BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Three Mid-South Conference teams open the 2026-27 season in the top 10 of the SwimCloud NAIA Women's Swimming & Diving Ratings, NAIA officials announced on Friday.

Cumberlands (Ky.) is No. 3, Indiana Wesleyan (Ind.) is No. 7, and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) is No. 8 in the first ratings release of the year.

Cumberlands is the highest-rated MSC team at No. 3 with 464.61 points, just 4.79 points behind second-place Keiser (Fla.). Zuzia Denisiewicz leads the NAIA in both the 100-yard backstroke (57.95) and 200 backstroke (2:05.91). Alisa Radygina holds the second-fastest 200 backstroke time (2:07.50). Bella Hoare ranks second in the 1,000 freestyle (10:39.03) and third in the 200 individual medley (2:09.97). The Patriots are third nationally in the 400 freestyle relay (3:34.16) and tied for third in the 200 medley relay (1:48.38).

Indiana Wesleyan is No. 7 with 394.42 points. Emma Bledsoe ranks seventh nationally in the 50 breaststroke (31.92), Catherine Van Der Aa is seventh in the 100 individual medley (1:06.47), and Marta Sinsabaugh is eighth in the 50 butterfly (27.53). The Wildcats hold the fifth-fastest 800 freestyle relay time (8:44.33), rank ninth in the 200 freestyle relay (1:43.40) and stand 10th in the 400 medley relay (4:12.85).

Lindsey Wilson checks in at No. 8 with 354.50 points, edging No. 9 University of Saint Mary (Kan.) by less than half a point. That is the tightest margin in the top 10. Nathalie Medina is fourth in the 1,650 freestyle (18:44.91) and seventh in the 200 butterfly (2:12.82), and Klara Svobodova is ninth in the 1,650 freestyle (19:42.43). The Blue Raiders have the second-fastest 800 freestyle relay in the NAIA (8:26.00) and rank eighth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:45.10).

St. Thomas (Fla.) starts the season at No. 1 with 510.03 points. Keiser is second, Cumberlands third, Aquinas (Mich.) fourth, and SCAD (Ga.) fifth.

The next SwimCloud NAIA Ratings release is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 20.