Swimming World Announces NEW Changes to College Recruit Rankings

PHOENIX, Arizona, January 11. IN November, Swimming World debuted a new star ranking system to help categorize the top high school recruits in the sport of swimming. Similar to how the original system grew out of the huge following for our Class of 2008 updates, we have listened to the various requests and suggestions regarding the star ranking system.

Originally introduced on Nov. 6, 2007, the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings (Yds) system created a six-star ranking system as follows:

6 Star : NCAA Title Winner or Multiple A Finals
5 Star : A Final or Multiple B Finals
4 Star : B Final or Multiple Qualifying Marks (Last In Time at DI NCAAs)
3 Star : Qualify Mark (Last In Time at DI NCAAs) or Multiple B Cuts
2 Star : B Cut
1 Star : Non Qualifier

While this system provided a landmark way of looking at the swimming recruit scene, there were a few flaws in the initial system. After much due diligence and input from various swimming sources throughout the nation, we've decided to make an update to the rankings that rectify three separate holes in the original system.

While the central philosophy behind the system is that a recruit is promoted based on their proven ability in the yard format, many top recruits were being underrated in the old system.

The three main issues we've addressed are as follows:
* "Meter Kids" – The term, Meter Kids, was developed during conversations as we worked to retool the old system. Some top swimmers are so focused on the Olympic movement that they may rarely, if ever, shave and taper for a yard meet until they reach college. We did not want to discount these swimmers.

* International Swimmers – Some high impact international recruits automatically were given one stars since they may never have swum a yard event in their career.

* Males – The top rating a male recruit typically could achieve under the old system was three stars with the bulk of them being one star.

Here is the new system that fills in each of those voids, and allows for a much stronger set of rankings.

6 Star : A Final and/or Multiple B Finals
5 Star : B Final and/or Multiple Qualifying Marks (Last year's slowest qualifying time per event at DI NCAAs) and/or Multiple U.S. Olympic Trials Cuts
4 Star : Qualifying Mark (Last year's slowest qualifying time per event at DI NCAAs) and/or Multiple B Cuts and/or 1 U.S. Olympic Trials Cut
3 Star : B Cut and/or USA Swimming Junior National Cut
2 Star : National Club Swimming Association Junior National Cut
1 Star : Everyone Else

While the new system still rewards proven ability in the yard format by reserving a six-star rating for only those that have posted remarkably fast yard times, the addition of Olympic Trials, USA Swimming Junior National and National Club Swimming Association Junior National cuts addresses the three flaws in the old system.

Based on times from last year's NCAA Division I Championships, as well as this year's qualifying standards, we've developed the following grid to match times against.

As originally stated in November, recruits will initially be ranked based on their times in the USA Swimming times database. We will also still accept promotion petitions from coaches and swimmers as recruits improve upon their times. To do so, please contact Newsmaster with a link or copy of results. Updates to the rankings will be done on a regular basis, but not always daily.

While we hope that this system addresses the bulk of the swimming recruit scene, we reserve the right to adjust it whenever necessary.

Keep an eye on the Class of 2008 update as we update the rankings of each swimmer.

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