ISL U.S. Rosters: Bilquist, Pebley Lead Trident; Dressel, King, Smoliga Still Lead Condors; Weitzeil, Rooney Join Current (FULL ROSTERS)

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Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

2020 ISL season rosters for the four American teams – DC Trident, the Cali Condors, the LA Current and the New York Breakers – released Wednesday.

ISL 2020: DC Trident

DC Trident has added some new faces for the upcoming second season of the International Swimming League (ISL).

The season is focused on sprinting. With Natalie Coughlin pregnant and not competing, and Katie Ledecky and Cody Miller opting not to compete right before the Olympic year, DC Trident GM Kaitlin Sandeno was focused on leadership as well.

Madison Kennedy is now the captain and Giles Smith the vice captain. Sandeno also got plenty of leadership with new swimmers, led by Amy Bilquist, Jacob Pebley, Ky-lee Perry, Miranda Tucker and Margo Geer.

Bilquist, the reigning U.S. champion in the 100-meter backstroke, brings versatility as well as leadership. She can swim both backstroke events as well as the 50 and 100 freestyle.

“I chose DC because it is something new, and I like to try new things. It gives me the opportunity to grow and be a leader on the team. It will give me a chance to do more events in addition to the backstrokes. DC was having so much fun last year that I felt like I wanted to be part of that. I need that fun going into an Olympic year,” Amy Bilquist told Swimming World.

Being recruited as a leader, not just a swimmer, was something that meant a lot to Bilquist, who was on the Current last year.

“It is so humbling. I feel so honored that Kaitlin could even see me as that type of person on her team. The past few years, I have been on superstar teams at Carmel High School and at Cal,” Bilquist said. “DC is more about making a culture, not that they don’t have superstars, too. But there is going to be more selfless swimming, which is the best kind of swimming. That is what I want to be a part of the most. For Kaitlin to see that leadership in my makes me want to be that person for DC.”

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Jacob Pebley. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Pebley was a 2016 Rio Olympian and last year was on the New York Breakers. He joins the Trident, giving the team a huge presence on the men’s side.

“Jacob is not only a huge asset in the backstroke evens, but his experience, leadership and positivity make him an incredible addition to our squad,” Sandeno said.

Perry is a somewhat under-the-radar pickup. The NCAA All-American from NC State has battled through injuries but is on the mend as she aims to make the Olympic team. She could be a huge factor in the 50 freestyle skins in the ISL.

“I was very excited. I was a little worried about what was going to happen in my career after college,” Perry said. “Braden (Holloway, NC State coach) and I set up a plan and we reached out to some ISL teams. DC Trident was the first to wan to give me a chance, and that is very exciting. It was nice to have someone reach out and want me to be on an ISL team.”

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Ky-lee Perry. Photo Courtesy: NC State Athletics

It was a huge step for Perry, who is looking to challenge for an Olympic spot in 2021.

“That was my main goal, to be a professional. I can’t wait to embark on it,“ Perry said. “I think it is a really good fit for me. The energy they brought has been big. That is what we are all about at NC State, and the fact that I get another opportunity like that. That was what I was looking for in a pro team. Amy Bilquist reached out to me and we are excited to be teammates. My goal has been to be a pro and go through 2024. I want as much racing experience as possible and I will get a lot of that at DC Trident.“

Tucker was aiming to challenge for the NCAA title in the 100 breaststroke along with Lindsey Kozelsky, who also joined the Trident.

“I’ve been wanting to swim for ISL since it was first introduced,” Tucker told Swimming World. “Last year, I watched my friends compete and they had so much fun that I got kind of jealous. DC had always stuck out to me, not only because of the awesome people on it but also because of how energetic they are at matches. They are all such great personalities that work hard, trust each other, and have fun racing. The pandemic has pushed us all to break normalcy and carefully adapt, so it really means the world to me to still be able to join DC Trident and compete in the ISL. Swimming at a professional level has been a dream of mine since I was young, and a goal as I got older, so I am absolutely ecstatic to be able to experience such an amazing event as this.”

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Miranda Tucker. Photo Courtesy: Dan D’Addona

Geer is another sprinter who continues to perform at an elite level; her experience will make her a valuable leader and relay swimmer for the Trident in the ISL.

DC Trident Key Losses

  • Katie Ledecky, USA
  • Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong
  • Natalie Coughlin, USA
  • Cody Miller, USA
  • Andreas Vazaios, Greece
  • Brianna Throssell, Australia
  • Anika Apolstalon, Czech Republic
  • Kevin Cordes, USA
  • Jay Litherland, USA
  • Lisa Bratton, USA

DC Trident Key Additions

  • Amy Bilquist, USA
  • Jacob Pebley, USA
  • Margo Geer, USA
  • Ky-lee Perry, USA
  • Miranda Tucker, USA
  • Lindsey Kozelsky, USA
  • Kathrin Demler, Germany
  • Ali Galyer, New Zealand
  • Remedy Rule, Philippines

ISL: DC Trident Roster

Women

  • Bailey Andison, Canada
  • Emily Barksdale, USA
  • Amy Bilquist, USA
  • Kathrin Demler, Germany
  • Bethany Galat, USA
  • Ali Galyer, New Zealand
  • Margo Geer, USA
  • Leah Gingrich, USA
  • Madison Kennedy, USA
  • Lindsey Kozelsky, USA
  • Linnea Mack, USA
  • Ky-lee Perry, USA
  • Ting Quah, Singapore
  • Remedy Rule, Philippines
  • Miranda Tucker, USA

Men

  • Zach Apple, USA
  • Meiron Cheruti, Israel
  • Tommy Cope, USA
  • Abrahm DeVine, USA
  • Ian Finnerty, USA
  • Zane Grothe, USA
  • Zach Harting, USA
  • Robert Howard, USA
  • Drew Loy, USA
  • Conner McHugh, USA
  • Mark Nikolaev, Russia
  • Jacob Pebley, USA
  • Mohamed Samy, Egypt
  • Matheus Santana, Brazil
  • Giles Smith, USA
  • Velimir Stjepanovic, Serbia

ISL 2020: Cali Condors

The Cali Condors still look like a force to be reckoned with, stacked a plethora of dominant swimmers, especially American swimmers with a couple of Australian and Polish stars.

The Condors still have Caeleb Dressel, Olivia Smoliga, Lilly King, Melanie Margalis, Kelsi Dahlia and Hali Flickinger as well as Mitch Larkin and Ariarne Titmus from Australia.

Cali Condors Key Losses

  • Kylie Masse, Canada
  • Anton Ipsen, Denmark
  • John Shebat, USA
  • Andrew Wilson, USA
  • Kelsey Wog, Canada

Cali Condors Key Newcomers

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Sherridon Dressel. Photo Courtesy: Bethany Hocker

  • Kevin Cordes, USA
  • Sherridon Dressel, USA
  • Beata Nelson, USA
  • Coleman Stewart, USA

Cali Condors Roster

*not participating

  • Haley Anderson, USA
  • Khader Baqlah, JOR
  • Bowe Becker, USA
  • Gunnar Bentz, USA
  • Erika Brown, USA
  • Veronica Burchill, USA
  • *Jack Cartwright, Australia
  • Marcin Cieslak, Poland
  • Kevin Cordes, USA
  • Kelsi Dahlia, USA
  • Caeleb Dressel, USA
  • Sherridon Dressel, USA
  • Kelly Fertel, USA
  • Nic Fink, USA
  • Hali Flickinger, USA
  • Townley Haas, USA
  • Molly Hannis, USA
  • *Meg Harris, Australia
  • Natalie Hinds, USA
  • Tate Jackson, USA
  • Lilly King, USA
  • Radoslaw, Kawecki, Poland
  • *Mitch Larkin, Australia
  • *Clyde Lewis, Australia
  • Kacper Majchrzak, Poland
  • Melanie Margalis, USA
  • Lia Neal, USA
  • Beata Nelson, USA
  • Tom Peribonio, Ecuador
  • Justin Ress, USA
  • Allison Schmitt, USA
  • Meghan Small, USA
  • Olivia Smoliga, USA
  • Coleman Stewart, USA
  • Mark Szaranek, Scotland
  • *Ariarne Titmus, Australia
  • Eddie Wang, USA

ISL 2020: LA Current

The LA Current are another team loaded with talent, though the team lost several stars from last year’s group.

The team will be without Nathan Adrian, Ryan Held, Blake Pieroni, Leah Smith, Kathleen Baker, Chase Kalisz, Matt Grevers and Farida Osman.

But the team has added Ali DeLoof, Maxime Rooney and Abbey Weitzeil.

LA Current Key Losses

  • Nathan Adrian, USA
  • Ryan Held, USA
  • Blake Pieroni, USA
  • Leah Smith, USA
  • Jack Conger, USA
  • Amy Bilquist, USA
  • Kathleen Baker, USA
  • Farida Osman, Egypt
  • Annie Lazor, USA
  • Michael Chadwick, USA
  • Chase Kalisz, USA
  • Matt Grevers, USA

LA Current Key Newcomers

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Abbey Weitzeil. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

  • Ali DeLoof, USA
  • Maxime Rooney, USA
  • Abbey Weitzeil, USA

LA Current Roster

  • Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Apostolos Christou, Greece
  • Ali DeLoof, USA
  • Ella Eastin, USA
  • Marco Ferreira, Brazil
  • Helena Gasson, New Zealand
  • Beryl Gastaldello, France
  • Kristian Gkolomeev, Greece
  • Anastasiya Gorbenko, Israel
  • Santiago Grassi, Argentina
  • Jacob Heidtmann, Germany
  • Will Licon, USA
  • Alyssa Marsh, USA
  • Katie McLaughlin, USA
  • Andi Murez, Israel
  • Ryan Murphy, USA
  • Josh Prenot, USA
  • Claire Rasmus, USA
  • Maxime Rooney, USA
  • Makayla Sargent, USA
  • Fernando Scheffer, Brazil
  • Julia Sebastian, Argentina
  • Andrew Seliskar, USA
  • Tom Shields, USA
  • Felipe Silva, Brazil
  • Kierra Smith, Canada
  • Kendyl Stewart, USA
  • Aly Tetzloff, USA
  • Zane Waddell, South Africa
  • Abbey Weitzeil, USA
  • Madi Wilson, Australian
  • Tomoe Zenimoto Hvas, Norway

New York Breakers

The New York Breakers had the biggest roster shakeup of any of the U.S. teams.

The team lost Breeja Larson, Pernille Blume, Jacob Pebley, Lia Neal and the DeLoof sisters.

But the team has added Felix Auböck, Cam McEvoy, James Wilby and Boglarka Kapas.

NY Breakers Key Losses

  • Breeja Larson, USA
  • Pernille Blume, Denmark
  • Ali DeLoof, USA
  • Catie DeLoof, USA
  • Gabby DeLoof, USA
  • Lia Neal, USA
  • Marius Kusch, Germany
  • Jacob Pebley, USA

NY Breakers Key Newcomers

  • Felix Auböck, Austria
  • Cameron McEvoy, Australia
  • Boglarka Kapas, Hungary
  • Sarah Vasey, Great Britain
  • James Wilby, Great Britain
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James Wilby. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

NY Breakers Roster

*not participating

  • Brandonn, Almeida, Brazil
  • Michael Andrew, USA
  • Felix Auböck, Austria
  • *Meg Bailey, Australia
  • Signe Bro, Denmark
  • Svetlana Chimrova, Russia
  • Lewis Clareburt, New Zealand
  • Emily Escobedo, USA
  • Erika Fairweather, New Zealand
  • Chloe Golding, Great Britain
  • *Abbey Harkin, Australia
  • Boglarka Kapas, Hungary
  • Ajna Kesely, Hungary
  • Marco Koch, Germany
  • Joe Litchfield, Great Britain
  • *Cameron McEvoy, Australia
  • *Jack McLoughlin, Australia
  • *Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia
  • Jeanette Ottesen, Denmark
  • Michal Poprawa, Poland
  • Christpher Reid, South Africa
  • Molly Renshaw, Great Britain
  • Matt Richards, Great Britian
  • *Mikkayla Sheridan, Australia
  • Jakub Skierka, Poland
  • *Brendon Smith, Australia
  • Arina Surkova, Russia
  • Jan Switkowski, Poland
  • Alicja Tchorz, Poland
  • Adam Telegdy, Hungary
  • *Matthew Temple, Australia
  • Pieter Timmers, Belgium
  • Daria Ustinova, Russia
  • Sarah Vasey, Great Britain
  • Tevyn Waddell, USA
  • Kasia Wasick, Poland
  • Jacob Whittle, Great Britain
  • Damian Wierling, Germany
  • James Wilby, Great Britain
  • Abbie Wood, Great Britain
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