Ledecky, Dressel, Andrew Head U.S. Team For 2019 World Championships (Full Roster)

USA Swimming has announced its roster for the 2019 World Championships, with multi-event stars Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Michael Andrew and Kathleen Baker leading the way.

Those are the four swimmers set to compete in four individual events each. All four are now pros, as Dressel wrapped up his collegiate eligibility this past spring and Ledecky and Baker turned pro as underclassmen. The stacked Worlds roster will include every U.S. gold medalist from those 2018 Pan Pacs: Andrew, Dressel, Townley Haas, Zane Grothe, Jordan Wilimovsky, Ryan Murphy, Chase Kalisz, Ledecky, Baker, Lilly King, Micah Sumrall and Hali Flickinger. The roster also mostly matches what we projected based on the results of U.S. Nationals and Pan Pacs this past summer.

The only spots that weren’t officially locked up at that point were the second entries in the 50s of fly, back and breast. First priority for those entries goes to the top-ranked swimmer in the 100 of that stroke, and a couple of those athletes are currently listed on the official roster, though not all of the stroke 50s have their second entry finalized as of yet. Here’s a quick look at entries in those non-Olympic events:

National Champion Second Entry
Men’s 50 fly Michael Andrew Caeleb Dressel
Men’s 50 back Ryan Murphy ???
Men’s 50 breast Michael Andrew ???
Women’s 50 fly Kelsi Dahlia ???
Women’s 50 back Olivia Smoliga Kathleen Baker
Women’s 50 breast Lilly King ???

100 fly champ Dressel and 100 back champ Baker are locked into the second entries in their 50s, while the other four spots are still up for grabs. USA Swimming says those will be decided sometime between now and the entry deadline in June in order to find the fastest athletes already on the roster who have the FINA A cut in the 50-meter event.

Official selection procedures note that if the winner of the corresponding 100 is already entered in the 50 or declines that spot, the team will select the next-fastest available swimmer in the 50-meter event, provided both entrants have a FINA A cut.

Team USA: 2019 World Championships Roster

The only major change from the athletes who qualified for these spots over the summer is that Micah Sumrall is listed as the second 100 breast entrant on the women’s side, and Katie Meili is absent from the roster. Meili was second at Nationals in 1:06.19, and though she was only the fourth American at Pan Pacs, Sumrall (1:06.56) didn’t beat her Nationals time. But Meili declined her Worlds roster spot due to law school, USA Swimming says, and Sumrall will take over the 100 breast spot.

You can see the full rosters here, or below:

Men’s U.S. Team

Name
Michael Andrew 100 breast 50 free 50 breast 50 fly
Blake Pieroni 100 free 4×200 FR
Caeleb Dressel 100 free 100 fly 50 fly 50 free
Nathan Adrian 4×100 FR
Townley Haas 200 free 4×100 FR
Andrew Seliskar 200 free
Conor Dwyer 4×200 FR
Zane Grothe 400 free 800 free 1500 free
Jordan Wilimovsky 800 free 1500 free
Ryan Murphy 50 back 100 back 200 back
Justin Wright 200 fly
Josh Prenot 200 breast
Chase Kalisz 200 IM 400 IM
Grant Shoults 400 free
Matt Grevers 100 back
Jacob Pebley 200 back
Jack Conger 100 fly
Zach Harting 200 fly
Andrew Wilson 100 breast 200 breast
Abrahm Devine 200 IM
Jay Litherland 400 IM
Zach Apple 4×100 FR 4×200 FR
Jack LeVant 4×200 FR
Michael Chadwick 4×100 FR

Women’s U.S. Team

Name
Simone Manuel 50 free 100 free 4×200 FR
Mallory Comerford 100 free
Margo Geer 4×100 FR
Abbey Weitzel 4×100 FR 50 free
Katie Ledecky 200 free 400 free 800 free 1500 free
Allison Schmitt 200 free 4×100 FR
Gabby DeLoof 4×200 FR
Leah Smith 4×200 FR 400 free 800 free
Kathleen Baker 50 back 100 back 200 back 200 IM
Kelsi Dahlia 50 fly 100 fly
Hali Flickinger 200 fly
Lily King 50 breast 100 breast 200 breast
Micah Sumrall 200 breast 100 breast
Ally McHugh 400 IM
Ashley Twichell 1500 free
Olivia Smoliga 100 back 50 back
Regan Smith 200 back
Katie McLaughlin 100 fly
Katie Drabot 200 fly
Melanie Margalis 200 IM 4×200 FR
Brooke Forde 400 IM
Lia Neal 4×100 FR

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Thomas Guerino
5 years ago

Go TEAM USA 🇺🇸

Klorn8d
5 years ago

Is meilli retiring or is it just scheduling issues for this next summer and she’ll keep training for Olympic trials?

Superfan
Reply to  Klorn8d
5 years ago

Just a guess, but she might want to take the summer and clerk?!?

gregor
5 years ago

I do not understand why the team is selected 12 months out from the meet because it does not allow for someone who is not selected producing a world record between then and now, or others who may be off form.

Pau Hana
Reply to  gregor
5 years ago

I think it was to prevent swimmers from having to do two taper/rest cycles (plus a 3rd for NCAA’s for many) in a pre-Olympic year.

Boknows34
Reply to  Pau Hana
5 years ago

I think it’s also do to do with teams also needing to be selected for World University Games and Pan Ams. The selection meet would have to be much earlier the summer. For 2023, the World Championships in Doha will be in October so it’ll be interesting to see if US Swimming change things next time.

Silent Observer
5 years ago

I love reading swim swam’s articles and don’t really ever find typos.. But above is says, “Those are the four swimmers set to compete in four individual events each. All four are now pros, as Ledecky and Dressel wrapped up their collegiate eligibility this past spring and Baker turned pro after her junior NCAA season.”

If my memory is correct.. Ledecky and Baker both turned pro without finishing their 4 years of NCAA eligibility. Baker as a junior… Ledecky as a sophomore.

Right?

Admin
Reply to  Silent Observer
5 years ago

Yep, that’s right. Simone technically had a year left too.

Tammy Touchpad Error
5 years ago

I thought this was 2018 world SC roster and lost it with this dream team lineup. Really hoping we see the big guns (Drrssel, ledecky, kalisz, king are the only ones who havent really done one yet) commit to a SCM meet but I have my doubts. Im sure we’ll see smoliga, baker, andrew, murph, pieroni, manuel, etc.

Adrian maybe a wildcard?

If everyone shows up men 4×1 FR WR in danger. Possibly medley. Not sold on the 4×2 at all maybe wont even win.

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
5 years ago

4×100 FR world record won’t be broken unless Dressel goes a 45 lol. Medley can definitely be broken.

bobo gigi
5 years ago

Some world records could fall.

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  bobo gigi
5 years ago

The last year a world record didn’t fall was 2010 wasn’t it?

Admin

2010 was the last year without a LCM World Record. 4 were broken in SCM at the SCM World Championships.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Braden Keith
5 years ago

2 of which were from Ryan Lochte

Jpsteady
5 years ago

MA should be 2nd spot in 50 bk. Let him try to win all 4 50’s.

BSD
Reply to  Jpsteady
5 years ago

If Grevers turns down the 50 back spot, it would go to MA, don’t see why Grevers would turn it down tho

Admin
Reply to  BSD
5 years ago

That’s incorrect. Because Ryan Murphy won the 50 back and is the top qualifier in the 100, the 2nd 100 backstroker doesn’t by-default get the spot. Instead, it goes to the fastest swimmer, already on the team, in the event between March 1, 2018 and June 1, 2019. Current US rankings in that period are: Murphy, Ress (not already on the team), Andrew, Grevers. So, Grevers would have to beat Andrew’s 24.49, and Andrew would have to not drop any more time (unlikely, given the way he trains and races, and that he did that 24.49 in Kazan), and so right now, Andrew is most likely to get that spot if he wants it.

We’ll put up a post explaining… Read more »

12beatkick
Reply to  Jpsteady
5 years ago

he’s not gonna win all 50’s anyway. Here’s my prediction for the 50’s winners:
50 free : Dressel – 20.2-3 ( in striking range of world record)
50 back : kolesnikov 22.6
50 fly : dressel or proud hard to call 22.0
50 breast : van der Burgh or peaty if he figures out the start 25.8

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  12beatkick
5 years ago

Look pal. I predict insane swims from Dressel. But if he EVER goes 20.2 that would blow my mind. I say 20.8

PPKL
Reply to  12beatkick
5 years ago

You are way underestimating MA

Vast and Furious
Reply to  12beatkick
5 years ago

I think you’re confused- you just gave scm times and 2019 WCs are in lcm…
Kolesnikov could never go a 22.6 in lcm seeing as he’s just broken the WR in 24.00, nor will VDB go sub 26(Peaty will though)…

Brownish
Reply to  12beatkick
5 years ago

50 fly: Govorov

Old Man Chalmers
Reply to  12beatkick
5 years ago

50 free dressel/proud

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
5 years ago

I think next year will be fast. Dressel will hopefully be back in top form, Michael Andrew will keep improving, and Regan Smith is just killing it. And people from other countries like Ben Proud and Taylor Ruck will also be very entertaining I reckon. If Townley Haas can put the same swim he puts into relays, he’d swim a 1:44 low 200 free.

Artvandelegh10

People have been predicting for 2+ years that Townley would be going 1:44 or even 1:44 low individually. Hopefully it happens, and soon.

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  Artvandelegh10
5 years ago

Haha I know. In 2016, throws a 1:44.1 split at the Olympics, and this year a 1:43.5.

swimcoach

probably will happen when he stops over swimming the first 50. 24.1 is right around what MP went out in in 2008 when he was 1:42.

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
Reply to  swimcoach
5 years ago

True. Though he went out in like 49.4 with a relay star and still swam 1:43 mid

Teddy
Reply to  swimcoach
5 years ago

Non-rubber suit opening 50s are often faster. The rubber suits helped make the closing splits better though

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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