 points, followed by Ursinus (39), Franklin & Marshall (36), Dickinson (33), Washington College (22), Bryn Mawr (14) and McDaniel (9). 

Centennial teams are set to open the 2026-27 campaign this Saturday, Oct. 24 with F&M and Gettysburg hosting CC meets. The Centennial Championship meet will take place Feb. 18-21 at F&M, while the NCAA Championships are set for March 17-20 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C. 

2026-27 Centennial Conference Women's Swimming Preseason Poll

2026-27 Schedule | 2026 Championship Results | 2026 All-Centennial Team | History & Records | All-Time Top 10

Swarthmore captured one for the thumb last season, continuing its winning streak with a fifth straight Centennial Conference title. The Garnet narrowly defeated conference newcomer Johns Hopkins by 15.5 points to become the third program in CC history to win at least five straight titles along with Gettysburg (1994-2000) and Ursinus (2014-19). It marked the seventh overall CC title for Swarthmore, with the other two championships occuring in 2001 and 2002. 

The Garnet welcome back seven All-Americans and eight All-Centennial performers in 2026-27, led by senior Genine Collins. Already one of the most decorated swimmers in CC history, Collins enters her senior campaign with 16 All-America awards, two NCAA silver medals (2026 50 freestyle & 100 freestyle), one NCAA bronze (2025 50 freestyle), 20 All-Centennial awards, including 18 gold medals, and holds the CC and Swarthmore program records in both the 50 freestyle (22.50) and 100 freestyle (49.76). Collins is one of just two swimmers in CC history to have multiple top-three individual finishes at the NCAA championship along with F&M's Krystle Satrum, who won three-straight national titles in the 200 backstroke from 2002-04. Collins also has the chance to become the first-ever four-time CC champion in the 50 freestyle and just the third three-time champion in the 100 freestyle at the CC championship in February. Other returning All-Americans for Swarthmore include Riley Bacinski, Maya Ambardekar, Ava Craig, Cara Dominici, Sam Packard, and Norah Rutkowski. 

Hopkins welcomes back a deep pool of talented and accomplished swimmers as well, with nine swimmers back that earned All-America accolades last season and seven that received All-Centennial honors. Returning 2026 All-Americans for the Blue Jays include Jaya Veerapaneni, Reese Rosenthal, Ken Lee, Elizabeth Cohen, Kimberly Lan, Renee Bak, Anna Miler, Melissa Er, and Julia Tuinman. 

Gettysburg's Delaney Reck and Lanie McKenzie and Ursinus' Caelan Ladd are also back as All-Americans this winter. 

Eight conference records and eight CC championship meet records were set last season. Swarthmore's Collins is the record holder in both the overall and championship meet 50 and 100 freestyles. JHU's Veerapaneni set a new conference 100 backstroke record last winter, while JHU's Lee broke the conference and championship marks in the 200 backstroke. 

Returning All-Americans (19)

Delaney Reck, Gettysburg, Sr. (2026-400 FR | 2025-400 FR | 2024-400 FR, 200 FR)
Lanie McKenzie, Gettysburg, Sr. (2026-400 FR)

Jaya Veerapaneni, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026-200 MR, 400 MR, 100 back)
Reese Rosenthal, Johns Hopkins, So. (2026-200 MR, 400 MR)
Ken Lee, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026-800 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR, 100 fly, 200 back)
Elizabeth Cohen, Johns Hopkins, Sr. (2026-200 FR, 400 MR)
Kimberly Lan, Johns Hopkins, Sr. (2026-200 FR, 200 MR)
Renee Bak, Johns Hopkins, So. (2026-200 FR)
Anna Miler, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026-200 FR)
Melissa Er, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026-800 FR)
Julia Tuinman, Johns Hopkins, Sr. (2026-800 FR)

Genine Collins, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026-200 FR, 400 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR, 50 free, 100 free | 2025-200 FR, 400 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR, 50 free | 2024-400 FR, 200 FR, 400 MR, 100 free, 50 free)
Riley Bacinski, Swarthmore, So. (2026-200 FR, 400 FR)
Maya Ambardekar, Swarthmore, Jr. (2026-200 MR)
Ava Craig, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025-800 FR)
Cara Dominici, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026-200 MR)
Sam Packard, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026-200 FR)
Norah Rutkowski, Swarthmore, Jr. (2026-200 MR)

Caelan Ladd, Ursinus, So. (2026-500 free, 400 IM)

Returning All-Centennial (25)

Anna Gnagey, Dickinson, Sr. (2025 Honorable Mention-200 back)

Delphine Brown, Franklin & Marshall, So. (2026 Second Team-200 free | 2026 Honorable Mention-500 free)

Delaney Reck, Gettysburg, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 FR, 100 back | 2025 Honorable Mention-50 free | 2024 Second Team-200 MR, 200 FR, 100 back, 400 FR)
Ava Berry, Gettysburg, Sr. (2026 Second Team-1650 free | 2025 First Team-1650 free | 2025 Second Team-800 FR, 400 IM | 2025 Honorable Mention-500 free | 2024 Honorable Mention-500 free, 1650 free)
Lanie McKenzie, Gettysburg, Sr. (2026 Second Team-400 MR | 2026 Honorable Mention-200 IM | 2025 Second Team-800 FR, 200 IM, 200 back)
Paige McKim, Gettysburg, Sr. (2026 Honorable Mention-1650 free)
Audrey Csokmay, Gettysburg, Sr. (2025 Second Team-200 MR)

Ken Lee, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026 First Team-200 MR, 100 fly, 100 back | 2026 Second Team-800 FR, 200 back)
Anna Miler, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026 First Team-200 MR | 2026 Second Team-100 back)
Reese Rosenthal, Johns Hopkins, So. (2026 First Team-200 MR | 2026 Honorable Mention-100 breast)
Jaya Verrapaneni, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026 First Team-200 MR | 2026 Honorable Mention-100 back)
Melissa Er, Johns Hopkins, Jr. (2026 Second Team-800 FR)
Julia Tuinman, Johns Hopkins, Sr. (2026 Second Team-800 FR | 2026 Honorable Mention-200 free)
Kate Petitt, Johns Hopkins, Sr. (2026 Honorable Mention-200 fly)

Genine Collins, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026 First Team-200 FR, 400 FR, 400 MR, 50 free, 100 free | 2026 Second Team-200 MR | 2025 First Team-200 MR, 50 free, 400 MR, 200 FR, 100 fly, 100 free, 400 FR | 2024 Rookie OTY | 2024 First Team-200 MR, 50 free, 400 MR, 200 FR, 100 fly, 400 FR | 2024 Honorable Mention-100 free)
Ava Craig, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026 First Team-800 FR | 2025 First Team-800 FR, 500 free, 400 FR | 2025 Second Team-200 free)
Norah Rutkowski, Swarthmore, Jr. (2026 First Team-800 FR, 400 MR | 2026 Second Team | 200 MR, 100 fly | 2025 Rookie OTY | 2025 First Team-400 MR | 2025 Second Team-100 fly)
Cara Dominici, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026 First Team-100 breast, 200 breast | 2025 Second Team-100 breast, 200 breast)
Maya Ambardekar, Swarthmore, Jr. (2026 First Team-400 MR | 2026 Second Team-200 MR | 2026 Honorable Mention-200 back)
Riley Bacinski, Swarthmore, So. (2026 First Team-200 FR, 400 FR)
Sam Packard, Swarthmore, Sr. (2026 First Team-200 FR)
Mirabel Fernald, Swarthmore, Sr. (2025 Honorable Mention-100 fly)

Caelan Ladd, Ursinus, So. (2026 First Team-500 free | 2026 Second Team-200 MR, 100 fly)
Morgan Valeriano, Ursinus, Sr. (2026 Honorable Mention-200 breast)
Melanie Hahn, Ursinus, Sr. (2024 Second Team-800 FR)