2025 U.S. World Trials: #3 Seed Texas’s Jillian Cox Drops 400 Free (Day 4 Prelims Scratches)

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50 meters)
• World Championship Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets (Updated 6/02)
• Live Results
• How To Watch (USA Swimming Network)
• Prelims Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 |Day 3
• Finals Live Recap: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheet

With only three events on the schedule this morning, it was a bit of a quieter scratch list. However, there were still some high-profile scratches led by the #3 seed in the 400 Free, Jillian Cox. Seeded with an entry time of 4:06.31, the Texas Longhorn has opted to not swim the event.  Cox, the NCAA champion in the 500 free finished 3rd in this event at the Olympic Trials last year.

The Texas swimmer placed 3rd in the 800 earlier in the week, so this withdrawal may be tactical as she is also the 3rd seed in the 1500 free. Cox has had great success in the mile this season. At the short course Worlds in Budapest, she claimed the bronze medal in a new best. In February, she set a PB of 15:30.33 to win SECs and then went on to win the event at NCAAs. And in her only performance in this event this season, an event which she did not swim at Trials last summer, she just set a personal best of 16:04.13 at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series, which she placed 2nd to only Katie Ledecky, albeit a little under 40 seconds back.

Lance Norris, the men’s 11th seed in the 400, has also scratched. Norris dropped nearly six and a half seconds on his way to finishing 5th in the men’s 1500, so like Cox, this withdrawal may be tactical so that the NC State swimmer can have his best performance in the 800, where he is seeded 7th overall.

The only other top 16 seed to scratch is Indiana Owen McDonald, who has opted not to contest the 100 back where he was the 10th seed. McDonald finished 6th in this event at NCAAs, where he set a PB of 44.16. McDonald has not had the greatest meet, adding over two seconds to his seed time in the 200 backstroke, although he did also swim the 200 free in that same session. McDonald still has the 200 IM on his schedule, where he is the 4th seed, behind Carson Foster, Shaine Casas and Kieran Smith, making him likely a strong contender for the World University Games roster, if not for Worlds.

See below for a full list of scratches:

Women’s 400 Free

• #3 Jillian Cox (Longhorn Aquatics) – 4:06.31
• #42 Mariah Denigan (Indiana Swim Club) – 4:40.98 Y
• #49 Emerson Callis (Quest Swimming) – 4:44.67 Y

Men’s 400 Free

• #11 Lance Norris (Wolfpack Elite) – 3:50.58
• #22 Dylan Felt (Swim Fort Lauderdale) – 3:53.83

Women’s 100 Breaststroke

• #31 Katie Christopherson (SwimAtlanta) – 1:10.11

Men’s 100 Breaststroke

• #31 Logan Kelly (Jaguar Aquatics) – 52.22 Y
• #51 Austin Carpenter (Central Ohio) – 53.54 Y

Women’s 100 Backstroke

• #34 Emily Thompson (Alto Swim Club) – 1:02.05

Men’s 100 Backstroke

• #10 Owen McDonald (Indiana Swim Club) – 54.51
• #28 Arsenio Bustos (Wolfpack Elite) – 55.36
• #52 Maximus Williamson (Lakeside Aquatic) – 46.68 Y