USA Swimming Announces 2016 National Junior Team; Katie Drabot, Michael Andrew Lead The List

2 May 2015; Katie Drabot, NCSA, competes in the 'B' final of the women's 400m freestyle event during the 2015 Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre, Abbotstown, Dublin. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Photo Courtesy: David Farr

USA Swimming released the names of the 114 swimmers who are part of the 2015-2016 national junior team. Selection to this squad is often a first step toward making the senior national team and/or the Olympic team.

Several American Olympic swimming champions got their start as members of the national junior team. Josh Davis and Brad Bridgewater were national junior team members in 1990 before earning Olympic gold in 1996. Cammile Adams, Alyssa Anderson and Allison Schmitt were among the members of the 2007 national junior team before making the 2012 Olympic team. And taking a much faster route to the elite squad was Missy Franklin, who was on the national junior team in 2010, one year before winning her first world championship gold medal in 2011.

Last year’s junior national team was full of names that would go on to do amazing things this year. Sierra Schmidt won the Pan American Games title in the 800 free this year, while Caeleb Dressel swam a 50 free time at nationals that would have placed third at the world championships.

2015-2016 USA Swimming national junior team qualifiers

This year’s national junior team features athletes who could place in the top eight in next year’s Olympic Trials, and maybe sneak onto the world championship team. Qualifying for the national team didn’t disqualify an athlete for inclusion on the national junior team. National team members Maxime Rooney, Cassidy Bayer, Claire Adams and Sierra Schmidt are on the national junior team by virtue of being a part of last month’s world junior championships.

Most of the names on the roster have won races at junior nationals and have made top 16 at the senior national level. A few of the swimmers on the list participated in last month’s world junior championships, getting a taste of international racing.

This year’s squad marks the first national junior team under the direction of Mitch Dalton, who is taking the reins as USA Swimming’s national junior team coordinator from Jack Roach.

According to USA Swimming, Katie Drabot and Michael Andrew qualified for the team in the most events with six each. Nation’s Capital Swim Club put eight athletes on the team: Cassidy Bayer, Megan Byrnes, Matthew Hirschberger, James Jones, Samuel Pomajevich, Isabella Rongione, John Shebat and Carsten Vissering.

2015-2016 USA Swimming National Junior Team – WOMEN
Athletes with the top 6 fastest times, in Olympic events only, from the combined results of all USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned meets
from 1/1/2015 to 8/30/2015 as well as YMCA Long Course Nationals; times from Prelims, Semi-Finals and Finals (A, B and C) only will
be used and relay lead-offs, time trials, intermediate splits and swim-offs will not be included. In addition, all 2015 FINA World Junior
Championship members are automatically included in the events for which they competed.

50 Free:
Marta Ciesla 25.07 Speedo Junior Nationals Pine Crest Swimming Marius Podkoscielny
Abbigail Weitzeil 25.10 CA Summer Sectionals Canyons Aquatic Club Coley Stickels
Katrina Konopka 25.12 Speedo Junior Nationals Y-Spartaquatics Ted Pierson
Stanzi Moseley 25.39 NCSA Spring Championships Roadrunner Aquatic Gray Tedder
Anya Goeders 25.52 Speedo Junior Nationals Mako Swim Team Jarrod Hunte
Lauren Pitzer (WJR) 25.56 Phillips 66 Nationals Lakeside Aquatic Club Jason Walter
Katie Drabot 25.56 Phillips 66 Nationals Ozaukee Aquatics Steve Keller
Ashley Volpenhein (WJR) 25.59 Phillips 66 Nationals Mason Manata Rays Ken Heis

100 Free:
Abbigail Weitzeil 54.42 TYR MVN Fran Crippen SMOC Canyons Aquatic Club Coley Stickles
Caroline McTaggart 54.89 Speedo Junior Nationals All Star Aquatics Robert Walker
Katrina Konopka 55.05 Speedo Junior Nationals Y-Spartaquatics Ted Pierson
Katie Drabot 55.07 MN MSI Speedo Sectionals Ozaukee Aquatics Steve Keller
Stanzi Moseley (WJR) 55.19 NCSA Spring Championships Road Runner Aquatic Gray Tedder
Mallory Comerford 55.26 Phillips 66 Nationals Southwest Y Michigan Swimming Jeffrey Russell
Lauren Pitzer (WJR) 55.83 Phillips 66 Nationals Lakeside Aquatic Club Jason Walter
Kenisha Liu (WJR) 55.98 Speedo Junior Nationals BREA Aquatics Jim Johnson
Beata Nelson (WJR) 56.06 Phillips 66 Nationals Madison Aquatic Club Shane Ryan

200 Free:
Katie Drabot 1:58.58 Phillips 66 Nationals Ozaukee Aquatic Club Steve Keller
Hannah Cox (WJR) 1:59.28 FINA World JR Championships Upper Valley Aquatic Club Dorsi Raynolds
Mallory Comerford 2:00.49 Phillips 66 Nationals Southwest Y Michigan Jeffrey Russell
Megan Moroney 2:00.71 Phillips 66 Nationals Saint Andrew’s Swimming Sid Cassidy
Eryn Eddy 2:00.83 Phillips 66 Nationals Loveland Swim Club Jim Nickell
Melissa Pish (WJR) 2:00.85 Phillips 66 Nationals Waves Bloomington Heather Fort /Charles Yourd
Lauren Case (WJR) 2:01.03 Phillips 66 Nationals Chattahoochee Gold Falco Fleischmann
Samantha Shelton (WJR) 2:01.19 Phillips 66 Nationals Mission Viejo Swim Club Bill Rose / Bill Voigt

400 Free:
Sierra Schmidt (WJR) 4:07.47 FINA World Junior Championships North Baltimore Aquatic Club Eric Posegay
Hannah Cox (WJR) 4:08.69 FINA World Junior Championships Upper Valley Aquatic Club Dorsi Raynolds
Taylor Ault 4:12.47 Phillips 66 Nationals La Mirada Armada Rick Shipherd
Chenoa Devine 4:13.04 Phillips 66 Nationals Davis Arden Racing Team Bill Doughty
Katie Drabot 4:13.33 MN MSI Speedo Sectionals Ozaukee Aquatics Steve Keller
Paige Madden 4:13.81 Phillips 66 Nationals City of Mobile Swim Association Greg Davis

800 Free:
Sierra Schmidt (WJR) 8:27.54 Pan-American Games North Baltimore Aquatic Club Eric Posegay
Gabrielle Kopenski (WJR) 8:35.33 Phillips 66 Nationals Texas Ford Aquatics Daniel McDonough
Leah Stevens 8:37.17 GA Long Course Speedo Sectionals Lakeside Swim Team Mike DeBoor
Joy Field 8:41.53 Speedo Junior Nationals Magnolia Aquatic Club Terry Jones
Summer Finke 8:41.57 FL Southern Zone South Sectional Saint Petersburg Aquatics Fred Lewis
Megan Byrnes 8:41.85 NCSA Spring Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club John Flanagan

100 Back:
Claire Adams (WJR) 59.58 Phillips 66 Nationals Carmel Swim Club Ian Murray
Grace Ariola (WJR) 1:00.62 Phillips 66 Nationals Waves Bloomington Heather Fort /Charles Yourd
Alex Walsh 1:00.84 Speedo Junior Nationals Nashville Aquatic Club John Morse
Regan Smith 1:01.32 Speedo Junior Nationals Riptide Michael Parratto
Kaitlin Harty 1:01.57 Phillips 66 Nationals Greenwood Memorial Swim Club Janet Harty
Ella Eastin 1:01.61 Speedo Junior Nationals SOCAL Aquatics Association Steve Pickell

200 Back:
Claire Adams (WJR) 2:09.44 Phillips 66 Nationals Carmel Swim Club Ian Murray
Alex Walsh 2:10.55 Speedo Junior Nationals Nashville Aquatic Club John Morse
Erin Voss 2:10.80 FG Speedo Sectionals Greater Holyoke YMCA Vikings Nicholas Rice
Erin Earley 2:10.91 IN Speedo Sectionals Hopkins Mariner Swim Team Chuck Elrick
Grace Ariola (WJR) 2:11.14 Speedo Junior Nationals Waves Bloomington Heather Fort /Charles Yourd
Emma Seiberlich 2:11.59 Speedo Junior Nationals Phoenixville YMCA Ryan Kennedy

100 Breast:
Miranda Tucker 1:08.32 Speedo Junior Nationals Livonia Community Swim Club Joe Bublitz
Nikol Popov (WJR) 1:08.67 Phillips 66 Nationals Canyons Aquatic Club Coley Stickels
Lindsey Horejsi 1:08.99 Phillips 66 Nationals Mantas Swim Club Alex Lindstrom
Olivia Anderson 1:09.03 NCSA- Summer Championships Aquajets Swim Team Kate Lundsten
Margaret Aroesty 1:09.03 NCSA- Summer Championships Long Island Aquatic Club Dave Ferris
Rachel Munson 1:09.15 NCSA- Summer Championships Shorewood Swim Club David Westfahl
Kennedy Lohman (WJR) 1:09.59 Phillips 66 Nationals Lakeside Swim Team Mike DeBoor

200 Breast:
Miranda Tucker 2:27.71 Phillips 66 Nationals Livonia Community Swim Club Joe Bublitz
Kirsten Vose 2:28.58 Phillips 66 Nationals Rose Bowl Aquatics Jeff Julian
Vanessa Pearl 2:28.64 Phillips 66 Nationals Metroplex Aquatics Brent Mitchell
Lindsey Horejsi 2:29.65 Phillips 66 Nationals Mantas Swim Club Alex Lindstrom
Margaret Aroesty (WJR) 2:30.60 Phillips 66 Nationals Long Island Aquatic Club Dave Ferris
Emma Schanz 2:30.95 Mel Zajac Jr International Spokane Waves Aquatic Team Michael Woodward
Ashley McCauley (WJR) 2:32.29 Phillips 66 Nationals Marlins of Raleigh Kyle Myers

100 Fly:
Cassidy Bayer (WJR) 58.87 FINA World JR Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club Jeff King
Lauren Case (WJR) 59.40 FINA World JR Championships Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club Falco Fleischmann
Caroline McTaggart 59.47 Speedo Junior Nationals All Star Aquatics Robert Walker
Bailey Nero 59.62 Speedo Junior Nationals Fort Collins Area Swim Team Chris Webb
Veronica Burchill 59.74 Phillips 66 Nationals Carmel Swim Club Ian Murray
Ella Eastin 59.80 Speedo Junior Nationals SOCAL Aquatics Association Steve Pickell

200 Fly:
Cassidy Bayer (WJR) 2:08.03 Phillips 66 Nationals Nation’s Capital Swim Club Jeff King
Hannah Kukurugya (WJR) 2:10.08 FINA World JR Championships Crown Point Swim Club John Krick
Ella Eastin 2:10.12 Speedo Junior Nationals SOCAL Aquatics Association Steve Pickell
Lauren Case 2:11.06 Arena Pro Series- Santa Clara Chattahoochee Gold Swim Club Falco Fleischmann
Victoria Edwards 2:11.32 Phillips 66 Nationals Longhorn Aquatics Michael Laitala
Emma Seiberlich 2:12.14 Speedo Junior Nationals Phoenixville YMCA Ryan Kennedy

200 IM:
Ella Eastin 2:12.32 Speedo Junior Nationals SOCAL Aquatics Association Steve Pickell
Tatum Wade (WJR) 2:14.27 Phillips 66 Nationals Nashville Aquatic Club John Morse
Brooke Forde (WJR) 2:14.36 Phillips 66 Nationals Lakeside Swim Team Mike DeBoor
Katie Drabot 2:14.38 Irish Open Championships Ozaukee Aquatics Steve Keller
Cassidy Bayer 2:14.81 PVS LC SR Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club Jeff King
Sonia Wang 2:14.90 CA Los Angeles Invite Aquazot Swim Club Brian Pajer

400 IM:
Ella Eastin 4:42.52 Speedo Junior Nationals SOCAL Aquatics Steve Pickell
Brooke Forde (WJR) 4:43.20 FINA World Junior Championships Lakeside Swim Team Mike DeBoor
Regan Barney 4:47.00 TYR MVN Fran Crippen SMOC Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Savanna Faulconer (WJR) 4:47.01 FINA World Junior Championships Y-Spartaquatics Ted Pierson
Katie Drabot 4:47.56 NCSA- Spring Championships Ozaukee Aquatics Steve Keller
Sonia Wang 4:49.59 Phillips 66 National Championships Aquazot Swim Club Brian Pajer

OPEN WATER:
Qualifying Criteria: Top six finishers from the 2015 USA Swimming 10k Open Water National Championships/World Championships
Trials, who are 18 and under at the time of the competition provided that they finished within 15 minutes of the first place finisher.
Isabella Rongione Nation’s Capital Swim Club Bruce Gemmell
Taylor Pike Razorback Aquatic Club Aquahawgs Monty Hopkins
Chenoa Devine David Arden Racing Team Billy Doughty
Erin Emery Sandpipers of Nevada Ron Aitken
Regan Kology Harvard Stephanie Morawski
Summer Finke Saint Petersburg Aquatics Fred Lewis

2015-2016 USA Swimming National Junior Team – MEN
Athletes with the top 6 fastest times, in Olympic events only, from the combined results of all USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned meets
from 1/1/2015 to 8/30/2015 as well as YMCA Long Course Nationals; times from Prelims, Semi-Finals and Finals (A, B and C) only will
be used and relay lead-offs, time trials, intermediate splits and swim-offs will not be included. In addition, all 2015 FINA World Junior
Championship members are automatically included in the events for which they competed.

50 Free:
Michael Andrew (WJR) 22.34 Speedo Junior Nationals Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
James Jones (WJR) 22.70 Philips 66 Nationals Nation’s Capital Swim Club Pete Morgan
Ryan Hoffer 22.80 Philips 66 Nationals Scottsdale Aquatic Club Kevin Zacher
Daniel Krueger 22.89 Philips 66 Nationals McFarland Spartan Sharks Derrick O’Donnell
Mark McGlaughlin 22.95 IA L4A Swim Pink A+ Invitational Iowa Flyers Swim Club Robert Pinter
Maxime Rooney 22.99 Speedo Junior Nationals Pleasanton Seahawks Steve Morsilli

100 Free:
Maxime Rooney (WJR) 48.87 FINA World Junior Championships Pleasanton Seahawks Steve Morsilli
Ryan Hoffer (WJR) 49.82 Philips 66 Nationals Scottsdale Aquatic Club Kevin Zacher
Daniel Krueger (WJR) 50.12 Philips 66 Nationals McFarland Spartan Sharks Derrick O’Donnell
Michael Andrew 50.21 Speedo Junior Nationals Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
Michael Jensen (WJR) 50.28 Speedo Junior Nationals Upper Dublin Aquatic Club Geoff Scheuer
Kyle Decoursey 50.36 NCSA- Summer Championships Zionsville Swim Club Eric Meyer

200 Free:
Maxime Rooney (WJR) 1:47.10 Philips 66 Nationals Pleasanton Seahawks Steve Morsilli
Grant Shoults (WJR) 1:48.42 FINA World Junior Championships Mission Viejo Naddaroes Bill Rose
Grant House (WJR) 1:49.53 Philips 66 Nationals Countryside YMCA Brad Isham
‘Aukai Lileikis 1:49.90 Speedo Junior Nationals Auela Swim Club Joseph Glenn
Parks Jones 1:50.01 Speedo Junior Nationals Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics Paul Stafford
Jeffrey Newkirk 1:50.12 Phillips 66 Nationals Quest Swimming Dudley Duncan
Matthew Hirschberger (WJR) 1:51.23 NCSA- Spring Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club Bruce Gemmell

400 Free:
Grant Shoults (WJR) 3:48.91 FINA World Junior Championships Mission Viejo Nadadores Bill Rose
Matthew Hirschberger (WJR) 3:52.27 Philips 66 Nationals Nation’s Capital Swim Club Bruce Gemmell
Sean Grieshop 3:52.60 Speedo Junior Nationals Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Walker Higgins 3:54.02 Speedo Junior Nationals Tennessee Aquatics Marshall Goldman
Chris Yeager 3:54.14 Speedo Junior Nationals Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Logan Houck 3:56.02 NCSA- Summer Championships Sandpipers of Nevada Ron Aitken

1500 Free:
Taylor Abbott (WJR) 15:16.35 FINA World Junior Championships Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Logan Houck 15:16.80 Philips 66 Nationals Sandpipers of Nevada Ron Aitken
Chris Yeager (WJR) 15:17.99 Philips 66 Nationals Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Matthew Hirschberger 15:19.23 NCSA- Spring Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club Bruce Gemmell
Sean Grieshop 15:22.03 TYR MVN Fran Crippen SMOC Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Aaron Apel 15:27.35 Speedo Junior Nationals Scottsdale Aquatic Club Kevin Zacher

100 Back:
Michael Taylor (WJR) 54.62 FINA World Junior Championships Dynamo Swim Club Rich Murphy / Jason Turcotte
Michael Andrew (WJR) 54.74 FINA World Junior Championships Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
John Shebat 55.20 NCSA- Spring Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club John Flanagan
Daniel Carr 55.64 Speedo Junior Nationals Cheyenne Mountain Aquatics Bob Jenkyns
Bryce Mefford 55.74 Phillips 66 National Championships Sierra Marlins Swim Team Scott Shea
Ethan Young 55.80 Phillips 66 National Championships Carpet Capital Aquatics Club Jason Meszaros

200 Back:
Michael Taylor (WJR) 1:58.10 Phillips 66 Nationals Dynamo Swim Club Rich Murphy / Jason Turcotte
Austin Katz (WJR) 1:58.51 FINA World Junior Championships Sarasota YMCA Brent Arckey
Bryce Mefford 1:59.68 Phillips 66 Nationals Sierra Marlins Swim Team Scott Shea
Michael Reilman 1:59.90 IN Speedo Sectional Championships Firestone Akron Swim Team Cindy Dial
Wade O’Brien 2:00.03 NCSA- Summer Championships NOVA of Virginia Aquatics Geoff Brown
Justin Ress 2:00.53 NCSA- Summer Championships Marlins of Raleigh Paul Silver

100 Breast:
Michael Andrew (WJR) 1:00.68 Phillips 66 Nationals Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
Carsten Vissering 1:00.86 NCSA- Summer Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club John Flanagan
Reece Whitley (WJR) 1:01.00 FINA World Junior Championships Penn Charter Aquatic Club Crystal Coleman
Chandler Bray 1:01.79 Phillips 66 Nationals Avon Community Swim Team Jon Karr
Devon Nowicki 1:01.96 IN Speedo Sectional Championships AquaSwimClub Christopher Sullivan
Jacob Montague 1:02.08 NCSA- Summer Championships Groose Pointe Gators John Fodell

200 Breast:
Reece Whitley (WJR) 2:11.30 Phillips 66 Nationals Penn Charter Aquatic Club Crystal Coleman
Chandler Bray (WJR) 2:14.13 FINA World Junior Championships Avon Community Swim Team Jon Karr
Jacob Montague 2:14.37 NCSA – Summer Championships Groose Pointe Gators John Fodell
Carsten Vissering 2:14.46 NCSA- Spring Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club John Flanagan
Matthew Anderson 2:14.85 Phillips 66 Nationals Phoenix Swim Club Garrett McCaffrey
Ethan Browne 2:14.88 Speedo Junior Nationals Excel Aquatics Steven Murry

100 Fly:
Michael Andrew (WJR) 52.57 Speedo Junior Nationals Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
Ryan Hoffer (WJR) 52.89 FINA World Junior Championships Scottsdale Aquatic Club Kevin Zacher
Maxime Rooney 53.40 Speedo Junior Nationals Pleasanton Seahawks Steve Morsilli
Greg Brocato 53.50 Phillips 66 National Championships Central Bucks Swim Team Brian Daly
Camden Murphy 53.79 NCSA- Summer Championships Kingfish Aquatic Club Brad Brockway
Mathias Oh 53.84 Speedo Junior Nationals King Aquatic Club Doug Djang
Michael Thomas 53.84 Speedo Junior Nationals Upper Dublin Aquatic Club Geoff Scheuer

200 Fly:
Michael Thomas (WJR) 1:57.61 FINA World Junior Championships Upper Dublin Aquatic Club Geoff Scheuer
Zach Harting (WJR) 1:58.78 Phillips 66 National Championships Huntsville Swim Association Arthur Albiero
Mark Jurek 1:58.81 Speedo Junior Nationals Arizona Gold Swimming Jerry Olszewski
Grant Shoults 1:59.15 TYR MVN Fran Crippen SMOC Mission Viejo Nadadores Bill Rose
Samuel Pomajevich 1:59.34 Speedo Junior Nationals Nation’s Capital Swim Club Pete Morgan
Max Miranda 1:59.40 Speedo Junior Nationals Bluefish Swim Club Chuck Batchelor

200 IM
Michael Andrew (WJR) 1:59.86 FINA World Junior Championships Indie Swimming Peter Andrew
Sean Grieshop (WJR) 2:01.83 FINA World Junior Championships Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Samuel Stewart 2:02.43 GA Long Course Speedo Sectionals Crawfish Aquatics Billy Newport
John Shebat 2:02.49 Phillips 66 National Championships Nation’s Capital Swim Club John Flanagan
Mark Andrew 2:02.60 Speedo Junior Nationals Greater Miami Valley YMCA Chris Bushelman
Justin Ress 2:02.67 Phillips 66 National Championships Marlins of Raleigh Paul Silver

400 IM:
Sean Grieshop (WJR) 4:15.67 FINA World Junior Championships Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Charles Swanson (WJR) 4:20.37 NCSA- Spring Championships NOVA of Virginia Geoff Brown
Samuel Stewart 4:21.64 GA Long Course Speedo Sectionals Crawfish Aquatics Billy Newport
Benjamin Walker 4:22.01 Phillips 66 Nationals Premier Aquatics of Klein Mike McCauley
Mark Andrew 4:22.10 Speedo Junior Nationals Greater Miami Valley YMCA Chris Bushelman
Grant Sanders 4:22.46 Phillips 66 Nationals Clearwater Aquatic Team Randy Reese

OPEN WATER:
Qualifying Criteria: Top six finishers from the 2015 USA Swimming 10k Open Water National Championships/World Championships
Trials, who are 18 and under at the time of the competition provided that they finished within 15 minutes of the first place finisher.
Taylor Abbott Nitro Swimming Tim O’Brien
Brendan Casey Team Santa Monica David Kelsheimer
Simon Lamar FAST Swim Team Brian Brown
Logan Houck Sandpipers of Nevada Ron Aitken
Ben Lawless University of Florida Anthony Nesty
Michael Brinegar Unattached Jennifer Hooker Brinegar

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Cameron Narimanian

8 years ago

Of course Michael Andrew leads it

Gregg Raab

8 years ago

Congrats to all these swimmers! Clearly a great group of extremely hard working athletes. It is unfortunate, however, that inclusion on the team does not necessarily include the actual 6 fastest swimmers in each event during the qualifying period.

Susan Marsh

8 years ago

of course