Brunelli, Leverenz Late Additions to US Duel in the Pool Roster

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 10

November 28th, 2011 National

USA Swimming has made two late additions to their 2011 Duel in the Pool roster with the additions of men’s sprinters Nick Brunelli and women’s IM’er Caitlin Leverenz. No swimmers appear to have been dropped from the squad to make room for these three.

The addition of Brunelli, a veteran who trains with SwimMAC Carolina, highlight the real fun in the Duel in the Pool, namely the fact that they are entirely focused on the dual meet setup. With this perspective, the addition of a men’s sprinter (where the American roster was otherwise weak without Nathan Adrian in attendance) was significant. Jimmy Feigen and Garrett Weber-Gale will probably join him in the 50-100 double, with Ricky Berens, Tyler McGill, Davis Tarwater, Ryan Lochte, and Matt Grevers also fighting for free relay spots.

Leverenz, a junior at Cal, is also a key to the women’s roster that is without Ariana Kukors. She will joing Julia Smit in the IM events, with a possibility that Franklin, Hersey, Hoff, Knutson, and Sutton could fill in the rest of the lanes. Leverenz will also add depth to the breaststroke group of Rebecca Soni, Jessica Hardy, and Amanda Beard (remember that swimmers typically reach a bit outside of their core event schedules at this meet to help fill out scoring opportunities).

The meet will take place December 16th and 17th in Atlanta, Georgia.

Below is the new roster, with these two additions.

Women       
Name  Hometown  Club  Coach 
Beard, Amanda  Irvine, Calif.  Tucson Ford Dealers  Eric Hansen 
Beisel, Elizabeth  Saunderstown, R.I.  Bluefish Swim Club/Florida  Chuck Batchelor/Gregg Troy 
Breeden, Elaine  Lexington, Ky.  Stanford Swimming  Lea Maurer 
Coughlin, Natalie  Vallejo, Calif.  Cal Aquatics  Teri McKeever 
Donahue, Claire  Bowling Green, Ky.  Western Kentucky University  Bruce Marchionda 
Franklin, Missy  Centennial, Colo.  Colorado Stars  Todd Schmitz 
Freeman, Katy  Concord, Calif.  Santa Barbara Aquatics Club  Gregg Wilson 
Hardy, Jessica  Long Beach, Calif.  Trojan Swim Club  David Salo 
Hersey, Kathleen  Atlanta, Ga.  Longhorn Aquatics  Eddie Reese 
Hoff, Katie  Towson, Md.  FAST Swim Team  Jon Urbanchek 
Knutson, Dagny  Minot, N.D.  Gator Swim Club  Gregg Troy 
Leverenz, Caitlin  Tucson, Ariz.  California Aquatics  Teri McKeever 
Pelton, Elizabeth  Baltimore, Md.  Unattached/T2 Aquatics  Paul Yetter 
Smit, Julia  Mt. Sinai, N.Y.  Stanford Swimming  Lea Maurer 
Soni, Rebecca  Plainsboro, N.J.  Trojan Swim Club  David Salo 
Steenvoorden, Ashley  Dayton Ohio  Minnesota Aquatics  Kelly Kremer 
Sutton, Chloe  Mission Viejo, Calif.  Mission Viejo Nadadores  Bill Rose 
Vollmer, Dana  Granbury, Texas  California Aquatics  Teri McKeever 
Weir, Amanda  Lawrenceville, Ga.  Swim Atlanta  Chris Davis 
Ziegler, Kate  Great Falls, Va.  FAST Swim Team  Jon Urbanchek 
Head Coach: Jack Bauerle   
Assistant Coaches: Kim Brackin, Chris Davis, Lea Maurer   
Men       
Name  Hometown  Club  Coach 
Alexandrov, Mike  Champaign, Ill.  Trojan Swim Club  David Salo 
Berens, Ricky  Charlotte, N.C.  Trojan Swim Club  David Salo 
Brunelli, Nick  Mansfield, Mass.  SwimMAC Carolina  David Marsh 
Clary, Tyler  Riverside, Calif.  FAST Swim Team  Jon Urbanchek 
Dwyer, Conor  Winnetka, Ill.  Lake Forest/Gator Swim Club  Maureen Sheehan/Gregg Troy 
Feigen, Jimmy  San Antonio, Tx.  Longhorn Aquatics  Eddie Reese 
Gangloff, Mark  Akron, Ohio  New York Athletic Club  Brett Hawke 
Grevers, Matt  Lake Forest, Ill.  Tuscon Ford Dealers  Rick DeMont 
Hansen, Brendan  Havertown, Pa.  Longhorn Aquatics  Eddie Reese 
Klueh, Michael  Evansville, Ind.  FAST Swim Team  Jon Urbanchek 
Lochte, Ryan  Daytona Beach, Fla.  Daytona Beach/Gator Swim Club  Steve Lochte/Gregg Troy 
McGill, Tyler  Champaign, Ill.  Auburn Aquatics  Brett Hawke 
McLean, Matt  Sterling, Va.  FAST Swim Team  Jon Urbanchek 
Tarwater, Davis  Knoxville, Tenn.  SwimMAC Carolina  David Marsh 
Thoman, Nick  Cincinnati, Ohio  SwimMAC Carolina  David Marsh 
Shanteau, Eric  Lilburn, Ga.  Trojan Swim Club  David Salo 
Vanderkaay, Peter  Rochester, Mich.  Gator Swim Club  Gregg Troy 
Weber-Gale, Garrett  Milwaukee, Wis.  Longhorn Aquatics  Eddie Reese 

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gosharks
12 years ago

I can see the women’s 400 MR WR going down. This is the existing record:
57.47 Margaret HOELZER
1:03.58 Jessica HARDY
54.37 Dana VOLLMER
52.55 Amanda WEIR
3:47.97

Coughlin has already been 56.4 and Franklin 52.0. The problem will be Vollmer’s ridiculous 54.37.

gosharks
12 years ago

I think Natalie Coughlin will be very fast at this meet. She doesn’t do a traditional taper; she is bypassing Nationals; she has been fast so far this season (and in scm); so, I think this is her “focus meet” of the fall/winter.

tallswimmer
12 years ago

joeb,
Who isn’t coming that you think is receiving money? The only required appearances are from people on the Athlete Partnership agreement, which Phelps isn’t part of, and Schmidt is ineligible for. Remember the Partnership is over and above the minimum stipend from the USOC. USA Swimming doesn’t require anything from those who choose not to be part of the program.

I agree it would be nice if everyone was at Nationals, but Olympic success is far more important in my eyes.

bobo gigi
12 years ago

I mentioned 100 IM but I’m not sure this event is at this meet. If anyone knows the answer it would be good.

bobo gigi
12 years ago

To joeb, I thought many girls could beat the 200 IM world record. For me this short course world record isn’t very high compared to long course world record. But now I learn that many stars will not be full rested. Braden Keith, you broke my dreams.

joeb
12 years ago

bobo, you have every girl breaking 2im record….crazy!

my question is where are some of the usa post grads (ones getting big bucks from usoc/usa swimming) that aren’t in Nationals or Duel in the pool? Don’t you think they should be supporting one or the other of these meets?

bobo gigi
12 years ago

Braden Keith, you’re breaking my dreams. If the swimmers are not rested, where is the interest? American swimmers are not swimming very often in the 25m pool and some world records could have been beaten.

bobo gigi
12 years ago

I think some world records can fall : Missy Franklin in the 200 free, 200 back and 200 IM, Elizabeth Beisel in the 200 and 400 IM, Elizabeth Pelton in the 200 back and 200 IM, Julia Smit in the 200 and 400 IM, Katie Hoff in the 200 IM, Dana Vollmer in the 100 fly, women’s 4X100 medley relay, Ryan Lochte in the 100, 200 and 400 IM, 200 back.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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