Gold medalists Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.), Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) and Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) are among the more than 50 members of the USA Swimming National Team – and nearly 20 Olympic medalists – expected to highlight the field for the May 14-17 Arena Pro Swim Series (#ArenaProSwim) at Charlotte.
Ryan Lochte and Conor Dwyer at the Arena Pro Swim Series Mesa (courtesy of Mike Lewis)
The four-day meet serves as the fifth stop of the 2014-15 Arena Pro Swim Series – formerly known as the Arena Grand Prix Series – and will take place at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center.
The meet opens with a timed-final distance session at 6 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 14. Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17, prelims will begin at 9 a.m. EDT, followed by finals at 6 p.m. EDT.
Additional Olympic gold medalists excepted to swim in Charlotte include Tyler Clary (Riverside, Calif.), Anthony Ervin (Valencia, Calif.), Jessica Hardy (Long Beach, Calif.), Cullen Jones (Irvington, N.J.) and Allison Schmitt (Canton, Mich.), as well as current Arena Pro Swim Series leaders and Olympic medalists Elizabeth Beisel (Saunderstown, R.I.) and Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.).
On the local front, meet host SwimMAC Carolina is expected to enter 50 swimmers in the meet, including Clary, Jones and Lochte.
Universal Sports Network will air exclusive live television coverage of the meet Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 at 6 p.m. EDT with play-by-play announcer Craig Hummer and analyst Rowdy Gaines calling the action from Charlotte. Additionally, a webcast of the complete meet will be available at usaswimming.org.
Tickets are required for each session, and all- and single-session tickets are on sale now. If quantities permit, single-session tickets will be for sale on-site at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center during the meet. Full meet information can be found at usaswimming.org.
The Arena Pro Swim Series at Charlotte is the fifth of six stops of the 2014-15 Arena Pro Swim Series, which was formerly known as the Arena Grand Prix Series prior to a January 2015 rebranding announcement. The series provides the nation’s best swimmers the opportunity to face top-flight competition on U.S. soil with twice the prize money as last season on the line.
Beisel currently leads the women’s Arena Pro Swim Series standings with 38.5 points, while Dwyer tops the men’s standings with 53 points.
“Using the Arena Pro Swim Series name makes it immediately recognizable to fans and media that our sport’s absolute best athletes are racing in the hometowns of swimmers and sports fans,” said USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch. “At the same time, anyone who posts a qualifying time is eligible, just as it has been, so it creates a unique opportunity for high school and collegiate swimmers to challenge themselves against top competition. In many ways, it’s like playing in the same game as LeBron James or a Tour event with Tiger Woods.”
As part of USA Swimming’s partnership with swimwear leader Arena, the Arena Pro Swim Series features $300,000 in overall prize money. Eligible swimmers may earn awards for top-three finishes in all individual Olympic events across the series. At each meet, $1,000 will be provided for a first-place finish, $600 for second and $200 for third. In addition to the single-event prize money, the overall male and female winners of the season-long Series will earn a $10,000 bonus.
For the second consecutive season, USA Swimming partner BMW will award the grand prize of a one-year lease of a BMW ActiveHybrid 3 to the highest-scoring eligible male and female U.S. swimmers.
Male and female overall Arena Pro Swim Series champions will be honored at the conclusion of the 2014-15 series based on the number of points accumulated throughout the six meets. Participants will be awarded points in each individual Olympic event throughout the duration of the Series (Five points for first, three for second, one point for third place).
Complementing the professional athletes, high school and collegiate swimmers will be able challenge their abilities against top competition without compromising their NCAA eligibility. USA Swimming received approval from the NCAA for the Arena Pro Swim Series title.
Swimming News is courtesy of USA Swimming.
amazing how average Missy’s underwater looked in that 2Back
As always. 😆
I believed that part of her races would improve at Cal…but no unfortunately.
Does anyone know if Kate Ziegler is back in serious training for a run at the 2016 Olympic Games? I heard a whisper a while back but nothing substantial.
She swam at the same meet I did in Chattanooga, TN this past weekend at Baylor School and got a 2:06 in 200 free..
It also appeared that Dagny was training again based on her twitter. Is she still thinking of a comeback or is she enjoying life outside the pool?
No trace of Katie Ledecky too?
Normal.
She said in Mesa that she had 3 AP tests at her school coming up: government, psychology and calculus AB.
Her graduation is June 4, followed by a trip to Colorado Springs for altitude training.
Wow, ~50 is half or more of the National Team….should make for some exciting racing.
psych sheet?
AND MEN’S MEET
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6xMFqw4JKs
Talking about Missy, I can’t believe I’ve finally found a video of her amazing 200 free American and NCAA record from last March. And also the 100 free of Simone Manuel. Never too late.
FULL WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS ESPNU REPLAY!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj0U1Uni7Qc
Again no Missy Franklin? 😥
I want to watch her in long course, especially her backstroke. It’s been too long since last August. 🙂
Grand Prix meets miss her a lot.
I’m not sure about the schedule at Cal, but I think she’s either studying for finals or has just finished doing so. I know she’s still training regardless, but that sort of thing is emotionally draining, so she may not feel “up to competing” yet.
Last year too, her only Grand Prix meet post-NCAA championships has been Santa Clara in June.
It will change next season now she’s pro. 😎