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The United States Merchant Marine Academy has added two more names to its 2026 men’s recruiting class, with Trifon Walser and Isaac Chang announcing their commitments to swim for the Mariners starting this fall.
A recent graduate from Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, Texas, Walser competed for his school’s varsity swimming and diving team all four years. He also trains year-round with Lakeside Aquatic Club, where he specializes in freestyle, backstroke, and IM.
Publicizing his commitment on SwimCloud, Walser wrote, “I am honored to officially sign to the United States Merchant Marine Academy swim team where I will continue both my academic and swimming career. Thank you to my family, coaches, and teammates for their support throughout this journey and into the next. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead as I prepare to serve and compete at the next level. Go Mariners!”
Walser wrapped up his high school career at the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) State Championships in February with a pair of individual titles. He won the 200 free (1:41.56) and 500 free (4:42.18) in addition to helping Nolan Catholic take fifth in the 400 free relay (47.36 anchor) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (24.52 leadoff). The wins gave him his second and third individual state titles, following his 200 IM crown from his sophomore season.
Back in November, he clocked his current best times of 1:40.27 and 4:37.82 at the Northzone Invitational, dropping over two seconds in the 500 and half a second in the 200 en route to winning both events.
The bulk of Walser’s personal best times stem from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons; he turned in a time of 2:00.03 in the 200 back at the NT AAC Open in March 2024, clocked 21.99/47.18 in the 50/100 free and 53.00 in the 100 back at Speedo Sectionals – Lewisville a few weeks later, and swam 1:57.06 in the 200 IM at the North Zone Invitational in November 2024.
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 21.99
- 100 Freestyle: 47.18
- 200 Freestyle: 1:40.28
- 500 Freestyle: 4:37.82
- 100 Backstroke: 53.00
- 200 Backstroke: 2:00.03
- 200 IM: 1:57.06
Chang attended Palos Verdes High School in Palos Verdes Estates, California, where he competed for his school’s team each year of his career. He also trains year-round with Beach Cities Alpha, where he primarily swims breaststroke, butterfly, IM, and sprint freestyle.
He wrapped up his high school career at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships in May, placing 31st in the 100 fly (49.61), 30th in the 100 breast (56.84), and 36th in the 200 free relay (20.95 anchor split). A few weeks prior, he won the 100 fly (48.67) in a lifetime best and touched second in the 100 breast (56.18) at the Southern Section Division II Championships.
Chang qualified and competed at Winter Juniors – West for the first time this past season. He finished 57th in the 200 IM (1:50.76), 60th in the 100 breast (56.35), 64th in the 100 fly (49.26), and 79th in the 200 breast (2:04.60), setting then-PBs in all but the 200 breast, with the 200 IM time standing as his current PB.
Chang holds a variety of lifetime bests from different club meets throughout the season: he swam 2:03.42 in the 200 breast at the CA RMDA Legends of Coaching meet in November, 21.59/46.54 in the 50/100 free at the CA MVN Lunar AAPI Festival meet in February, and 55.78 in the 100 breast and 1:48.64 in the 200 fly at Speedo Sectionals – Oceanside a few weeks later.
Over the course of the 2025-26 season, Chang dropped nearly two and a half seconds in the 200 fly, over a second in the 100 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, and 200 IM, and about half a second in the 50 free and 200 breast, a promising progression as he turns his sights towards collegiate swimming.
- 50 Freestyle: 21.59
- 100 Freestyle: 46.54
- 100 Breaststroke: 55.78
- 200 Breaststroke: 2:03.42
- 100 Butterfly: 48.67
- 200 Butterfly: 1:48.64
- 200 IM: 1:50.76
A Division III program, the U.S. Merchant Military Academy competes in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, with the men’s team placing third out of nine teams at this past season’s conference championships. The Mariners sent one athlete, freshman diver Carter Kov, to the NCAA Championships, where they finished 34th overall.
Based on the results from the conference meet, both Walser and Chang are projected to make immediate impacts. Walser’s lifetime best in the 200 free would have finished fifth in the ‘A’ final this past season. His 500 free best would have placed in the ‘B’ final, while his times in the 100 free, 100 back, and 200 IM would have put him in the ‘C’ finals, giving him multiple event options to choose from.
As for Chang, his personal bests would have earned silver in the 200 fly, bronze in the 200 IM, fourth in the 100 fly, sixth in the 200 breast, and seventh in the 100 breast. Additionally, he would have been quick enough to qualify for the ‘B’ final in the 100 free and the ‘C’ final in the 50 free.
The duo join Luke Myhre, Carter Steele, Adrian Tarabay, and Ben Quil in committing to the Mariners’ class of 2030.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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