USA Swimming has announced a team of 111 athletes that will comprise the 2018-2019 USA Swimming National Team. The team was selected based on the top 6 swimmers in each individual Olympic event from a combination of the USA Swimming National Championships, the 2018 Pan Pac Championships, and the 2018 Junior Pan Pac Championships.
Unlike selections for next years Worlds teams, prelims swims and all finals swims (A, B, C, and D) were all considered, though relay leadoffs, time trials, swim-offs, and intermediate splits were not.
The team is led by 4 swimmers who qualified in at least 4 events. 5-time Olympic Champion Katie Ledecky (200/400/800/1500 free), Haley Anderson (400/800/1500/10km free), Michael Andrew (50 free/100back/100breast/100fly), and Leah Smith (200/400/800/1500 free, 400 IM), the latter of whom qualified in 5 events.
The Open Water team was based exclusively on the top 6 finishers from the 10k at the USA Swimming Open Water National Championships, with no consideration given for other swimmers who used optional entries for the race at Pan Pacs.
- 111 National Team members (57 men; 54 women)
- 29 states represented; California leads the way with 19 National Team members
- 70-plus USA Swimming clubs represented; California Aquatics is tops with 13 National Teamers
- 32 medalists from the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships
- 15 swimmers qualified for the National Team in three-plus events
- 26 first-time National Team members
Membership on the national team gives athletes access to special education and training camp opportunities, contributions toward travel costs for competition, access to monthly stipends, and access to insurance, with different resources available based on World Rankings.
I would like to see a list of National teamers that are still eligible at their colleges but not frosh (since they haven’t earned that distinction at said college).
All “still eligible at their college but not incoming freshmen (aka HS class of ’18)” – men:
Michael Jensen
Zach Apple
Tate Jackson
Maxime Rooney
Andrew Seliskar
Nick Norman
Logan Houck
True Sweetser
Justin Ress
Bryce Mefford
Austin Katz
Clark Beach
Nick Alexander
Devon Norwicki
Jack Saunderson
Zach Harting
Abrahm Devine
Sam Stewart
Sean Grieshop
Charlie Swanson
All “still eligible at their college but not incoming freshmen (aka HS class of ’18)” – women:
Abbey Weitzeil
Mallory Comerford
Katie McLaughlin
Sierra Schmidt
Ally McHugh
Elise Haan
Asia Seidt
Lilly King
Katie Drabot
Ella Eastin
Evie Pfefier
Meghan Small
Emma Barksdale
Happy to see Madison Kennedy on the list
She cut it close
Anyone know when the National Jr team roster will be announced?
Challenge for the swim nerds out there:
Who was the last swimmer to qualify for the national team (top 6 USA in an event) in all 4 strokes in the same year???
My gut tells me Tracy Caulkins, but I haven’t done the research. Phelps – no br. Lochte – no br. Hoff – no fly. Coughlin – no br. Kukors – no.
hoff at one point was consistently 2 30s at grand prix meets. i wouldnt be surprised if she was the one that did it.
Phelps did A-final at Nats in 2015 in the 200 breast, it would’ve been interesting to see if he would have made a national team in the breaststroke if he put more emphasis it
If you’re trying to make some kind of point about MA being a special swimmer…. well done. He’s turned many critics into believers this year!
Nice to see the article mentions Haley Anderson. I feel like she’s virtually unknown to casual swim fans yet she’s simply incredible.
Yeah jack Saunderson!!
Does anyone know what will be the selection process for the World Short Course Champs USA national team?
We were told that it should be out in the next few weeks.
Assuming the 2018 USA scm Worlds team will be based on 2018 summer LCM times (as in the past), it seems a little sketchy to say “We will watch all the qualifying swims, and then decide what the qualifying criteria are.”
Of course, this is from the geniuses who believe the best summer 2019 team should be selected from finals in summer 2018, so there ya go…