Kowal, the NCAA swimmer of the year, leads the nation's deepest roster. Phillip MCCallum/NCAA Photos

1. GEORGIA
With senior breaststroker Kristy Kowal (last season's NCAA female swimmer of the year) and junior backstroker Keegan Walkley heading the country's deepest roster, Georgia should become the first national champ to repeat since Stanford in 1996.

2. STANFORD
Leading the Cardinal's charge are senior Catherine Fox and junior Misty Hyman, both of whom won individual NCAA titles last season. The Cardinal will need great efforts from senior Gabrielle Rose and junior diver Kim Powers to contend with Georgia's depth.

3. ARIZONA
Senior Trina Jackson is the best of a pack of outstanding freestylers, and junior diver Lindsay Berryman is a proven commodity as well. But this team will contend for a national title on the strength of a recruiting class that includes 1996 Olympic gold medalists Beth Botsford and Amanda Beard.

4. CALIFORNIA
The Bears, paced by sophomore jacks-of-all-trades Joscelin Yeo (butterfly, freestyle, medleys) and Haley Cope (butterfly, free), should improve slightly on last year's fifth-place finish if they can compensate for the loss of graduated Pac-10 swimmer of the year Marylyn Chiang.

5. USC
The Trojans will be in the chase if sophomore Kristin MacGregor continues to improve and the nation's top recruiting class (featuring last year's high school swimmer of the year Michala Kwasny) delivers.

6. MICHIGAN
The Wolverines finished seventh at last year's NCAAs; a veteran class returns that should help them improve on that showing. Senior Shannon Shakespeare, an All-America freestyler for three straight years, leads the way.

7. AUBURN
Though a national title is out of reach, Auburn will be a factor at the NCAAs. Seniors Annemieke McReynolds (breast) and Mimi Bowen (fly) are among the Tigers' top returners.

8. SMU
Gone are 10-time NCAA individual champ Martina Moravcova and one-meter diving champ Jenny Lingamfelter. Leading the rebuilding will be freshman Lauren Stinnett, a two-time national champ in the 200 fly.

9. VIRGINIA
Eight All-Americas, led by senior Rebecca Cronk (sprint free), return for a Cavaliers squad that finished a surprising 10th in the NCAAs last March.

10. FLORIDA
Sophomore Megan Melgaard (two top seven NCAA finishes in freestyle distance events) is a notable returner on a very young Gators team that seems a year from national contention.

Hot Dates

Feb. 24-26
Pac-10 championships, Long Beach, Calif.

March 16-18
NCAA Division I championships, Indiana University

Cybersources

www.usswim.org
U.S. Swimming's official site

www.swiminfo.com
www.swiminfo.com

Division II

Drury College of Missouri, led by senior Kathleen Hayes, who won three NCAA individual titles (200- and 500-yard freestyle and 200 butterfly), and junior Vanessa Young, winner of two national titles (100 and 200 breaststroke), is a good bet for its fourth straight national title.

Division III