The USA team for the 2015 Pan American Games, being held July 10-26 in Toronto, Canada, is beginning to come together.
USA Swimming is selecting a team of up to 18 men and 18 women based on their performances at the 2014 National Championships this past August 6-10 in Irvine. Athletes selected to the 2015 World Championships and 2015 World University Games are not eligible for Pan Am Games. Once the WC and WUG athletes are excluded, priority will go to the top two men and women in the 100 and 200 free, and then the fastest men and women in each of the other individual Olympic events.
The athletes are being contacted by USA Swimming this week. So far, those who have accepted the invitation to represent Team USA at 2015 Pan American Games include:
| Men | Women |
| Bobby Bollier | Kelsi Worrell |
| Brad Craig | |
| Darian Townsend | |
| Max Williamson |
Men
Bobby Bollier: Bollier qualified for PanAms with a sixth-place finish in the 200 fly (1:57.95) at Nationals. A veteran National Team member, he trains in the post-grad group at Stanford Swimming. Bollier represented the USA at both 2009 and 2011 World University Games.
Brad Craig: Craig took fourth in the 100 breast (1:00.82) at Nationals, representing Tennessee Aquatics. A former National Junior Team member, this is his first international selection for Team USA.
Darian Townsend: Only two months after being sworn in as an American citizen, Townsend has made his first USA Swimming international team. Townsend represented his native South Africa in London in 2012 but has been stateside ever since. His 49.53 100 free placed him tenth at Nationals; he was 16th in the 200 free. Townsend represents New York Athletic Club.
Max Williamson: Williamson, a sophomore at Stanford, took seventh in the 400 IM (4:18.17) at Nationals. He was a member of the 2012-13 National Junior Team (200 breast and 200/400 IM). This is his first selection representing the USA on an international team.
Women
Kelsi Worrell: Worrell finished sixth in the 100 fly (59.34) at Nationals, and was third in the 50. The University of Louisville junior makes her first appearance representing Team USA on the international stage.
If the order of selection priority is Pan Pacs (Worlds), WUGS and then Pan Ams why is the list for the third priority, Pan Ams, being speculated on before the WUGS team has been announced? Any word on that team selection?
Strkswm – There’s no speculation in this list. These are people who have announced their invitations via their social media accounts.
I just glanced at the published selection procedures, and it looks like World University Games have priority over the Pan American Games. However, relay-only swimmers on the World Championships team may be considered for the World University Games, which is going to complicate things. But, here’s a quick stab at what the Pan Am Games men’s roster might look like.
50 Free: Cullen Jones… Read more »
100 Free: Darian Townsend, Cullen Jones
200 Free: Michael Klueh, Michael Weiss (relay only for WC, not eligible for WUG, but not in the 400 IM spot…hmm)
400 Free: Michael Klueh
1500 Free: Andrew Gemmell, or…Michael Klueh
100 Back: Nick Thoman
200 Back: Carter Griffin
100 Breast: Brad Craig
Also on the schedule is the Junior World Champs in Singapore.
I think Pam Ams will be a walking in the park for USA team.Even Brazil(always sending a A team) will send a mixed team because is so close to World Champs.
Not even a mixed team, Brazil will send the ones who did not qualify for Worlds (Including Relay Only swimmer) swimming on Pan AM is one week before Worlds only..
I wonder if Natalie Coughlin will swim?!? I certainly hope so, to give her some international competition to fuel her towards Rio.
Very exciting to see these teams formulate. Is USA swimming sending over info on the World University Games team as well?