Five swimmers to watch at the 2024 Men’s NCAA Swimming Championships 

Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships are right around the corner, and the 2024 athletes are about to light up the pool.

From 27-30 March at the IU Natatorium, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the best swimmers from Division I universities across the nation will put everything on the line.

World champions, NCAA record holders and Olympians are all set to line up behind the blocks and here are five swimmers you’re not going to want to miss.

The action can be watched live at NCAA.com.

Leon Marchand, Arizona State University

Leon Marchand is a five-time world champion, five-time NCAA Champion and at the World Championships in 2023, became a world record holder after swimming the fastest 400m IM in history, with a staggering 4:02.50.

Sitting on top of the men’s Division I rankings according to swimcloud, the French swimmer is looking like the one to beat in Indianapolis as the swimmers head to the IU Natatorium for the summit of collegiate competition. After the Championships, his focus will shift to Paris 2024, where he aims to claim gold in front of a home crowd.

• Leon Marchand talks about a new world record and Olympic preparations

Josh Liendo, University of Florida

Seven-time All American and four-time NCAA Champion Josh Liendo is approaching his second NCAA Championships, already having made a major splash in the collegiate pool.

Last year he claimed the SEC Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year title and became the second-fastest swimmer to ever swim the 100m freestyle at the Championships. With four World Championship medals, he is another athlete competing in Indianapolis that will shift his focus to Paris after the championships.

Jordan Crooks, University of Tennessee

Jordan Crooks started as a big fish in the small pond that is the Cayman Islands, making his way from national records to becoming the nation's first athlete to take a world title in any sport.

Now a junior at the University of Tennessee, he continues to make splashes in a much bigger pond. During last year's season, he became the second-fastest person to ever swim the 50m freestyle in the NCAA, taking the SEC title. Crooks capped his season with an NCAA title in the same event and has only built momentum since.

Johnny Marshall, University of Florida

University of Florida freshman and Great Britain National Team member Johnny Marshall is off to a strong start for his first year in Florida and has hopes to take home some titles in Indianapolis.

At the 2024 SEC Championships in February of this year, he became the fastest collegiate newcomer to ever swim the 100m backstroke in 44.36. He crushed his personal best of 45.57 to come ahead of the second and third place tie between Destin Lasco and Will Modglin, who both clocked a 44.49. Will he be able to do the same against the collegiate best of the best?

Hubert Kós, Arizona State University

Coming in at second on the swimcloud collegiate rankings behind ASU teammate Marchand, Hubert Kós is looking to land on top of the podium this year after taking a third and fourth place finish in 2023.

He holds the NCAA record in the 200m backstroke with a time of 1:35.69 and holds the school record in both the 100m backstroke and 400m medley relay. Also competing on an international level for Hungary, Kós took a World Championships gold in the 200m backstroke in 2023.