While much attention has been focused on the ever-shifting USA-Swimming World Championship lineup, the World University Games roster has undergone a few changes since it was first released back in February.
Cregar in as Ryan, Gemmell Get Promoted – When Michigan swimmer Sean Ryan and former Georgia Bulldog Andrew Gemmell earned spots on the World Championship roster in the Open Water events, that left USA-Swimming without their two 1500m freestylers for the World University Games. While they’ve chosen to leave at least one of those spots vacated thus far, Gemmell did provide an assist to his former Georgia teammate Bill Cregar. That’s because Cregar was the beneficiary who took over the USA’s 2nd spot in the 400 IM for the Universiade. Cregar’s swum well so far this year, with a 4:26.43 in the 400 IM in Santa Clara, where he placed 6th. He’s also the defending NCAA Champion in this race.
Sean Ryan also gave a helping hand to a teammate, as he passed his 1500 spot off to Ryan Feeley. It’s a fair assumption that Michael Klueh will be joining him in that race (Klueh is already on the roster for the 800 free relay and the 400).
Bard Out for Connolly – in April, former USC Trojan Presley Bard was replaced in the women’s 100 backstroke by versatile Tennessee standout Jennifer Connolly. Connolly’s textile career-best in the 100 back is a 1:01.11 from when she won the B-final at last year’s USA Swimming National Championships.
Bard, meanwhile, hasn’t competed yet since the end of the NCAA season, but is currently delved deep into her new job at a large semiconducter capital assets marketplace in the San Francisco area. No word yet on whether Bard, who is a USA Swimming National Team member, has officially retired.
Ditto out for Vanden Berge – In early May, UCLA graduate and school record holder Sam Vanden Berge replaced her former Pac-12 rival Kelsey Ditto in the 800 free. Vanden Berge finished 9th at last year’s USA Swimming National Championships in this race in 8:42.04, roughly 3.5 seconds slower than Ditto.
Ditto, like Bard, hasn’t competed in meters this season after recently completing her NCAA eligibility. She has been keeping busy working with a Philanthropic Consulting firm and as a Research Assistant for a Yale Professor who is researching successful nuclear proliferation.
Burckle Takes Keefer’s spot in 200 breaststroke – This has been covered heavily, in our World Championship roster pieces, but just to touch briefly, Clark Burckle added the 200 breaststroke to his previous entry in the 100 when Elliott Keefer was moved up to the World Championships roster.
For the full World University Games roster, as of the last update on June 24th, click this link.
