EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Swimming and Diving was predicted to finish sixth in the Summit League coaches' poll this season, while senior Lane Pollock and junior Sam Smith were named to the 2025-26 Preseason Athletes to Watch List on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Projected to finish first in the poll is the University of Denver, accumulating 36 total votes and six first-place votes. The University of South Dakota finished second with 30 votes and one first-place vote. South Dakota State University was picked third with 26 votes, just ahead of the University of Nebraska Omaha with 22 votes. Rounding out the poll were St. Thomas University (16), USI (10), and Eastern Illinois University (7).
 
Pollock enters his senior campaign off the back of an All-Summit League junior year. During his phenomenal junior season, Pollock reset his one-meter school record with a score of 287.50, along with setting a new personal record in the three-meter with 293.20. At the Summit League Championship, he placed fifth in both the one and three meter, contributing 28 points to the team's performance.
 
Smith finished his sophomore season, becoming the program's first conference medalist, earning silver in the 200 butterfly at the Summit League Championship. He earned a spot on the All-Summit League team following his incredible conference performance. Smith Garnered two conference A-Finals performances, placing second in the 200 fly and eighth in the 100 fly
 
The Screaming Eagles kick off their 2025-26 campaign on October 11 in West Lafayette, Indiana, competing at the Indiana Intercollegiate Meet, hosted by Purdue University. USI will be back in town at the Deaconess Aquatic Center against the University of Evansville on October 25, and USI's first true home meet will be January 10 against the University of Illinois Chicago inside the USI Aquatic Center.