2018 NCSA Junior National Championships (SCY)
- March 13th-17th, 2018
- Orlando YMCA Aquatic Center, Orlando, Florida
- SCY (25y) course
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
Psych sheets have been released for the ‘other’ major Junior National Championship meet, the NCSA Junior Nationals, in Orlando, Florida. The meet, while not a USA Swimming official Junior National Championship, is a USA Swmiming-sanctioned meet and still draws an elite level of competition – especially from states where the March timing fits better with their high school schedules than does USA Swimming’s version in December.
Among the headliners at this year’s meet is Marlins of Raleigh swimmer Maddie Homovich, a former member of the USA Swimming National Junior Team, will attend the meet with entries in the 500/1000/1650 freestyles as well as the 200 fly, 200 back, and 400 IM. She was last year’s high-point award winner, earning 154 points in the same 6 events – though she didn’t win any of them. She starts with huge seed advantages in two of the distance freestyles – the 500 (4:39.74 – 4.5 second margin); and the 1000 free (9:37.78 – 18 second margin).
Among the youngest competitors at the meet is Claire Tuggle, a 13-year old who at last year’s meet broke several National Age Group Records when she was only 12.
The boys’ meet will have a lot of turnover from last year – the top 7 individual high point winners from last year’s meet don’t return this year. Jack Dolan, who was 8th last year, breaks that streak by returning to defend his titles in the 100 free and 100 back. He’s also the top seed in the 50 free, 200 free, 50 back, 200 back, and 100 fly.
Among the big absences is National Age Group and National High School Record holder Reece Whitley, who is wrapping up his junior career and will head to Cal in the fall. He’s swum at the last two editions of this meet, but won’t attend in 2018.
The meet is worth more than bragging-rights, though. The meet will also select participants for the annual NCSA Junior National Team that will take a training trip to Dublin, Ireland.
To earn a spot on the team, first-and-foremost, swimmers must be eligible to represent the USA in international competition. The first 2 swimmers in each Olympic-equivalent event (including the 1000 and 1650 free, excluding the stroke 50s) will earn a spot on the team. If fewer than 26 male and 26 female swimmers are selected at that point, then the 3rd and 4th available swimmers in the 200 free; the 3rd and 4th available swimmers in the 100 free; and top swimmers from the non-Olympic events will be selected, in that order.
That trip is funded starting at Newark International Airport, though athletes are responsible for their travel to Newark.
