2023 YMCA SHORT COURSE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 3-7, 2023
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
- Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
The 2023 YMCA Short Course National Championships is set to kick off next week in Greensboro, North Carolina. This marks the 100th anniversary of YMCA Nationals, with the first being held in May of 1923 in New York.
The biggest change to this year’s meet format is that there will be four finals for each individual event instead of the usual three. The extra ‘D’ final will be reserved for the fastest swimmers who are 15 and under who did not make the top-24.
One of the biggest absences on the psych sheet is 16-year-old Thomas Heilman from Piedmont Family Y. Heilman will instead be attending the USA Swimming National Junior Team training camp in Colorado Springs, which is slated for the same weekend as YNats.
Daniel Diehl from the Cumberland YMCA highlights the boys’ side of the meet. Diehl is entered as the top seed in the 100/200 backstroke and 200 IM, and is seeded 5th in the 100 free. Diehl recently turned 17, and will look to continue his climb up the 17-18 rankings. After his breakthrough performances at Winter Juniors in December, he currently sits at #4 all-time in the 200 backstroke, #10 in the 200 IM, and #18 in the 100 back.
Virginia commit Anna Moesch of the Greater Somerset County YMCA returns to this meet after winning three events last year. Notably, this is also Moesch’s first national level meet of the season after dealing with an injury that caused her to skip out on Winter Juniors in December. Her lineup features the 50/100/200 freestyle, three events that she owns the meet records in. Additionally, Moesch will take on the 500 and 100 fly where she’s seeded 3rd and 128th (entered on LCM), respectively.
Another swimmer to watch on the girls’ side is Leah Shackley from the Blair Regional YMCA, who comes in as the top seed in three of her four events. Shackley, who is committed to Indiana, leads the way in the 100 back by nearly two seconds with an entry time of 50.83. Additionally, the 16-year-old is the top seed in the 200 backstroke and 100 fly, and sits 5th in the 200 fly. Shackley won the backstroke events at this meet last year, and will look to defend her titles.
Schroeder YMCA’s Isaac Fleig is one to keep an eye on also, as he holds the top seed in the boys’ 1000 and 400 IM, and is seeded 2nd in both the 1650 and 500. Fleig, a Wisconsin commit, did not compete in this meet last spring, but has had a fantastic season thus far. At Winter Juniors, Fleig dropped over three seconds in his 400 IM and nearly four in his 500 free. His 1000 has also steadily come down over the course of the season, and enters this meet already seven seconds under his previous best from last year.
I think we forget how versatile dirty Dan is. He is 54 in his 100 scy breast, 46 in his 100 scy back, 47 in his 100 fly and 43 in his 100 free. He is overshadowed by heilman and Williamson for versatility be he can go toe to toe with them in every event and get damn near close ore even beat them. He will be scary as frick when he gets to college and is able to get all those resources.
Where is he going to college?
They are future of USA swimmimg
Does anyone know why there are never any YMCA teams from most of the western states (namely California)? I only see one team from Washington state on the psych sheet. Also, very few teams from states west of the Mississippi River. Most teams seem to come from east of the Mississippi River. Something I’ve always wondered, but never thought to ask until now.
https://images.app.goo.gl/tsnDuEJJaFSKRsaT9