The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) consists of generally smaller campuses and more well-rounded college experiences for student-athletes, compared to larger NCAA institutions. There are no recruiting restrictions or calendars in place, so recruiting can happen year-round and at any point in a high school student-athlete’s career. Swimmers looking for a more traditional college experience, with the flexibility to join campus groups or even study abroad, NAIA is a great fit.
Within the NAIA there are 22 institutions offering men’s swimming programs, and fully funded teams can offer up to 8 scholarships. NAIA swim scholarships usually get divided amongst multiple student-athletes, making full-ride scholarships rare. That means the amount of scholarship money a swimmer may receive depends on the school, the coach and how they decide to use the overall funds.
In an effort to guide student-athletes and their families in evaluating schools, NCSA creates an annual list of Power Rankings. There are many factors to finding the right college fit, particularly for NAIA student-athletes who may be more interested in having a well-rounded college experience than just simply athletics. Our Power Rankings help paint the bigger picture.
Best NAIA men’s swimming colleges
Soka University of America
The College of Idaho
Asbury
Loyola University New Orleans
Morningside College
Bethel
St. Ambrose
The Master’s
Olivet Nazarene
Williams Baptist
Here are the strongest NAIA men’s swimming colleges, according to a 2018-2019 NAIA post-season poll.