CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) - Five Atlantic Coast Conference swimming programs have been selected to participate in the inaugural season of the College Swimming League (CSL). The five participating teams, California, Louisville, NC State, Virginia and Stanford, are the most of any conference.
“We are incredibly proud to have five outstanding ACC swimming programs competing in the inaugural season of the College Swimming League,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “This innovative league provides another exceptional platform to showcase the talent and excellence that define ACC Swimming while creating a first-class experience for our student-athletes. We are also thrilled that ESPN will bring this exciting competition to fans nationwide, further elevating our programs and highlighting the remarkable achievements of our student-athletes.”
The CSL will feature 12 NCAA Division I swimming programs competing in four-team match formats across six regular-season matches. The season will conclude with a Wild Card match and the Championship.
"Olympic sports are under real pressure right now, and conferences that embrace something new like the CSL are the ones giving them a fighting chance in this new era of college athletics. The ACC bought in early, and having five of their programs in our founding class means we're building the CSL with people who understand what fans want. Virginia's women are the biggest story in the sport right now, NC State is a sprint factory, Cal and Stanford bring a rich tradition of NCAA title contention, and Louisville is a program that could contend for a CSL title in year one. The ACC has been one of the deepest swimming conferences in the country for decades, and they're exactly who we wanted in our founding class," said Kyle Sockwell, Chief Operating Officer of the College Swimming League.
On July 8, the CSL and ESPN announced a multi-year media rights agreement that makes ESPN the exclusive home of CSL competition in the United States and Canada. Under the agreement, all six regular-season matches will stream live on ESPN+ each season, while the CSL Wild Card and Championship will air on ESPNU.
"We are thrilled to welcome five powerhouse ACC programs—Virginia, NC State, Louisville, California, and Stanford—into the inaugural season of the College Swimming League (CSL)," said Rob Kent, Chief Executive Officer of the College Swimming League
. "Thanks to our newly announced multi-year media rights partnership with ESPN, these elite student-athletes will showcase their talents on a national stage with regular-season meets streaming live on ESPN+ and the postseason airing on ESPNU. By blending the ACC's tradition of excellence with the CSL's innovative, high-octane four-team match format—featuring rapid-fire short course yards racing, skins events and fan-first gamification—we are collectively elevating collegiate swimming to unprecedented commercial and broadcast heights."
2026 CSL Schedule
Thursday, September 24
Match 1 | ESPN+
Friday, September 25
Match 2 | ESPN+
Friday, October 2
Match 3 | ESPN+
Friday, October 9
Match 4 | ESPN+
Friday, October 16
Match 5 | ESPN+
Friday, October 23
Match 6 | ESPN+
Thursday, November 5
Wild Card Match | ESPNU
Friday, November 6
Championship | ESPNU