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
Here are the strongest NAIA men’s swimming colleges, according to a 2021-2022 NAIA post-season poll.