Tennessee Swimming and Diving Announces Elite Class of 2027 Recruits

The announcement follows the program’s previous success in landing the No. 2 recruiting class for 2026.

By securing a group that includes two swimmers ranked in the national top ten and the nation's premier diver, the program expects to compete more effectively in the coming seasons.

The incoming class features a high density of elite talent, including three recruits ranked within the top 20 nationally by SwimSwam. This recruitment drive targets specific disciplines, ranging from freestyle and butterfly to specialized breaststroke and individual medley events.

For the Lady Vols, the addition of Adalynn Biegler provides a cornerstone for the freestyle events. Biegler, ranked as the No. 5 swimmer in the 2027 class, holds six individual Minnesota state championships and five Minnesota high school records. Her competitive resume includes a silver medal in the 50 free at the 2024 U.S. Open Championships and a victory in the 100 free at the 2026 Speedo Junior National Championships.

Alyssa Ton enters the program as the No. 6 recruit, bringing the fastest 200 free time in the class of 2027. A member of the U.S. Junior National Team, Ton previously earned the title of 2026 Orange County Register Swimmer of the Year.

Head of the Class: 2027 College Recruiting Class #8 : Tennessee — The Prospect Pipeline

The roster will also gain international depth through Kaidy Stout and Ella Busquets. Stout, ranked No. 19 overall, earned a bronze medal in the 200 breast at the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Championships. Busquets brings a connection to the program’s history, as she is the third member of her family to swim for Tennessee.

Her father, Ricky Busquets, was a member of the 1996 NCAA championship-winning 200 medley relay team and a four-time Olympian for Puerto Rico. Her mother, Emily Plummer, was a two-time All-American for the Lady Vols and a U.S. National title winner in the 400 free relay.

The incoming class’s statistical profile highlights a broad range of competitive strengths:

Athlete	Primary Event(s)	National/Class Rank
Jake Mannarino	Diving	No. 1 Diver
Collin Holgerson	Back/Breast/IM	No. 2 Athlete
Adalynn Biegler	Free/Fly/Back	No. 5 Swimmer
Hayden Vicknair	Free/Fly/IM	No. 6 Swimmer
Alyssa Ton	Free/IM	No. 6 Swimmer

On the men’s side, the Vols have secured Collin Holgerson, ranked as the No. 2 athlete in the 2027 class. Holgerson holds three Tennessee high school state records and has been named the Tennessee State Swimmer of the Year twice.

Hayden Vicknair, the Tennessee state recordholder in the 100 free, joins the roster as the sixth-ranked recruit. Vicknair recently earned a spot on the 2026-27 U.S. National Junior Team for the 100 fly.

Jake Mannarino improves the diving program. The Orlando-based athlete is a two-time junior national champion and recently broke the Florida high school state record in the 1-meter event with a score of 683.80.

Other notable additions include Brayden Capen, an 18th-ranked recruit and two-time U.S. Junior National Team member, and Sloane Whelehan, an honorable mention on the SwimSwam top 20 list who has won five individual state championships.

The recruitment of such a high concentration of top-tier talent suggests a strategic push to reclaim dominance in collegiate swimming and diving conferences.