2025 Swammy Awards: Age Group Swimmers of the Year — 15-16

See all of our 2025 Swammy Awards here

The 15-16 age group presented two very different races for Swimmer of the Year. While the boys’ award was a clear-cut decision, the girls’ honor came down to a close call between Rylee Erisman and Audrey Derivaux.

In evaluating, we weighed performances across long course and short course, World Juniors, and relay contributions. Ultimately, this year’s 15-16 Age Group Swimmer of the Year Awards go to Luka Mijatovic and Erisman, each earning the honor for the second straight year.

15-16 Boys

Luke Mijatovic, Pleasanton Seahawks (Coach: Steve Morsilli)

Mijatovic was by no means unknown heading into the year, having shredded through the NAG record books over the past few years and winning multiple golds at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. However, he took his career to an entirely new level in 2025.

Mijatovic kicked off his record-setting season in early February at the Superleague Championships. Still 15, he crushed the National Age Group Record in the 1000-yard freestyle, swimming 8:42.45. That swim broke the old record of 8:45.11 set by NCAP’s Matthew Hirschberger in 2015 and took down his own best time of 8:45.28 from November 2024.

Mijatovic’s swim was one of the rare performances in history that has ‘jumped’ the age groups, a feat usually achieved by the best-of-the-best like Katie Ledecky. The 17-18 record of 8:43.66 was set in 2022 by Luke Hobson, who went on to win a bronze medal in the 200 free at the Paris Olympics.

That momentum continued just over a month later at the Pro Swim Series in Westmont, where Mijatovic made his first long course appearance of 2025 and broke his own National Age Group Record in the 400 free.

Mijatovic finished fourth in the event, clocking 3:48.95 to shave just under three-tenths of a second off his own 15-16 National Age Group Record. He had previously set the mark at 3:49.24 at the Junior Pan Pacs, becoming the only 15–16-year-old to break 3:50 in the event and eclipsing Larsen Jensen’s 22-year-old record of 3:50.68.

Returning to the yards pool to open April, Mijatovic delivered a pair of statement-making swims at the Pacific Swimming Far Western Championships in Pleasanton, starting with a new National Age Group record in the mile (14:37.63). That time crept just under two-tenths beneath the previous record of 14:37.86 set by Liam Custer back in 2020, and demolished his lifetime best of 14:45.31.

Mijatovic later decimated his own 500 NAG, stopping the clock at 4:10.96 and taking 1.38 seconds off his own record time of 4:12.34, set in November 2024.

Come mid-May, the Foothills sophomore broke the National High School (NHS) Record in the 500 free with a time of 4:11.91 during the finals of the CIF State Swimming and Diving Championships. The previous record was set by Rex Maurer in May 2023, when the then-Loyola senior clocked 4:12.70 while recovering from the flu.  Mijatovic’s 4:10.38 did not count for this record because it was achieved outside of high school competition.

The centerpiece of Mijatovic’s season came in June at the U.S. National Championships, which doubled as Team USA’s World Championship Trials.

Mijatovic had a pair of mind-boggling performances in the men’s 200 and 400 free, as the 16-year-old shattered the National Age Group Records for 15-16 boys while also going faster than the 17-18 records.

On day two, in the prelims of the 200 free, Mijatovic put up a time of 1:45.92, advancing him into the ‘A’ final while shattering Maximus Williamson‘s 15-16 NAG Record of 1:47.29 and dipping under Michael Phelps‘ 17-18 NAG of 1:45.99 that’s been on the books since 2003. Mijatovic entered the meet with a best time of 1:47.96, and while he had impressed all season, he hadn’t been able to better that mark.

After placing 8th in the final (1:46.39), Mijatovic followed up the next morning with a lifetime best in the heats of the 400 IM, clocking 4:16.18 to rank 4th all-time in the 15-16 age group before placing 5th in the ‘A’ final (4:16.75).

On day four, he made history in the 400 free, breaking his 15-16 NAG Record by more than three seconds in the prelims (3:45.89) while also going under Larsen Jensen‘s 17-18 record of 3:46.08 set in 2004. Mijatovic re-broke the record in the final, and, most importantly, landed a spot on the Worlds team by placing 2nd in 3:45.71.

Keeping his foot on the gas, Mijatovic closed out the meet by throwing down a new best time in the 800 free, clocking 7:53.80 to place 4th and rank #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group behind Jensen (7:52.05).

At the 2025 World Championships, Mijatovic was one of the many U.S. swimmers who dealt with illness at the meet, adding 14 seconds in the 400 free prelims and placing 36th in 3:59.68.

After a brief hiatus, he returned to racing at the Pleasanton Seahawks Senior Meet in November, where he threw down a five-second PB and NAG Record in the 1000 free, swimming 8:37.01 to register the fifth-fastest time in history of the event. The swim shattered his own 15-16 NAG Record of 8:42.45 from February and went way under the current 17-18 NAG record of 8:42.25 set by Ethan Ekk earlier this year.

He went on to break his own 500 free record twice, first clocking 4:10.38 in prelims before logging 4:08.57 in the final, becoming the 17th-fastest performer in history in the process.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 500 Freestyle (SCY):

1. Leon Marchand– 4:02.31 (2024)
2. Rex Maurer– 4:04.45 (2024)
3. Carson Foster– 4:05.81 (2024)
4. Kieran Smith– 4:06.32 (2020)
5. Luke Hobson– 4:06.34 (2025)
6. Matthew Sates– 4:06.61 (2022)
7. Jake Magahey– 4:06.71 (2021)
8. Lucas Henveaux– 4:06.74 (2025)
9. Zane Grothe– 4:07.25 (2017)
10. Noah Millard– 4:07.68 (2025)
11. Townley Haas– 4:08.19 (2019)
12. Tomas Koski– 4:08.25 (2025)
13. Drew Kibler– 4:08.26 (2020)
14. Clark Smith– 4:08.42 (2017)
15. Peter Vanderkaay– 4:08.54 (2008)
16. Jovan Lekic– 4:08.55 (2025)
17. Luka Mijatovic– 4:08.57 (2025)*

Earlier this month at the U.S. Open, he won the 800 free in 7:48.28, breaking the NAG Record of 7:52.05 that had stood since Larsen Jensen set it at the 2002 Pan Pac Championships. He also clocked 3:45.30 to reset the 400 free NAG Record and finish second overall.

The 16-year-old ended his year at the CA/NV December Sectionals from December 19-22, opening the meet by smashing the 15-16 NAG in the 1650 free by over seven seconds with a time of 14:30.01.

A day later, Mijatovic broke 1:33 for the first time in the 200 free, winning in 1:32.73, the 2nd-best time in age group history behind only Thomas Heilman‘s 2023 NAG Record of 1:32.46. A little over an hour later, he won the 400 IM in a best time of 3:40.96, improving his own #2 all-time ranking (3:41.75 from April) to move closer to Maximus Williamson‘s 2022 record of 3:39.83.

On the third night, Mijatovic swam 4:09.34 to win the 500 free by ten seconds, the second-fastest time in 15-16 age group history and only the second swim under 4:10, less than a second shy of his own 4:08.57 NAG Record from early November.

He wrapped up the meet by clipping his own NAG in the 1000 free, dropping three tenths with a time of 8:36.71. The swim kept him fifth in the all-time rankings and put him less than three seconds shy of Clark Smith‘s 2015 American Record of 8:33.93.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 1000 Freestyle (SCY):

1. Clark Smith (2015) – 8:33.93
2. David Johnston (2023) – 8:34.82
3. Erik Vendt (2008) – 8:36.49
4. Ahmed Jaouadi (2025)- 8:36.65
5. Luka Mijatovic (2025)- 8:36.71*

All in all, Mijatovic elevated his individual NAG tally from 12 to 26 over the course of the year, qualified for Senior Worlds, and ranked among the fastest of all time in several short course yards events, making his selection for the award a no-brainer.

Honorable Mention:

• Ian Call (Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club) – At 16, Ian Call has emerged as one of Team USA’s most promising breaststroke prospects heading into LA 2028. At U.S. Nationals, he made major breakthroughs, dropping 0.42 seconds in the 50 breast and 0.63 seconds in the 100 breast. He finished 12th in the 50 (27.96) and 17th in the 100 (1:01.09), with his 50 breast time qualifying him for Junior Worlds. Just over a month later at Junior Nationals in Irvine, Call continued his upward trajectory. He posted the top prelims time in the 100 breast with a lifetime best of 1:00.61, moving him to #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group. Call followed up with another personal best to win the final (1:00.49), then completed his sweep of the sprint breaststrokes with pair of PBs in the 50: 27.64 in prelims and 27.50 in finals. At World Juniors, he capped off his breakout season by finishing sixth in the 100 breast final. He recorded a lifetime best of 1:02.45 in the process while throwing down a pair of consistent 27.6s in the earlier rounds.

15-16 Girls

Rylee Erisman, Laker Swim (Coach: Kyle Goller)

Like Mijatovic, Erisman was well-known coming into 2025, primarily due to her breakthrough performances at both the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials and Junior Pan Pacs. Throughout the season, she lowered her 200 free personal best from 1:59.63 to 1:57.89, produced several 53-high 100 free swims that were right on par with her tapered best of 53.75, and maintained her typical in-season form in the 50 free.

All roads led to the World Championship Trials, where Erisman was in the running for a spot on the World Championship roster. She ultimately made one ‘A’ final in the 100 back, finishing 8th, then swept the consolation finals in the 50 free (24.74), 100 free (53.90), and 200 free (1:57.29) for a trio of 9th-place finishes while also taking 10th in the 50 back (28.08).

Fast forward a month, and the 16-year-old delivered a dominant performance at the World Junior Swimming Championships in Otopeni, Romania. The 16-year-old racked up five gold and eight total medals to lead all swimmers, playing a pivotal role as the United States topped the medal table. The U.S. won 10 gold and 22 total medals, meaning Erisman factored into half of their gold medals and more than a third of their total medals.

Erisman’s top performances came in the 100 free, as she broke the Championship and U.S. National Age Group Record for 15-16 girls in the prelims (53.17), semis (53.09) and final (52.79), blowing away the field as she won the gold medal by 1.40 seconds over fellow American Lily King (54.19).

In Erisman’s prelim swim, she lowered the Championship Record of 53.63 set by Taylor Ruck in 2017, and the U.S. 15-16 NAG of 53.55 set by Claire Curzan in 2021.

Additionally, despite having yet to enter the age group, Erisman went under the existing 17-18 NAG record of 53.25 set by Simone Manuel in 2014, making her the fastest American junior ever.

Erisman became the seventh American woman to break the 53-second barrier with her swim in the final, moving into #6 all-time in the national rankings.

All-Time U.S. Performers, Women’s 100 Freestyle (LCM):

1. Simone Manuel, 52.04 – 2019
2. Torri Huske, 52.29 – 2024
3. Kate Douglass, 52.56 – 2024
4. Mallory Comerford, 52.59 – 2017
5. Gretchen Walsh, 52.78 – 2025
6. Rylee Erisman, 52.79 – 2025*
7. Abbey Weitzeil, 52.92 – 2023
8. Amanda Weir, 53.02 – 2009
9. Olivia Smoliga, 53.28 – 2023
10. Dana Vollmer, 53.30 – 2009

Erisman also won individual gold in the 50 free, clocking 24.70 (after going 24.69 in the semis) to edge out runner-up Theodora Taylor (24.72) of Great Britain while narrowly missing her personal best of 24.66 from mid-2024.

In the 200 free, Erisman won silver in a time of 1:56.76, lowering her personal best while falling to China’s Yang Peiqi (1:56.25).

Erisman played a crucial role on the U.S. relays, including leading off the World Junior Record-setting girls’ 4×100 free squad in a time of 53.41, and anchoring the winning girls’ 4×100 medley relay with a 52.75 split. She swam the third leg on the victorious U.S. mixed 4×100 free relay as well, splitting 53.11.

She also anchored the silver medal-winning girls’ 4×200 free relay (1:56.69) and the mixed 4×100 medley relay (53.05), giving her a total of 13 swims over the six-day meet.

Additionally, although she dropped the individual backstrokes from her schedule, the 59.39 best time she posted in the 100 back at Trials would have won the event by 12 hundredths had she opted to swim it. Given that she dropped time across the board from Trials, another time drop seems likely.

With her eight-medal haul, Erisman became the most decorated swimmer in history at a single World Junior Swimming Championship in terms of total medals, with only Mack Horton, Maximus Williamson, Gretchen Walsh and Ruck having ever topped her gold medal tally with six apiece.

Erisman didn’t rest on her laurels for long, as less than two months after World Juniors she returned to the pool and broke Gretchen Walsh’s National High School Record in the 100 free (46.73) at the 2025 FHSAA 4A State Championships. There, she successfully defended both her titles in the 50 free (21.61) and 100 free.

She finished her 2025 season at the Winter Junior Championships this month, breaking Katie Ledecky’s 15–16 National Age Group (NAG) record in the 200 free by over a second with a time of 1:40.93.

Erisman also won the 50 free (21.95), 100 free (46.85), and 500 free (4:34.60). Her 500 time represented a massive drop from the 4:43.35 personal best she entered the meet with.

Her best times in the 50 and 100 remain 21.61 and 46.69, from November and December of 2024, respectively.

Honorable Mention:

• Audrey Derivaux (Jersey Wahoos) – Another American standout at World Juniors, Derivaux claimed four gold and one silver medal in Otopeni, earning a trio of individual golds in the 200 back (2:06.99), 200 fly (2:07.57) and 200 IM (2:10.58) while earning silver in the 100 fly (57.74) and adding a gold as a member of the U.S. girls’ 4×100 medley relay. Racing shortly after her 16th birthday, Derivaux also placed 4th in the 400 IM (4:39.67). Prior to the summer, Derivaux made headlines with some standout in-season performances, clocking 2:06.68 in the 200 back in late March and then going 2:06.46 in the 200 fly at the beginning of May. The 200 back swim ranked her fourth all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group in the U.S., just 1.36 seconds shy of Missy Franklin‘s record, and in the 200 fly, she moved to #2 all-time, only trailing Mary T. Meagher‘s legendary 2:05.96 mark from 1981. At the end of 2025, Derivaux ranks sixth in the world in the 200 back, 9th in the 200 fly, 23rd in the 200 IM, 30th in the 400 IM, 33rd in the 100 back and 99th in the 400 free.

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