Arizona State and NC State each have two of the top 10 spots in our swimming NIL Score rankings, and West Virginia’s Vedaant Madhavan leads at 30.6. Here are the top 10 college swimmers and divers by RallyFuel NIL Score as of Nov. 8, 2026, in a sport where every score comes from reach rather than race results.
Quick summary
- Vedaant Madhavan of West Virginia leads at 30.6, 3.4 points ahead of Arizona State’s Alexia Sotomayor (27.2).
- Arizona State and NC State each have two of the top 10. Virginia has one in the top 10 and three in the top 25.
- Every one of the 1,738 scored swimming and diving profiles shows a performance score of zero, so NIL visibility, social power and fan demand decide the order.
- The sport’s average score is 7.6, and the 10th-ranked athlete scores 20.9.
How the RallyFuel NIL Score works
The RallyFuel NIL Score, labeled NIL Index on athlete profiles, is a number out of 100 built from four parts: performance, NIL visibility, social power and fan demand. It measures NIL momentum, not dollars earned, and it is not a contract value. The NIL glossary explains the terms, and the RallyFuel NIL Score leaderboard shows how whole schools compare.
The figures come from RallyFuel’s own athlete data, read on Nov. 8, 2026, across 1,738 active swimming and diving profiles with a score. We ranked athletes marked as active roster players, sorted by composite score rounded to one decimal. Athletes marked inactive are not included. The list combines men’s and women’s swimmers and divers. For results-based coverage, see our college swimming rankings, and for the same method in other sports see our wrestling NIL Score rankings.
Swimming NIL Score rankings: the top 10
| # | Athlete | School | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vedaant Madhavan | West Virginia | 30.6 |
| 2 | Alexia Sotomayor | Arizona State | 27.2 |
| 3 | Matteo Santoro | Miami | 25.2 |
| 4 | Katie Grimes | Virginia | 24.5 |
| 5 | Luke Sitz | SMU | 24.4 |
| 6 | Greta Marcott | Wyoming | 21.7 |
| 7 | Quintin McCarty | NC State | 21.6 |
| 8 | Maryam Sheikhalizadehkhanghah | Arizona | 21.4 |
| 9 | Ilya Kharun | Arizona State | 21.3 |
| 10 | Kaii Winkler | NC State | 20.9 |
Source: RallyFuel athlete data, NIL Score as of Nov. 8, 2026. Scores are out of 100.
A list built on visibility and social power
No swimmer or diver on RallyFuel currently has a performance score above zero, so the NIL Score in this sport is a measure of reach. Madhavan’s profile shows NIL visibility of 75 and social power of 78, the highest social power in the top 10. Sotomayor has visibility of 78.1, the highest in the group, with social power of 58. Matteo Santoro of Miami is third (25.2) on visibility of 56 and social power of 70.
That makes the swimming list different from a results ranking. A fast swimmer with a small social following can score close to zero, and the top 10 should not be read as the best swimmers in college. For race results and team rankings, use our college swimming rankings post, which tracks the CSCAA top 10. Our NIL for swimmers guide explains how swimmers and divers can build a profile.
Arizona State and NC State lead on depth
Arizona State has the second-ranked Sotomayor and the ninth-ranked Ilya Kharun (21.3), and its 35 scored profiles average 10.4. NC State has Quintin McCarty in seventh (21.6) and Kaii Winkler in 10th (20.9), with 38 scored profiles averaging 11.2.
Virginia has Katie Grimes in fourth (24.5), three players in the top 25 and 34 scored profiles averaging 9.3. SMU has Luke Sitz in fifth (24.4). NC State, Virginia and Miami compete in the ACC, while Arizona State, Arizona and West Virginia compete in the Big 12. Maryam Sheikhalizadehkhanghah of Arizona is eighth at 21.4.
Fan demand barely registers
Only 15 of 1,738 scored swimmers and divers have any fan demand score. Greta Marcott, a freshman at Wyoming, is the only one in the top 10. She is sixth at 21.7 with fan demand of 40, even though her NIL visibility of 25.3 is the lowest in the group. Without that fan demand score, she would fall out of the top 10.
Her case shows how a single signal can lift a profile in a sport with so few scoring inputs. The other 14 swimmers and divers with a fan demand score are all outside the top 10, so fan demand alone has not been enough to reach the list. Swimmers who want to raise their numbers can start with a complete, active profile and a steady social presence, which are the parts of the formula an athlete can influence most directly.
Reading the scores
The average scored swimmer or diver on RallyFuel has a NIL Score of 7.6. Everyone in the top 10 scores at least 2.7 times that, and Madhavan’s 30.6 is just over four times the sport average. The scores are lower across the board than in sports with a performance score, because one of the four parts is missing for everyone.
Scores change as profiles and social data update, so treat this table as a snapshot of NIL momentum on Nov. 8, 2026. To compare whole programs, open the school NIL Score leaderboard and the schools directory.
Swimming NIL Score FAQ
Who has the highest NIL Score in college swimming?
Vedaant Madhavan of West Virginia leads at 30.6 as of Nov. 8, 2026, ahead of Arizona State’s Alexia Sotomayor at 27.2.
Why does every swimmer have a performance score of zero?
The performance part of the formula has no value on any swimming and diving profile today. The composite score therefore comes from NIL visibility, social power and fan demand.
Does the list show the fastest swimmers in college?
No. It measures NIL momentum, not race results. For results-based rankings, see our college swimming rankings.
Does the list include divers?
Yes. RallyFuel groups swimming and diving as one sport, and the list includes men’s and women’s athletes.
Follow College Athletes on RallyFuel
Explore every college athlete profile on RallyFuel’s athletes page, browse the schools directory and make your predictions for upcoming games on the RallyFuel predictions page. Follow your favorite swimmers and divers all season.
