U.S. Paralympic Committee Names 2015 Swimming National Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, announced today that 14 athletes, including six reigning world champions, have been named to the 2015 U.S. Paralympics Swimming National A Team. Twelve athletes were named to the B team, with an additional 15 athletes named to the emerging and military teams.

“With Rio right around the corner, we are thrilled to have such a gifted group of athletes,” said Queenie Nichols, high performance director for U.S. Paralympics swimming. “Our 2015 roster is made up of not only decorated and consistent veterans but also new faces who continue to impress. I’m eager to see what 2015 holds for this group of outstanding athletes.”

The 2015 national A team has proven performance with several veteran swimmers on the roster. Six athletes won world titles in 2013: Cortney Jordan (Henderson, Nevada), Jessica Long (Baltimore, Maryland), Rebecca Meyers (Timonium, Maryland), Roy Perkins (Del Mar, California), Tucker Dupree (Raleigh, North Carolina) and Ian Silverman (Baltimore, Maryland).

London 2012 Paralympic Games gold medalist and U.S. Navy veteran Brad Snyder (Baltimore, Maryland) also returns to the roster this year. Snyder took a brief hiatus from competitive swimming following the Games and made his return to competitive swimming at the 2014 U.S. Paralympics Swimming Spring National Championships/Spring CanAms.

Long is the most decorated female athlete with 17 Paralympic  medals, while Perkins takes the honor on the men’s side with six trips to the Paralympic medal stand.

Letticia Martinez (Las Cruces, New Mexico), Colleen Young (St. Louis, Missouri) and Curtis Lovejoy (Atlanta, Georgia) also made the A team for the second straight year. Michelle Konkoly (Eagleville, Pennsylvania), who was initially named to the2014 B team but jumped to the National A Team for 2014 Pan-Pacific Para-Swimming Championships, also returns to the roster.

Tharon Drake (Hobbs, New Mexico) and Cody Bureau (Latrobe, Pennsylvania) moved up from last year’s B team, as well as Kayla Wheeler (Lynnwood, Washington) who made the jump from the 2014 emerging team.

Team USA had a dominant showing at 2014 Pan Pacific Para-swimming Championships in Pasadena, California where it finished atop the medal standings with 115 medals (34 gold, 49 silver and 32 bronze). Silverman broke a 13-year-old world record in the 400-meter freestyle S10 race, swimming a 4:03.57, and Konkoly had a shining Team USA debut with three gold medals.

Team USA begins the 2015 season at the Can-Am Para-swimming Championships from March 20-22 in Toronto.

Additional athletes may be added to the team rosters throughout the season.