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.

How many NAIA schools are there for men’s swimming?

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.

NAIA swimming rankings

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

1. Indiana Wesleyan University
2. Soka University
3. Ave Maria University
4. St. Ambrose University
5. Olivet Nazarene University
6. Loyola University New Orleans
7. The College of Idaho
8. St. Thomas University – Florida
9. University of the Cumberlands
10. Arizona Christian University

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

Full List of NAIA Swimming Colleges

School

City and State

Type

Conference

Division

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Ave Maria, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Mishawaka, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

McKenzie, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Campbellsville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Columbia, South Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Marion, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

West Palm Beach, Florida

Public

The Sun Conference

NAIA

Marietta, Georgia

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fremont, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Midway, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Milligan University, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

West Point, Georgia

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Savannah, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Portsmouth, Ohio

Public

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Redding, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Aliso Viejo, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Davenport, Iowa

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Laurinburg, North Carolina

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Miami, Florida

Private

The Sun Conference

NAIA

Sterling, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Caldwell, Idaho

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Santa Clarita, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Thomasville, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Barbourville, Kentucky

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pikeville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Leavenworth, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Williamsburg, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Beckley, West Virginia

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Irvine, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA