Florida Gators Scratch En Masse from San Antonio Pro Swim Series, Pros Remain

2024 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – SAN ANTONIO

USA Swimming has updated the Psych Sheet for the 2024 San Antonio Pro Swim Series. The meet is the last leg of the tour, which, this year, was only contested over three stops. In the past, there had been a stop in May, but this year, there won’t be one, so swimmers looking to get another meet before the Olympic Trials start in about nine weeks must look elsewhere.

The biggest change between the two seems to be the absence of the entire University of Florida team. While the pro group of Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Kieran Smith, and Bobby Finke still appears, swimmers who just wrapped up the collegiate season are missing.

Bella Sims, who won the 200 and 500 free last month and was a member of the winning 4×200 free relay, was initially entered in six events. The 50/100/200/400 free as well as the 100/200 back. Sims, a 2021 Olympic silver medalist (prelims of the 4×200 free relay), was the #3 seed in the 400 with an entry time of 4:03.25, behind only Ledecky and Leah Smith. She was also the #3 seed in the 200 free behind Siobhan Haughey and Ledecky but has now been replaced by Paige Madden as the third seed in the 400 and Erin Gemmell in the 200.

Joining Sims on the victorious 4×200 relay at NCAAs were Isabel Ivey and Emma Weyant. Both were initially entered to swim the meet but both have scratched their events, which are listed below.

  • Ivey – 100 Free (#25), 200 Free (#28), 200 IM (#10).
  • Weyant – 400 Free (#14), 200 Free (#34), 400 IM (#2), 200 Breast (#21)

Ivey was the runner-up in the 200 IM at NCAAs to Alex Walsh, and Weyant, a 2021 silver medalist in the 400 IM, also placed runner-up to Walsh but in the 400 IM.

Florida is not the only school to see its NCAA champions initially appear on the entry list to scratch out later. Winner of the 100 breaststroke and UVA Cavalier Jasmine Nocentini has also opted not to swim in San Antonio. The Italian was the 18th seed in the 50 free, the 85th seed in the 100 breaststroke, and the 139th seed in the 100 free, but don’t let those seedings confuse you, as she entered the meet with yards times in the later two events.

Scratches aren’t contained to just Women’s NCAA Champions as the University of Florida’s Adam Chaney and Maguire McDuff, who helped the Gators to two relay titles, are among the large group of Gators not attending the meet. Teammates Jake Mitchell, Mason Laur, Molly Mayne, and Aleksas Savickas are also not making the trip to Texas. Mitchell may be best known for making the 2021 Olympic team via a solo time trial in the 400 freestyle.

Natalie Hinds also initially appeared in the psych sheet but appears to have scratched. Hinds did not compete at either of the previous Pro Swim Series meets.

The updated psych sheets don’t only reflect scratches, however. Jack Aikins, who swims for UVA but redshirted the season, appears to have been added to the meet. Aikins, who represented the USA in Doha, placed 8th in the finals of the 100 back and 4th in the final of the 200 back. He walked away from Doha with four medals, all courtesy of swimming the preliminary legs of relays.  In San Antonio, he will swim the 100 free (#27), 200 back (#4), and 100 back (#6).

Bailey Andison, who represents Canada internationally also appears to be a late entrant into the meet. Andison, who placed 18th at the Toyko Olympics in the 200 IM and swam collegiately for both the University of Denver and Indiana, will contest both of the medley events, coming in as the #6 seed in the 400 IM and the #13 seed in the 200 IM.

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chickenlamp
7 months ago

Ledecky’s Instagram story implies she isn’t swimming the 1500 (but is swimming the 200/400/800)

Did not Cali UT
7 months ago

Sorry for the cooler weather today, bet you liked the 80+ F temp yesterday …

Beginner Swimmer at 25
7 months ago

Phew 😮‍💨 relieved I didn’t book a motel just to see my boy Dre Dog scratched

Ranger Coach
7 months ago

Does anyone know if they are scratched due to illness/injury or is it giving them a rest since they did just come off a double (maybe) taper for SECs and NCAAs? Is Nesty giving them a break from all the traveling they have done recently and just focusing on training?

Coach Cwik
Reply to  Ranger Coach
7 months ago

Academics, Final exams are in two weeks and the swimmers made the decision to stay home, go to classes and study. Simple, no conspiracy theory here.

Ranger Coach
Reply to  Coach Cwik
7 months ago

I didn’t think there was. I thought it would be something related to either academics or letting them recover before racing again. I’m glad they are focusing on academics.

CELL
7 months ago

Do you guys think MA is even making the team?

KSW
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

tbh.. no. There’s A LOT of hungry up and coming talent In the US rn

CELL
Reply to  KSW
7 months ago

He was clapped to shit at the giant open so it’s not looking good lol.

I can’t believe he said he was gonna go 20.7 when he’s out here going 22.1 🤣

soon to be swammer:(
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

Honestly no. I’ve given this a lot of thought. It’s unlikely he makes it in the 100 fly. 50 free is a toss up but that will be very difficult with the upcoming talent we have. I think his best shot is 100 breast, but he can be so hit or miss with that event. Overall I think it will be pretty difficult for him.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

If Michael Andrew has not seriously trained for the men’s 100 meter breaststroke and the men’s 100 meter butterfly, forget about it. Michael Andrew found out last year that the men’s 50 meter freestyle is a crapshoot.

‘Murica
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

He will easily make 100 BR

Facts
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

I wouldn’t be surprised if he made it and I wouldn’t be surprised if he missed it. I’d say his odds to make the team are below 50 but not by much

Last edited 7 months ago by Facts
DK99
Reply to  Facts
7 months ago

Ironic that his chances are around 50.

oxyswim
Reply to  Facts
7 months ago

His ceiling is way higher than anyone else competing for the second BR spot, but he hasn’t been close to that ceiling in a while.

Hank
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

I think MA may surprise and throw down a world leading time here in the 200IM. I do think he will make the USA team in the 100BR and 200IM. Dressel and Alexy will take the 50FR and Dressel and Rose in the 50FL.

Alice Wang
Reply to  Hank
7 months ago

He is not making the team in 200 IM, Foster, Kalisz, and others are much stronger contenders for 200 IM than MA

Anonymous
Reply to  CELL
7 months ago

Why even bring him up? What does he have to do with this article about the Florida squads?

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
Reply to  Anonymous
7 months ago

MA has a very good chance in the 100 breast. No one besides Fink looks ready to grab the spots.

M C
7 months ago

I was going to go to the meet, but if Florida is not going to be there, I’ll just watch from home.

Aragon Son of Arathorne
7 months ago

this meet is stacked. This is an exciting year.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Aragon Son of Arathorne
7 months ago

Ugh!

Weinstein
Grimes
Sims

All missing in action. Alex Shackell?

Zeph
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
7 months ago

Swam at Speedo Sectionals in Indy recently. Pretty historically a Carmel mid-season focus meet so it wouldn’t really make sense to see her here.

Ranger Coach
Reply to  Aragon Son of Arathorne
7 months ago

I wish I lived a lot closer to San Antonio so I could go watch.

DrSwimPhil
7 months ago

At what point are we asking if these are scratches, or if USA Swimming essentially automatically enters these individuals in the *hope* that they show up? Or even worse, know they aren’t going to show up, but try and sell the tickets off the name anyways?

TheIckabog
Reply to  DrSwimPhil
7 months ago

USA Swimming still requires national team members to register with the organization for the same price as everyone else. Meet fees cost money, some meets cost a LOT of money. I have an extremely hard time believing USA swimming is footing the bill for all these athletes at each of these meets just hoping they show face. I don’t think they would spend their money that way….

SwimmerGuy
Reply to  TheIckabog
7 months ago

As a kid I never realized the meet fees changed a lot. What is a lot here?

TheIckabog
Reply to  SwimmerGuy
7 months ago

It’s different all over the country. For example:
Ohio Swimming: $5 per event, $12 surcharge per swimmer.
Virginia Swimming: $7.50 per event, $2.50 surcharge per swimmer.
Florida Gold Coast: $7 per event, $12 surcharge per swimmer
New England: $5 per event, $25 surcharge per swimmer.
These are all regular season meets, champs cost more.
SAN ANTONIO FEES: $20 per event, I can’t find a surcharge.

I find it REALLY hard to believe USA swimming would foot the bill on that many meet fees for that many swimmers.

SwimmerGuy
Reply to  TheIckabog
7 months ago

Thanks!
As I kid i guess i just showed up and never though much of it. I know at times things were tough, and I feel bad I never even noticed.
These rates dont feel outrageous, but i can see how it adds up.
2 or 3 meetings in like a 8 week span + suits + snacks/food + goggles + travel + not working cause at the meet. Sheeesh

ct swim fan
Reply to  TheIckabog
7 months ago

What is the surcharge for?

DrSwimPhil
Reply to  TheIckabog
7 months ago

You really think these swimmers/coaches/teams are eating this much “entry fees” in scratches over and over? Or is the more likely scenario that USA Swimming doesn’t actually “charge” said swimmers, since it’s their own meet anyways? USA Swimming isn’t “footing the bill” of a scratch, especially when these same swimmers have a myriad of entry limit exemptions already offered.

anonymous
Reply to  DrSwimPhil
7 months ago

Did we think for a second that Dressel was going to swim at the last TYR Pro right before the birth of his first child? I think not. There’s no way he entered himself in that meet.