How Does Team USA’s Pan Pacs Roster Look Halfway Through World Juniors?

Sean Griffin contributed to this report

We are three days into the World Junior Championships, which is the last of five meets that decide team USA’s 2026 Pan Pacs roster.

The only confirmed shake up so far is Rylee Erisman earning her way onto the team with her blistering fast 52.79 in the 100 freestyle. This will make her a Priority #1 swimmer, locking in her spot.

As a reminder, the roster will be selected based on the top times from:

• ‘A’ Finals at the USA Swimming 2025 National Championships
• Finals at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships
• Finals at the 2025 World University Games
• Finals at the 2025 World Aquatics Junior Championships
• ‘A’ Finals at the 2025 TYR Pro Summer Championships

There will not be a national selection meet next summer, so this is the last chance swimmers have to earn a spot, and some athletes will be watching from home while they lose their spot.

When swimmers qualify for the team, they can automatically swim any event at the championships, but only the top two swimmers per nation can advance to the final.

There are a few shifts to priority order, which could impact people’s invites, particularly on the women’s side where a few priority 4 swimmers were slated to receive invites.

SELECTION PRIORITIES

• Priority #1
  • Available Swimmers who have:
    • The four fastest times in the 100-meter Freestyle and 200-meter Freestyle
    • The fastest time in each event other than the 100-meter and 200-meter Freestyles
• Priority #2
  • Available Swimmers who have the second fastest time in each event other than the 100-meter and 200-meter Freestyles
• Priority #3
  • Available Swimmers who have the fifth fastest times in the 100-meter Freestyle and 200-meter Freestyle
• Priority #4
  • Available Swimmers who have the third fastest time in each event other than the 100-meter and 200-meter Freestyles
• Priority #5
  • Available Swimmers who have the fourth fastest time in each event other than the 100-meter and 200-meter Freestyles

Events With Adjusted Priorities

Note:

• This shows the top eight swimmers per event based on the criteria. It is not a list of the top eight times in the country this season.
• All times posted are finals swims as that is what is outlined in the selections. If an athlete had a faster prelims/semifinals swim, it is not considered. Relay lead-offs are also not considered
• These events are only the ones where someone entered the top four and earned a priority ranking. Other swimmers might be on the top 8 lists in other events.

Women’s 100 Freestyle:

1. Torri Huske – 52.43
2. Gretchen Walsh – 52.78
3. Rylee Erisman — 52.79 *Priority 1
4. Simone Manuel – 52.83
5. Kate Douglass – 53.16
6. Erin Gemmell – 53.51

Women’s 400 IM:

1. Emma Weyant – 4:34.81
2. Leah Hayes – 4:36.04
3. Katie Grimes – 4:36.52
4. Audrey Derivaux — 4:39.67 *Priority 5
5. Teagan O’Dell – 4:39.96

Men’s 800 Freestyle:

1. Bobby Finke – 7:43.13
2. Rex Maurer – 7:49.53
3. David Johnston – 7:49.85
4. Aiden Hammer — 7:51.68 *Priority 5
5. Ryan Erisman – 7:51.74

THE ROSTER BREAKDOWN, AS THINGS CURRENTLY STAND

WOMEN:

Priority #1 (13 swimmers):

• Gretchen Walsh – 50 Free (1st), 100 Free (2nd), 50 Fly (1st), 100 Fly (1st)
• Katie Ledecky – 200 Free (2nd), 400 Free (1st), 800 Free (1st), 1500 Free (1st)
• Torri Huske – 100 Free (1st), 200 Free (3rd)
• Kate Douglass – 100 Breast (1st), 200 Breast (1st)
• Regan Smith – 200 Fly (1st), 100 Back (1st), 200 Back (1st)
• Rylee Erisman — 100 Free (3rd)
• Simone Manuel – 100 Free (4th)
• Claire Weinstein – 200 Free (1st)
• Erin Gemmell – 200 Free (4th)
• Katharine Berkoff – 50 Back (1st)
• McKenzie Siroky – 50 Breast (1st)
• Alex Walsh – 200 IM (1st)
• Emma Weyant – 400 IM (1st)

Priority #2 (5 swimmers):

• Tess Howley – 200 Fly (2nd)
• Claire Curzan – 200 Back (2nd)
• Emma Weber – 50 Breast (2nd)
• Phoebe Bacon – 200 IM (2nd)
• Leah Hayes – 400 IM (2nd)

Priority #3 (1 swimmer):

• Anna Peplowski – 200 Free (T-4th)

Priority #4 (9 swimmers, 2 over 26 roster limit):

Only 8 of the 9 swimmers qualified in the priority 4 sector can qualify. Per USA Swimming, the tie for priority #4 is broken as follows:

If all Priority #3 swimmers are Selected to the Team and the maximum Team size of 26 swimmer per gender has not been reached, then the same procedure of using the highest Percentage of “A” Standard will be used to rank the swimmers from Priority #4, and Priority #4 swimmers will be Selected to the Team in order of highest Percentage of “A” Standard until the Team is full.

“Percentage ‘A’ Time Standard” means the difference between an Available Swimmer’s Time in an Event in compared to the “A” Time Standard for that Event. The resulting time difference will be converted to a percentage to demonstrate how much faster or slower the Available Swimmer’s Time in an Event is compared to the “A” Time Standard in that Event. This percentage will be calculated by subtracting the Available Swimmer’s Time in an Event from the “A” Time Standard in that Event, then dividing the difference by the “A” Time Standard in that Event. Calculations will be carried to the one-thousandth of a percent (i.e., x.xxx%). The AQUA Time Standards for the 2024 Olympic Games will be used.

• Leah Shackley – 100 Back (3rd), 200 Back (3rd)
• Jillian Cox – 800 Free & 1500 Free (3rd), 1500 Free (3rd)
• Caroline Bricker – 200 Fly (3rd)
• Katie Grimes – 400 IM (3rd)
• Bella Sims – 400 Free (3rd)
• Alex Shackell – 100 Fly (3rd)
• Skyler Smith – 50 Breast (officially 4th, but technically 3rd due to King’s retirement)
• Brady Kendall – 50 Fly (3rd)
• Katie Christopherson – 200 Breast (3rd)

Katie Christopherson was already out based on the AQUA percentages coming into the meet. Erisman’s swim tonight will push Brady Kendall out of the meet as well to make room for Erisman’s new Priority #1 spot.

MEN:

Priority #1 (17 swimmers):

• Jack Alexy – 50 Free (1st), 100 Free (1st)
• Bobby Finke – 800 Free (1st), 1500 Free (1st), 400 IM (1st)
• Rex Maurer – 200 Free (3rd), 400 Free (1st)
• Shaine Casas – 100 Fly (1st), 200 IM (1st)
• Van Mathis — 50 Breast (1st)
• Campbell McKean – 50 Breast (2nd), 100 Breast (1st)
• Patrick Sammon – 100 Free (2nd)
• Chris Guiliano – 100 Free (3rd)
• Destin Lasco – 100 Free (4th)
• Luke Hobson – 200 Free (1st)
• Gabriel Jett – 200 Free (2nd)
• Henry McFadden – 200 Free (4th)
• Dare Rose – 50 Fly (1st)
• Luca Urlando – 200 Fly (1st)
• Quintin McCarty – 50 Back (1st)
• Will Modglin – 100 Back (1st)
• Jack Aikins – 200 Back (1st)
• Josh Matheny – 200 Breast (1st), 100 breast (2nd)

Priority #2 (9 swimmers = MAX 26 roster limit, no priority 3, 4, & 5 swimmers):

• Michael Andrew – 50 Fly (2nd)
• Thomas Heilman – 100 Fly (2nd)
• Carson Foster – 200 Fly (2nd), 200 IM (2nd), 400 IM (2nd)
• Daniel Diehl – 100 Back (2nd)
• Keaton Jones – 200 Back (2nd)
• AJ Pouch – 200 Breast (2nd)
• Santo Condorelli – 50 Free (2nd)
• Aaron Shackell– 400 Free (2nd)

The men’s rankings do not change at all because no priority 3, 4, or 5 swimmers have made the roster.