US PDCA NCAA DIVING POLLS & POWER RANKINGS
We are thrilled to unveil the inaugural PDCA “Top 25,” a brand new ranking dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the best in NCAA diving. For too long, diving has been an afterthought in swimming-centric rankings, where the success of a diving program is often lost in the overall team score. The PDCA Top 25 changes that, providing a comprehensive and accurate measure of excellence for both individual divers and diving programs across the nation.
Our rankings are a celebration of consistency, execution, and competitive dominance. We’ve created a system that goes beyond a single high score and instead rewards sustained excellence throughout the season.
2025-26 Coaches Poll
Miami (FL) women and men surge to place Hurricanes at top of newest US PDCA Coaches Polls
Dec. 22, 2025 — The University of Miami women jumped from No. 8 to No. 1 to take a convincing lead over No. 2 Purdue in the December US Professional Diving Coaches Association Division-I Coaches Poll. The Hurricane men went from tied at No. 7 last month to hold a narrow margin of No. 2 Tennessee, itself making a huge climb up from No. 10.
The Texas women dropped from the top spot for the first time and sit at No. 3, just 0.1 ahead of Minnesota, with Florida rounding out the Top 5. On the men’s side Purdue, Indiana, and Texas, the Top 3 programs last month, fill out the Top 5 following midseason invitationals.
Of note, while the Miami women were just No. 25 in the most recent Power Rankings, Rutgers (T1) and Arkansas (T3) only check in at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. The men’s poll was more reflective of the Power Rankings with the Top 10 of each containing the same programs.
In the composite dual-gender rankings, where we average the women’s and men’s polls for dual-gender programs only, Miami (FL) logically sits alone at the top, with other traditional powerhouse programs Purdue, Texas, Indiana, and Tennessee rounding out the Top 5.
The Ivy League had a strong showing with the Princeton women jumping 13 spots and the men 12, as well as the Harvard women and Dartmouth men each recording votes. IU Indianapolis is the only mid-major to make the Top 25 as their men again appear at No. 25, but Illinois Chicago is just 0.1 behind and UMass also received votes. The Northern Arizona and North Texas women both sit just outside the Top 25 representing mid-major programs.
From a conference perspective, the BigTen have five women’s teams in the top eight spots while the SEC again has four in the Top 10. The men’s side saw a bigger shake up with the BigTen securing four and the SEC three inside the Top 10. The ACC, Big12, and Ivy League each also have a program in the Top 10.
Rankings are calculated using a modified 24-deep scoring model. Total points by ranked place divided by number of voters. Points by ranked place are awarded as follows:
35-30-28-27-26-25-24-23-22-20-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Archived Polls
Dec. 22 Coaches Polls
Current D-I Power Rankings (Pre-Conference)
Use the tabs below to navigate between board, gender, and team ratings.
Archived Power Rankings
METHODOLOGY: The PDCA ranking is powered by data meticulously collected from DiveMeets.com, the definitive source for collegiate diving results. The core of our system is a tiered points model that assigns value to a diver’s performance based on their average optional score in an event. This approach mirrors the competitive rigor of a championship “C” final, where every point matters.
Here’s how the scoring works:
- Tiered Points: Divers are placed into one of 24 performance tiers based on their optional scores. For example, a diver with an average optional score between 65.0 and 65.999 is awarded the top tier of 32 points. These points descend through the tiers following the “C” final model down to 1 point for the 24th and .5 point for all divers below that threshold.
CATEGORIES OF RANKINGS
The PDCA “Top 25” provides a holistic view of the sport with three ranking categories for each level:
- Individual Rankings: A diver’s total score is a combination of their best performances across the season.
- Team Rankings: Teams are ranked based on the combined scores of their divers. We recognize two formats:
- Dual Meet Format: The sum of the top three divers’ scores in an event. This highlights teams with strong top-end talent.
- Championship Meet Format: The sum of the top four divers’ scores in an event. This rewards the programs with the greatest depth.
Combined Program Rankings: A unique ranking that combines the scores of both the men’s and women’s teams, in both dual and championship formats. This celebrates the collective strength of a university’s entire diving program.
The PDCA “Top 25” is intended for entertainment purposes, offering a new lens through which to appreciate the incredible talent and dedication within NCAA diving. It is in no way meant to dictate actual placement or limit the potential of any athlete, coach, or program.