With world-record holders and Olympic gold medalists Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo./Colorado Stars), Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Nation’s Capital Swim Club), Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla./SwimMAC Carolina) and Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md./North Baltimore Aquatic Club) headlining the roster, USA Swimming today announced the 107 members of the 2015-16 National Team.
“The USA Swimming National Team represents the highest level of swimming in the United States,” said Frank Busch, USA Swimming National Team Director. “Heading into an Olympic year, this group of dedicated athletes will positively represent our country and aim to build on the National Team’s tradition of success in and out of the pool.”
Ledecky, who won five gold medals and set world records in the 800- and 1500-meter freestyle events at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, earned a National Team roster spot with top performances in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events for the second straight year.
Franklin is one of three swimmers to earn a National Team spot in four events, as she qualified in the 100m and 200m free and 100m and 200m back. She is joined on the women’s side by Hali Flickinger (Spring Grove, Pa./Athens Bulldog Swim Club/Georgia; 200m free, 400m free, 200m fly, 400m IM). Jack Conger (Rockville, Md./Nation’s Capital Swim Club/Texas; 100m free, 100m back, 100m fly, 200m fly) is the lone male to earn National Team status in four events.
Veterans Lochte and Phelps qualified for the squad in three events each. Lochte claimed a roster spot in the 200m free, 200m back and 200m IM, while Phelps qualified in the 100m fly, 200m fly and 200m IM. Phelps posted the world’s top times for 2015 in each event.
The 2015-16 USA Swimming National Team By the Numbers:
• 107 2015-16 National Team members (53 women, 54 men)
• 29 states represented; California leads the way 16 on the roster
• 50-plus USA Swimming clubs represented; SwimMAC Carolina is tops with 11 swimmers
• 14 swimmers qualified for National Team status in three-plus events
• Three swimmers qualified for National Team status in a team-high four events
• 23 first-time National Team members
The USA Swimming National Team is comprised of the six athletes with the highest world rankings in each Olympic event from the combined results of all USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned meets from Jan. 1, 2015, to Aug. 10, 2015. Complete selection details can be found at usaswimming.org.
Open water National Team members qualified with a top-six finish in the 10-kilomter race at the 2015 USA Swimming Open Water National Championships. The open water roster is led by 2016 U.S. Olympic Team qualifiers Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club), Sean Ryan (Chattanooga, Tenn./Club Wolverine) and Jordan Wilimovsky (Malibu, Calif./Team Santa Monica/Northwestern).
Benefits offered to USA Swimming National Team members include reimbursement for travel to USA Swimming Arena Pro Swim Series meets and training camp opportunities. Select athletes are eligible for monthly assistance and elite athlete health insurance. A full list of opportunities available to members of the National Team is available online at usaswimming.org.
USA Swimming Women’s 2015-2016 national team
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USA Swimming Men’s 2015-2016 national team
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Note: Club listed next to each swimmer is club they represented when named to team
Way to go Katie McLaughlin!